Alberni Valley Local Events

By STEVEN HEYWOOD
No more waiting, says Alberni-Qualicum MLA Gillian Trumper, the Cathedral Grove provincial park needs a new parking lot and it could be in by next spring.
Citing traffic safety concerns, Trumper and Water, Land and Air Protection ministry staff appear to be fast-tracking an off-highway parking area. Ministry recreation officer Bill Zinovich said a tender package is not yet finalized, but the goal he's been tasked with is to have a new lot ready for the next operating season.
"It's a whole safety issue at Cathedral Grove," Trumper said. "It's worse now that industry is no longer using the railway.
"We've been incredibly fortunate we haven't had a serious accident there."
The existing parking area consists of a pullout on both sides of the Alberni Highway. It holds the potential of someone backing out or crossing the highway and into traffic, said Cpl. Bryan Lapp of the RCMP's Central Island Traffic Service.
Statistics, like only 25 collisions in a four-kilometre buffer zone around the park since June 1, 1996 (one fatality), might appear low. Cpl. Lapp said, however, considering the volume of traffic around the park in the summer, the potential for tragedy is high.
Annette Tanner has heard this before, saying this issue started two years ago. Now, like then, Tanner said the lot options are not acceptable.
"The plans are to locate the lot on the flood plain again," said Tanner, a member of the Western Canada Wilderness Committee.
"Two years ago, we met with (WLAP) Minister Joyce Murray and at the time she said the location was no good."
While she agrees traffic safety is a major concern and Cathedral Grove needs new parking, Tanner is hoping there's time left to consider another location.
Current plans place the lot close to the Cameron River and near a wetland, she said. Tanner's option, would be to move the project further southwest to an existing clear cut on land owned by Weyerhaeuser.
It would require the government to negotiate with the forest company for the land, Tanner said, adding more acreage to the park. This, she continued, would provide space for parking and provide a buffer against the blowdown of trees inside the park.
Trumper said the government is still looking at negotiations with Weyerhaeuser but could not say if park expansion is in the cards.
"The Western Canada Wilderness Committee's idea is not on provincial land," said the MLA. "We can't wait for that."
Zinovich added modified plans show the lot moved further away from the river to accommodate public concerns, including working around old growth trees. He added Tanner's option is not being considered because of its cost (land purchase) and distance away from the park's main features.
Tanner is continuing to meet with Trumper and ministry staff, and is hoping there's time to change their minds.
"We can't make the park smaller," she said. "We need it to be bigger, to accommodate the additional people visiting the park."
Tanner said she plans to meet with Zinovich on Monday to find out how fast the government is moving.