City of Powell River Council is hoping that Cranberry-area residents will float a proposal for rehabilitation of Cranberry Lake.
At council’s committee of the whole meeting, Thursday, October 2, Councillor Jim Palm said Keith Carlson, a history professor at the University of Saskatchewan, had written an email proposing that a dedicated and competent graduate student from the university conduct a study of the lake in the summer 2015.
“He’s asking for a bunch of information so they can get a good student,” Palm said.
Mayor Dave Formosa said when councillors met with the Cranberry ratepayers, they all agreed that the lake needs attention. He said it was determined the ratepayers might want to get the student and hire them to do a study on Cranberry Lake.
“The student could see what can be done to deal with the lily pads, to preserve and save the lake, and maybe bring it back to its former glory,” Formosa said.
Now that the society is in place, there is the prospect for fundraising, grants and a group to work with council on revitalizing the lake, according to the mayor
“It’s a huge, wonderful asset within the city and it needs our utmost attention,” Formosa said.
Councillor Debbie Dee said two Cranberry ratepayers’ meetings ago, there was a conversation about the state of the lake. Carlson, a former Cranberry resident, was at the meeting and suggested a student project.
Dee said there had been discussion at the meeting about some seed funds for the society. Carlson, in his email, said he believed the mayor had indicated the city could provide approximately $15,000 and was looking for a letter providing the extent of financial support it could extend to the society.
“It would be a great thing if a graduate student could come and do their graduate work on Cranberry Lake,” Dee said.
Councillor Russell Brewer suggested the matter be referred back to the city’s sustainability committee. He said in terms of funding, he was sure that gas tax funding could be a source.
Mac Fraser, chief administrative officer, said council deserved to have information regarding a clear statement of what the society would like to see accomplished in the study before committing money. He suggested the matter be referred to city staff.
Formosa said he recalls asking the group to make a presentation to the sustainability committee.
“I think they should be referred to the sustainability committee; they can work with them,” Formosa said. “I think that’s the place where we can set up for this type of thing within the city.”
Fraser said the issue does not match the mandate of the sustainability steering committee. “I suggest you refer it to staff for a report,” he said.
Councillor Maggie Hathaway said she loves Cranberry Lake and would love to see it continue being a lake and not turned into a marsh.
“One of the questions is: what does this group want to see accomplished? Rather than sending it to staff and paying for their time to do a study, let’s have that group come to us and tell us exactly what they’d like to see accomplished and then move on from there,” Hathaway said.
Council decided to invite society representatives to appear before council as a delegation to outline its intentions.
During the committee’s question period at the end of the meeting, Cranberry Lake resident Paddy Goggins, who said he has lived on the lakeshore for about 25 years, said the ratepayers’ group does not represent the Cranberry Lake waterfront property owners. He said he lives on the northeast side of the lake.
“Every time the lilies are cut, for whatever reason, they blow over to my place and rot,” Goggins said. “It makes it very unpleasant. You may also not know that yellow lilies are protected under United Nations’ charter. Messing with them is going to get you into trouble.”
Goggins said as far as the lake becoming a bog, the lake was a bog and flooded for industrial purposes.
“It has done a pretty good job of evolving,” he said. “If the society ends up messing with my lake, or council, you will have opposition because you are not well-informed.”
Goggins said there are a plethora of studies that have already been conducted on the lake. He said the lake does not need changing.
