Tag Archives: MIke Gall

Politics

Strathcona Gardens: Still in the Deep End

Originally published in the Bird’s Eye

On March 25, the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) board voted 7–6 to move forward with drafting a bylaw that would add Quadra Island — not all of Area C — to the Strathcona Gardens recreation service area. Although that vote was a blow to many residents, it’s not the end of the road by any means. In our third article on the unfolding situation, we look at what options are legally on the table, how they can be navigated, who is involved, and how you can still have a say.

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Community, Politics

A $943,000 Question: Quadra and the Strathcona Gardens Vote

Originally published in the Bird’s Eye

Did I set out to write a two-page article this week? Nope. Did I anyway? Yup. This is a big deal for our island — and it’s still early in the series. So yes, I’m running the longest two pages in Bird’s Eye history. Sorry, not sorry. Enjoy!

By Melissa McKinney, editor/owner of the Bird’s Eye.

On March 25, the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) board voted on whether to add Quadra Island to the Strathcona Gardens recreation service area. Around 80 Area C residents showed up to watch — enough to fill the boardroom, spill out through the open double doors into the lobby, where even standing room was tight. The SRD livestreams their board meetings on YouTube, so small groups of residents huddled around phones watching their own local government meeting from the parking lot outside. Inside the lobby, the meeting’s audio played from multiple phones on a slight delay, making it difficult to follow unless you were actually in the boardroom. 

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Development, Politics

The (Almost) Secret Budget For REC-CREATE Strathcona Gardens

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) may have a nasty surprise for property owners in Campbell River and Area D. They may soon be asked to approve an additional $54 million debt to finance the second phase of the new REC-REATE Strathcona Gardens project. When they originally consented through an Alternative Approval Process (which automatically passes unless 10% of the electorate object), taxpayers were informed the cost was almost half of what is now being put forward

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Energy

Solar Panels on Quadra Elementary School

It has been a month since the Quadra ICAN Energy Efficiency Team achieved its goal of having 14 solar panels installed on the roof of Quadra Elementary School. 

According to Mike Gall, one of the participants in this project, they will only supply about 5% of the school’s needs – but that is not their purpose. 

This solar array is meant to be an educational tool. Students and the general public, will soon be able to go online and monitor the performance of the solar panels that a typical house on Quadra or Cortes Island would need. 

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Development, Housing

Public Meetings for two large Quadra Island developments deferred

How our local government works

Public meetings for two controversial Quadra Island real estate developments have been deferred until this April, 2022, because of concerns about meeting in-person during a pandemic. 

The public meeting for the proposed Gowland Harbour Views development was scheduled for January 18th, 2022, and the rezoning meeting for Quadra Links Golf Course was to have occurred the following day.

With less than a week to go, at the January 12th SRD Board meeting, Quadra Island Regional Director Jim Abram, said, “I have two items of business that are very timely. We need to deal with them today at this meeting because we have scheduled two public hearings in the next week.” 

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