Dear editor,
After moving to the beautiful Comox Valley four years ago, I discovered a few things about the Valley and its population.
I wish that I had the franchise for Tilley hats and also Hyundai cars. I could be happily retired by now.
I also learned to be careful about where I park in the Comox Centre Mall parking lot as some ‘older’ drivers navigate by touch rather than looking at where they are going when backing out of a parking spot. I have a few scratches on my car as a result.
Many citizens are certainly passionate and vocal about local and regional issues as evidenced by their comments in both newspapers’ opinions and letters pages. Nice to see a population so engaged (Hi, Bruce) that they take the time to write a letter to the editor. It does make for interesting reading.
However, with all the ongoing discussion about Raven Coal, I find it strange that no one has made mention of the proposal made by Fraser Surrey Docks to Port Metro Vancouver for a new direct transfer coal handling facility that would see coal trains from the U.S. and Canada transferring coal to barges that would be towed from FSD to a storage facility on west side of Texada Island. From there, the coal would be loaded on deep-sea vessels for transport to markets in Asia.
They are to handle a minimum of four million metric tonnes annually with a potential to increase volumes to eight million metric tonnes. See details at: http://portmetrovancouver.com/en/projects/OngoingProjects/Tenant-Led_Projects/FraserSurreyDocks.aspx.
Does anyone see a chance that if Raven Coal gets approval, their coal might be trucked from the mines in Cumberland to the shores of Union Bay and then barged to Texada Island rather than by truck on the Inland Island Highway to Port Alberni?
Just askin’....
Henry Irizawa,
Comox