Seth Scott
Special to the Record
A petition has gained hundreds of signatures advocating a different location for a planned expansion of Tribune Bay Campground on Hornby Island.
The campground, proposed for a protected area recently purchased by BC Parks, has ignited controversy and community response.
The petition was initiated by Petra Chambers, who argues that the project is being pursued without adequate respect for the ecological sensitivity of the area.
“They are not proceeding carefully, and they are not proceeding respectfully given that this is an ecologically sensitive area, according to the Island Trust, the official community plan and the Agricultural Land Reserve. Anyone from here also knows that area is a wetland and not a good camping location,” she stated.
Chambers submitted a freedom of information request in February on environmental assessments performed by BC Parks on the potential development; she has yet to receive a response.
Henk Van Klinken, a Hornby Island resident working with Chambers, shares her concerns.
“There is a long-standing pattern where people have prioritized human needs and sacrificed nature. The BC Parks proposal still perpetuates that. Of course, they are trying to minimize the impact, but there will still be an impact, as detailed in the reports from BC Parks.”
Chambers and Klinken said they are not against expanding the campground in other park areas, however, they question the legality and efficacy of developing an area with government protections while ignoring environmental risks.
Daniel Arbour, Area A director for the Comox Valley Regional District, supports the expansion, seeing it as a positive investment for the Island helping lessen the density of campsites. He commended BC Parks for their engagement with the community and noted that adjustments, such as eliminating a proposed road, have already been made in response to feedback from the community.
“A lot of concerns relate to ecological values, so whenever you expand people, especially on the Gulf Islands, raise their hands and question whether it is the right way to go.”
BC Parks’ assessments have identified potential issues with the proposed campsite area, including shallow root systems in trees that could pose risks to workers and campers in windstorms, water supply issues and concerns related to the wetland itself, with the land being used heavily by protected wildlife such as the pileated woodpecker.
