Committee of the Whole

So I think we can probably call the meeting to order.

We are still missing Councillor Lemon, but I think should be along shortly.

We have in Councillor Chambers, Councillor Matson, Councillor Kowalewich, and myself, and Councillor Rogers is joining us remotely.

So I'd like to begin the meeting by recognizing the Lakwangan speaking people, known today as the Aspimalt Nation and Songhees Nation, and that their historic connections to these lands continue to this day.

This meeting is being held under the auspices of Ministerial Order M192 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the public health officers' orders.

This afternoon and this evening, the public will be able to speak under the public participation portion of the agenda.

And the number that you call in will be on your screen.

But you call 778-402-9227, and when prompted, enter conference ID 486-396-440-pound.

At the appropriate time in the agenda, I will then announce the last four digits of your phone number, ask you to mute the live webcast to avoid feedback, ask you not to use speakerphone to ensure sound quality, and ask that you unmute yourself by pressing star six.

And if you can give us your name and address for the record, you'll then have the benefit of giving us your views.

If you're providing comments through the chat feature, again, we would ask that you provide your name and address, and that is open under public participation and question period.

And that does happen both this afternoon for the afternoon items and then this evening for the evening items.

This meeting will be recorded by participating in this webcast.

You are consenting to being recorded, and the recording will be available on the town's website for future access.

Thank you.

And um it's being suggested by our CAO that we might want to, you know, we'll see how time goes, but if time goes well, that we should tag tag on to our afternoon session the heat pump motion, the traffic motion, and the tree protection bylaw.

And Elton Road.

What about Elton Road?

Well, the note I'd requested to be put on in terms of having a discussion about the current zoning and what we wanted to see there.

Just a between council members.

Okay.

I don't, yeah.

I mean, we can put that on.

I'm not sure that staff have put it on.

No, I know it I'd ask that if we put on there, so that's what I'm asking.

Well, I mean, that probably should be actually stay on this evening's under under planning and development, I would think.

Yes.

Oh, so all the other ones.

Okay, I'm sorry.

Yeah.

The other ones you just said would go on earlier.

Got it.

It's the stress of seeing Jerry looking so forlorn over there.

Big smile.

Do you buy a house?

Since yesterday.

So if I can get a motion to approve the amended agenda.

So moved by Councillor Mattson, seconded by Councillor Lemon.

So moved.

Yeah.

All in favor?

Opposed?

That's carried.

And um yeah, so why don't we get through the items that are on the agenda and then we'll do deal with those three um possibly yeah in in the afternoon.

Okay, and so with that, where am I here?

We have the minutes from April 13th.

Move adoption.

Second.

Okay, adoption is moved and seconded.

Any comments, corrections?

No.

No.

So we do come right to public participation.

That's carried.

Um so if anyone is looking to call in, the number is on your screen at home.

Do we have any callers on the line, Stuff?

Your worship, at the moment we do not.

I think we'll just carry on if there's if there's no one there.

Is there anyone on the chat?

Oh no, we're not using the chat feature now, are we?

Nope, forget it.

Okay, so I'm gonna carry on and hand the chair over to Councillor Lemmon for Protective Services.

Thank you, your worship.

Um, no chair's report and no business arising.

Um inspector preston would you like to go first he's he's superintendent preston now superintendent preston yes congratulations thanks very much i appreciate it wow and first of all uh and well deserved uh thanks uh to all of you for your uh your support my my family and i are very very uh happy to to stay working uh in and for with you guys so thanks very much i was happy to write that letter of reference i appreciate it i wasn't much so i appreciate that.

So I'll give you a quick a quick rundown uh it's been kind of a chaotic day to be honest uh it started very early this morning uh at seven in the morning with domestics.

Who fights at seven in the morning, but uh apparently some people do.

So um I'll give you a a little rundown since uh uh April 12th uh to present.

Uh April 12th, we had a man exposing himself at the View Royal Elementary.

I think we talked about this one last time I was here actually.

This might have been right uh right on the cusp of last time.

Uh two young girls were on the property after the uh school hours, and a male entered the property across the field, approached the girls, and exposed himself.

The girls ran away.

We did a big media push, and that investigation is still ongoing.

April 17th, uh Thetis Lake Suk Road.

We had uh individuals uh fleeing from police vehicles reported suspicious.

OCC or uh telecoms determined that it was uh determined stolen from Langford.

It was followed to Thetis Lake, uh the parking lot where two members were there uh on an unrelated matter, and uh they fled from from those members in an attempt to stop it.

That investigation is still under investigation as well.

April 18th on the 300 block of Six Mile Road, mischief by pickaxe.

We had a male reported to be yelling and causing a disturbance.

He was walking down the road, smashing road signs and poles with a pickaxe.

Members arrived and arrested the male who was known to police and as a Victoria Street person.

He had damaged two vehicles, stole clothing out of one, climbed on, jumped on top of a tonneau cover on another vehicle, all because he was angry.

Um, no other reason, apparently.

Uh, he was arrested and uh charged and placed on conditions not to come back to uh to be royal.

Uh April 13th, uh Thetis Lake.

There was a uh a rash uh actually uh Thetis Vale area, Chilco uh Hagison and uh Bamford.

In that area, there was a rash of theft from vehicles.

There was 10 files generated alone on April 13th.

Um surveillance footage in some of the cases.

Uh some of the files are still open.

One of them, uh, one of the cards that was stolen from a vehicle was used at the shell gas station.

We obtained uh video, uh, however, it wasn't uh very useful video, unfortunately, the individual, but we're still working on those.

Uh April 14th, uh Burnside Road in Watkiss, an impaired uh MBI.

We had a truck versus cyclist.

Independent witnesses uh placed the fault on the driver of the truck.

Uh the police attendant, cyclist was in the ambulance.

An ASD, so a roadside screening device was demanded of the driver, and that individual blew a fail.

Um the cyclist had no serious injuries, and according to hospital, she was uh very incredibly lucky.

And so we've charged that individual with uh the impaired.

Uh April 17th, uh Thetis Lake Beach, there was a bear spray um incident.

Teenage boys having an argument uh when one pulled out the bear spray, sprayed another one.

There was a lack of cooperation from the uh from the victim in identifying the assailant.

On April 18th, we had uh an assault, two males challenging people to fight at the lake parking lot.

They threw liquid on a car, the victim got out, and and the males assaulted him.

One of the males was also telling people in the lot that he was going to stab them.

Unfortunately, for uh for this individual, uh, he left his wallet behind, which matched the ID, and we were able to uh identify that uh individual.

Not investigation is still ongoing.

Uh April 20th on Helmkin Road, we had a drug-impaired female at the person's residence banging on a door demanding help.

She wasn't making a whole lot of sense.

She refused to leave.

Members uh attended a located female who resides at the Save on Food Center, and we were able to take her back to her residence.

April 24th, uh Pheasant Lane uh we had uh uttering threats.

An older male working in his garden was approached, uh approached the the uh the complainant who was walking his dog.

The older male threatened to hit the complainant because his the uh complainant's dog was too close to the men's the man's flower beds.

Uh April 24th on Helmkin.

Um so we're looking into that one.

We had a uh failed to take auto without consent and a failed to remain.

Witnesses overheard teens talking about having to wipe something down to get their prints off of it.

Um members attended and found a group of teens in a vehicle with recent body damage that belonged to one of the teens' mothers.

One of the youths uh with a class seven had fled already due to driving the vehicle in violation of his conditions.

Mom was woken up and uh she made it quite clear that she had not given permission for her son to take the vehicle.

And uh we're doing a restorative justice for the uh take auto without consent with uh with those youths.

And uh, we also gave a uh a ticket for driving contrary to his restrictions or contrary to restrictions.

Uh Victoria General Hospital on April 28th, we had an allegation of a female that said uh a doctor sexually assaulted her by inappropriately examining her.

So we're looking into that.

April 29th, uh Helmkin and Helmkin overpass.

We had a bus uh MBI, a male fell asleep and drove through a red light, striking the bus.

Uh no injuries to the bus passengers, and the driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

We are up uh so far about 18% over last year at this time, but this for this quarter, which is uh about 175 files uh increase.

Uh, but that's it it seems to have kind of picked up everywhere, so we I don't think it'd be rolls an anomaly.

You can just feel we're having normally we have 30, 40 file days uh during the daytime, and we've had uh certainly a series of 50s, 55 files uh during daytime shifts.

So we we were two shifts, 12 on uh or four on four off 12 hour shifts or 11 and a half hour shifts.

And um usually at nighttime we're in that you know anywhere between 20 and 30 files, and uh daytime you're in that 40 to or 30 to 40 files.

But lately it's definitely uh seemed to have picked up.

So I don't know if it's uh the weather, the vaccinations, covet, what it is, but uh we're certainly feeling it.

Um what else do we have here?

That's uh violent uh violent crime is down seven percent, um, which to put that in perspective, it's only three uh three files from from the last quarter, so it's but it is down, so it's a it's a good trend.

And uh property crime is down ten percent as well.

So that's uh from last uh last year at this time.

The hospital, um we had 78 uh calls to the hospital uh from January 1st to April 30th uh this year.

Um that it seems to be, I think, kind of a little uh a little more than average, but not uh not a ton more from than from last year.

Nine calls to the casino and um the mental health files uh certainly continue to go up uh throughout the the year.

My nine calls to the casino.

I it it's usually to do with um you know breaking enters or mischief to properties or loitering or or uh because we know the casino's uh not open so open it open darn it yeah we'd love to we'd love to open it for you here but uh yeah so that's um yeah i think people like to use that parking lot for for various activities so that's uh that's about all I have for you yeah a lot of rage a lot of rage yeah yeah we've like I said it's it's been kind of a bizarre little well it's been a bizarre year for everybody I imagine but yeah tension is one any questions uh counselor Matson yeah I'm just curious somebody fell asleep while they were driving and ran into a bus.

Is that that's correct?

Yes.

Do you have many people following asleep while driving?

I mean, I just thought that was.

Well, you know what?

If we do it at nighttime on rural pri and rural roads, uh, there's lots of lots of that, but not typically uh you know uh in the city here at more daytime hours.

Yeah, so it's it is strange.

I'm perplexed as well.

Are you is it getting better in terms of people being released right away because the jail's not wanting to keep folks in custody because of COVID?

I mean, that seems to be a constant issue that we're reading about in Victoria.

So I'm curious of how it is on the West Shore.

I mean, are you finding that prolific offenders are when you've arrested them that they're being released relatively quickly pending trial?

Yeah, what I think uh is more um prevalent is the the the lack of charge approval.

We've had uh so you know, a lot of these prolific offenders, we work really hard and really diligently because we recognize that oftentimes they're responsible for the vast majority of of the crime.

Um so when we go and breach these individuals and do curfew checks and what have you, if um oftentimes uh we're seeing that the crown are not approving charges, and um that is that's a concern.

And why is that?

Do you know?

Well, they uh they reference oftentimes capacity, um you know, COVID capacity, um, and then some some other rulings that they're trying to not um breach certain uh certain groups um or various reasons, but uh it it is it's uh it's a struggle for us for sure.

Well, I mean that's a concern all around, I think if that continues and would be worth us following up on in some way.

Absolutely, it would be.

Yeah.

Yes.

I'm just curious what it does to the morale of the of the men and women.

Yeah, you're that's a great, it's a great question.

Um, you know, especially our property crime and and our um you know prolific offender unit, or that's their sole mandate is to to uh to keep tabs on these individuals and even the uh the general duty individual you know members at night, they make a cognizant effort because it's you know when we only have 15 or 25 files or whatever it is for the night.

If it's a slower night, they make sure you do all the curfew checks.

So when we do submit and the feedback is we're not gonna charge, yeah.

That's it it does uh take a toll on on morale.

Um I don't know what the solution is.

We'll we'll soon see I guess if the next three months if all of a sudden things open up to a little more you know normality from uh if uh hopefully things will change back to where it once was where people are held accountable but right now we're yeah oftentimes we're seeing lots of tons and tons of charge uh charges not being approved where in in the past we would have seen those same charges being approved.

So how do you keep up the morale and enthusiasm we're very fortunate because we have a very supportive councils and um we have very supportive pro-police uh community here.

Um in in all the communities that we police.

So it may be one thing if you're working in an area where you you weren't appreciated.

Do you look at some of the uh I hate to use the references down in the south there, but a lot of the uh you know, Seattle and a few of these other cities where the police are uh they're quitting in in droves right now just because of the the lack of support from community and from politicians and we don't feel that here.

So we're we're fortunate in that regard.

So I think that that certainly has a lot to do with the the strong morale.

Yes.

I mean it sounds like in general without but it's not like from what I've heard from different sources that the courts have not really adapted to COVID at all.

And they're still far from being even close to running at any sort of capacity of where they should be, because they haven't adapted to doing business in COVID times.

Do you think that's sort of a fairly I think it's a fair fair assessment?

And furthermore, they've there's such now such a backlog of serious matters that still have to go before the courts that that's why oftentimes I think uh you know they say it's not in the public interest or they don't have capacity to to deal with a lot of the more you know what oftentimes are construed as minor minor issues, and that's why they they haven't kept up.

So I mean I really think that's worthy of a letter.

I think that's worth us thinking about writing and and to minister or yeah, to Minister Farnsworth and saying that this is having a negative effect on our communities and um how are they gonna rectify the situation?

A comment go ahead, John.

No, I I agree with the uh the mayor wholeheartedly.

Chair.

Yes.

I think um not only having the minister um write a letter to the minister but ask for a representative from Crown Council to come to speak to council on um on this whole issue.

Um we have to do I I would also be curious to know if uh this concern is regional wide that uh Victoria and Sanich and OPE, everyone else has the same problem because ultimately this uh the problem is where the offenders are um face no uh no no accountability.

And if there's no accountability in the community, then uh the community is at risk.

So um yeah, no, I would very much like to have a representative from Crown Council, Regional Crown, uh, coming to speak to uh to us.

I'd love to hear from a judge too.

Maybe we should go visit a judge.

And this is uh from maybe from the Western communities.

Um I think this is um something that really needs the the support of the police.

Um, because if you you do and and I guess my question to um uh is that you're you're doing curfew checks, but are you getting the same lack of response and and unwillingness to respond from Crown on all the other probation violations like failing to keep the peace, um and not consuming alcohol, no go zones, no association with no offenders, those kind of things?

Again, it's all situationally dependent.

I mean, and that's the same answer that they'll I guarantee the the Crown will give you the same answer that you know, obviously, if there's uh, you know, if they have you know so your concerns about uh safety, they'll they'll certainly look at it a little bit closer.

Um but I mean I think the easiest thing for me to do is compile a list of all the um the the uh reports to crown that we forwarded, and I'll give you a report back showing you what the response was from the crowns um on those matters, if that's what you're asking me for.

Sure.

Yeah, sure.

There we go.

And and and I I'll move the the mayor write a letter to Minister Farnworth expressing concern pending the and then it's on the record.

Okay.

Do we have a second?

Second.

And all in favor?

Yes, I can just a uh point there.

Um can we have a copy uh sent to all the other mayors in the regional district as well so we can get everyone on the same page?

Sure.

Hey, so I have one more question.

So out of curiosity, for I don't know what we do with the the sort of the homeless mental health individual who, for example, walks down the street hitting streets or hitting cars with the pickaxe.

Do they just sort of go to jail and then get let out the next day?

I mean, or they actually we'll charge and uh we'll recommend a charge, and then I guess it's up to the crown whether or not um they'll recommend that charge, and again, situationally dependent, but those are the ones I think pre COVID we certainly have more success um you know even with even with people that don't have a a lengthy criminal criminal past but I think that that goes to show I think a a larger deeper issue of you know what what's the mindset and the mental stability of somebody that goes down with a pickaxe and starts smashing cars for no reason.

And again is that are we looking at putting these people in jail or are we looking at you know some sort of mental facility that uh they obviously need some help because I'm guessing that's not normal rational behavior.

It's not somebody that lost lost their cool because they were having a heating discussion between somebody.

This is somebody that is walking down the street randomly and and it's no different than what we're seeing in in Victoria.

Um, where you see the um, you know, I I read the paper, I'm sure you do the uh the random knife attacks in Beacon Hill and and the random threats of knife attacks.

Um again, it kind of crosses into two two realms there of criminality, but also uh the mental health and whether or not we've chosen to to try to integrate people within the society, you know, in community instead of having them uh in some sort of closed custody facility where they can get the help they need.

Putting them in a jail is gonna is gonna solve that mental instability, but um, there just seems to be a lack of willingness or a lack of beds or lack of resources uh, you know, in in terms of these types of individuals to try to get them in some sort of close custody um mental health facility.

Yeah, just hear in that people in Victoria and I hope it never sort of pushes out here, just don't feel safe, you know, going down to the park or sort of wandering some areas of town just where that's never happened before.

We've always sort of felt comfortable to do that, and that's because we've all you know the street or people with mental health issues or drugation issues.

Yeah, and you know, uh the you know, the one kind of common theme here seemed to be Thetis Lake in his last report here to you guys.

Um to that end I'll make sure that we put on uh some extra resources in the summer times.

We always do uh summer patrols out there.

That uh use some seasonal policing uh dollars um which we get uh from the the province there.

And we'll make sure that we uh put put some of those resources in Thetis Lake that seems to be picking up some of the issues uh a little too often for for comfort.

A question on that?

Yeah.

Go ahead.

Yes thank you.

Yeah um certainly there's a concern of with the number the increase that appears uh with Thetis Lake.

Um I I'd be curious to go back um if you're if it's possible to look at uh the past two years and see how many incidents and what kind of incidents occurred in Thetis Lake and start keeping a uh a record of what's going on annually I think we may need to have um with that evidence uh be able to go back to the C RD and um look for some more teamwork.

Yeah, I can I can uh I can ask our analysts to to pull some numbers for you there to to give you a little background or I don't know if they'll go back two years, but even a year um on some of the incidents that we've had um at theatus.

Um questions?

No.

Anything else?

All right, I've I've just a something to staff.

Um I don't know if this is um would make a difference, but I've I've been asked by residents on Glen Airley if um we could have more they could have more frequent mowings of the tall grasses outside the gate at Pew at View Royal Elementary where the little girls witnessed the exposure.

Um they residents felt that that might be a deterring too that was a bit more visible.

So I'm just putting that to staff.

Okay, um do we have a motion to receive Superintendent Preston's report?

Yep, second.

Do we have a second?

Second, sure.

Okay.

All those in favor.

So move.

Thank you, sir.

Lovely to see you.

Thanks very much.

Thank you.

Thanks, Tom.

Thank you.

Oh he thought he was free.

Yes.

You'd been scrum.

I thought if you thought I's not going to steal some of the resources and I was finding fire trucking.

Welcome.

Hello.

Good afternoon.

Not that my colleague is contaminated.

Just want to make sure that we're clean here.

Obviously, uh, good afternoon, Mayor and Council.

Obviously, uh, my congratulations to Superintendent Preston on his promotion.

Uh it goes without saying that the West Shore is uh safer and and well-run organization with with Todd at the helm.

And we're uh we're pleased that he's gonna be sticking around for a couple more years.

Really enjoyed working with uh the superintendent over the years.

So congratulations, Todd.

Uh very much.

There's no there's nowhere to go with that title, really.

Commissioner Preston that's it's got a nice nice ring to it um the superintendent didn't mention the uh the rescue that we had to perform of a of a west shore member to break into a west shore member's vehicle at a at a crash she had left her keys inside he didn't mention that rescue that was a very very complex rescue tricky very brief metals medals for all uh good afternoon.

Um I'll start with um on the agenda, I believe the um bylaw 1073.

Uh it's the Thetis Lake Park Cost Recovery By Law.

I'll speak to that first.

Purpose of the report to consider the Thetis Lake Park Emergency Response Services Cost for bylaw number 1073, 2021, that is attached, which prohibits reckless behavior and intoxication and can serve as a deterrent and a mechanism to recover costs associated with rescues at Thetis Lake Park.

Uh to paraphrase the report, um, obviously it's been concluded over many years.

The dangers associated with impaired behaviors in the park, as well as cliff jumping, puts considerable strain on view royal fire resources, as well as it contributes to a significant uh level of injury and in some cases death because of these actions.

Um, I'm sure you can appreciate that along with the town and my office, the CRD is probably as frustrated as I am with some of the behaviors in the park.

And as were outlined by the superintendent, um, to recognize the issues in the park, the town needs to adopt a bylaw which acts as a mechanism to deter the behavior and recover costs associated with the rescues.

This is one of many strategies that we've talked about with the CRD over the years.

Costs associated with the response in the park are significant.

A rescue call for a cliff accident is in the magnitude of uh just over $2,000 per hour for staff and equipment.

Some of these rescues have exceeded two hours, and this doesn't include resources from other jurisdictions that are requested to respond to assist.

Some of the additional issues surrounding these preventable accidents is the reliance on mutual aid partners for staffing.

These rescues are complex and require technical rope rescue, marine rescue, and command staff.

And also of concern is well, we're in the park performances for preventable accidents.

We're leaving the town of URL vulnerable to a delayed response for other emergencies, as well as tapping into our mutual aid resources.

Obviously, there's budget implications.

As I said, the minimum cost associated with a rescue is just over $2,000 per hour.

And that the bylaw sort of spells out when the clock starts ticking and then when it ends.

So from the time of call till the time the vehicles are back available for another emergency.

The bylaw is attached.

It describes the prohibitive conduct, the offense, and the fees associated.

The fees for the behaviors would be passed on to the offender.

And in the case uh if the offender is a minor, then the parent or guardian would receive the fee for service for the rescue.

And again, the purpose of the bylaw is to one recover costs, but it's also to act hopefully as a deterrent, as part of several other initiatives that we've talked to and worked with CRD, whether it be uh education, uh police enforcement, bylaw enforcement, and um this will be just act as another tool to hopefully deter the behavior and and hopefully uh eliminate um the behaviors associated that are causing some pretty significant injuries and and sometimes death so um i'm open to questions uh regarding my uh bylaw submission wow good council uh thank you so just to be a triveted conduct yes sir so you want to I'm so I'm confused over number well 2.1A.

So in terms of how you would be called out to a call for distributing of or selling of liquor.

So it won't be that won't be a fire, that won't be a fire issue, but of course the sale and distribution of alcohol and drugs is prohibited in a in a public place, and that would be a police issue.

As part of the the overarching bylaw, we have to outline the fact that it is prohibited to sell or consume in the park.

That ties into the behavior associated with.

So fire won't be um enacting that part of the bylaw, but that bylaw will be in place, that section of the bylaw.

Which is the part I'm confused about then is which which is the potential fine command for the rescue.

So yes.

This bylaw is specific to the rescue.

So if a person is impaired or intoxicated in the park and they cause themselves and put themselves into a position where they uh voluntarily jump off the cliffs and injure themselves, or they're impaired in the park to the point where they have to be carried out of the park.

And that's quite a routine for us where the ambulance will call us to assist to extricate people from the park who can't leave the park under their own power because of impairment.

We have a mechanism to recover those costs.

Okay, but just the way I initially interpreted, if somebody's having a beer in the park.

So it's only when you have to come out.

It's only when I have to come out.

If if people um, as I I said before in the past, I'll I'll go to the park every day for a dog walker that twists their ankle or someone hiking around the park that injures themselves, or somebody who needs help, we'll we'll be there every day for them.

Um however I I just can't simply condone reckless behavior anymore that involves alcohol and drugs in the park.

Um it's taxing on the resources, it's um yes, it's our job, I understand that, but these are preventable accidents.

And there right now there is no deterrent to uh to not behave this way in the park.

So the other files that's comfortable is people decide to go skiing out of boundaries and they get hurt, and then somebody has to go track them.

That in some places they have the rescue group they're they've started to charge people.

So absolutely okay.

Thank you.

Counselor Qualovich.

Thank you, Chief.

I'm just uh have a few questions, and uh his worship has some too.

Uh perhaps we can share or I'll cover some off.

But in your experience as fire chief, uh what are some of the conventional and unconventional methods that you've tried to deter this behavior in the past?

Well, I I made a suggestion a couple years ago about drilling and blasting the cliffs, which obviously didn't go over well.

We've discussed um fencing options.

There's been discussion of uh fines associated with jumping, um education.

We we we've explored all avenues and and these are these are voluntary behaviors.

I um I just we I think we've exhausted all sort of educational um behaviors.

And I don't think it's a viable option to start installing fencing um or or uh creating a situation that provides for a safe uh way to enter the water from the cliffs.

There's been those suggestions.

Um so this is this is kind of for me the the last straw.

Have any of those had a drastic effect on behavior of individuals in the park over the years?

No.

Okay.

Do you know any other uh lakes or recreational areas who other than Councillor Matson's example um that have employed this type of response or remedy?

Locally, no.

Okay.

I'm not familiar with any.

Okay.

Um I would assume that uh this is all in the interest of safety.

And this is a way to get people's attention and to create awareness for uh for safety in the park and to send a clear message that this behavior is uh causing injury and death uh over the years uh in a perpetual manner.

Absolutely.

This is this is designed as a as a deterrent.

Okay, okay, interesting.

Okay.

Good.

Yeah.

Thank you.

And I mean, I guess the first thing I'm curious about, I'm curious about a lot of things, but has have we had a legal review of this?

Yes.

Have we?

Yes, this uh the bylaw was um uh created by our legal team and reviewed and presented as such.

Because along with you know, Counselor Matson was asking the question, but it it I mean we have distributing, selling or consuming liquor in a public park is a criminal offense, is it not?

So how do we put that in our bylaw that we're going to fine for a criminal offense?

No, I I think what we have to clarify, I'm not fining for that offense.

No, I know, but it but it is listed in the, you know, no person when in TEDAS regional park shall distribute, sell, or consume liquor.

So why?

I mean, is it not, and I'm not trying to be difficult, but I'm just genuinely curious.

Is it not redundant to put a criminal offense in our bylaws?

I guess when in the It is, but there is no reason not to include it.

Okay.

So then beyond that, if some 20-year-old kid is out there drunk, falls off a cliff, jumps off a cliff, do we have any legal right whatsoever to demand a breathalyzer, a blood sample, anything to prove that he was impaired, so that you can enforce this bylaw?

Because if it's on the basis that they're impaired, we have to be able to prove that they're impaired, right?

Fair observation.

I guess in if I'm gonna speak candidly on this, the issues that we're facing is, I mean, these are these are witnessed events where there's usually an admission, you know, that someone's been in the park all day drinking.

Uh there's lots of witnesses.

Um, when we're packing people out of the back of the park who are so impaired that it it doesn't take a uh a breathalyzer to realize they're so impaired they can't walk or function and they have to be packed out of the park.

And we're talking children, 14, 15, 16 years old, um, that have set off for the day.

Um it's usually not difficult to determine, you know, either by smell or or just by the actions that the people are impaired.

I mean, I'm not an expert in in determining whether someone's impaired.

Um I guess the reality is is hopefully the message gets out that consuming alcohol and drugs in the park and then combining it with reckless behavior, uh, there is a mechanism in place that that we can somehow set up a deterrent.

And it's also, you know, I'm looking to the parents of the children who send their children off to thetis without any discussion about the dangers associated with it.

Um, and quite honestly have no accountability at the end of the day.

Paul, you don't have to be drunk or high, though, to be subject to the fine for reckless behavior.

No.

No, the bylaw also states if you if you enter the lake uh at a height of over a meter and you injure yourself, we have the option of cost recovery.

So really that's the essence of the message, isn't it?

So if that's excuse me, if that's the case.

I mean, I'm just looking, I mean, if we were to ever decide that we were going to try and collect on this bylaw, I mean, it's highly unlikely that anyone's ever gonna pay the ticket.

So we're gonna take it to court.

No, it'll be it'll be a fee for service.

Yeah.

And if they don't pay it, they'll send it to collections.

But would that not involve us having to take it to court?

No.

No, this will be a uh this is a uh a service fee where they're given an invoice, we'll make attempts to recover.

If they don't, then there are other mechanisms to collect it.

I mean I I guess what it comes down to, Mary's, I'm exhausted with the behavior at the park.

Yeah, Paul, I'm not questioning that at all.

I'm I'm questioning how we back, you know, how effective.

I mean, I I agree that possibly it's it's effective just to put it out there that council's doing this, but I I have a hard time believing, you know, that if somebody jumped, it was a 17-year-old child, and we tried to give them a bill.

I I have a hard time believing that they can't object to that legally, and we have to be prepared to be able to defend that.

Um, I I can't think that a collection agency can just all of a sudden, anyhow, those are you know, by the by maybe.

Um, but I think they're worth they're worth thinking about.

Ron.

One of the things I'm not aware of.

So you pick me up and John's got his hand.

Oh, okay.

I've been drinking, I fall down, I hurt myself to the point where you have to actually come and get me and take me to the hospital.

And once I'm at the hospital, is there would the hospital do a blood alcohol test or would you complain to the RCMP and they would come down and they would ask for it?

I mean, so I'm just curious as to how we would actually definitively determine whether or not they were under the influence.

That's a good question.

John question.

Yeah.

Um yeah, I I I tend to agree with the mayor.

I think the um um aspects of two point one um with respect to alcohol and and impairment and so forth, is uh is a distraction.

The the fact is uh sober, high, or ston drunk, they jumped.

And uh I think it's pretty clear that uh would be pretty evident that uh they've jumped from uh from the cliffs at the when we would go to do the rescue.

So um I frankly I think if we the bylaw would probably be just as effective without any reference to um um either any kind of impairment, alcohol or otherwise.

And we may want to get a legal opinion on that, but um you know that's it just seems to be um strange.

I mean the the thing is the you got A distribute cell consume liquor but I think we also need if we're going to uh talk about um impairment it's also drugs as well, like you've got in in C.

Um so to to follow up on another question is the um Paul has there hasn't been any other precedent or any other awareness of fire rescues uh um administering uh fees or fines or whatever in BC.

So this is uh a unique adventure.

This would be unique in this region.

I don't know of any fire departments locally that are doing this.

Okay.

That's North Shore rescue, but not not locally in the CRD.

So and I'm just point of uh clarification for when search and rescue they do, I think, and you can help me with this.

Um do they provide any um or issue fines or fees uh for rescue?

Mm-hmm.

I would have to verify, but I think there is a mechanism for cost recovery, some of those rescues where people are skiing towns or they're in areas they're not supposed to be where it's clearly marked and I think that would be useful to um sorry, I'm just right back to you, Kim.

I just wanted to clarify that when when it comes to the the issue of being impaired, it would only be the RC and P that would be involved in that process.

The involvement by the fire department would be the reckless behavior and the fee for services associated with reckless behavior.

And administratively it's not unusual for receivables to be uh put out on collection.

And while there may be challenges against the invoice, there is a process for that, and it may well end up being a court challenge.

But in terms of the administration of the uh of the charge itself, the fire department would be tracking the time and cost associated, and that that would be invoiced to the responsible parties.

So, Kim, um from your point of view, would it be as effective if we with withdrew um uh two point um two point one uh two point one A from the bylaw?

If we just remove the I think the recommendation at this point is to adopt the bylaw in its entirety.

Right, okay.

But that doesn't answer my question.

Maybe you could refer it back meet the staff too.

Okay, what will happen as a result of this meeting is a recommendation will go to our regular council meeting and we'll certainly get advice in terms of the indication of withdrawing any portion of the bylaw.

Okay, good.

Thank you.

Um John, did you have did you have more yeah just yeah just a couple other questions.

So um uh this is a View Royal bylaw.

Um what happens if you royal is so busy with another matter and and another um fire service goes to Theus Lake like Callwood.

Um does the jumper get off free no view royal is ultimately responsible there would always be a VROIL aspect attached to any call in V Royal.

Okay.

Even even if a callwood attends the Theus Lake issue.

There will always be a V Royal officer in charge of the call.

So yeah, there'd be the the application of fees would still be the same.

Right.

I I think if we're going to if if uh this goes to uh all the way to approval, uh then um hopefully the CRD would be uh willing to help us out and probably help out the uh potential jumpers uh with signage to to let people be informed uh that uh there is a risk, and as a risk there's a uh could be a financial penalty.

So uh your worship, do you think uh CRD would help us uh post signs if this went all the way to approval?

I think the bigger question to that would be if signs were posted saying there was a financial penalty, um, and I realize it's not my turn to speak, would it deter people from calling for help?

And I think that's something we really need to think about in this as well.

Okay, Damien.

Yeah.

Well, the one point of discussion for my colleagues on this, I would um that I've thought of is, and I'm sure that the chiefs had this thought in his mind too.

But instead of uh a financial uh penalty for cost recovery for services, could we simply make the fine astronomical uh for for cliff jumping in general, whether it resulted in injury or not?

Um, that would be one way around charging people for that.

And then to dovetail on that, um obviously there's discretion involved with bylaw and situations.

But for example, if someone was to get seriously injured or die, you know, we at what point are we making decisions not to pursue that cost recovery for something like that?

Because that wouldn't necessarily be appropriate if someone died.

So just stuff to think the end goal that the chief has in mind is to is to make it a safer park for everybody and it continues to be a problem year after year after year.

Um and it's it's not working.

So uh he's he's coming up with alternate solutions, and and I commend that.

Ron.

Thank you.

Yeah, the so my understanding is there's more than just it's not just cliff jumping.

It's also if somebody gets drunk, passes out, and you have to come and get them, or they're they're they're sick, and the anyways, they need to be hauled out with by the fire service and ambulance, uh, then they would be eligible for or they would be liable to be fined also.

And so so that's where I would like the alcohol component kept left in there because I'm sure you get a lot more of those calls than you do people jumping off and getting getting into it.

Off and off.

Both are both are it's it's anywhere from six to a dozen calls a year into the park for a multitude of reasons, whether it's a fire rescue or medical.

And and most of the times it's not an issue, but we've run into situations in the past where you know, in the process of extricating a teenager from the back of the park, you know, we're asked by the other groups of teenagers to carry their alcohol out on the stretcher.

And it gets a little much after a while.

And there is and and and it comes down to accountability.

There just there isn't in the in the person offending and uh the parent or guardian.

And and with no accountability and no repercussions, then the behavior continues.

And I don't know how many, I don't know how many times we have to to say it's it's dangerous and how many times we have to go there and do it.

The other aspect of this is just by putting this bylaw in place and the fact there isn't another one, it's likely to be highly publicized and send out the message.

That's true.

So which is another reason I like this like this concept.

That is true.

And the staff's recommendation.

I I was just going good.

Just I was just gonna say in light of um Superintendent Preston's report on the um early in the season, you know, um behavior at Thetis Lake and in the parking lot so far, um, I I think we would want to have something in place before the season is in full flight and and i should note counselor i every call that fire attends to the park there is a there's a standing guideline through dispatch the r cmp are to attend with us just given the the past history they're they're notified of every attendance that we have in the park so they are a resource for us uh when we do attend okay no second delotion so we have one first a second and that is staff recommendation um those in favor well hang on can we we have some discussion about it no okay so I'm just just reading on North Shore rescues yeah website we do not support charging for rescues primarily due to the risk of a lost or injured person or their family friends delaying a call for help so I mean okay I I I mean I I'm all for the intent of what's happening but I think this is coming too fast.

We've never discussed this before I mean we've never even had an informal discussion about this and and all of a sudden we're rushing to a bylaw have we talked about this with CRD like is CRD staff on board with us doing this I haven't discussed uh coffee cards.

So I mean that to me is not acceptable that we would this is a CRD park that we're we're doing this without involving CRD, um, at least asking them their thoughts about it.

And you know, they may have some valuable input that we should um we should be listening to.

I I think we need to think about it.

Um we need, I mean, once council adopts this, I mean, do we want Paul sending a bill for any call, any call that he has in the park in which he thinks that alcohol is possibly connected?

Is one meter a reasonable height?

I mean, I think that's a perfectly reasonable question.

Is is someone anybody jumping in that park off a height of more than 39 inches above the water?

Which means what's a high diving board?

Right.

Um, yeah, I mean, I think there's a few questions, and to me, it's certainly not ready to go right to bylaw stage.

So I'm I'm going to mend my motion now.

Okay.

I move receipt and that we would um uh get input from the CRD.

We look at the uh the the points of discussion at um you know because typically in at the committee of the whole we move receipt and then have a a whole more wholesome debate and discussion at uh the the council meetings um I agree that um uh you know your points are well taken I think we should consult with the CRD if they've got a better solution um and um I think jumping over uh we we should actually look at the the height.

So um let's let's receive it and get more uh more input.

Okay, so I'll make the motion I'll make staff's motion then.

So okay, we've got two questions.

John wants to pull his, I'll I'll make it.

Well you can't do that.

So there okay.

Yeah, okay.

There's a motion on the floor that was moved and seconded.

So let's go with the first motion.

So it needs to be approved or discussed.

Why don't we have more discussion on it?

Because obviously we need to talk about it.

Let's have more discussion on the first motion.

Yes.

Jimmy, do you think it?

I did.

John made the first motion.

Yeah.

I and uh yeah, I I've made the motion and and um uh but I'm I'm certainly um uh happy to wait and get some more information.

I agree that we should get it uh if we're going to do this, we get it done before the summer.

But um um is the first time we've read this and and other points of view.

I'd like to hear from uh Colwood uh search and rescue fire department as well.

Um and the CRD.

I don't think it's like presuming we get a quick turnaround.

Okay.

Um Coldwood's not in Petus Lake, though, right?

No, but sometimes uh other fire departments will do a rescue well if we're detained.

Um yeah, okay.

Okay, well so so all right.

So we have a motion to receive No, we don't know we have a motion moving staff's recommendation.

Moving staff's recommendations, which she seconded.

Yes.

Okay.

So sh shall we vote on the motion?

All those in favor.

Do we does anyone else wanted to have further discussion?

I think I'd already asked that.

I I think uh as it's more than fair to have the, you know, if anything, out of respect and partnership and building uh relationships with the CRD to have them provide opinion and and uh reflect on it.

That's that's fair.

Okay.

Any more any more discussion on the motion?

Then why don't we just have a tabling motion until after staff come back with a recommendation or till after staff talk to someone?

Okay.

I think there's more concerns than just CRT though.

Right?

I mean, I think there's legitimate questions about the anyhow.

I personally think we should vote this down and then get voted on the motion on new motion on the motion.

All those in favor of the motion as put forward by counselor rogers.

Those opposed motion defeated okay do we have a new motion?

So I'll move that it's referred back to staff to gather input from the CRD and also to seek clarification on the issues that were raised today in terms of the height alcohol etc.

Second okay discussion just could wouldn't have staff done this by the time it came back to us next council meeting, if we would have passed a motion.

Well, I think this is a more conservative approach with you know involving the stakeholders.

I'll be meeting with the CRD on Friday to discuss strategies for thetis.

I'm sure this will be a topic of discussion on Friday.

All right, good.

So any more discussion on the motion?

Well, I mean, I just the the alcohol, I think the alcohol component is perfectly fair.

If our biggest intent is to discourage the cliff jumping, then why have the alcohol in there at all?

Why not just focus this on cliff jumping and realistically the cliff jumping?

Right?

I mean, I I personally think the whole idea of putting in if you have a drunk teenager in the at back at the park like you had last year, who blacked out.

I'm not sure that I'm on board with us charging, because you guys have to go in and rescue him or her.

I mean, I have some difficulty with that personally.

Um, but I do completely understand the cliff jumping aspect of it.

I mean, what's the difference if you have a a drunk kid in View Royal Park that blacks out and is choking on their own vomit?

I mean, why?

Because it's in Thetis Lake Park.

Are we going to charge?

I mean, I think that's really a valid question.

I I guess because Thetis is such a magnet and is so out of control.

You know, contrary, contrary to um uh the the spin, the that Thetis is a family-friendly park.

You need to spend one summer day at Thetis Lake Park to realize how out of control it is in the summer.

Uh by law in the park is subjected to abuse.

Our West Shore partners don't have the resources.

The ambassadors, the the summer workers, and you know, I I've said it year after year, that not enough resources are being sent to the park.

We're told year after year that there's extensive resources at the park, and there are days where we go there and it's a busy day and we have issues, and there's no enforcement in the park.

You know, I understand the there was uh a bunch of money allocated last year and the year before, it was supposed to be dedicated to Thetis Lake Park, and then I understand that money is being spread out throughout the whole system, depending on where the problems are for that day.

I'm meeting with CRD on Friday to discuss strategies, and our CMP will be at that meeting as well.

And you know, we will discuss this.

Um to deter bad behavior.

Um and that's that's what I'm looking for here.

I I can't, I can't in all good consciences continue to just do my job and and not speak uh speak my truth on this issue.

It's just too many people are getting racked out of the park, too many people getting injured, we have people getting killed, and I can no longer just sit quietly and and and agree that every summer we're gonna we're gonna educate and and talk to people and tell them how dangerous it is and then everyone ignores it there there is no deterrent for bad behavior at that park and and I'm not I'm not rescuing people from anywhere else in this city.

So if I can just just finish my last comment yeah and this is just directly to our our CAO I just do not believe that if we send a bill to a 17 year old's father because he was drunk in the back of that park, and that father decided to challenge us in court, and we um made a statement.

Well, it looked he was definitely drunk, there's no question.

You know, that the judge would throw it out in the second.

So I would really like to understand more the legal aspect of that and the the um because if we're going to put a bylaw in place, I mean it's got to be one that can be enforced and that has teeth to it, in my view.

And I mean, staff regularly tell us that, so it it would seem like the reverse should also be true.

Yeah, yeah.

Let's keep it to the jumping.

Okay.

Um we would sure make the lives of the individual's parents miserable, having to deal with it again.

Ask a little individual for drinking there in the first place.

So, where are we at?

We we defeated a motion.

Do we have a motion?

Yeah.

There's a motion referring it back to staff.

Okay.

And we have a seconder.

Who seconded?

You did?

All those in favor.

John?

Yeah, in favor.

All right.

Motion.

Motion approved.

Thank you, Chief.

I think we all want to see this sorted out.

And uh so that's the idea.

I appreciate the uh dialogue.

Arrows in your quiver.

All right.

Item two.

Carry on.

Um I will note that uh we went to that bus crash too.

I think we were first on scene ahead of the police, so just want to point that out to my colleague.

Um public safety report from March April 2021.

Just two small fires a note.

Um one on West Park Lane and another on Craigar Road.

The one on West Park Lane was interesting.

It was um an attempt arson where someone attempted to burn the townhouses down that were under construction.

It happened sometime over the weekend when the workers weren't there, and then when they came back to work on Monday, they noticed there was damage to the back.

Somebody thrown them all at off cocktail at the side of the building.

So training is uh continue on night shifts, and members are still you know highly motivated and dedicated to getting their training done.

Um Mr.

Mullen in uh the emergency program uh just received another uh $50,000 in UBCM grants for our EOC and our ESS teams in uh View Royal and Callwood, which is exciting.

Uh good work on his part.

Building inspections are pretty steady, a little bit down from last year, but they seem to be picking up.

We have some some large projects uh in the stream.

As you can see, uh the West Park development is moving ahead.

Uh 244 and 242 Island Highway at the top of the hill.

They've broken ground and they're executing there, so they're moving.

Seven Erskine is clearing their site.

So there's some some projects on stream and coming online now, which we're pleased to see.

Statistically, we're as you can see, we're starting just to come back up into our average numbers from last year.

Uh hoping, you know, for some updates on restrictions for COVID uh near the end of the month on the 25th.

The public health orders and Dr.

Bonnie Henry.

Uh, but the department's still prepared to um you know conduct business as usual until we get word from the province on how they'd like us to do business.

I'll answer any questions you have on the monthly report.

Oh didn't you?

Yeah, I just I wanted to ask how the uh emergency alert went.

Didn't does Troy have anything to do with that?

Was that federal?

Yeah.

So we knew that was coming.

That was the other thing I just want and thank you for that.

Um we just um so in conjunction with the CRD in the West Shore, uh we've just transitioned to a different notification system called PZ from ERMS uh as the local notification for VRL residents.

And then of course there's the federal warning that came out the uh the other day.

So I think everything was everyone's phone went off, I think, on that one.

It was quite successful.

Did they communicate with with Troy at all.

Is that a is that a multi-level government thing?

No, it's coming down the line.

Yeah.

Okay.

Um, I'm just curious, Paul, on six mile row.

It's not a big deal, but I would like to see us either ask highways to remove the no parking signs or enforce the no parking.

Right.

I mean, it just I I have had emails from residents, but it's it's kind of ridiculous.

There's people parked there all the time now.

Yeah.

And with the lake season coming again, it's only going to be worse.

So we need to either figure out a way to enforce it or take the signs down.

So I had a conversation with our bylaw officer this morning.

We went out and took a look.

There were there were eight vehicles parked on the road, and I had a discussion with our director of engineering.

You're right.

So the the it is signed on that side of six mile road, no parking, and as you know, that road is M O T I.

So our bylaws has no authority to to ticket and tow.

That would be a a police issue.

Um that's it from a safety perspective.

Um, most of the vehicles are parking off in the gravel, so not in the bike lane, they're not in the road, they're off.

But you're right, they contradict the the signage.

Yeah, I don't know, I don't know where those where they came from.

You're but you're right.

Either either if it says no parking, then it's no parking, someone has to enforce it.

If it if the signs are down and it's not creating a hazard, then people are gonna park there.

I think that's probably the issue is the science says no parking, people park there, and then there's no enforcement, so you end up getting an email.

If the there doesn't appear to be a hazard in that one stretch from the exit ramp to Chilco, it's it's quite a swath of gravel.

And the signs were put up by us years ago because people living in Thetis Vale when Thetis Vale was relatively new and there wasn't much growth between their backyards and Six Mile Road, they complained regularly about the lake goers.

So I mean, in some in many ways, there's nothing dangerous about people parking there.

No, they're off stretch.

The the more challenging uh area is the on-ramp, yeah, the northbound on ramp where people are actually driving up the on-ramp, stopping, and then backing down the on-ramp to parallel park on the on ramp.

Oh god.

And I would I would I would defer that issue to my to my colleague.

No, I do if you's got some resources to help again.

Yeah, so I'll I'll have a conversation with engineering and our CAO about the signage and see what we can do about that.

Anyone else?

One question.

Yes.

And so yeah, let's take the signs out.

Um it'd be interesting.

Although I'd be interested to see what John Rosenberg has to say about that.

With respect to the emergency notification, um it is curious.

I did get a text saying that you know it had the emergency notification, it came along, it gave me something to link into to um make sure it was working and the link failed.

And I tried a couple of times and nothing happened.

And so I don't know if my my I'm going to be continued can continue getting text notifications.

How do I verify that?

I'll check I'll check with Troy and get back to you counselor.

Okay.

Thank you.

Right after this.

I see Director Rosenberg to you um it's got a little signs go ahead, sir.

Thank you, Chair.

I I think if we remove the no parking signs I I would suggest that we don't remove them.

We perhaps um move them and then have the no parking a certain distance from the intersection at Choco and the intersection of the off ramp.

So we still define no parking area, but then there'll be parking allowed within the area between those two no parking signs, but we want to make sure that they don't crowd the intersection or crowd the uh off-ramp as they come off just to create sight lines.

So we can probably utilize those poles and then just uh change those signs.

We'd flip them and uh just say no parking from a certain distance from the the two intersections are, but that should work fine.

Okay, good.

Right.

I'm just curious, how are we doing with our with our homeless population?

Is it increasing, decreasing?

Well, it's about status quo.

I mean it's very transient.

We do have our we have our usual homeless encampments that we're aware of.

And uh they're managed quite well.

They're they don't they don't bother us, we don't bother them.

Everything seems to be fine and and and we're we're working with them.

Um the transient uh where where there's the tent pop pops up on the side of the road or in a park, those are managed quickly by bylaw.

Um and then they're referred to agency.

So we're we're actually doing okay right now with our with our homeless uh population.

Okay, thank you.

Yeah.

Well, I just want to ask a question that is it's it's kind of relevant.

Um the majority of the motor vehicle calls you get, are they on highway One?

That's a good question.

I'd have to take a look.

I mean, obviously Trans Canada and Island Highway are the two primary roads.

Okay.

Six mile has is six mile and the island highway is a high incident intersection.

Right.

All right.

And and here's here's where where I was going with this.

I was, you know, if if they were a predominantly on a provincial roadway, um and we were using so many resources on a provincial roadway.

I wondered about inviting ICBC to pay some of the recovery costs.

That's uh it's an interesting point.

It's uh it's one that's been debated at nauseum with uh the province and the and the British Columbia Fire Chiefs.

So an accident occurs.

Oh it's it's it's been discussed at at length.

Fire is the only agency that doesn't recover costs for attending motor vehicle accidents on the highways.

So your tow company, your ambulance um police don't recover a cost they can issue a ticket so the province can issue a ticket but fire on the provincial roads can't um doesn't there has been attempts in the past deciding that you know it's provincial territory it's outside of the jurisdiction and they've tried to um you know the tow truck gets paid to tow the vehicle um but we don't we don't have a mechanism to uh so when you did say it's been discussed ad nauseum certainly you're we're not the only we're not the only no this is this is a bit because there they're there are many many sections of the highway in the province that that don't have a fire department associated and they're outside a fire protection area.

Sure.

And then you of course you've got local jurisdictions here you know Langford View Royal Saintage are all the way out the peninsula they're all provincial provincial highways.

So it's a it would be uh I think it would become a very costly venture for for ICDC if they started paying for for fire department response to crashes on the highways.

But it's a costly venture for us.

It's uh it's a it's expensive.

It it all costs money.

Plus you're expected to clean everything up, aren't you?

Doesn't the fire department?

No, actually the the tow trucks are compensated to clean up the mess.

Okay.

Yeah, they're it's part of their part of their they get uh it's part of the tow.

They uh they clean up, they sweep up the sweep the glass and the debris and and take it away.

So is would would there be appetite province wide to pursue this or uh uh uh uh my sense is it's been pursued for so many years and so long.

So right.

I I don't think there would be I don't think there'd be any appetite provincially.

There's there's it's been it's been tried by larger organizations than ours.

Yeah that's for sure.

I'm sure.

Yeah.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you.

That was a neaty session.

That was good.

Wasn't it?

Okay, thank oh, oh, oh, do we have a motion to move received?

Okay, second.

All those in favor.

Report received.

Thank you very much.

Thanks, Paul.

Thank you.

Bye, Todd.

So moving along to F and A, and we go straight to staff reports A, which is the draft public heart policy.

Sarah.

Thank you, your worship.

And before we leave that section, I just wish to clarify on the Thetis Lake Park Cost Recovery bylaw, Councillor Matson, for the motion that was passed, were you in opposition or were you in support?

There was I didn't recognize which way voting.

Which motion no the second one was uh where uh the mayor seconded by Kualowicz uh my hand wasn't that anywhere I see so it does abstention is support I know I know okay that's as close as I can to you know being all right showing my displeasures.

Thank you.

All right.

That clarifies it for me, so thank you.

I I have that then.

Uh all right.

So I'm happy to move into the draft public art policy.

If you would like a presentation, we can jump right in.

Sure, let's go through it, I think.

And I I I think it will be faster and happier.

I believe uh we we have some content coming before you.

So by way of background and the report, the report covers this information.

That is, we have seen in our community some public art.

Um, and I've listed here the highlights that are mentioned in the report, uh, some three-dimensional, some two dimensional.

By way of three-dimensional, in two thousand and six, the Helmican Road Project uh really brought with it the lamp standards with the banner arms, and we've had some rounds of competition and um some great banners done by students, and then other for the Canada's 150th celebration, and that's been great, great use of our decorative banners, banner arms on our lamp standards that we've seen.

We as well entered into the roaming art gallery in our foyer here at Town Hall, and that's now offered by a different organization than what started that program, but we we do profile artists from our area in the foyer and like to show off and promote that art.

We also have had in 2007 painting by the community of the Chilco Tunnel when that neighborhood was building out and beginning, and through the years, some of the more two-dimensional pieces, uh, 1988 upon inauguration inauguration or incorporation.

Good sure.

Oh, I we can we can let Elena know that perhaps she should come to the door and and uh greet the fellow who is here with her order.

Okay, and uh sorry, she will hear me, so that's good.

Thank you.

Um, and uh so we upon incorporation we did receive um a gift from the city of Calwood '99, the photo of wildflowers that were framed from the View Royal Natural Habitat Action Group.

2002, we had a visiting delegation from Hanoi, Vietnam, and uh did receive art from that group.

2016 quilt block uh duplicate commemorating the CRD's 50th anniversary.

And we have two Coal Island paintings, interestingly enough, though it's not in View Royal.

One in the mid to early 2000s from Dunc Malcolm, and then one in 2017 from Susan Lindgaard.