Grove on meeting agenda in Victoria
Parksville-Qualicum News, Friday June 18, 2004 -
Steven Heywood

Protesters have successfully kept the province from starting work on a new parking lot near Cathedral Grove since February.

By STEVEN HEYWOOD

If environmental groups already had their foot in the government's door, a May 8 court decision denying the province a general injunction, helped open it all the way.

Water, Land and Air Protection Minister Bill Barisoff has agreed to meet with members of the Western Canada Wilderness Committee on July 12. Mid-Island WCWC member Annette Tanner says Barisoff's office requested the meeting the day after the group hand-delivered a request to discuss the proposed parking lot on MacMillan Park (Cathedral Grove) on June 8.

They solicited the session, said Tanner, based on the judge's findings which, in part, stated the government had tried to supercede public and legal process by seeking an injunction against protesters in the Grove.

"It was a quick response," said Tanner.

"The most important thing is to meet. We'll work into [the parking lot issue] very gently."

The minister's office confirmed the meeting date, but offered no further comment. Spokesperson Nikki McCallum says it was WCWC that initiated the session and that Barisoff would wait until afterwards, to comment.

A full public review of the parking lot plans is what Tanner, representing WCWC, is after. That, she said, includes a hearing where the public can question the plan.

"The entire face of the park will change with those changes. Many groups who use the park would welcome a chance to have input."

Tanner said WCWC will use the meeting as a chance to advance their vision for a mid-Island conservation plan - including linking the Clayoquot and Arrowsmith Biosphere Reserves.

Not only would additional park land for Cathedral Grove be part of that plan, Tanner said wildlife and recreation corridors would be proposed for the length of the Cameron and Little Qualicum Rivers.