The Acropolis is now perceived as a pinnacle of human achievement, yet 2,500 years ago many Greek city-states viewed it as a monument to tyranny. The funding for monuments like the Parthenon, Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike came from the Delian League—a coalition originally formed to resist the expanding Persian Empire. However there came a point when the Persian campaigns were more about the Athenian Empire than liberty. The traditional date for this transition is 454 BC, when the great Athenian statesman Pericles transferred the Delian League’s treasury from Delos to Athens. Plutarch described this as the moment the city lost its integrity and reputation. The funds raised to free Greek cities were instead used to adorn Athens with ‘costly statues and temples worth their millions.’ (Plutarch, Life of Pericles, 12.)   

There were earlier indications of dissatisfaction. When the island city-state of Naxos attempted to withdraw from the Delian League in 471 BC, Athens besieged the island, stripped it of its navy and Naxos was forced to pay tribute in money rather than ships. Further rebellions, in other island city-states, followed. Is it any wonder that when the Athenian Empire was locked in its life-and-death struggle with Sparta, during the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC), several of its former allies defected to the enemy?

What does this have to do with Campbell River?

Much like the ancient Greek city-states, the rural areas surrounding Campbell River are beginning to feel the weight of a central authority’s ambitions.

Some of this is to be expected. Approximately three quarters of the Strathcona Regional District’s population live in Campbell River. There appears to be a growing sense of entitlement among the city’s Directors. As Ron Kerr pointed out in a recent SRD meeting, 

“Quadra, Area D to a certain degree, Sayward and the same with Area A –  they’re all really bedroom communities of Campbell River right now. They all receive the benefit of the facilities, so the services, and yet they don’t have to carry that burden going ahead.”

Campbell River Director Susan Sinnott agreed, “What happens in the region does impact us because we’re paying a good amount of money for it. “

This perception is not shared by all Discovery Islanders. There appears to be a stark ideological divide between Campbell River and the islands. While Campbell River’s economy is rooted in extraction industries and all but one of the current Directors are Conservatives, the Discovery Islands lean toward conservation, rural community preservation, and primarily vote for the NDP.

Campbell River’s ‘imperialistic’ aspirations were revealed when the city declared its interest in joining the Regional District Planning function. Up until then, this service was for the SRD’s four rural districts. The addition of Campbell River’s five Directors would effectively give them control over land use decisions in adjoining rural areas, but at a cost of an additional half million dollars a year to the city’s property taxpayers.

This was brought up at the Aug 20 SRD Board meeting, when Campbell River Director Susan Sinnott explained,“The region is important to Campbell River. We are so dominant that what happens in the region does impact us because we’re paying a good amount of money for it. So it’s a consideration we have to look at, but (we’ve made) no determination at this point.”  

Director Doug Chapman, also from Campbell River, replied, “I t’s sad that we at this point are thinking about this, because we’re supposed to be thinking about the region as a whole – not just electoral areas versus municipalities. We’re supposed to be one organization, one regional district, thinking regionally for the benefit of the region. For municipalities to join the planning would bring more regional thought into planning issues in the rural areas because municipalities are, in fact, affected by what happens in the rural areas.”

Ben Lanyon, another Campbell River Director, added, “I want to see all of the munis (municipalities) join because I don’t think this should be a Campbell River dominated situation. I don’t want to be that. If it’s just Campbell River that joins, that’s five votes (vs), I think, four votes for Electoral Areas (EA). Campbell River makes every land use decision. I don’t want that scenario. I think we need to talk as a group of munis about how we want to approach this.”

According to Cortes Island Director Mark Vonesh, Campbell River has now abandoned plans to take over the Regional District Planning function. However in response to the threat, Cortes Island is now exploring the possibility of preserving its independence by becoming a municipality. 

REC-CREATE Strathcona Gardens

The Strathcona Regional District owns and operates the Strathcona Gardens recreation complex in Campbell River. Three of the five person commission overseeing the facility are members of Campbell River’s city council, the fourth is the Regional Director of Area D and the last is a member of the public. It has been supported by taxpayers in Campbell River and Area D for more than 50 years. 

When the REC-CREATE Strathcona Gardens project was announced in 2023, SRD Chair Mark Baker declared, “It is going to be absolutely gorgeous, something that this area and region has never seen before.” 

The new facility will house: two ice arenas, a leisure ice pad; a new aquatic centre with an eight-lane, 25-metre pool, accessible therapy pool, hot pool, leisure pool with a lazy river, climbing wall and waterslide; a new fitness and wellness centre with sauna and steam rooms.

Chair Baker told the Times-Colonist the upgrade will be ‘state of the art’; some island residents would use terms like ‘grandiose.’  

Campbell River and Area D ‘voted for’ what was then going to be a $74 million facility through an Alternative Approval Process. (If more than 10% of the community had made their objections known, the motion would have been defeated.)    

The estimated cost has doubled since then. 

Mayor Martin Davis of Tahsis recently revealed, “ I’ve had issues with this expansion ever since it was announced. Not because of what’s happening, but how big it is: the fact that it’s $123 million. I know if I was in Campbell River, I couldn’t support that.”

Making Rural Areas Pay

At the SRD Board’s June 28, 2023, meeting, Director Rice moved that a report be prepared ‘that explores options for additional participation in the Strathcona Gardens Recreation Service by Electoral Areas A, B and C and the Village of Sayward.’ This was seconded by Director Sinnott.

RC Strategies was commissioned to draw up the report which subsequently found: 

“While the analysis supports inclusion of Quadra Island based on demonstrated access and benefit, it is important to recognize that this represents only a portion of Electoral Area C. The remaining communities within Area C, including the Outer Discovery Islands and mainland inlet areas, do not exhibit the same level of functional access or participation in the services offered at the facility. Cortes Island (Electoral Area B) was also evaluated and similarly does not demonstrate comparable access or utilization.”

One of the options put forward in the report was that an additional $943,114 be obtained through Quadra Island’s property taxes. This amounts to approximately $560 for the average taxpayer. 

As Melissa McKinney recently pointed out in the Bird’s Eye, “To understand how significant that is, consider that Area C residents currently pay the SRD $840 per average household for every service the regional district provides, combined. That covers administration, the library, community parks, the community hall, planning, 911, the emergency program — everything. Adding Strathcona Gardens would increase that total by 66% in a single stroke.” 

Worse, when representatives of RC Strategies were questioned at the SRD Board’s March 25 Board meeting, they did not know how many Quadra residents use the Strathcona Gardens. Their attempt to estimate usage by including residents within a 45 minute drive from the gardens failed to take into account the fact Quadra residents need to use the ferry. Adding the 15 minute passage plus time spent waiting in line to the equation effectively eliminated almost all Quadra traffic. Another calculation is based on the fact that the Campbell River – Quadra Island ferry carried 748,675 passengers during the first 9 months of 2024, but failed to identify how many of them are Quadra residents. The ferry also transports Campbell River residents, tradesmen and trucks. Cortes and Outer Island residents use it. The region also has a huge influx of tourists who aren’t all coming just to take a dip in Campbell River’s pool.  

Based on what they have heard within their community, the Friends of Area C believe only 1% to 2% use Strathcona Regional Gardens.

Director Rice pointed out that his constituents are asking why Area D is the only rural area paying into Strathcona Gardens? But it is also the only area that doesn’t have its own recreational facilities supported by local taxpayers.   

The Friends of Area C replied, “Residents of Area C make great use of the existing island based, community-built recreation and service facilities (like the Quadra Island Community Centre) and are proud of what is offered. If Area C residents choose to take advantage of Strathcona Gardens, few if any would object to an out-of-area user fee. To make such a decision without direct consultation is unconscionable: it is taxation without representation.”

Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney of Area C (which includes Quadra) is conducting an online survey to try and determine how many Quadra residents use the complex. You can access it here https://forms.gle/Lf459E4GiayvefU28. 

At the March 25 SRD Board meeting, Campbell River and its allies from Sayward and Area D pushed through a motion for a report detailing the steps necessary for a bylaw to make Quadra homeowners pay for Strathcona Gardens. It was a close vote, 7-6, which might have been a draw if all the Directors had been present. This raises the possibility that the coming bylaw could be defeated. 

How Strathcona Gardens is not like the Acropolis 

Strathcona Gardens is not the Acropolis, and the SRD lacks the triremes and hoplites of ancient Athens. However, the political maneuvers being employed—pushing through bylaws to force islanders to pay for a facility many will never use—threaten to erode much of the remaining goodwill. A “rebellion” is already underway. Nearly half of the adult population of Area C signed petitions against the REC-CREATE Strathcona Gardens project, and Cortes Island is exploring the possibility of becoming its own municipality to preserve its independence.

Who owes Whom?

A little over a year ago Director Kerr stated, “I’ve been in this area for 50 years. I know the joke about being on the other side of the dividing line between Campbell River and whether it’s the islands or north or south. You get all the services, you get all the amenities, you get all the benefits of being in the city,  but you get lower taxes. It’s not just the money, it’s not just the dollars. I think it’s appreciation of what Campbell River has done, and I think it’s time to change.”

The fundamental question remains: who truly owes whom? Islanders shop, use professional services and occasionally overnight in Campbell River, bringiung the city’s businesses much needed additional income. The Discovery Island’s annual tourism industry provides further revenues for all.

Cortes and Quadra Islands are tourist destinations. According to Cortes Island’s Vital signs 2024, 3,000 tourists come to the island every year. That means the island’s population quadruples during the season. While there are no corresponding statistics for Quadra,  the Quadra Island Tourist Booth recorded an average of 3,000 visitors a year between 2011 and 2019. That suggests a much larger number came to the island. A few years ago Ralph Kellar from the Discovery Islands’ Marine Tourism Group told the SRD that ‘the value of the Discovery Islands tourism, not including Campbell River, is about $50 million a year.’ 

Some of these tourists undoubtedly purchased gas, shopped or stayed overnight in Campbell River before reaching, or returning from, their destinations. Some probably stop to visit Strathcona Gardens. 

Links of Interest:

• Must Quadra Island taxpayers pay for Strathcona Gardens? – Cortes Currents
• Strathcona Gardens tax for Quadra considered – Area C Director’s Report
• A $943,000 Question: Quadra and the Strathcona Gardens Vote – The Bird’s Eye
• REC-CREATE Strathcona Gardens

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