-------- Original Message --------
Subject: cathedral grove
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 08:25:31 -0700
From: Maggie Paquet
Organization: MAIA Publishing
To: Maggie Paquet

Western Canada Wilderness Committee,
Mid-Island Chapter Box 442,
Qualicum Beach,
BC, V9K 1S9,
ph: 250 752-6585 -

for immediate release: Wednesday, July 11, 2001
Press Release Cathedral Grove Proposed Development Plans to be Presented at Public Meeting, Thursday, July 19, Qualicum Beach Civic Centre, 7:30 pm

A July 7 meeting on the weekend with BC Parks Officials Ron Lampard, Rik Simmons, Larry Boudreau and several conservation groups and concerned citizens has acknowledged the need for a public information meeting to clarify proposed plans for the development expansion next to MacMillan Park.

"My main concern is for the safety and well-being of both humans and wildlife," states Annette Tanner, Western Canada Wilderness Committee Mid-Island chairperson. "There are obvious human safety solutions that are much less expensive and less damaging to the environment," she continues.

 "There has been no public meeting since prior to the catastrophic 1997 blow down event in the Park. The MacMillan Provincial Park Master Plan signed off in 1992 by Ron Lampard, District Manager Strathcona District and J.N. Masselink, Assistant Deputy Minister recognizes the importance of adjacent land use decisions to the health and integrity of the park," Tanner points out. "The proposed plans appear to contradict the Master Plan for the Park as consultation with adjacent landowners had not taken place. Weyerhaeuser's logging adjacent to the park last year came as a surprise to park officials and was not factored into the development plans."

The new Drinking Water Protection Legislation allows for public input into decisions that involve community drinking water. The Cameron River floodplain in Cathedral Grove where the proposed 200-car / 20-bus parking lot, flush toilets for 1 million users, food outlet, gift shop, picnic area, and interpretive centre are proposed, is an active floodplain which has been designated as part of the official Little Qualicum River Community Watershed because drinking water is drawn out of the river downstream.

Joyce Murray, Minister of Land, Water and Air Protection, Judith Reid, Minister of Transportation and Highways, Stan Hagen, Minister of Sustainable Resource Management and a representative from the Health Ministry have been invited to the public meeting. The meeting starts at 7:30 pm, on Thursday, July 19, at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre. The public information meeting is sponsored by the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, Mid-Island Chapter and the Neighbours of the Little Qualicum River.

Info: 752-6585, 752-0307 - for more information call Annette Tanner 250 752-6585 - (photo credit Mike Stini- elk on riverbank site of proposed parking lot) --
Ce monde n'est perpetuel Quoy que pense riche pillart - François Villon Maggie Paquet 4248 8th Avenue
Port Alberni, BC V9Y 7S8
Ph/Fx: 250-723-8802
email: maggie_paquet@telus.net