College Heights update
With so many residents complaining about the College Heights construction site, town staff has created guidelines for the development of Construction Impact Mitigation Strategies.
In the Oct. 2 agenda, a staff report states that while the development on College Road was approved in 2010, the majority of the project remains incomplete.
“Ongoing concerns from the construction of the College Heights proposal include the unsightly nature of the site, uncertainty around the phasing of the project and long-term continued reliance on a “temporary” access from Burnham Road.
Planning director Luke Sales said the current owner, Monaco Holdings, has permanently closed the access directly from Burnham Road, adding that construction on the site has already started. Sales also said the fence will be put back along with trees that were removed without the town’s permission.
— NEWS Staff
Safer crossing needed for students
Qualicum Beach Coun. Anne Skipsey is asking for safer crossings at Arbutus Street at the railroad tracks and trail near Harlech Road.
Skipsey said the trail is a route for students attending Qualicum Beach Elementary School.
“As a society and community, we want children to walk and ride their bikes to school to create these healthy habits to learn to be independent and responsible,” Skipsey said at the Oct. 2 meeting. “But as parents we hesitate because there aren’t places for the children to safely cross the roads or a shoulder for them to ride their bicycles.”
Council unanimously voted in support for staff to review and make recommendations for safe crossings at Arbutus Street.
Council also voted in favour of directing staff to provide a report on how and when the School Connector improvements for Arbutus Street and Hoylake Road of the Age-Friendly Transportation plan could be implemented.
— NEWS Staff
QBLBC denied
pesticide use
An amendment to the town’s pesticide use bylaw that would exempt the Qualicum Beach Lawn Bowling Club from the bylaw’s definition of “public land” to allow the use of pesticides on the greens was denied by council at the Oct. 2 meeting.
Mayor Teunis Westbroek, who moved the motion, was unable to get a seconder.
“You’re basically condemning the lawn bowling club to not being able to play because it’s just going to get worse. If you want to shut it down, that’s what you do,” said Westbroek adding the club has tried to get rid of the mould by other means.
Planning director Luke Sales said the club has told town staff the “winter mould” could be a result of last year’s very wet season.
— NEWS Staff
