The now-bleak gravel parking lot beside Rose Park may soon play host to more than cars.
This month the Sea to Sky Forestry Centre Society compiled site notes for the organization's bid to build a forestry centre south of the Squamish Adventure Centre. In the midst of an environmental assessment for the area, the organization is looking at short- and long-term initiatives, society member Eric Andersen said.
We are making plans, he said We are looking at some thing we can do in the interim.
Rose Park already serves as a great arboretum, Andersen noted, adding that the park fits in with educational programs focusing on the plant communities and shoreline tidal estuary habitat.
The group's report states that a canoe/kayak launch could be placed on the northern edge of the parking lot, with parking, washrooms and tourist information all nearby.
The report also envisions relocating the Squamish Log Books from the West Coast Railway Heritage Park to the open margin areas beside Highway 99 and the Adventure Centre. The large tree trunks are carved with descriptions of the communitys forestry history.
The notes, to be put into a formal site plan, suggest the creation of Turtle Trail, a pathway that would form a biking circle route around the lower valley of the Mamquam River.
There would be 'jumping-off points' around the route to various natural and built/cultural features including to estuary trails, railway heritage park and forestry centre, it states, adding that a footbridge across the Blind Channel should be encouraged.
The west side of Loggers Lane near Al McIntosh Loggers Sports Grounds was highlighted as a potential area to display historic forestry equipment. Eventually, a forestry theme could reach from the Adventure Centre, down Loggers Lane to the logging-themed mini-golf Whistle Punk Hollow, Andersen said.
Next year the society plans to team up with the Squamish Days Loggers Sports Association and host forestry-themed events at Rose Park, he said.
