To members of the Regional District of North Okanagan regarding the Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park petition, 10 years ago, a group of concerned citizens organized a petition, with a goal to restrict access through the park on Cosens Bay Road by installing a key-pass system.
Our concerns then included degradation of habitat, damage to the park grasslands, unpatrolled late night bush parties and fire risk. We gathered about 3,500 signatures, and also had support of the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce tourism committee, many elected officials, a fire official and conservation/park enthusiasts. The result was disappointing. The road was improved and the problems were not addressed. The only positive outcome was the creation of some dedicated hiking trails.
Here we are a decade later, and while the issue facing Kal park this time is different, the fact remains that hundreds and hundreds of local citizens are still calling for protection of Kal park.
How many times do we have to do this? It takes hours of citizen time to express our views, and it is frustrating when they fall on deaf ears.
I am resubmitting our petition from 10 years ago for your reference and as background information. The prospect of an upgraded road dividing the park and ultimately degrading habitat is very troubling. No doubt, improved and easier access will lead to an unfortunate outcome: more off-roading, illegal dumping, more unsupervised parties and vandalism, more dead Pacific rattlesnakes and animals on the road, and an increased fire risk for homes on the interface. Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park is one of the last intact, publicly owned native grasslands areas in the North Okanagan, and it belongs to all of us, not just to some, who want increased property values, more development and convenience. Just because you could have a big wide road, doesn’t mean you should. Let’s do the right thing.
A footnote, West Coast Environmental Law was of the opinion that the road’s purpose can be changed, and it doesn’t have to remain a highway.
“We would have thought that there was a legal argument that even if Cosens Bay Road was a public highway, that it ceased to have this designation on being designated as a park. This argument does not appear to have been raised before Collver, J. and was therefore not considered. We have not researched this argument to any degree, and merely flag it as a legal issue,” states West Coast Environmental.
I ask that you support the petition of the Friends of Kal Lake Provincial Park, opposing the Ministry of Transportation proposal to take Cosens Bay Road out of the park. Losing parkland to a right-of-way would most certainly lead to a paved wide road with hydro, sewer and water, faster vehicles, road kill and ultimately a fence, literally dividing the park in half and degrading the park habitat. We are calling on you, our elected officials and stewards of this park, to support this latest call from citizens.
Once the road is taken out of the park, it will be final. This will be an unfortunate legacy of our governance.
Dave Kennedy, spokesperson
Advocates for Kal Park
