Letters of Support
"Edwin has been organizing the summer concerts in Simms Park for many years.Edwin started the concerts in 2006 with the help of the Courtenay Recreation Association. He wanted to provide a venue to hear local performers play outdoors in the newly constructed Rotary Pavillion in the park. Edwin’s friend, Brian (Fuzz) Morissette, came onboard in 2013 and together they brought a great variety of local musicians to entertain at the free shows almost every Sunday. Over the years attendance has grown to up to 2000 people for some shows.Thank you Edwin and Fuzz for contributing so much to the local music scene and for your efforts to make the Simms Summer Concert series the success it is today."
Scott Mossing
City of Courtenay Special Events Coordinator.
"As our Area C Director, Edwin Grieve has supported and worked hard with our Arden Area Residents Association towards our vision for our rural neighbourhood. Together we worked through the three year process and understanding of the Regional Growth Strategy, a document presenting a vision statement for sustainable development in the Comox Valley. A document he continues to stand behind and stand up for.Edwin stood and supported us as we fought for our involvement and input in a city document, “Arden Area Corridor Local Area Plan” that impacted and included our rural neighbourhoods. He guided us through the understanding of the Rural Comox Valley Official Community Plan, supporting, and fighting for the values we treasure as rural residents. He advocated for the need to address safety concerns for Lake Trail Rd, Arden Rd, and Cumberland Rd intersection; in particular for school children attending Arden Elementary & Lake Trail Community Schools. Edwin continued to keep us apprised of all events and information that impacts our area at local and provincial political levels.Believing in communication and collaboration between all parties Edwin is a positive support to our rural residents."
Isabelle & David Pacholuk, Residents-Webdon Road
"I have known Edwin for over 35 years mainly through his incredible community involvement over those years and specifically for his involvement in the Comox Valley Child Development Association Annual Telethon. I have been involved with the annual Telethon (the Society's major and only fund raising event) for over 40 years and Edwin has been with our Telethon Family for all those years. He is a dedicated and invaluable member of the Telethon Family organizing the 8 hours of live entertainment for the event at the Sid Williams Theatre. Edwin has his pulse on the entertainment community in the Comox Valley and ensures that our annual Telethon has the best of the best to showcase on LIVE television every year.In addition to organizing the entertainment and ensuring they are on stage and ready to play on the day, Edwin is an accomplished song writer and performer himself. He wrote our Telethon theme song "Do It For The Kids" which we sing (accompanied by Edwin on the guitar) loudly and enthusiastically at the end of our 8 hour Telethon. Edwin plays in numerous bands in the community, volunteering his time unselfishly over and over again.His motto "Working with the People" clearly exemplifies Edwin's ability and passion to get things done with respect and co-operation from all"
.Respectfully submitted,
Pamela Crowe 258 Longview Road Comox, BC V9M 3T7
Area “C” Public Water
The Comox Valley Water Treatment Project, the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken by the CVRD, was completed on time and on budget inspite of the global pandemic. Plagued in the past by turbidity and boiled water issues, this new system boasts a new Comox Lake intake and transmission main and incorporates three levels of treatment with filtration, chlorination and a modern ultra-violet process. This will provide a high-quality and safe supply to the Comox Valley System for decades to come.
The “Black Creek Oyster Bay” water system supplies water to the northern portion of area “C” and southern area “D.” Good news is the recent purchase from Shelter Bay Farms of land to allow for construction three new wells and a conveyance corridor back to the BCOB water treatment plant. Ground water mapping shows that this is the deepest and most productive part of the the aquifer and brings an end to the temporary moritorium an new and upsized connections.
Parks and Greenway
Our rural Parks saw a big increase in usage with COVID as folks were able to distance while still enjoying the outdoors. Recent agreements with the Province and private property owners have allowed the extension of the “One Spot Trail” from Spike Road through to Sturgeoner and Endall Roads. Connections north to MacAuley Heights Park will almost complete this most valuable corridor. Huge thanks for the Back Country Horseman who have been a big part of building and maintaining these trails.
Our new “Qax Mot Park” (K’omoks for land with much medicine) on Trail Road protects the Morrison Creek headwaters and the endangered Morrison Creek Lamprey. This resulted from a partnership between the CVRD and the Comox Valley Land Trust. Discussions between our partners and BC Hydro about saving the Bevan Trails need to continue.
Visitors to Saratoga Beach have enjoyed the beach access and comfort station at Seaman Road. This brings “comfort” to the residents and resort owners along the waterfront.
saratoga speedway
The Speedway has been operating in Oyster River since 1968 supporting auto racing and bringing exciting family ertainment to crowds for generations. I received dozens of emails speaking to the positive impact it had on the lives of young people growing up. I also answered an equal number of letters from property owners who’s enjoyment of their property had been impacted by noise levels and the unpredictability of the racing. As a Director you have to represent all your constituents, not project your own personal bias, but try to find a compromise that strikes a balance. I believe that is achievable.
First off recognize the “legal nonconforming status” zoning that grandfathers in the Speedway’s right to exist. The CVRD cannot arbitrarily change this zoning. What we can do is work with the community and the owner to address the concerns. Recent revisions to the CVRD noise bylaw allows the racetrack to operate only five days a week. Wednesday and Thursday from 11:00-8:00, Friday and Saturday 11:00-9:00 with Sunday's ending at 5:00. The owner is also committed to building new noise mitigation infrastructures and reducing the sound at the source through stricter muffler requirements. He welcomes the bylaw as it gives him more ability to bring all the racers in line with the new regulations.
Although it won’t please everyone, if you are “working with peoples” you can always find common ground..
Corporate Energy and Emmissions Plan
The CVRD’s “Corperate Energy and Emmisions Plan” sets targets to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emmissions 50% FROM 2019 levels by 2030. Based on
“Clean BC” Provincial directives, this ambitious plan will phase out corporate fossil fuel use by;
1 Transitioning the fleet to electric or low carbon fuels
2 Renovate and retrofit public buildings, facilities and infrastructure
3 Reduce service levels and consider new business models
4 Recognise and utilize natural assets
While Senior Governments have the far greater taxation and regulative authority, it fall to Local Government to set an example and do what we can.
Where the role of Regional Districts power really come into play is regarding disaster response, climate adaptation and mitigation. It falls to us to deal with he consequences. We are the ones on the ground with the mop and the bucket -the shovel and the wheelbarrow.....all financed with property taxes. We get only seven cents of every tax dollar.
Relationship with K’omoks First Nation
With the impending settlement of land claims and treaty rights, K’omoks First Nation is poised to become the single biggest private property owner in the Comox Valley.
The Regional District and KFN have both been working hard for the last 12 years on building understanding through co-hosting “community to community” forums. We have shared meals and learned about legal rulings, oral history, visited archeological sites, and participating in some ceremonial events in the Big House. I remember a few years ago attended the signing of the “Critical Incident Protocal” and had the once in a lifetime honour, along with other leaders, of being dressed in full Chief’s regalia and dancing around the fire shaking eagle down from in my headdress.
It is hoped that K’omoks will eventually seek a seat at the Regional Board Table where we can work together for the benefit of both our communities.
Regional Growth Strategy
The Regional Growth Strategy was mandated by the Province as a requirement for the separation of the Strathcona and Comox Valley Regional Districts. This took three years and $500,000 worth of reports, open houses, public meetings, mail-in and telephone surveys that culminated in two hotly contested public hearings.
In the end it took two days with a provincially appointed mediator before the Bylaw was finally adopted. Any “major” amendment to this document requires unanimous support from all three municipal councils, all three Electoral Areas, all affected First Nations as well as any adjoining Regional Districts.
The RGS is a twenty year document. I personally see some policies unfair to the Electoral Areas that could use some minor tweaking. There are plans to consider a required ten year review next year, but any substantial change will prove difficult.
woodstoves
Woodstoves ya! What else can heat your house, dry a load of washing on your wooden clothes rack, boil a kettle of water and simmer a pot of soup all with a few pieces of renewable wood from right here in our Comox Valley. No need to pilot oil tankers through coastal waters or build pipelines or flood river valleys. The Federal Government considers wood to be carbon neutral. Modern stoves, burning clean dry wood, produce as little as .04 grams of carbon per hour.
Notwithstanding some serious air quality hotspots in the Municipalities, I support the use of modern high efficiency wood stoves in the rural areas of the Regional District. Long winter power shortages underline the need for a reliable secondary source of heat.Wood stoves should be part of the mix.
A LOAD OF GARBAGE
Efforts to initiate a unified public curb side garbage and recycling program inthe Electoral Areas have failed spectacularly. Once at referendum and again, this year, in an “AAP” or alternate approval Process. Fears about trampling on private enterprise and mistrust of Big Government seem
to have quashed this discussion for the time being. There are currently a choice of three private garbage collection companies in the rural areas and one picking up of recycling.
Unsupervised co-mingled recycling bins has been a failure all over the Province. The contamination from improper materials renders the whole bin unusable. A couple of dirty diapers may insure that the whole thing ends up in the landfill. It was costing us hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.
Good news for area “C” is that the Comox Strathcona Waste Management Board is looking to build a proper fenced, lit and supervised recycling depot in Oyster River to service the northern portion of area “C and the southern portion of area “D.”
And that’s not a load of garbage.
merville firehall
Located on Hwy. 19A near Williams Beach Road, the new Merville Firehall will provide rapid fire and emergency first responder services to residents of the Merville and Tsolum/Farnham Fire Districts. We need to acknowledge the serious dedication shown by Oyster River Fire and Rescue and our new local Merville volunteer firefighters who have spent long hours training and practicing so they were when it opened this spring. Good news is that the Mount Washington Resort Community is only a year behind with their Firehall. Construction is planned for next summer.
fibre optics
“Connectivity has become an essential tool for accessing services, perusing higher education and doing business in today’s a world.Making sure every community has access to high-speed Internet is an investment in our Province’s success.”
Honourable Lisa BeareMinister of Citizen’s Services.
For over ten years the Comox Valley Regional District and the residents of Dove Creek and Piercy/Plateau Road have been asking for access to reliable Hi-Speed Internet. Numerous meeting and many letters have gone out to the major service providers and Provincial and Federal Ministries.
With $4.1 million now available, co-funded by Telus and the Province of BC, 670 premises will soon see fibre-optic connection right to their door. Perseverance finally pays off.
