After being elected chair of qathet Regional District (qRD) at its inaugural meeting on November 26, Electoral Area A director Patrick Brabazon reported on several items of interest.
Brabazon said the latest provincial health order has changed circumstances considerably for everyone, and including the regional district. He said from the public point of view, the meeting he was chairing was now virtual. Previously, qRD meetings had been conducted during the pandemic with several directors and staff in the boardroom, as well as with directors and staff online.
“We are looking at ourselves on a screen and the only way the public can attend such a meeting is via the same way,” said Brabazon. “Personnel in the office are now restricted in numbers. When I or any of the directors enter the office, it will be with a mask on. We’ll just carry on doing that. It’s a sign of the times.”
Brabazon said the board and senior staff recently met with Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD). He said a variety of subjects were discussed with its directors and senior staff.
“It included the resuscitation, I’ll call it, of the regional bus service down to Horseshoe Bay,” said Brabazon. “I think they are interested and I think we are going to make some progress on that line.
“They wanted to talk about the ministry of transportation and infrastructure (MOTI) and I found it interesting that many of their concerns are the same as ours.”
He said SCRD would like to see some rural emphasis from MOTI, so discussions will carry on with SCRD about that sort of matter.
“I found it a really interesting meeting and we are going to meet again with a shorter interval than we did last time,” said Brabazon. “I expect that early next year there will be some of us meeting, and if we do, as I expect, form a working group on the regional bus service, that’s going to be up and running fast.”
Brabazon said the matter of Telus looking to install a tower in Lund for improved cellular and internet service is on the table again.
“They are back in Lund looking at a piece of land that happens to be regional district property,” said Brabazon. “It will be controversial. Telus will be running two negotiations: one with the public, because they are required to do so by the federal government, in which case the public will have their input. They will also be running another set of discussions with us because it’s our land. We’ll be dealing with that.
“I’m really happy to have them come back. Lund and Electoral Area A needs internet service and cell phone service. It’s sorely missing.”
