Editor:
I wanted to use your public forum to congratulate the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako on its purchase of the famous Trout Creek property (“RDBN buys Trout Creek Property for public access to Bulkley River,” Interior News, Aug. 26, 2020) — especially for the purpose of providing public access to the river.
Public access to the river has been an increasing problem since the early 1980s as the public has begun to use the Bulkley River as the wonderful recreational resource that it is. Nobody thought about needing access to the river before the invention of fibreglass kayaks, canoes, rubber rafts, and most importantly, jet boats. All of those face an extreme shortage of access.
With the greatest of respect to Dave Anderson, $500 000 for that property is not a “little much.” If it had been purchased 30 years ago, it probably could have been purchased for a fraction of that but that’s the “price of progress.” There are now a lot more taxpayers available to pay for that access that they can now use.
I think it is fair to say that I am notorious for being critical of the recreational planning of government in this province. I am not giving up on the failure of the Ministry of Highways or the Regional District to provide for parking and access to Seymour Lake as has been proposed by the Rotary Club.
However, in this case, congratulations on a job well done. That is the best use of taxpayer dollars that I’ve seen in decades.
Glen Greene
Smithers
