Correspondence: Ron Toews and Sonya McRae Re: Shoreline Boat Launch
Inquiry regarding the unfinished ramp at the Shoreline Drive Boat Launch used by the school's Big Canoe program.
Shoreline Community Middle School
2750 Shoreline Dr. Victoria, BC V9B 1M6
July 8, 2018
View Royal Mayor and Council 45 View Royal Avenue Victoria, BC
Cc: MLA Mitzi Dean
Dear View Royal Mayor, Council and MLA Mitzi Dean,
On behalf of Shoreline Middle School we are writing the town of View Royal and MLA Mitzi Dean to inquire about the status of the Shoreline Drive Boat Launch adjacent to the school. We recognize that the town of View Royal has made significant investments in creating and maintaining the Shoreline Trail which enhances the area for residents and students alike, as well as the beginning of the Boat Launch. As it stands the final ramp section from shore to sea has not been completed.
We at Shoreline Middle School run a Big Canoe program with students from both our school and Craigflower Elementary school. We have a number of canoes we put in the water 2 days a week enriching students with a variety of curriculum experiences. Currently we are unable to use the boat launch which is just steps from the school as the launch remains incomplete. Unless there is a high tide we are forced to trailer our canoes to Victoria Canoe and Kayak Club and have the students walk the 30 minutes each way in order to run our program.
Previous Big Canoe Program Leaders, such as Tim Marks, have worked with the town of View Royal to initiate the development of the Boat Launch, recognizing the merits of having water access at this location. Not only is the trail and ramp to the water beneficial to our school program but is also serves as a public safety access for efficient water rescue and/or containment of spills. The ramp at this location also provides a much needed paddlers portage to complete the marine ‘circle route’, a portage that has been used since time immemorial by First Nations, and avoid the environmentally sensitive mud flats that emerge with the low tides.
We understand that the project must adhere to provincial and federal environmental regulations. We are asking for an update from both the town of View Royal and the province, as well as an appeal to the province for prompt action to get this important water access project back on track. Currently the half finished launch site is a very difficult and dangerous place for our students to launch canoes due to the steep bank that the gravel has created at the water edge.
We at Shoreline take our reciprocal relationship with the municipality seriously. Students have continued to work to keep the public access points on Christie Point free of invasive plants. We would also like to offer our students to help with the project. We have plenty of eager students that would love to help build the ramp by spreading gravel and doing what we can to create ramp access at Shoreline Trail.
Thank you for taking the time to acknowledge our letter and we look forward to a positive response.
Sincerely,
Ron Toews and Sonya McRae Shoreline Community Middle School Outdoor Education Big Canoe Program