by Collen Dane, Comox Valley Record, May 02, 2008.

Development at Cumberland’s Comox Lake Park would improve the safety of the watershed, not diminish it, said village Mayor Fred Bates.

“(This is) not adding any more risk …   in fact, taking it up a notch,” said Bates, following an update from staff about the village’s application for a development permit at the campground.

The village submitted the application on behalf of Holiday Trails Resorts, who is operating the site on a three-year contract with Cumberland staff now.

The resort company would like to move forward with the first phase of their proposed approvals, which includes redevelopment of a portion of the lands from 17 unserviced sites to 38 full-service sites, construction of a washhouse to replace pit toilets, internal road improvements, landscaping as well as enhancements to existing structures and facilities.

The Comox Valley Regional District, which handles the application, has asked for significant further information to what was submitted in February this year.

Comox Lake supplies water to Comox and Courtenay through the regional district’s water system.

Staff and Bates acknowledged the information is more than is normally required for a development permit, but both remained optimistic the benefits of this redevelopment would be recognized.

“We absolutely respect ... the regional district’s sensitivity to the watershed,” said Bates.