The Pender Harbour dock management working group is continuing to bring issues forward to consultant Barry Penner, who has been hired by the province to make non-binding recommendations to government around what to do with the dock management situation in Pender.
The shíshálh (Sechelt) Nation developed a joint dock management plan in consultation with the province that was presented to the public in April and was met with heavy opposition. It lays out four zones in Pender Harbour, two of which prohibit new dock development or restrict it, and it calls for the shíshálh Nation’s co-management of the foreshore with the province.
“I’m quite hopeful with Barry [Penner] but I’m sure glad I don’t have his job. Boy, he’s got a tough one trying to make two distinct groups happy,” said Leonard Lee, chair of the dock management working group, during a town hall meeting in Pender Harbour on Sept. 13.
In addition to bringing forward concerns to Penner as a working group, Lee said individuals can schedule a meeting with him to discuss their own concerns by emailing [email protected]
Penner will submit his report to government at the end of October and Lee said he’s hopeful it will take into consideration the needs of everyone in the area.
If the local residents’ needs aren’t reflected in the report, Lee said, more will have to be done.
“The working group has a strategy. I’m not at liberty to say everything about the strategy. We do start, though, by working with everybody, the official groups, the Sunshine Coast Regional District, the government,” Lee said.
“We’d like to work with the Band. I think we scared them away a little. I wish we hadn’t, because they have rights, too, and they have legitimate grievances. So somehow we have to find a solution that’s right for everybody. I don’t quite know how to do that. Maybe Barry [Penner] does.”
Lee invited the community to visit the working group’s new website at www.penderharbourdockplan.com to learn more about the issue and keep up to date on the group’s progress.
