Report on Public Input for Proposed Park Management Plan November–December 2006 Published January 2007
This report summarizes the results of public consultation on the proposed Sea to Sea park management plan. It addresses four areas of the regional park: the Sea to Sea Reserve Lands, Kapoor Regional Park Reserve, Sooke Potholes Regional Park and Ayum Creek Regional Park Reserve.
Public input came primarily from three public meetings (attended by a total of 199 people) and from response forms (166 responses received).
Read the entire report at:
http://www.crd.bc.ca/parks/documents/
SeatoSeaPublicConsultationReportJan2007.pdf
Key messages from public consultation were:- Wilderness and conservation are important values for this park, especially in the Sea to Sea Land and Ayum Creek. Areas with very high ecological and cultural values should be identified and no public access should be allowed. For the Sooke Potholes and Kapoor Reserve, accessibility was given high priority.
- Public recreational access is important to most people, but the types of access envisioned vary. Some people would like only minimal hiking access, others would like access for mountain biking and horse riding, some would like to see the area re-opened for off highway vehicles.
- Facilities and services should be limited and minimal. Most people would like to see a designated mountain biking area, and trails linking Sooke Potholes to Humpback Road and along Harbourview Road to Crabapple Lake. Interpretive signage at Ayum Creek and Kapoor were also supported by many respondents, as was backcountry camping (with very limited facilities).
- Many people would prefer to see any business opportunities located outside of the parks and provided by the private sector.
- There are many important issues for the park management plan to address, such balancing use and conservation, trail location and design, partnerships with user groups, and enforcement.
The companion document to this report, “Sea to Sea Regional Park: Compilation of Public Comments for Proposed Park Management Plan, November–December 2006” provides a complete report of all public comments received. Both reports (as well as updates on the park management planning process) are available on the CRD Regional Parks website www.crd.bc.ca/parks