kid soaring through the air on a bicycle
Transportation

SRD Board Approves proposed bicycle project in Blenkin Park, in principle

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At their April 27th Board meeting, the Strathcoan Regional District (SRD) Board approved a proposed bike park at Blenkin Memorial Park in principle, but is withholding its endorsement until it can ascertain the implications of this action. 

Regional Director Jim Abram of Area C, which includes Quadra Island, explained that the community was behind the project.

“ I went to the school myself and made a presentation to an assembly of the school kids and  after explaining to them about the regional district and all that, I asked them, what would you guys like to see on Quadra Island? What’s your number one? And about a hundred hands went up and every one of them said ‘bike park.’”

The problem being that the Quadra Island Recreational Society lease Blenkin Memorial Park  from the SRD and did not seek the SRD Board’s consent before applying for and obtaining a $180,000 grant from the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program. 

 As title holders, the SRD would be legally responsible for an asset they have not authorized. They could be responsible for cost overruns during construction, and have not had time to consider oversight, maintenance or insurance costs. 

The SRD Board was given three options in the associated staff report: 

  • A – they could endorse the project as submitted
  • B – they could approve the project in principle, but withhold their endorsement until a report identifying the implications for the Regional District is prepared by staff 
  • C – they could withhold their endorsement until the staff report is prepared

 At their previous meeting, the Electoral Areas Services Committee recommended that the Board follow Option B, approve the project in principle. 

Chief Administrative Officer David Leitch advised the board that this motion would involve delegating authority to the director.

Director Charlie Cornfield, from Campbell River, asked Abram, “What advantage does it have to conditionally approve in principle prior to us getting the information on what implications it has to the regional district?  What was the rationale for endorsing in principle?” 

Abram pointed out that there is $180,000 available through the grant which needs to be accepted otherwise “it may go away.” Then staff can “do their thing”go through the whole process and make sure it is properly done.

Leitch replied that Option B would go against the current procedure of not involving the director in discussions before issues are brought to committee.

Cornfield was concerned about the message the board is sending out if they don’t approve this project?

“There’s a whole lot of time and effort and it almost makes it feel like, well, they were successful in getting the grant, so you have to approve it.  And I think who knows what implications there may be. I do not know if there’s any restrictions on the land itself or whether or not there’s liability concerns or considerations. I understand the need for those types of recreation facilities, but I think that process should be followed,” he said.

Regional Director Noba Anderson, of Area B (Cortes Island) said, “ I think what EASC (the Electoral Areas Services Committe) and Director Abram specifically often try to do is insert director participation.”

She added, “I think getting hung up on this delegation of authority is a misdirection of our effort. Option B really should be supported, admitting the director and just saying the end implications for the regional district can be considered by EASC.”

Abram appears to have been offended by the Director of Area B’s comments, “The assumption that directors are trying to insert themselves in the process is absolutely false. The intention was to tag along with the staff and the EASC committee,  not that I would get information necessarily before them, but there would be special consideration for the thoughts of Area C towards this bike park. It is an Area C bike park, not an Area B bike park.” 

Regional Director Brenda Leigh was in favour of staff drawing up a report, but added, “I would support director Abram being there. He knows what’s happening on Quadra. He’s talked to the school kids. He’s talked to the proponents, he’s talked to the community. If anybody knows the background of this, he does.”

Campbell River Director Colleen Evans asked, “In the report, it speaks to potential implications for SRD and certainly one of them could be the ongoing maintenance.  Will that be included in the report? Are those the types of things that directors are going to hear back on from the report that’s being prepared. And then just a quick question with regards to your timing, is it anticipated that this would happen soon? Or will it take a while to gather that information?”

Leitch replied, “The answer to the first question is yes, there’s a lot of implications of financial budgeting and insurance liability that we’ll be looking at. And I do anticipate that it’ll come back fairly quickly.”

Abram said he appreciated Evans questions, that is why he wanted to be part of the process.” 

 Anderson said, “ I always think it’s a good idea to involve the directors from the area in the development of things. We know a lot about our respective communities.”

To which Leitch responded, “We seem to go around in circles. As Director Anderson says, there’s been a major change. Staff are following the goals, principles, and procedures of the board. If the board at any time wants to change those policies, procedures about openness, transparency, delegation, authority, we are happy to do so.” 

In the minutes of the April 27th meeting, it states that director Anderson moved and Moglove seconded a motion, “that the Board conditionally approve in principle, the bike park project of the Quadra Island Recreation Society as submitted, withholding endorsement until such time as a report identifying implications for the Regional District can be considered by EASC and the Board.”

Chair Brad Unger said “Question on the motion, anyone opposed?”

When no one replied, he continued, “Seeing none, hearing none, carried.” 

Top image credit: Bike park Photo by Jasper Garratt on Unsplash

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