I cannot express the level of frustration I feel at once again having my dock building season stalled by pencil pushers.
This shocking order to remove marine docks is ridiculous. So I could pass on accurate information to my customers, for years I have asked specifically and repeatedly about docks being grandfathered. I was repeatedly told that all current dock owners would have grandfathered protection to their investments.
Are these decision-makers wanting small business owners to give up and to kill Shuswap tourism?
Forget reducing vehicle traffic and hello to 2,000 more vehicles at public mooring spots and parking their cars where?
This affects all businesses from coffee shops, to realtors, to grocery stores, to tradespeople… everyone. And where are these docks supposed to go? And who are the new enforcers? And who is paying their wages? The dock owners, local businesses, taxpayers?
It is wonderful to learn from past mistakes and to gradually set out new guidelines but not with knee jerk bullying.
Many of us have been deeply concerned for years about protecting the environment, the lakes, the watershed, the fish, the birds… our little piece of paradise.
The real problem is irresponsible people putting boats, houseboats, docks, pilings, buoys etc. into our waters and then leaving them there to rot into dangerous eyesores.
Or worse still, making mega buoy parking lots. But this knee jerk reaction is not a solution.
I am a person wanting to protect the fish and wildlife but who is there to protect the people now?
In my opinion, this “tunnel vision governing” is speeding up a collapse of our society by government at various levels not listening to the people and forgetting they are in their positions to represent the people… not to lord it over them!
Don Girbav,
owner of Don’s Docks
