The Squamish Windsports Society (SWS) has started a petition to create access to the spit from a berm off Third Avenue.
In the petition called ‘Save access to Canada’s premier kiteboarding location’, the society says that as much as one kilometre of dike access for kiteboarding could be removed before the end of 2021.
“What will remain of the Spit is up in the air,” the petition says.
“Time constraints are pushing forward a proposal to leave the current landing and launching zone as an island, an option that will restrict usage of the Spit significantly and potentially limit the ability of the Squamish Windsport Society,” the petition says.
SWS says it hopes to lobby elected officials to support the option to create access from a berm off 3rd Avenue.
“Maintaining land access to the Spit is the only financially viable option for the Spit’s overseeing body, the SWS, who are responsible for the safety of the users, keeping users out of the estuary and away from the shipping terminal.”
SWS says they believe that improving the Chinook salmon fish stocks is critical to the entire ocean ecosystem, and realigning the Spit to create access from Third Avenue is a solution that can work for all.
In a media release, the Squamish River Watershed Society said discussions had been going on since 2017, with a district-led workshop being held in January 2020. The workshop was to address the removal of a portion of the lower Spit and outlined short- and long-term alternatives for wind sport access.
It resulted in a list of actions that included direction for the SWS and the district to begin developing access plans that consider the removal of the spit and begin to raise funds for the alternative.
Below is the complete statement by the Squamish River Watershed Society.
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The Central Estuary Restoration Project (CERP) is a critical and high-value initiative to restore dramatically declining South Coastal Chinook salmon stocks and one of the most significant of several habitat restoration projects on BC’s south coast. It is also a fundamentally important step in reconciliation with the Squamish First Nation.
This multi-year partnership between the Squamish Nation, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Squamish River Watershed Society to restore natural fish connectivity between the river and the estuary has been ongoing for four years and has involved many important stakeholders including Squamish Terminals, the District of Squamish, and the Provincial Government, as well as other interested parties like the Squamish Windsports Society. Collaborative discussions to help all stakeholders and interested parties achieve a positive outcome for themselves have been ongoing since 2017 including a District of Squamish-led workshop in January 2020.
The workshop was to address the removal of a portion of the lower Spit and outlined short and long-term alternatives for wind sport access. The result of that workshop was a list of actions that included direction for the SWS and the DOS to begin developing access plans that consider the removal of the spit and begin to raise funds for the alternative.
The CERP team is still in the process of analyzing scientific data and modelling, and discussions are ongoing with the partners and stakeholders to ensure that any potential flooding issues and sedimentation concerns are addressed with the District of Squamish and the Squamish Terminals respectively. The report that forms the basis of the next round of discussions was only received last week and further consultation, evaluation and communication are ongoing.
“Everyone involved wants to see a positive outcome for stakeholders and interested parties,” says Squamish River Watershed Society spokesperson Patricia Heintzman. “That was the goal from the outset of this project and that goal continues today. “We must also realize the two underlying imperatives of this project are 1) the success of juvenile Chinook stocks. Juvenile Chinook salmon are considered an at-risk species on the South Coast of British Columbia and are the primary food source for the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales.
The Squamish Chinook salmon stock has been gravely impacted by the existence of the training berm and spit for 40 years, and 2) reconciliation with the people of the Squamish Nation to support their heritage and culture.” For the past four years, the Squamish Windsports Society has been given the opportunity to find a positive outcome for wind sport enthusiasts who either live in Squamish or travel here to enjoy this world-class destination. It is up to every special interest group to be their own advocate, to bring their solutions that work within the mandate to restore critical habitat, and to ultimately raise funds for their solution.
The District of Squamish and Tourism Squamish have also reached out to the windsports community. SRWS and their CERP partners are committed to working with all interested parties who want to be a productive part of developing collaborative solutions and will help champion discussions around the long-term health and enjoyment of the estuary in an environmentally responsible manner. For more information about the project visit: www.squamishwatershed.com/training-berm-upgradescerp.html
The Central Estuary Restoration Project is funded through support from Coastal Restoration Fund, BC Hydro’s Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, the Healthy Waters Initiative, and the Pacific Salmon Foundation. The project falls under the national Ocean Protection Plan initiative to restore coastal aquatic habitats.
David Lassmann says
The suggestion that access to the spit could be made from 3rd Avenue makes no sense. There is no way to make a connection directly from 3rd Avenue to the spit without compromising Squamish Terminals or the Central Channel or both. All of the estuary west of 3rd Avenue is designated a wildlife management area. Windsurfing is nice, but of tertiary importance.