There's a chance that the proposed Garibaldi at 樱桃视频ski resort will stop the community from using two local lakes, according to at least one resident.
The special study area for the resort encompasses both Cat and Brohm lakes and the proposed development would come within 110 metres of Brohm Lake.
"That's far too close," said Dorte Froslev, who has contacted the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) in opposition to the proposal.
"What about run off? These places are going to be above the lakes so surely something is going to run in there," said Froslev. "If you go to either them in the summer you won't be able to find a place to park because they are so busy with swimmers. These developers are so greedy and I'm worried that they'll take this away from the community."
The development is currently in the environmental assessment stage, with the provincial government currently accepting public input on whether or not they support the project.
As part of this process Graeme McLaren, project assessment director for the EAO, said they would be investigating what impact the project may have on the area lakes particularly in regards to possible contaminants"Things like surface runoff management we are looking at," said McLaren.
"We and the Ministry of Tourism, Sports and the Arts (MOTSA) are both studying this project at this point."
According to him part of MOTSA's role is to study how it would impact existing recreational uses such as swimming and hiking.Both Mike Esler, who is spearheading the resort proposal, and Mayor Ian Sutherland have said that is the project goes ahead they would like to see Garibaldi at 樱桃视频incorporated into the district.
If that happened both lakes may end up under municipal jurisdiction.
"At the time of any agreement we would be involved in discussions with the provincial government on how to use the various Crown lands in the area and how those are looked after," said Sutherland.
Froslev said that she considers any development within the vicinity of the lakes to be too much and would like to see provincial protection of the area to be extended.
"They should just extend Alice Lake Provincial Park to include Brohm Lake and continue it across the highway to include Cat Lake too," said Froslev.
Both MOTSA and EAO are currently accepting public comment on the development. The public consultation period began following a public open house at Sea to Sky Hotel on June 20 and lasts for 45 days following that date. All comments must be in written form; petitions will not be accepted.
All comments will be compiled and released once the consultation period is complete.
