Scott Stanfield
Record staff
If the Union Bay Improvement District is ever dissolved 鈥� as is being proposed by the newly-formed Protect Our Water Group 鈥� it won鈥檛 work in favour of Kensington Island Properties, says the vice-president of the company.
Brian McMahon said it would just be another time delay in the plan to build houses, a golf course and a marina walkway in the seaside community south of Courtenay.
The group is petitioning Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, to dissolve the UBID and transfer its responsibilities to the Comox Valley Regional District.
But the ministry says a byelection is first needed to replace trustees Anne Alcock and Alan Webb, and former chair Carol Molstad, who have resigned from the UBID board.
鈥淭he irony is, if they turn it over to the CVRD, who do they think is going to pay for the (water) system?鈥� McMahon said. 鈥淯nion Bay owns the lake, they have all of their infrastructure. They also have the fire department. Whatever the CVRD would take over would take a lot of time. To wait for that, that鈥檚 not in the cards.鈥�
Upgrades to Union Bay鈥檚 water system need to be completed by next year, as mandated by Island Health.
鈥淲e were upgrading their water system at our cost,鈥� McMahon said. 鈥淲e have $1.2 million that鈥檚 been set aside that is in our lawyer鈥檚 trust account for the upgrades鈥hen the three trustees quit, they said they quit because I wouldn鈥檛 sign the agreement. They鈥檝e left the community in a lurch. They鈥檝e bailed on a whim, and blamed me for it.鈥�
McMahon has a binder containing 424 letters supporting KIP鈥檚 proposal, which he says represents 67 per cent of Union Bay landowners. He feels he has been stonewalled in his attempts to meet with the board.
In her letter of resignation, Alcock says the board has 鈥渂een accused by this developer of not wanting to meet with him鈥� over the years. 鈥淭his is simply not true.鈥�
Over the past 16-17 years, KIP has spent about $10 million on the project.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no finer piece of property for development in the Comox Valley, on the north part of Vancouver Island, anything north of Victoria,鈥� McMahon said. 鈥淭his is it.鈥�
