An opposition group to Garibaldi at Squamish is planning to give the project a unified blast with a petition against the proposed ski resort. The newly formed group is rallying together with concerns ranging from the loss of green space to water shortages to overall viability.
"It's a hair-brained idea," said group member Catherine Jackson. She said that if the proponents really cared about the community, they would create a proposal adhering to Smart Growth principles.
As president of the Squamish Environmental Conservation Society, she is also concerned about the environmental assessment (EA) process, which has been put on hold while the proponent collects more information.In a Nov. 15 letter to the assessment office GAS chairman Bob Gaglardi and president Mike Esler urge EA staff to resume the process quickly, stating, "We fear that further delays beyond Nov. 27, 2007 will send the wrong message to the agency members, Working Group members and the District of Squamish staff and council in particular not to take our project seriously"
But it's the environmental studies that need to be taken seriously, argued Jackson, stating that it would take at least a year for the group to collect adequate stream data.
The group is using that time to collect signatures with 220 to date. The petition is available for singing at Trinity Romance, the Hotspot and the Highland's physiotherapy clinic. On Friday (Nov. 30), it will be available online at www.savegaribaldi.org.Group member Jessica Reid said the petition would eventually be presented to Environment Minister Barry Penner, Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts Stan Hagen as well as EA staff involved in the proposal.
At a recent Chamber luncheon on Nov. 20, Esler suggested the province would support the project as a way of meeting tourism targets. But Reid said the province is far from decided on the issue.
"If the government supported this proposalthe project would be happening," she said.
Jackson said she happy with the approach other levels of government have taken to GAS.She praised district and regional staff for demanding more information from the proponents.
"They're listening to the community," she said. They've gotten together, they've consulted one another and they've presented a unified front."The opposition group of about a dozen people has also created informative brochures outlining 12 reasons members object to the proposal. The brochures are available alongside the petitions.
