Editor's note: This is the last in a three-part series of articles by Squamish-based freelance writer Ana Santos about the joys and challenges of life on the water in Squamish and elsewhere in B.C.
I quickly pull the phone away from my ear as Peggy Woods' loud chuckle sends an equally loud electronic shrill over the airwaves. The connection stumbles to recovery as I hear her say: It's clear. I've got the photograph I took in 1989 right here.
Peggy describes the Chieftain Hotel as she saw it, with two separate entrances back then, one for the ladies and their escorts, and another one for the men. The chuckling continues: What an eye-opener! That was new to me! I join her in her laughter and disbelief.
Peggy had planned her visit to Squamish months before, from the comfort of her Texas home. In the short week that she would spend in Vancouver with her mother and niece, she had included the sightseeing excursion up to the northern tip of Howe Sound by boat, and then back by steam train, with the conviction that it would make for a very special day. We knew that we'd be introduced to things that were out of the ordinary for us, Peggy explains, still in between soft laughs.
Their expectations were surpassed as soon as they boarded the MV Britannia at the Harbour Ferries dock, on Vancouver's Denman Street, on July 21 at 9:30 a.m. Once we set sail, we started to see the city from the perspective of being on the water, looking back at the impressive skyline, Peggy remembers. And at one point, we saw the Royal Hudson steam train hugging the cliffs along Lions Bay.
Peggy didn't know it then, but the Royal Hudson would be carrying its one-millionth rider that same season. She had never been on a train before, much less a steam locomotive train! she exclaims. Knowing that she'd be on it for the return trip to Vancouver later that day made her stomach tingle with a mixed sensation of excitement and expectation.
The passing scenery and the lumber operations on the water kept Peggy and her fellow travellers engrossed until they reached Squamish. The MV Britannia deposited them at the dock on Main Street, and they were free to wander around the area until ready to board the Royal Hudson a few hours later.
Twenty-four years on, Tom Bruusgaard, former Squamish harbour master and economic development officer, nods incessantly as I animatedly share with him Peggy's experiences from her trip. Abruptly, he interrupts me: Can you imagine the impact that the annual 15,000 passengers that came on the Britannia had on Squamish, in just two hours? I offer him another rhetorical question as an answer: Can you imagine how different our downtown would be today if we had the Britannia running again? Over the coffee table, Tom stretches his neck towards me as he pushes his glasses down to the tip of his nose. He gives me a cunning look over the thin silver frame: You got it, he simply says.
The biggest head-scratcher for me is how many communities would kill for their downtown to be on the ocean, and here we are, without even remotely using it, were Squamish Coun. Bryan Raiser's scowling words earlier this month.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a frequent harbour user continues where Raiser left off: It's worse than not using it; what little we have is unwelcoming. We need a more hospitable approach; even the washroom at the harbour is kept locked.
He points at a lone visitor on the docks, camera in hand, strolling pensively among the boats, perhaps unsure that with one single click he can capture the beauty of Squamish's unique marine scene, set against the stunning backdrop of the Chief. A few people already come here to take photographs. It could be so much better. There's so much potential going to waste, continues the anonymous lament.
Long-term neglect is where Squamish Harbour Authority (SHA) director Cliff Wood lays the blame: This was a logging town, and the water was, still is, secondary. Turning what we have into a functional and well-organized waterfront will take time, effort and money, but it will pay off. The town will benefit from a push to the local economy, vibrancy, jobs
This is the big task in the hands of Neil Plumb, District of Squamish (DOS) real estate manager. He certainly shares the vision: Squamish has a fabulous opportunity to celebrate being a waterfront community, he states. Now, through the recently developed concept of a municipal marine strategy, he can start turning this vision into an exciting plan: We are entering uncharted territory with unparalleled possibilities, he adds.
Uncharted territory can be good and bad, Tom remarks.
Unlike in Bowen Island, where Water Use Zones (General, Civic and Commercial) determine the appropriate use of the municipality's marine coastal area, currently, the District of Squamish does not have specialized marine zones, writes DOS communications manager Christina Moore.
That is precisely what kills waterfronts, Tom warns, forcefully tapping his right index finger against the table to underline each word, because you lose sight of what the water is for; lining the waterfront exclusively with restaurants and condos will not work.
According to Tom, a good mix along the waterfront is essential: We must attend to marine industry and commercial needs, not just residential. Let's make the place liveable but married to job creation.
Twenty years ago, you could shoot a gun across the town and not hit a soul, but now Bob Baziuk, general manager of the Steveston Harbour Authority, feels every single gram of the weight of his responsibility over safety standards in the day-to-day operations of Steveston's harbour, cradled right in the middle of his growing community.
Bob's authority encompasses 46 acres of uplands and 25 acres of water lots: Canada's largest commercial fishing port. The layout of his working area suggests the ability to envision a well-balanced composition. For Bob, this is second nature; he likely owes his good eye to the incredible photographs he takes in his spare time.
The huge harbour includes numerous tenants who offer professional services to the fishing fleet (net repair, aluminum welding, ice plant, chandlery, travel lift), but there are also countless public facilities and amenities to attract both visitors and residents: restaurants, whale-watching tours, floating fish and chips and crab shack, washrooms, a gorgeous boardwalk, and even a public fish sales float. It's an eclectic mixture, but everything is in the right place, Bob says.
Bob's job requires hard work and a good pinch of zest, but he gets a lot of expert help behind the scenes, there's a diligent board of directors always keen to lend a hand, at least in deciding how things are run. The board includes representatives of fishermen organizations, but it also has dedicated seats for the City of Richmond and community groups.
As far as the city goes, there's a 'give and take' that benefits us both. We're using their services, so it's essential that the municipality is represented. And they benefit because they get a say in any issues at stake, Bob explains. As for the community groups, they act as a medium to spread our information, and it's also thanks to them that we get to know what's happening out there.
Although very different in size and reach, the harbour authorities of Steveston and Squamish operate the same way, under a lease with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), and their accountability is to their boards and their communities.
A DFO report from 2003 states that Harbour authorities provide opportunities for communities to participate in the operation and maintenance of harbour facilities, and that harbours and waterfronts add not only to the local economy, but also (to people's) quality of life. Harbour authorities are seen as instrumental in this, as they support and enable a broad spectrum of leisure activities, events and partnerships. The report concludes that harbours are an integral part of the life and identity of coastal communities.
This definition is not wasted on SHA chair Andrew Guilbride, who identifies the group as a key player in the upcoming marine strategy development process. As if in anticipation, Andrew seems ready to open the door to the traditionally exclusive organization: We should have other stakeholders come to our meetings. From his part, Cliff Wood, his fellow director, is ready to welcome a DOS representative at the table.
Collaboration is key, Bob Baziuk affirms. The waterfront is a really rewarding place to work. But you've got to work at it; there's no other way around it.
Stay tuned; I'm not giving up! Tom Bruusgaard's plans to bring boats like the Britannia back to the Squamish harbour are well advanced. Three concrete floats is all we need, he adds. And Victoria Street on Loggers Lane is the perfect place: the District owns the land, the waterfront lease, and the road right-of-way.
As well as the floats, Tom's initiative needs a lot of community support. Allegedly, some doors, like the Squamish Harbour Authority's, are locked, but many others are opening theirs with enthusiasm, even ready to roll the red carpet: Thousands of visitors [like Peggy Woods] could be returning to our downtown soon, Squamish Coun. Ted Prior's eyes grow wide as he shares the picture on his mind.
Ted doesn't want to take excitement away from the marine strategy process, but he knows it can take a long time to produce such a document. Many things can be done today, he says. If the willingness and the right conditions are there, why not take advantage of them?
A dock for tour boats is one of the things that Prior supports, but he's also keen to make provisions for floathomes and liveaboards: Now is the time to plan and get the zoning in for them. If we wait until the waterfront development is all done, we'll have missed the boat.
Ted is no stranger to life on the water; a while back, he lived on his boat in a Squamish marina for seven years. According to Ted, legally or not, there will always be people living on boats. Liveaboards add worldliness, spice and variety to a community. He continues after a brief pause for thought: Theirs is a special way of life. We might as well accept it and provide for it to be done right.
Be it to work, live or play, and in Squamish Mayor Rob Kirkham's words, Squamish is faced with a tremendous opportunity to harness the potential of our marine environment () for the betterment of the community. The development of a marine strategy will help inform this process. There will be opportunities for public input and comment, so stay on watch and be ready to unfurl sails, he says.
