From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney
Hello, Here in the grip of winter, the lengthening daylight reminds us that spring is just around the corner.
The prospect of Area C property owners being tapped to pay tax in support of Strathcona Gardens is understandably causing alarm among many. Along with receiving a steady stream of emails in opposition, I’m also receiving questions about the possible costs and when we’ll know more, and the why of it all. I’ve been reporting as this has slowly unrolled over the last couple of years, and realize it may be helpful to provide a comprehensive snapshot of how we got to where we are and when we may know more: that’s what this Report attempts.
Steps along the Strathcona Gardens storyline
Strathcona Gardens Service is a shared Service: the City of Campbell River and Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay–Buttle Lake) are its participants. In shared Services only the Directors from these jurisdictions vote and make decisions for the service and its operations.
January 2023 – At a special meeting of the Strathcona Gardens Commission, the participants considered three options for advancing the long-considered REC-CREATE project to the construction phase. The Commission selected Option C, identified in the staff report as ‘the most expensive option but providing the full realization of community input received’. The report stated the project’s estimated cost, including the arena scope of work, at $73 million.
April 2023 – The Board amends Bylaw 342 to include a loan authorization amount of $64,670,000 for redevelopment of Strathcona Gardens, and authorizes that approval of the electors (in Area D and City of Campbell River) for Bylaw 342 be sought through an Alternative Approval Process.
June 2023 – The Board supports Area D Director Rice’s motion for staff to prepare a report exploring participation of Electoral Areas A, B, C & the Village of Sayward in the Strathcona Gardens Service.
August 2024 – The Board receives the ‘Regional Recreation Feasibility Study’, a study commissioned April 2021 by the previous Board. At direction of staff, the study’s scope had been expanded to include the June 2023 motion regarding expanded participation in Strathcona Gardens. As I reported in September, the feasibility study was received, no follow up actions were taken by the Board. (You can read my September report here).
October 2024 – The Municipal Services Committee (MSC) supports a motion that the ‘additional recreation participation report’ include the Kelsey Centre, Electoral Area A & the Village of Sayward. This was my first clue that an additional report looking at expanding Strathcona Gardens to include Area C was underway, which I was surprised to learn as the Board had not asked for an additional report.
November 2024 – The above mentioned MSC motion came to the Board, discussion ensued, and there were three related outcomes:
- The Board supported Area A Director Whalley’s motion to establish a committee of four Directors to explore the Kelsey Centre and the Village of Sayward’s aspirations for its future operation;
- As I previously reported, the Board defeated my motion for an Area C referendum if the upcoming ‘additional recreation participation report’ identifies Area C for inclusion in Strathcona Gardens (this doesn’t necessarily mean the idea is defeated forever);
- The Board moved that the ‘additional recreation participation report’ include submissions from the new Kelsey Centre Committee.
When will we know more?
Many people are wondering when there will be more information on what is happening or being proposed. Based on the November 2024 motions, it will likely be several months before the Board and community receive the ‘additional recreation participation report’ with info and options for the Board to consider.
I say several months because the new Kelsey Centre Committee will meet February 19 for the first time (I’m one of four Directors appointed to this committee). This Committee may require several meetings to conclude its investigations, and the information gathered is directed for inclusion in the ‘additional recreation participation report’.
What about the cost?
To date there has not been Board consideration of amending the Strathcona Gardens Service Bylaw to include any electoral areas, nor have potential taxation levels been considered by the Board. The charts which have been shared in the DI & elsewhere are using publicly available budget data and calculating potential impacts, based on current & planned taxation levels of Campbell River & Area D ratepayers, if these rates were extended to Area C properties.
Letters to the Board
The January Board agenda included more than sixty pieces of correspondence regarding Strathcona Gardens. These letters were from folks working to raise families on the island, Outer Discovery Islanders, seniors, and everyday folks. I read that people choose to live in Area C’s rural community for easy access to outdoor recreation, a low-tax, low-service lifestyle, and appreciation for the QCC and recreation we already pay for: a significant tax increase is distressing for folks on fixed incomes and in the affordability crunch we are currently experiencing.
For your email or letter to be shared with all Directors, it needs to be addressed to ‘the Chair and Board’ or include within it a request for it to be included as correspondence. The SRD email address to send to is [email protected]; you’re welcome to ‘cc’ me.
Connect
If you’d like to chat in person, you can book an in-person meeting at calendly.com/robynmawhinney… my next office day is February 12! You’re welcome to connect with questions or concerns: you can email [email protected], or call 250.203.2468.
Until next time, Respectfully,
Director Robyn Mawhinney
Photos in this report are from a Sunday afternoon shoreline exploration of Quadra’s Deepwater Bay & Plumper Bay. I’m so grateful to live in this beautiful place.