Greetings to the Cumberlander
and Dwayne Edward Rourke,

Attached is a press release from Friends of Rathtrevor Park, responding to the open house event staged on Wednesday night in Parksville by the Biosphere Steering Committee, proponents of placing a high impact, tourist destination interpretive centre in Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park.

This issue is not over - it's just been in hiatus while the proponents dragged their feet and delayed. They claimed they were waiting so they could present a finalized business plan. That didn't happen at the event this week. Instead it was a repetition of their 2004 plan with a new site thrown into the mix to distract from their plan for Rathtrevor - which was still the featured location.

I'm sending this in the hope you will forward it to your lists and post it on your website. All you Cumberland folks, if you love Rathtrevor the way it is, please write to the elected reps on the last page of the press release, especially MLA Ron Cantelon and Minister Barry Penner.

Many thanks,
Berni Pearce

PRESS RELEASE

RATHTREVOR PARK STILL TARGET OF CONSTRUCTION PLAN
BY BIOSPHERE STEERING COMMITTEE

At an open house event held in Parksville on November 28, the Biosphere Centre Steering Committee once again proposed Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park as their preferred location for the construction of a large tourist destination building. "Apparently they did not hear the message sent loud and clear last August," said Susan Croskery, member of the Friends of Rathtrevor Park, an informal coalition of ten community organizations in the Parksville-Qualicum area.

"'Not in Rathtrevor' was the message from citizens of the region and beyond," said Croskery. "It came from the August public meeting, from letters to the editor, from the Times Colonist and other Vancouver island newspapers, from the Qualicum Beach Town Council, and from our MLA Ron Cantelon. What is it going to take to get their attention?" she asks.

Friends of Rathtrevor distributed a pamphlet to open house visitors on November 28. "We sent the Steering Committee an encouraging note,' said Yvonne Zarowny of the Qualicum Beach Environment Committee. "Right from the start, the Friends have been focussed on one objective - to prevent construction in Rathtrevor. We applaud efforts to educate and raise awareness and appreciation for our ecosystems. Certainly we need to change how we do things so we stop destroying the very ecosystems that support us" said Ms. Zarowny. "Some of us are prepared to work together with the Steering Committee on constructive suggestions of this kind. Unfortunately, they still seem focussed on a building in Rathtrevor. With some optimism, our pamphlet message said "Coming soon - our thanks to the Biosphere Committee for selecting a site other than Rathtrevor."

In advance publicity in the newspaper, citizens were led to believe that the Biosphere Steering Committee was looking at other sites. Yet at the open house, the list of sites, all within the City of Parksville, was virtually the same as contained in the Biosphere study document published in March 2004. At the open house, almost all were marked as rejected. "The only new site is also a Park," said Berni Pearce of the Oceanside Coalition. "They now have Top Bridge Community Park in their cross-hairs." Top Bridge was one of three sites from which open house visitors were invited to select. The third site, an area on Craig Creek, was, however, described as rejected on a separate display at the open house event. "There is no third site option - they are really offering a choice between two parks", said Pearce.

Roger Simms of the Arrowsmith Naturalists lamented the focus on protected areas. “There are alternative projects. Why not use the money they would spend on a building to negotiate the purchase of Hamilton Marsh as a bird sanctuary and regional park”, he said. “Protecting species diversity is the overarching mandate and directive from the United Nations to all Biosphere Reserves.”

Friends of Rathtrevor Park were well-represented at the event. “It’s likely we were the
largest contingent there,” reported Richard Dean. “And it took a lot of dedication since we were literally ‘out in the cold’.” Dean believes the Biosphere Steering Committee changed the date and booked the foyer in order to keep the community groups who are united to defend Rathtrevor from using the foyer for their organization’s displays. “We noticed, as we stood outside in inclement weather, that there was no activity in the foyer other than Centre staff.”

A poll conducted by secret ballot by Friends of Rathtrevor on the steps outside the Community Centre was overwhelmingly against placing the proposed Biosphere centre in Rathtrevor. Total ballots cast numbered 90, with 85 against construction, 2 in favour of construction, and 3 unmarked.

For the general public who were not able to attend the open house event, a new poll has been posted on the Oceanside Coalition website, at www.oceansidecoalition.org . Citizens are strongly encouraged to express their views once more to the Biosphere Steering Committee.

Contacts for Friends of Rathtrevor Park:

Susan Croskery (Friends of Rathtrevor Park) 250-468-1714 susancroskeryhotmail.com
Annette Tanner (Mid-Island WCWC) 250-752-6585 wcwcqbshaw.ca
Michael Jessen (Arrowsmith Watersheds Coalition Society) 250-752-4579 mjessentelus.net
Roger Simms (Arrowsmith Naturalists) 250-752-0445 rogersimmshotmail.com


Contact for BC Parks: Ron Quilter 250-751-3100

For information and ongoing poll, go to: www.OceansideCoalition.org

Other contacts of interest:

Senior Governments

Hon. Barry Penner,
Minister of Environment
PO Box 9047, Stn. Prov.Gov.
Victoria, V8W 9E2
Phone 250-387-1187
Barry.Penner.MLAleg.bc.ca

Ron Cantelon MLA
Nanaimo-Parksville Constit.
120B Middleton Ave,
Parksville, BC
Phone 250-951-6018
ron.cantelon.mlaleg.bc.ca

Scott Fraser, MLA
Alberni Qualicum Constit.
3699 3rd Ave,
Port Alberni, BC
Phone 1-866-870-4190
Scott.Fraser.MLAleg.bc.ca

Dr. James Lunney, MP
Nanaimo Alberni Riding
6-6894 Island Hwy N,
Nanaimo, BC V9V 1P6
Phone 1-866-390-7550
Nanaimojameslunneymp.ca