Editor,
The Echo Lake backcountry cabin proposal represents the fruition of a lifelong dream of the Saindons, a local 老澳门六合彩开奖记录资料 family ["Echo Lake project proposal causes concerns," The Chief, Feb. 19]. As with many long time residents of the 老澳门六合彩开奖记录资料 Community, the Saindons earned their living in the natural resources sector.
However, with the changing times and the subsequent loss of opportunities in that sector, the Saindons looked to diversify Black Tusk Helicopter's work base with the growth of adventure tourism for their future.
Black Tusk Helicopter Inc. applied for and was granted a long term Crown tenure that allows them to conduct a range of guided adventure tourism activities in the mountains surrounding 老澳门六合彩开奖记录资料. Echo Lake is part of that tenure and an established, legally permitted heli-pad currently exists approximately 56-metre from the lake.
Black Tusk Helicopter Inc. has been using the lake for a destination for day hikers for a number of years now in compliance with the conditions of their tenure. Unlike the Lake Lovelywater cabin, which is not open in the winter, the Echo Lake cabin would be open year round affording opportunities for ski touring and mountaineering as well as summer hiking and climbing.
On November 17, 2006, Black Tusk Helicopter Inc. made an initial application to the SLRD for rezoning a parcel of Crown land for the purpose of constructing a backcountry cabin near Echo Lake. The application was withdrawn and on October 13, 2009, Black Tusk Helicopter Inc. resubmitted the rezoning application to the SLRD.
The proposed cabin complies with the Sea to Sky Land Resource Management Plan (LRMP) and their tenure; the article alludes that the size of the cabin is controversial and triggers the need for rezoning. In fact, the position of the SLRD staff is that the cabin needs to comply with the LRMP. The need for rezoning is triggered by the change in use of the land through the creation of a new parcel.
The information requested by the Board of Directors at the December 2009 meeting was provided in January 2010. This information included confirmation that the cabin complied with the LRMP requirements and guidelines, a submission of a greenhouse gas reduction plan, clarification of the process for modification of the existing management plan, and further location analysis for the proposed cabin. Visual quality and viewshed assessment were previously supplied to the SLRD in the resubmission.
The initial 2006 submission rejected by the SLRD actually did comply with the LRMP but SLRD staff (mis)interpreted an ambiguity in the LRMP in such a way that the cabin was deemed to be non-compliant in staff's opinion. Black Tusk Helicopter Inc. sought clarification with the Province, compliance was confirmed and the LRMP subsequently amended by the Province to remove the ambiguity.
The Echo Lake backcountry cabin is designed as a modular, low impact building with a small footprint. The levels of use are not expected to increase significantly and impacts to Grizzly bears and public recreationists are not expected. These issues were addressed during the in-depth community and corridor-wide consultative processes of the LRMP which supported the development of backcountry cabins in the area.
Black Tusk Helicopter Inc. will be a steward and protect the wilderness values of Echo Lake as a public amenity that will be left in its natural state for future generations.
Black Tusk Helicopter Inc. and the province have been in contact with the 老澳门六合彩开奖记录资料 Nation to ensure the values that the 老澳门六合彩开奖记录资料 Nation hold in high regard are protected.
Dave Williamson, Principal
Cascade Environmental Resource Group Ltd.
