Two well-traveled trails - one connecting Valleycliffe to the Adventure Centre and the other between Second Avenue and Cattermole Slough - may be closed off in coming weeks as private landowners protest what they say is the "complete utter failure" of district staff to listen to the community. During a meeting meant to get input on the planning of the Upper Mamquam Blind Channel area, residents Peter Legère and Perry Beckham said they felt dismissed."Staff does not want the input of citizens and elected officials," Beckham said, adding that the community needs an opportunity to debate whether the area should be rezoned for high density residential.Last Saturday (May 10) about 20 people, including a representative from the Red Point project proposed for the area, were invited to attend a day-long stakeholders meeting at the Howe Sound Brew Pub's Garibaldi Room. Facilitator Catherine Rockandel said her style centres around all participants having a voice, but landowner Perry Beckham said he felt the planning process was already a "fait accompli"."Everything is about making Red Point go ahead," he said.Local resident Peter Legère said he felt his input was dismissed at the meeting. Although he did not receive an invitation, he arrived hoping to present his own development vision for the area. His plans include a hotel and condominium development alongside the channel. To avoid the traffic problems that arose over Red Point, his plans include a bridge crossing the channel at Rose Park. To access the area, people would cross the highway at the Cleveland Avenue intersection and make an immediate right.Legère said the new bridge would not only make his plans possible but solve Red Point's dilemmas as well."I figured in a couple hours we'd just have it all settled and there'd be no need for a Local Area Plan," he said.However, after arriving with plans in hand, he said he was ushered away by Rockandel."After about 10 minutes of arguing, I was taken by the arm and lead out of the room," he said. Now both Legère and Beckham are planning to close off their trails on their property long available to the public to demonstrate their frustration with district staff. Legère's trail runs alongside the oceanfront at the end of Second Avenue. Beckham's stretch of trail functions as a connector from Valleycliffe to an emergency road by the Adventure Centre. He estimates that 100 people use it everyday."All the places where the kids and dogs come down from Hospital Hill, its done, it's over," he said.Beckham said developments such as Red Point promote nearby trails that are accessed by crossing private property such as his own. He said the district should negotiate a legal easement on the land to make the trail public property."I'm at the end of my rope."Red Point hit a wall last December when ongoing traffic issues prompted council to call for a Local Area Plan for the lands. The motion discouraged any applications for rezoning or development permits in the area until a plan had been created.At the time, Coun. Corinne Lonsdale said the plan would help the council members "get our heads around what the property can support."Beckham said this question is not being addressed. He noted there were four staff representatives at the meeting, although the invitations stated that stakeholders could only send one representative "to keep an even balance."Mayor Ian Sutherland stood by district staff when responding to complaints about the meeting. He said it was not designed for residents to give presentations."I think that meeting was meant for lots of information gathering and sharing," he said, pointing out that someone at the meeting shared Legere's plans with the group anyway.When addressing the potential trail closures, he noted, "People have the right, I guess, to do anything they want to."He also said that some landowners with private land being used publicly might find there are some ways they are using district land privately."We generally find it cuts both ways," said Sutherland.A report from the meeting will now go to council for consideration.Beckham said he would close his trail off within the next three weeks if district staff does not improve co-operation with landowners.
