Presentation to Parks Master Plan Public Forum — 2011 January 25
Good evening, all
Interesting presentations, very informative
Thank you for including heritage in your considerations — a topic certainly most of you know my passion for.
When heritage legislation was introduced many years ago in Victoria, it referred to five aspects:
- • palaeontological
- • archaeological
- • historical, ie cultural
- • architectural
- • scenic
Scenic includes landscapes, streetscapes, parks.
Perhaps this last cd also be referred to as our natural heritage.
There are, btw, some heritage trees in WV’s Heritage Inventory.
We value our geographical and environmental heritage.
Surveys always indicate that WV’s setting and parks are at the top of the list of things ppl love about our cmnty.
If you’re working on a mission statement for the Parks Master Plan, do hope it goes beyond recreation.
Recreation is important of course but ought to be fitted into the web of purposes.
The parks are to be enjoyed but with maximum enjoyment and minimum disruption to the ecosystem.
An example is the installation of boardwalks so walkers don’t crush the plants and compress the earth.
btw, it is hoped to have a watershed group for WV — really important.
The idea of a nature or interpretive centre has been bruited about for many years and Klee Wyck has been mentioned. How fitting to have it in a heritage building.
If a hydrology study has not been done, that wd help. Some years ago an engineer told me it used to take a couple of hours for rain to come down from Black Mtn to his place and that had been reduced to half an hour.
This is something to keep in mind so that if an area is suffering from erosion, a park cd be introduced to slow the run-off.
Hope that you will compile a list of types of parks to ensure we have a range — wd appreciate a copy.
May I suggest consultations with the Squamish to have a park or two reflecting our First Nations heritage. I understand that Caulfeild Cove smelled of oil, b/c of seeping, and the Squamish name was something like Stinky Cove.
New devts are required to provide green space so it’s an opportunity to widen the spectrum and increase protection.
Heritage Week has been celebrated in BC for decades and in WV since 1989.
This year [2011] it is from Feb 21 to 27 and the theme is
A Century of Conservation: Parks and Cultural Landscapes
The 2011 Heritage Week theme has been selected to honour the centennial of B.C. Parks.
I’m planning for some events during the week.
One wd be a panel with several groups talking for about five or ten minutes each — it will be far more modest than this evening however, only 7:30 to 9pm. Eager to inform residents of all the good work and attention paid to our parks and resources.
Pls contact me if you’d like to participate heritage@westvan.org or 922 4400
And of course Heritage West Van celebrates another part of our heritage with its annual RoyalTea-by-the-Sea in the park midsummer — thx!
Thank you again for this evening; most fascinating hearing from all of you.
Thanks again to the Parks WG.
Look forward to all of us working together in this fabulous place.