A group of parents at a daycare in the Amblepath neighbourhood are voicing their concern about the safety of Woodfibre LNG setting up a new community office in the same complex.
The original community office, which was located downtown, was set on fire by an arsonist in the early morning hours of Nov. 3 and a temporary location at Government Road and Mamquam Road has been set up until repairs are complete.
This has caused some parents of children who go to Platypus Playcentre to worry that another fire or act of vandalism could happen so close to the daycare and residential homes.
“It doesn’t matter if you oppose or support Woodfibre LNG; this is about the safety of our kids,” said Jeff Van Mulligan, whose four-year-old son attends Platypus, standing outside the Woodfibre LNG office and pointing to the daycare.
“As a parent and a resident of the community, we feel Woodfibre is using our community as a deterrent against further criminal activity against their facilities. There are many other places this office could have gone.”
A letter was sent out by Woodfibre LNG to Amblepath residents back in December, after which the board of the daycare informed parents of the new location.
“Be assured that Woodfibre LNG and FortisBC take the safety and security seriously. We have taken measures to protect the office and the neighbourhood,” the letter reads.
Woodfibre’s Jennifer Siddon said a surveillance camera has been set up.
“I definitely understand where these parents are coming from. It wasn’t our intention to unduly raise concerns,” she said, adding that Woodfibre has requested a meeting with the board of the daycare and will also be meeting with FortisBC to discuss the safety concerns of the community.
The plan is to move back to the original location on Cleveland Avenue once the District of Squamish looks over the permit application that was submitted in December. Siddon said this will likely happen sometime in the spring.
But having the community office around does not sit well with Shan Warburton, whose 13-month-old goes to the daycare.
“The letter sent out by Woodfibre says residents should report any concerns in the neighbourhood to the RCMP and, if emergency services are needed, we should call 911. This doesn’t seem like a safe situation to me and we’re not the ones who should be looking out – Woodfibre should be,” she told The Chief.
The Squamish RCMP are still searching for the person who set Woodfibre LNG’s original office on fire in November. The police provided a description of the suspect – between 5’9” and 6’1” tall and 170 to 190 pounds – by reviewing surveillance tape and also said the person, who could be a man or a woman, might have been injured by getting too close to the flames.
