Lease approval
City of Powell River Council approved application for renewal of its provincial lease for continued use of Whyte’s Beach, on Cranberry Lake, at the foot of Drake Street.
Ray Boogaards, director of parks, recreation and culture, said during the city’s committee of the whole meeting on Thursday, September 4, that this is a very important piece of property for the city. It has been leased from the province for the last 30 years and the lease is scheduled to expire on January 25, 2015.
“It has been important for access to Cranberry Lake,” Boogaards said. “Staff is strongly recommending that we renew this lease and proceed with the application.”
He said there is a very basic management plan in place because it is such a small piece of property.
“It’s going to be open space,” Boogaards said. “People can walk down, sit down and watch the geese. It’s not going to entail a lot of extra work.”
In his written report to council, Boogaards said during the past 30 years, residents have used the leased area as a public beach access on Cranberry Lake.
City clerk Marie Claxton advised the committee of the whole that the application was facing deadline pressure so she recommended the matter be taken to that evening’s council meeting for consideration, to which the committee agreed.
At the council meeting later in the day, Mayor Dave Formosa said the city had made use of this land under lease for the past 30 years and suggested council would be applying for continued use for up to another 30 years. Council unanimously approved a motion to apply to the provincial government to extend the lease.
