|
BC Government Receives Proposal to Develop Lodge in Maxhamish Lake Provincial Park
by WCWC Media •
Thursday November 30, 2006 at 11:03 AM
Yesterday the British Columbia government acknowledged they have accepted a proposal from a private developer to build a fly-in fishing lodge in picturesque Maxhamish Lake Provincial Park. The 27,000 hectare park, located 125 kilometers north of Fort Nelson, is known for its tremendous fishing opportunities including lake whitefish, walleye and northern pike.
“Exclusive fly-in lodges should be situated outside of BC Parks – after all, 86% of the province is already open for development,” commented Gwen Barlee, spokesperson for the Campaign for BC Parks. Maxhamish Lake Provincial Park is one of 12 provincial parks slated for development under the BC Government’s Roofed Accommodation Strategy. The Strategy, announced July 27, is controversial because it allows private for-profit development within public park boundaries, has proceeded without public consultation, lacks tools to limit expansion of private facilities, promotes helicopter traffic, and allows foreign multinational corporations to develop in BC parks. “The environmental community has been very clear on this issue: private lodges and resorts belong outside of parks, not within,” commented Barlee. “We are pleased to work with prospective developers to ensure operations are appropriately situated in gateway communities outside of parks, but if developers choose to build within park boundaries we will take a targeted message to their marketplace expressing our concern.” The BC government bundled the 12 parks into two bid processes. In the previous bid process, which ended November 2, just two parks received expressions of interest, both from the Alpine Club of Canada. In the second bid process, which ended November 27, just one park, Maxhamish, received a bid. “Thankfully, most developers realize that the public, environmental organizations and local communities are opposed to these types of developments – so they did the right thing and stayed out of our parks,” said Barlee. BC government staff have expressed concerns about fishing pressures in Maxhamish Lake Provincial Park should the proposed lodge development proceed, as well trepidation over the impact fly-in traffic would have on nesting waterfowl. Members of the Campaign for BC Parks, all of whom oppose the BC Government’s Roofed Accommodation Strategy, include: the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society - BC Chapter, World Wildlife Fund Canada, the David Suzuki Foundation, BC Nature (formerly Federation of BC Naturalists), EarthCare Society, Wildsight, Sierra Club of Canada - BC Chapter, Valhalla Wilderness Society, Transboundary Watershed Alliance, West Kootenay Eco Society, West Coast Environmental Law, and the Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment. -30- For more information please contact: Gwen Barlee, Western Canada Wilderness Committee: (604) 683-8220; (604) 202-0322 (c)
|
