I am writing in regards to the article “Edgewood breakwater no meeting of the minds” published in the Arrow Lakes News on May 14. I am pleased to have the opportunity to clarify how BC Hydro has engaged with the community of Edgewood to resolve the issue with the southern floating log breakwater and provide the timeline for this project.
As stated in the article, the meeting on Tuesday, April 14 was publicized as taking place from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. BC Hydro made every effort to notify the community of this meeting, including:
· Ads placed in both the Arrow Lakes News and the
Valley Voice
· Invitations sent by email to our distribution list
· Invitations sent to every household in Edgewood via
Canada Post
We also took steps to ensure that those who were unable to attend the meeting had an opportunity for input. The proposed solution for the breakwater was detailed in the letter sent to all Edgewood households for their review, and we asked that if anyone had any questions, concerns or feedback that they contact me directly.
We had a good turnout at the meeting and had a positive discussion regarding the proposed solution for the southern floating log breakwater. The majority of attendees supported the proposed solution provided that modifications were made to the anchoring system. BC Hydro has since revised the design based on this feedback. There were several people who arrived late to the meeting, and our team stayed onsite until we had spoken to them directly and answered their questions. Following the meeting, we sent another letter to all Edgewood households via Canada Post advising them of the outcome of the meeting and again requested that they contact me directly with any questions, concerns or feedback they may have.
Regarding the timeline for this project, the original design for the Edgewood boat ramp was presented to the community in November of 2010. At this meeting, the community requested that a southern breakwater be included in the design. The revised design, which included the southern breakwater in its current location, was brought back to the community in September of 2011. This design was supported by the community, and the breakwater was installed in March of 2013. In the spring of 2014, it was brought to our attention that there were some concerns related to the breakwater. Since that time, we have been working with the Edgewood residents to find a solution that will meet the needs of the community while also addressing site constraints.
BC Hydro’s goal is to ensure that the final design meets the needs of the community, and our actions to date demonstrate that we’re listening and responding to feedback.
Again, thank you for the opportunity to address these issues.
Mary Anne Coules
BC Hydro Community Relations, Castlegar, BC