RECENT HISTORY OF CATHEDRAL GROVE
-In 1992, the Ministry of Parks approved the
present Management Plan for MacMillan Park. At that time, (prior
to the blowdown in 1997), it seemed logical to acquire adjacent
land (to the west) in order to create an expanded parking lot.
-In December of 1997 approximately 10% of the
huge Douglas Fir trees in MacMillan Park, (Cathedral Grove)
blew over due to a combination of a Qualicum Gale estimated
to reach 160km/hour and the removal of upwind forest that was
situated on private land but acted as a wind buffer to the park.
Many believe that it is only a matter of time before Cathedral
Grove will be completely lost unless some level of mega-project
is taken to protect this area.
-On July 7th, 2001, BC Parks held a public
input session at the Tigh-Na-Mara Resort Conference Room near
Parksville. Shortly afterwards the former minister of Water
Land and Air Protection, Joyce Murray abruptly stopped the project
claiming it was too costly and that the Ministry of Highways
could adequately address this situation.
-On October 15, 2003, Annette Tanner of Mid-Iisland
WCWC was invited and attended a stakeholder meeting convened
by MLA Gillian Trumper. No other members of the public were
invited, only ministry officials and hand picked representatives
of stakeholder groups. At that meeting, the minister decided
to forego any additional planning meetings, stating that they
were too costly.
-On January 21st, in her <<news
release>>, MLA Gillian Trumper justifies her government's
reasons for "moving ahead" with the Cathedral Grove
parking lot. That very same day, Mid Island WCWC wrote BC Parks,
requesting them to hold off the awarding of the logging contract
for Cathedral Grove.
-On January 24th, we officially announced our
Cathedral Grove tours from Victoria and the official launch
of this Web Site.
-On February 6th representatives of Carmanah
Forestry Society met with staff representing the newly appointed
Minister of Minister of Water Air and Land Protection's staff.
We detailed our complaints and suggestions that might resolve
the Cathedral Grove issue. We suggested that the government
provide a full, open and meaningful public review and process
and that the minister visit the area.
-On Monday 9th of February, loggers entered
the proposed parking area with chainsaws and massive log moving
equipment. They were turned away by protesters who refused to
leave. Under British Columbia Workman?s Compensation Regulation,
it is forbidden for loggers to cut trees if anyone is within
two tree lengths of the tree being fallen.
-On February 16th, MLA Trumper sent out an
inflammatory press release, suggesting that our motive in challenging
her parking lot was not to protect Cathedral Grove but instead,
suggested that our motives were to conduct "another misinformation
campaign trying to fool foreign donors into supporting their
organizations. It's shameful that these people are putting their
own bank accounts before the safety of the million visitors
a year who come to our marvellous park," Tumper added.
-On Wednesday, February 25th, Minister Barisoff
stated that he had received a Supreme Court Injunction to log
at Cathedral Grove. After a few hours of frantic scrambling,
we discovered that did not have an injunction, but instead only
a Notice of Motion and a Summons to Appear.
-On Thursday March 4th, we met with <<Minister
Barisoff>> and discussed the issue with him, but he
chose to stick to the plan. Later that evening we held a public
meeting in Qualicum Beach which was well
attended and produced nearly a thousand dollars towards the
legal defence fund established with lawyer <<Cameron
Ward>> to protect Cathedral Grove.
-On March 8th, we attended the first day of
Supreme Court in Nanaimo, BC. Our lawyer was able to have the
hearing set aside until March 12th. That same evening, we addressed
Qualicum Beach Council and convinced them to approve a motion
to write the following letter to government. "The provincial
government's proposed new visitor parking within Cathedral Grove
has garnered much attention and concern within District 69 (Parksville-Qualicum
Beach). Council of the Town of Qualicum Beach discussed this
issue at their meeting held March 8, 2004 and subsequently ratified
a motion to request the provincial government for a full and
meaningful public presentation and process on the Cathedral
Grove Plan for the local community, and in addition to provide
the Town of Qualicum Beach with a copy of the proposed visitor
parking plan. A reply from your office would be greatly appreciated.
-On March 9th, we submitted an <<article>>
to the Parksville-Qualicum News demonstrating how MLA Gillian
Trumper had far less local government support for her plan than
she had claimed.
-On March 9th, we made a similar presentation
to the Nanaimo Regional District Committee of the Whole and
at that time, they approved writing a similar letter to Minister
Barisoff, requesting a full, open and meaningful public review
process for their community.
-On March 12th, Cameron Ward of Cameron Ward
and Associates (see www.cameronward.com
for this and other interesting civil liberty cases in BC) argued
why it was unnecessary for the government to use an interlocutory
injunction (an abusive and powerful tool resulting in jail terms)
when other less severe remedies were more appropriate under
the Land Act of BC. The case was adjourned to March 18th.
On March 18th, Supreme Court Justice Quijano
reserved time to ponder the merits of the government case and
stated that she would have her answer in weeks, not months.
We attended MLA Gillian Trumper's Town Hall Meeting that evening
in Qualicum Beach and it was a fiasco. She had the room set
up with only one microphone, allowing her to drown out any argument
of opposition. No plans of Cathedral Grove were posted or available,
and not one of her three staff members bothered to take notes.
When I challenged her as to her misrepresenting the community
support for her plan, she blamed her handpicked attendees at
the October 15th 2003 stakeholder meeting stating, "I gave
them all a copy of the plan, it isn't my fault that they didn't
get back to me."
-On Thursday, April 8th, we made a successful
presentation to the city of Victoria Council who approved that
a <<letter>>
be sent to Barisoff similar to that of the Nanaimo Regional
District and Qualicum Beach Council. In addition, we requested
that a safety study be conducted to compare the two parking
lots.
-On Sunday, April 11th, we gave an Easter Tour
of the Grove.
-On May 28th the BC Government lost an Cathedral
Grove Supreme Court Injunction Bid. Read here for details of
how democracy has triumped in this landmark case
<<more>>
