November Director’s Report

November Director’s Report
by Sierra Acton Area B CVRD Director


Love it!
It’s been a busy fall filled will meetings as budget season is underway at the Cowichan Valley Regional District. It is always a fine balance between taxes, keeping things running and executing our goals. Luckily the federal government has a grant funding program to help rural communities with infrastructure improvements. Locally we will have some upgrades through Gas Tax Funding at the Community Centre, Parks and Trails and Kerry Park Recreation planned for 2020. If you have a CVRD water system you too may be a benefactor to some upgrades through gas tax funding, details will be in the final 2020 budget. 


Locally we just came out of the ThinkShawnigan Design Intensive. It was well received and has given us many projects that we can plan for. The final package will be available in January. Out of the process also came items that can be implemented in the next year. I will be presenting the NOW Plan at the Shawnigan Residents Association AGM November 21st 7pm at Shawnigan Lake School. This is where the little things add up to big impact, hope you will join the momentum.


Share it!
The CVRD Board agreed to fund up to 4 roundtable discussions on milfoil. All agencies, ministries and jurisdictions will come together to help clarify a path forward for the community. Many groups and residents have been striving to mitigate this issue. As we have learned the lake itself is something we can all rally around. Insuring we are all on the same page will help us actualize our goals.


I often hear the community say they want more lake access and they also ask about the rules around road ends. The CVRD manages 3 beaches, 1 Island and 4 road ends. The CVRD has permits/approvals from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure for lake access public improvements within the following undeveloped Ministry road rights of way fronting Shawnigan Lake:
·May Avenue (public trail access)
·Worthington Road (associated with CVRD’s waterfront park property at this location)
·Recreation Road (public boat launch)
·Bell-Irving Road (beach access launch for kayaks, canoes, cartop small boats)


November 28th at 7pm at the SLCC I will be bringing together all the agencies that have jurisdiction to present their roles and regulations around road ends and lake access. Hope you can make it.


Protect it!
As a community we are outraged about the ongoing saga of the contaminated soil dump (CHH), but not shocked by the continuing ridiculousness of the situation. Local government (CVRD) has exhausted its options to deal with this site. The Provincial Government has jurisdiction and they are refusing to act. In the history of remediation in BC, no site has ever been cleaned up unless it was being developed. In the New Year I will be bringing together a Think Tank of high level professionals to come up with a solution. If you believe you are part of that solution, please let me know, we need all “brains” on deck!
I look forward to connecting;
Sierra.Acton@cvrd.bc.ca
(250) 715-6763 call/text
iloveshawnigan.com
Fb @AreaDirectorAreaB


















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