An impasse over the creation of boat trailer access to the lake has occurred at the Gardom Lake Planning Committee.
Doug Hearn, chair of the Gardom Lake Community Park Society, says the 18 members of the planning committee easily reached consensus on eight of the goals set out in the plan with no problems – goals around water quality, environment integrity, riparian and upland protection and recreation.
The stumbling block is the issue of boat trailer access to the lake, says Hearn.
“There is no disagreement about the need and desirability of public access, there’s only disagreement about whether a trailer needs to enter the lake,” he says. “The group identified three accesses – Musgrave Road, Teal Road and the beach at the community park.”
A year ago, an environmental professional deemed there should be no further development at Musgrave Road and while, the Ministry of Highways says Teal Road is a right-of-way, not a launch area, for practical purposes, Hearn says it has served as a boat launch for 40 years.
He says members of the park committee are opposed to having a boat trailer launch installed at the beach.
“To put a launch there would require extensive destruction of the riparian and upland area and would also displace the beach and picnic area, which are the primary uses of the park,” says Hearn, noting there are often 70 people on the beach, that kayaks and canoes are easily launched there already and do not interfere with people swimming or fishing from the wharf. “So do we take away the opportunity for families to use the beach and play area in order to allow a beach access for trailers?”
Hearn points out the park has been well-managed by local residents for the past 25 years.
He estimates that while everyone on the management plan committee is interested in protecting the lake, more than 50 per cent believe a boat ramp is required.
Although he understands why fishing groups want easier access to the lake, he says the fact the recent prohibition of gas-powered boats on the lake could significantly alter the profile of lake users, and that one of the accepted goals is to collect baseline recreational data about the uses of the lake.
“Should we not gather that recreational data before we decide if we need boat trailer access?” he asks. “I don’t want to come across as being negative about the planning process; the only one we couldn’t agree on was the boat launch.”
Tracy Thomas of the Fraser Basin Council, who is facilitating the plan on behalf of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, says there have been valid points expressed on both sides of the issue.
She says the next step is to take those points to the public, something that will be done tomorrow, May 14 at 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Ranchero Firehall on Highway 97B.