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LETTER: The death of B.C. Parks

These days, people bring everything they have at home to their park holiday.

These days, people bring everything they have at home to their park holiday. Why do they do that? What's the point? Why don't they just drive down the road and stay in a friend's driveway?

Save on gas, avoid sitting in traffic jams or ferry lineups for hours. You could cook or order in your favourite food. Why not make this the next craze? All wildlife in the parks would love that.

Who will protect nature against the parks department development? Government and industry knew 100 years ago that industry and too many people would kill our parks. Where did that wisdom go?

Over the next 10 to 20 years, government and developers will pave more roads into our parks. Parks were not made for making money. Parks are made for protecting wilderness.

How long until Cheakamus Lake Road is widened and paved. Why do government and developers want wilderness to be made fully accessible not only to people, but also all kinds of machines?

Our parks are becoming real estate targets for developers. Our wilderness has more and more powerline roads, oil and gas roads, run of river, LNG roads. Look at the Northern Rocky Mountains Provincial Park.

There are oil and gas service roads all throughout. B.C. does not need comfort and ease to every corner of our wilderness. Why is it that backcountry wildlife officers, safety protection, search and rescue, DFO are inadequately funded and staffed while millions for asphalt can be found—and with asphalt comes endless rules and regulations, fees and bills, service charges, taxes, tow trucks.

Doesn't look like a park holiday to me. It boggles the mind at our illusory protection of our parks, wilderness, and wildlife. And it doesn't matter who's in power—left, right or centre. It will not stop. The old parks magic is gone.

Dave Bennett, Whistler

**This letter was originally sent to Pique Newsmagazine.

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