Email from Vicki Blogg regarding Parks Bylaw amendments

From: George and Vicki Blogg Sent: December 5, 2022 1:22 PM To: Vicki Blogg Cc: Info Address info@viewroyal.ca Subject: Amendments to Parks and Public Places Bylaw No. 986 and camping in View Royal Parksgwen

Dear Mayor and Council

My name is Vicki Blogg and I live in Saanich next to Portage Inlet Park.

I have lived here for 33 years and have walked each of my 3 dogs over those 33 years in this park. I was also the Secretary/Treasurer of Portage Inlet Sanctuary Colquitz Estuary Society (PISCES) for 22 years (1999 - 2022).

PISCES was instrumental in the development of this park working along with various government agencies (PCC, BC Gov't, Saanich) to have pathways put in place, tree planting, maintenance and safety issues dealt with. We were respoinsible for the light being installed at the entrance on the Saanich side as well as the refuse container. Along with MLA Andrew Petter we were successful in getting the pathway installed on the Saanich side to link up with the former path when it was a highway pull off and thus connecting our two communities.

Why do I tell you all this. Because this "Park" came about because of the residents and their desire to have a safe walking park, for dogs, walkers and cyclists to enjoy the precious jewel of of "Portage Inlet Migratory Bird Sanctuary". This is an extremely environmentally sensitive area. Just recently a project was completed to the shoreline by Peninsula Streams at great expense to improve salmon habitat.

I meet many of my neighbours every day walking their dogs and themselves on this park. Over the last year or so I have noticed more and more instances of overnight camping in this park. While I can appreciate the enormous issue and difficulty for homeless people there is great concern for the safety of people using this park and the environment. On a number of occasions I saw cooking facilities set up (fire hazard) needles (safety hazard), there are no washroom facilities (environmental hazard for people and pets) and general refuse that gets left behind for View Royal to deal with.

I must say any time I have called your bylaw people they have been amazing both in their response and timeliness.

While the bylaw alows for 7pm to 7am camping this is "seldom" complied with and people only move when required to. While not all homeless peope are violent, doing drugs or bothering people, we have no way to know who will do what and when. This is also not the solution of even close to solving the homeless solution.

If the BC Governemt is allowing these people to utilize our parks why does the government not allow them access to "real" camping grounds that have facilities rather than using our parks that are not set up for this function.

I agree with your comments in your December 01, 2022 report.

a) Prohibit camping in environmentally sensitive parks). Portage Inlet Park is adjacent to a Federal Bird Sanctuary and is deemed to be an "environmentally sensitive " area (there is signage in the park).

b) Identify parks in which camping is outright banned. I would like to see Portage Inlet Park added to the list of View Royal Parks that prohibit overnight camping.

While you may want to limit camping to the Highway owned portion (next to the TCH) this will not likely be complied with given the terrain is on a slope. There is still the issue of this being close to walking paths and still the issue of clean up.

Our community and PISCES worked very hard to get this park to fruition, I continually and continue to pick up genersl refuse in the park to keep it clean, but the camping residue goes far beyond this. This is a very small park and any camping will greatly impact it.

Please add this park to your list on restricted camping parks.

Thank you for your time

Vicki Blogg 1121 Skeena Place Victoria BC V8Z 1L8