Sitting alone on the shores of Britannia Beach is a structure that may look like nothing more than an abandoned shack to the throngs of motorists who pass it every day on Highway 99.
But inside that building lies the hard work and construction of the local skateboarding community, a mecca for skaters from around the region to practice their sport with the ocean and mountains as their backdrop.
However, Britannia Beach's best-kept secret is likely to become nothing more than a distant memory despite local riders' best efforts to save the controversial skaters' paradise.
Local skate shop owner Mike Quesnel, who made it his mission to keep "The Barn" open, told The Chief that he received an email from a Ministry of Forest, Lands and Natural Resource Operations official on Tuesday (May 31) stating that the ramps and construction constitute a trespass and that they must be removed immediately.
"The skateboarders from the entire Sea to Sky Corridor banded together and created an amazing ramp for all to enjoy," Quesnel said.
"Families in Britannia Beach, Squamish, Whistler, Vancouver had a spot to skate out of the rain. Now we spend how many tax dollars on a museum so tourists can pull over and explore a dirt tunnel? Whatdoes it do for the citizens who reside in this contaminated tailings field, who cannot even enjoy their waterfront?"
Quesnel pointed out that the barn has been used by local skaters for more than 20 years and it was just this past fall that he and other members of the community came together to make it safer. However, after a derelict ship sank near the site this past January, a fence that prevents entry to the barn was erected. The reason behind the erection of the fence is still a mystery to Quesnel.
"Why is the fence even there, they've never given me an answer," he said. "They tell me that no one is allowed on it because it's contaminated, but if no one is allowed on that land, no one should be allowed on any of the land. Why can't the fence be put around the hazards that are actually there?"
He said the building has been deemed condemned but that the ministry has failed to produce documents explaining why. The building's condemnation also leads to questions about why the movie "The A-Team" was allowed to film in the area in 2009.
"Did the movie industry go in there, fix it up and make it unsafe when they left?" he asked. "They're not going to go in there if it's unsafe."
Quesnel said the response he's received from the Britannia Beach community has been overwhelmingly supportive.
"They're all stoked on the idea," he said. "Everybody loves it, they all say we've done such a good job. It's a public park, it gives the kids somewhere to go in the rain. The ramps have been there for 20 years so we fixed it up and made it safe."
Quesnel said ministry officials should reconsider their decision.
"I personally believe the mining ministry should become pro-actively involved in creating a proper home within Britannia Beach so its citizens have a safe facility for their children and families to enjoy," he said. "Their children have been using this unsafe land for skateboarding for 20 years. It is far too long. Let's get them a proper facility. I think the residents of Britannia Beach would agree."
The email, sent by Ron Bronstein, director of the ministry's Crown Land Opportunities and Restoration Branch, states: "Since the inception of the mine remediation activities, ground water pumping stations were installed in the area as part of the water quality treatment system. A new fence and warning signs were installed to protect those assets, including the public, as there are potential dangers associated with old buildings, dilapidated wharf and the pump system."
Bronstein implicitly stated that the removal of the skateboard ramps is imminent and is not negotiable. In answer to questions about the movie industry being allowed to use the building when skateboarders are not, Bronstein wrote:
"For every movie filmed on the mine site, the Mines Inspector receives a detailed engineer's report on the unsafe issues and the engineering solution to the concern. The movie company also provides a very detailed safety program to cover all contingencies associated with the use of the mine site, and an emergency plan. They also provide the appropriate emergency infrastructure in place prior to starting of filming. This arrangement is in place with the Mining Museum, which is also under a Mines Act permit."
The Chief's attempts to reach Bronstein for further clarification were unsuccessful.
Quesnel said he will try his best to continue keeping the barn active but that it's up to residents and users to speak up if they want to keep it around.
He said user-created skateboard parks have worked in Vancouver, mentioning the Leeside Tunnel as an example. The tunnel is located in the Hastings area and has become a gathering place for the skating community in Vancouver.
"It used to be an emergency access but is no longer in use," he said. "They've let the skateboarders build underneath there and it's now become a park. It's a spot to skate in the rain for them; the skateboarders keep it clean and take care of it. The same thing could happen here."
"We're going about this the only way we could," he said. "If we would have asked permission to do what we did with the park, there's just no possible way it would have ever happened."
