It will likely be business as usual this summer at Little Beach, the popular tubing destination on the Cowichan River, which came under the ownership of the Cowichan Valley Regional District in April.

At its meeting on May 17, the CVRD鈥檚 electoral area services committee voted for the CVRD to enter into a licence-of-use agreement with the Tube Shack that will see the Lake Cowichan business in charge of the approximately 600-foot stretch of waterfront property from June 17 to Sept. 17.

The Tube Shack will also have the option to renew the agreement each summer for a further four years.

The CVRD鈥檚 parks and trails manager Brian Farquhar said Tube Shack owner Aaron Frisby, who is also a town councillor in Lake Cowichan, has had a similar agreement with the previous owners of Little Beach for a number of years to facilitate a safe access and pick-up point for tubers on the river.

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He said that during the term of the licence-of-use agreement, the Tube Shack will be responsible for providing washroom facilities at the site, dealing with garbage and generally take care of Little Beach, and the CVRD鈥檚 regular maintenance park contractor will be responsible for the site during the off-season.

Saltair/Gulf Islands director Jesse McClinton said Farquhar is doing 鈥淕od鈥檚 work鈥� ensuring the popular Little Beach remains accessible for the general public.

鈥淭his is one the funnest things you can do if you鈥檙e a Vancouver Islander and I鈥檓 just so happy this is going to continue on,鈥� he said.

Cowichan Station/Sahtlam/Glenora director Alison Nicholson asked Farquhar how the parks department will know whether there鈥檚 too many people using the river and causing damage to it due to overuse.

Farquhar said that鈥檚 something the CVRD will have to coordinate closely with the Ministry of Forests, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Town of Lake Cowichan.

鈥淭his is a very small location on the river that is a take-out point for all the activities that happen upstream,鈥� he said.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 something that will take a coordinated approach involving our environmental services folks.鈥�

robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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