add up: BIM

Mayor Leonard says that as a single voice on the 41-member Metro Vancouver board, it’s challenging to ensure Bowen’s voice is heard “The challenges with the transportation studies aren’t being validated to politicians in the room by their staff Which makes it difficult for me to say, ‘This isn’t accurate.’… I’m a bit of a leaf in the wind.

“People at Metro Vancouver are accepting the reports [We need to] make more of an assertive thrust If not, the voting members in the room aren’t going to see any different”

What’s to be done about $1.6M community centre shortfall?

The following are briefreports of Kristen Watson’s, the municipality’s chief financial officer, report to Bowen IslandcouncilonJuly 10

This autumn, there will have to be a serious discussion about the $1 6 million shortfall in fundraising for the community centre, Watson said

“Staff are hopeful that the budgeted revenue will still be raised in the community,” her report said. “Otherwise, council will be required to allocate additional reserve funds or issue new debt to complete construction” late payments contributed to this high percentage, she said Watson is pleased with the shift to online payments, making it more efficient and less costly

There are two options for deferring taxes One is for people 55 and older; the other is for people with children under 18 or children older than 18 living at home while attending post-secondary education. In both cases, the applicant must own the home and be residing there full-time.

“These strategies aren’t fully fleshed out,” said director of planning Daniel Martin

MV notes there is lots of ferry space on the very early morning ferries and late-night Sunday ferry

Mayor Andrew Leonard said that BC Ferries’ previous attempts to get people to travel during nonpeak hours by adjusting rates have failed If people want to camp on a weekend, it’s going to hard to convince them they should arrive on an empty six o ’clock ferry on Friday morning or go home on a 10 p m ferry on Sunday night

Council has the ability to restrict vehicle-access campsites to onethird of the total And while council has relatively little control over how Metro Vancouver uses the regional parkland, it can say that overnight camping is not allowed.

In further discussions, councillors said that the report is wrong in saying there is 800 metres of twolane ferry trafficking in Snug Cove It’s single lane through most of the Cove and then it doubles near the top of the hill Councill also disagrees that there’s enough ferrying space for a two-ferry wait

Leonard said, “I think what’s presented is their vision There doesn’t seem to be a lot of appetite to move off that If we send a long list of demands, I don’t know how that’s going to play We have to make our ask and if we want to change the vision we need to say that. If we want out of this project, we might have to say that as well”

It was Councillor Tim Wake who suggested that a collaborative approach having all the players in a room together would be more effective than back-andforth responses to reports

“How do we get to the answers we need? We need to find what works for everyone, ” he said Councillor Judi Gedye noted that MV is considering an application for neighbouring Crown lands (Block 6.).

“I don’t think we should rush this,” she said “I don’t like playing card games without all the cards on the table”

In the end, council passed a motion to request a collaborative meeting between staff, including an invitation to Squamish Nation

It also broadened the list of local committees and organizations which will be asked to comment on MV’s report. Given the August hiatus, those responses aren’t expected until September.

She noted that none of the $2 2 million in the Growing Community Fund has been committed to the project

After delays in construction, crews are working diligently to make up for lost time Almost all the windows are in and there’s a focus on trenching for sewer services The contractor is confident that construction will be on target for its expected completion date this fall.

Dutiful taxpayers

Ninety-three per cent of property owners paid their tax bill by the July 4 deadline The post-pandemic return to a 10 per cent penalty for

In essence, the deferral is a loan from the provincial government, with no financial impact on the municipality’s coffers The deferral loan interest rate is generally one per cent below prime and does not have to be repaid to the province until the home changes ownership

This year there were 268 deferral applicants, up from 244 last year Many applicants own properties of higher value.

Surplus

A surplus was not budgeted for but is expected to be $200,000 This will add to $1 6 million currently in the municipality’s surplus account This provides a necessary cushion for unexpected or emergency costs

Martha Perkins

New garden centre gets green light

The following are briefreports of itemsdiscussedattheJuly10meetingofBowen Islandcouncil

A proposed garden centre on Sunset Road will be able to sell plants that are not grown on site

Current zoning allows for agricultural use and the sale of plants grown on the property only. The approved temporary use permit also allows the retail sale of home gardening supplies and related goods and services

The vast majority of letters were in favour of the application

Carter Road bridge

Allnorth Consultants has been awarded $73,000 to design a new bridge to replace the aging bridge which provides access to Cates Hill Chapel, Island Pacific School and Belterra on Carter Road. Current capacity has been reduced to 5,500 kg because of its deterioration The new single-lane bridge, which is planned for 2024, will withstand the weight of the fire department’s heaviest truck, which is 30,000 kg

“We’re looking for something the samesizebutmorerobust,”saiddirector of engineering Patrick Graham