The mosquitoes aren’t bad this year, say residents in the Island View beach area, but they fear the future.
In a response to a March council request, Jeff Ward, manager of planning and resource management for the Capital Regional District, presented an overview of the Island View Beach Regional Park management planning process to Central Saanich council Monday night. The gallery at municipal hall was filled with residents, mostly concerned about too much water in that Island View area.
“Half the community on that side is donating blood every summer,” said Coun. Terry Siklenka referring to complaints from residents.
The issue of ditch maintenance came to a head last summer as residents were inundated with mosquitoes after water was left sitting in drainage ditches in the area. Central Saanich went in and cleaned up the ditches then and things are much better as a result this year, residents said.
“There are no mosquitoes this year,” said Jason Austin, of the Island View ditch and mosquito committee that formed in February 2011 in response to the salt marsh mosquitoes inundating neighbouring residents.
Siklenka and others questioned the CRD commitment to keeping the ditches clear, as outlined in the 1989 document currently in place.
“I had no idea my signature on documents like that would lead to an almost disrespectful disregard to what was included in that document,” said Wayne Watkins, the Central Saanich resident who served as chair of CRD regional parks in late ’80s.
Ward noted there are “diverse opinions around hydrology” in the area.
“We’ve committed on the ditches to maintain what has been done,” he said.
A mosquito abatement program where a contractor hits target areas with larvicide is also in full swing.
“It appears we have part of the solution in effect. What I’m hearing is that the emphasis has to be on maintenance at this point,” said Mayor Alastair Bryson.
Another water concern broached by the public relates to the Cordova Shore Conservation Strategy that Ward calls a “technical report,” not policy.
But the water issues in the Cordova strategy concern Austin, such as the proposal to remove the ditch system and shoreline protection dike to allow storm surges.
“They are seriously encouraging removing the seawall and flood the park,” he said. “You can’t flood the park without flooding all the neighbours. … The public do not want the park flooded, the public do not want the ditches filled in.”
Longtime farmer Terry Michell voiced concern that flooding would damage surrounding residential, First Nations and agricultural land.
“Breaching the seawall will do serious damage to Island View Regional Park and all the lands around it,” he said.
Updating the park management plan is still in the information gathering phase, after being put on hold last year. In May the regional parks committee asked that CRD staff provide all available current information and organize a visit to Island View Beach as part of the process.
“It looks like we are, as the mayor said, monitoring the ditch issue, but also the plan is just starting,” said Coun. John Garrison. “There’s going to be a lot more discussion with us and the public and the stakeholders.”
Click here to view the CRD's management plan.
Beach bites
• Size: 51.73 hectares
• Location: Island View Road in Central Saanich
• Established: 1966
• Hours: sunrise to sunset
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