The south sewer project manager speaks of a large mandate taken 10 years ago for sewage treatment, for Union Bay, Royston and Cumberland areas. At that time, Kensington properties along with the regional district talked about building a plant in Union Bay with Royston and Cumberland to become satellite users. Federal funds did not materialize for this. Where is Kensington now? The figure of a future 3,500 lots circulates. They border Union Bay with 850 acres. What is their current upfront participation? Jim Youngren from Washington State, is the silent owner behind K.I.P.
K’omoks First Nation, the new partner in this project, will contribute $5.4 million dollars. A $600,000 figure has been negotiated for a land purchase from them for the new plant to be built on. At what rate is their development on surrounding lands projected?
Is this plant also going to be servicing future south Courtenay as it expands?
In information flyers, the CVRD stated that the Royston and Union Bay areas exhibit poor native soil conditions, that are not conducive to the operation of onsite systems. This is a blanket statement. Like the automobile, an onsite systems need a little maintenance.
The south region (LWMP) offers no reasonable cost recovery for those who have built recent new homes, those who have rebuilt old homes and systems, and those who have spent money to keep systems working well.
Has Cumberland set a deadline to stop unsuitable effluent reaching the Trent River, and polluting Comox Bay, as the clean up of Baynes Sound was the stated main objective of this project? Cumberland has backed away from the South Sewer project stating it is too costly. Cumberland told the Royston Improvement District (now CVRD) years ago, to seek other water sources. Will the South Sewer project provide water from Courtenay south, to serve Royston and Union Bay, as Langley Lake is only adequate for present day Union Bay?
Too many “unknowns” and too few “paying.”
Wayne Leakey
Area A