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Playground equipment for Powell River park awaits archaeological approval

Process for Willingdon Beach location requires consultations with first nations
Willingdon Beach Powell River
AWAITING STUDY: Playing on the old Willingdon Beach playground equipment are Gabriel and Owen Comtois, who are four and two years old, respectively. Archaeological studies are the holdup for installing new playground equipment at that location. Paul Galinski photo

It appears the province’s archaeological branch is the holdup preventing installation of new playground equipment and beach volleyball courts at Willingdon Beach.

At the committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday, June 4, City of Powell River councillor Jim Palm said it is increasingly frustrating that the new playground equipment the city has waiting for placement at Willingdon Beach park has been in storage in Powell River since October of last year. He said there is also a request for a new volleyball court on the beachfront, where leagues have already been planned and summer activities arranged to conduct beach volleyball activity at the new facility.

Palm said the holdup is the archaeological study that is required.

“The person in charge resides in Nanaimo; it’s hard to get any movement and get her here in order to conduct her work,” said Palm. “It’s just frustrating that we can’t get that person here to get anything done, especially that playground equipment that is affecting toddlers in our community. We’ve been talking about playground equipment for a long time.”

Director of parks, recreation and culture Ray Boogaards said it is not the city’s consultant that is holding the process up; it’s the archaeological branch in Victoria.

“The archeological branch has to consult 14 first nations before we get approval,” said Boogaards.

This includes a project that the first nations community is supporting, which is a sign recognizing the Hɛhɛwšɩn (The Way Forward) Reconciliation Canoe Journey Project from last year.

“It’s also held up as a result of this,” said Boogaards.

He said the city’s consultant indicates it’s been a long process for her to maneuver through the process.

“We are looking at the fall,” said Boogaards, of the anticipated installation of the playground equipment.

The whole area is archaeologically sensitive, he said. The consultant is doing the best she can but the city has to go with the process the province is indicating, he added.

Palm said he would like to offer an apology to the residents of Powell River.

“It’s out of our hands; we are doing everything we can to bring in the new equipment,” he said. “We’ve been waiting a long time. Patience, I guess, is the order of the day. Bear with us and we’ll soldier on.”