Courtenay council has approved a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Courtenay, Project Watershed and the K’ómoks First Nation to enter into a binding agreement by Dec. 30 for the Kus-kus-sum project. Named after an ancient village, Kus-kus-sum aims to restore the former Field Sawmill site on the Courtenay River.
“We’re on the verge of realizing the historic purchase of this site, so that reclamation of the land can begin,” Coun. Doug Hillian said at the Nov. 16 meeting. “This (MOU) is a prelude to a formal agreement for the co-management of the land.”
Hillian thanked city staff, retired CAO David Allen and the public for supporting the project, which will reap many benefits, “not least of which is the step it takes in our path towards reconciliation through the work with K’ómoks First Nation and restoring this as much as possible to a pre-contact state,” Hillian said. “Hopefully we can start to see machines operating on the land before too long, digging up the concrete.”
Project Watershed continues to prepare funding proposals to the following agencies to support site restoration: the Pacific Salmon Foundation, the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program, the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, and the BC Salmon Habitat Restoration and Innovation Fund.
Council approved writing letters of support to these agencies.
Brewery hopes to expand patio
•Council voted in favour of requesting public input about an application from the Gladstone Brewing Company to add an extension to the patio area at the 4th Street establishment in the downtown core. If approved, the total seating capacity, including inside the brewery, would be 310 patrons.
Regional district appointees
•Council appointed Will Cole-Hamilton, Melanie McCollum, Hillian and Wendy Morin to the next one-year term on the regional district board, which holds its inaugural meting Tuesday, Nov. 24. Coun. Manno Theos and Mayor Bob Wells will serve as alternate board directors. Hillian and McCollum will each have five votes on weighted matters, while Morin and Cole-Hamilton will have four votes each.