A happy ferry tale
Recently, as we were travelling home, we arrived at Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal only to learn that the 1:20 pm ferry sailing was delayed 45 minutes. This delay would have made it impossible to catch the “connecting” 4 pm Earls Cove sailing [“Ferries modifies schedule,” October 2].
After several complaints from Powell River residents, we were all asked to meet at the Chief Steward’s office on the Queen of Surrey. There, we were informed that the Earls Cove ferry would wait an extra 20 minutes for us.
This was a happy ending for the majority of us as we were able to catch the earlier sailing, avoiding a two-and-a-half hour wait otherwise.
We greatly appreciated the staff of both the Queen of Surrey and the Queen of Chilliwack for accommodating your Powell River passengers.
Vivian Thickett
Field Street
No expansion needed
Many people are asking if we can get more jobs, more tax revenue and more money without a coal terminal expansion? The answer is yes. Here is how:
• Use the additional space at the port for something other than coal. There are alternative usages which create more jobs and more tax revenue for all.
• Don’t wait for a non-local company to create clean energy jobs. Instead create your own clean energy jobs now. The province is offering financing. That money is right there waiting to be taken.
• Coal is a losing job investment. The fact is coal demand is really shrinking and as a result the jobs would also shrink.
• Support local, clean energy jobs that can’t be outsourced, such as high-tech jobs. Studies show that clean energy jobs create more jobs.
• Do your own research about clean energy jobs, alternative jobs to dirty coal. There are plenty. Then make your decision.
I encourage all to express their opinion—they own it, each opinion is valuable [“Pseudo-environmentalism misses mark,” October 16]. I suggest keeping in mind that we are all living on the same big rock, I mean the spaceship planet earth. Also after the discussion and decision is over we will still have to live together in this beautiful community.
Francois Carpentier
Joyce Avenue
People stand for strong reason
Big projects that have been proposed in this area have brought out many concerns from people, and rightly so [“Pseudo-environmentalism misses mark,” October 16].
As a former resident of Texada Island who opposed the liquified natural gas (LNG) project, I thought it was irresponsible and unconscionable not to have an exit plan for Texada residents to get off the island if a dangerous situation arose and it was necessary to evacuate.
Were Texada residents supposed to try to make it to the water’s edge, jump into the sea and swim out of there? When I did express my concerns at a public meeting, I was told to call BC Ferries Corporation.
Texada’s drinking water is in jeopardy due to issues around contamination. Lafarge Canada Inc. has been described by Dr. Paul Martiquet, medical health officer for Sunshine Coast/Bella Bella/Bella Coola health services, as having a “poor track record” in addressing concerns and that nothing has been resolved to date.
If the coal expansion facility is ruinous to the drinking water and health of the people who live there, then the sane, sensible, responsible and the conscionable thing to say is “not in my backyard.”
Carmen Ward
Hillcrest Avenue
Texada transformation
Dr. Frank James delivered a highly intelligent scientific fact-based and deeply sobering presentation of life on Texada Island in a thermal coal world [“Health impacts of coal dust include long list of illnesses,” October 23].
It is an extremely bleak picture, folks. Lafarge Canada Inc. has done a masterful job of silencing its employees and keeping them uninformed. To those employees who will visit the front lines on a daily basis, putting themselves in harm’s way, words cannot begin to describe the fear and empathy that I feel for each and every one of you.
This little place affectionately known as “affordable paradise” will exist in name and land mass only. Everything else will change and unfortunately not for the better.
Steve Perkins
Blair Road, Texada Island
Look again at Texada’s OCP
Powell River Regional District board recently voted in favour of the expansion of coal storage/shipping facilities in Gillies Bay because the Official Community Plan states the area is an industrial site [“Rural directors support coal expansion,” September 18]. Chair Colin Palmer also said in an interview on CBC Radio that Texada Island was an industrial island and that nobody really cared about coal expansion.
But he is wrong. We do care. The community plan, written by Texadans for all Texadans in 2005, also includes health and environmental clauses. For example:
• Section A.5.h. which “ensures...[development]...does not adversely affect the natural environment...particularly the quality and quantity of limited surface water for domestic use.”
• Section B.10.a. opposed “activities harmful to the island or its surrounding waterways.”
• Section B.3.d. promoted “enforcement of provincial regulations regarding the development of mining projects, especially with respect to environmental protection and public safety.”
These were drawn up long before the proposed coal expansion and expressed the wishes of the whole community to protect our environment, health and safety, and have recently been reinforced with the adoption of the sustainability charter.
Evidence shows that the very real health and environmental risks from coal dust and diesel pollution are serious problems.
However there is deep concern about this issue dividing our community and pitting neighbour against neighbour.
In my view, cancer doesn’t care what side you are on. It doesn’t distinguish between our hard-working quarry workers and their families, local farmers or retirees.
Together we need to call for health and environmental impact assessments so we can get the facts to protect all of us.
Mary Lock
Gillies Bay Road, Texada Island
Transportation options dwindle
There is a lot of recent speculation and worry on Texada Island regarding transportation, especially in view of the double whammy of recent airport decertification and ferry dock upgrade complications [“Texada loses scheduled flights,” October 9].
Transport Canada’s mandatory regulations requiring very expensive safety and security upgrades have influenced the Powell River Regional District’s decision to surrender Texada airport’s certification, which allows for a scheduled airline to operate there. People were very upset and worried about the seemingly drastic change. On an island, the loss of any transportation facility is a serious matter.
The regional district and KD Air have applied for authorization to allow scheduled flights to continue. It is expected it will be granted in the near future. The service to Vancouver and Qualicum Beach has been a popular and well-used route for over 20 years.
On another front, BC Ferries’ Westview terminal will be upgraded starting in January. This project will necessitate a detour for ferry traffic to Powell River for several weeks. Vehicles from Texada will be ferried to Saltery Bay, a sailing of over two hours. That means if one wants to go to Powell River and back to Texada with a car, approximately five hours of the trip will be on water. Another 40 minutes will be spent in transit between Saltery Bay and Powell River (return trip) plus whatever time it takes to travel on Texada.
Walk-on passengers will enjoy a faster mode of transport on a water taxi. However, travellers have to arrange for a car or use bus transport on the other side of the chuck.
As our demographic changes to an aged population, the problem of mass transportation is becoming an interesting challenge. Some elderly folks are becoming unable to drive, and those wishing to continue living on the island are worried about this. Neither is there daily public transportation nor a taxi system available on the island. People have to rely on friends and family for rides to the ferry, events, the clinic and for groceries.
Doby Dobrostanski
Texada Island
