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January 2008
Proposed Ski Resort: Garibaldi at Squamish
In the fall of 2007 the Squamish Access Society participated in a meeting between representatives of various mountain and backcountry groups and the proponent of the Garibaldi at Squamish Development (a resort near Brohm Ridge reaching down to Highway 99 and embracing the landscape near both Brohm and Cat Lakes - see maps below).
Present from the groups, among others, were:
» Evan Loveless, Federation of Mountain Clubs
» Tyrone Brett, Squamish Access Society
» Sandra Nicol, Federation of Mountain Clubs
» Pat Harrison, Back Country Recreation Society
» Scott Webster, Varsity Outdoor Club
» Bryce Leigh, Alpine Club of Canada Whistler
» Antje Wahl, Alpine Club of Canada Vancouver
» Monika Bittel, BC Mountaineering Club
The Squamish Access Society's position regarding this development and its potential impacts on Garibaldi Provincial Park and adjacent alpine terrain dovetails with those concerns laid out by the FMC at the meeting. Of prime concern is the potential development, at a later date, of portions of the Park as well as the proximity to more remote ski tours and alpine terrain of a commercial development of this size.
Concerning front country issues brought up by the SAS at the meeting, such as impacts on Cat Lake Crag, Brohm Lake and Cat Lake, our position is as follows:
The SAS views residential and commercial development in the greater Squamish region as a positive phenomenon, providing it takes into consideration the qualities which make the area so special. We believe the recreational assets prized by climbers and the general public can be preserved next to a thriving and sustainable economic base.
The Garibaldi at Squamish development in the vicinity of Cat Lake Crag, Cat Lake and Brohm Lake, as proposed, is unacceptable for the SAS. Concerning the crag, we still await the promised walk-through concerning impacts on the climbing area and at the very least expect a follow up with us about the crag's future. Concerning the lakes, core to the SAS mission is protection of the experiential element of the climbing and self-propelled recreational experience and life style. The extent of the proposed development around both Cat and Brohm lakes (currently enjoyed by thousands of climbers and other recreationalists yearly) is in direct conflict with the principle of the protection of the irreplaceable experiential value currently held by these recreational resources. To take an example, a simple "treed buffer", as proposed at Cat Lake, is far from the acceptable mitigation level required. We ask that this development be sent back to the drawing board with these considerations in mind.
For more information from those concerned about the proposal, check out http://savegaribaldi.org/ as well as the Facebook groups Save Cat Lake and Save Brohm Ridge and Cat lake from Developers.
To view the proponent's site, check out http://garibaldiatsquamish.com.
July 2007
Proposed Ski Resort: Garibaldi at Squamish
The Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) has released extensive plans regarding an application for a ski resort on Brohm Ridge.
Proposed development will extend from Brohm Ridge to the highway and will include areas close to and around both Brohm and Cat Lakes.
Further information is available at http://savegaribaldi.org/
The project encompasses 4,901 hectares. Close to 1,500 single family homes, 825 townhouses, 1,717 condos, and 1,717 hotel units will be built within the project boundaries, which will also include an additional 2 golf courses on either side of the highway. Additional maps from the EAO website are included below (click on the image to view the full-size PDF file from EAO's website).
Please visit the EAO's website for detailed information about the proposal.
The EAO is accepting public comment on the application until August 5th, 2007: "form letters, petitions or other submissions only stating a position for or against the project cannot be considered". Please send your comments to:
eaoinfo@gov.bc.ca and use the subject heading: Garibaldi at Squamish
or
Graeme McLaren
Project Assessment Director
Environmental Assessment Office
PO Box 9426 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9V1
Fax (250) 387-2208
January 2007
The Powerhouse Plunge
Many climbers may be aware of the year-long conflict that has surrounded the Ministry of Forest's decision to log the area of the famous Powerhouse Plunge mountainbike Trail, a showcase of the Test of Metal race. The Ministry has now decided the area will be logged, and the Plunge will be split by a road and weave between clearcuts. Work will start in February 2007. Inside Squamish the decision is seen as a disaster, made all the worse by what can only be described as a sarcastic "take it or leave it" attitude by the officials of BC Timber Sales, an arm of MOF.
What MOF now intend to do is more or less what they declared a year ago. Effectively destroying the Plunge was considered to be worth an estimated two million dollars of timber. A consequence for the Ministry is that they have left themselves with a serious legacy of mistrust among recreationalists.
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