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Volunteers overlooked in parks coverage

I am writing to you to express my great disappointment regarding the article “I’m traveling away” written by Mike D’Amour in the July 21 edition of the Gazette.

Dear editor,

I am writing to you to express my great disappointment regarding the article “I’m traveling away” written by Mike D’Amour in the July 21 edition of the Gazette.

This full page article did a very poor job in covering one of the biggest celebrations that ever happened at San Josef Bay since it became a provincial park in 1973.

For a matter of fact, none of the work done by the hardworking Park Facility Operators, the volunteers of the North Island Trail Society, or all the other sponsors and contributors that have made this day possible was adequately acknowledged in this article.

Furthermore, it would have been worth mentioning that San Josef Bay was chosen among all other provincial parks on Vancouver Island to celebrate the BC Park 100th year celebrations, and that this selection was primarily due to all the improvements that have been accomplished on the trail in the last few years.

These major improvements included the completion of the North Coast trail, the resurfacing of the trail to San Josef Beach, the expansion of the parking area, the installation of new washroom facilities, a picnic shelter, and new signage.

Obviously, for someone who visited the park for the first time, the new improvements could have been taken for granted.

However, for all of the local North Islanders who have seen the Park embellishing year after year, we truly appreciated the honour that was granted to us to celebrate this event in our neck of the woods.

The San Josef Bay Community Picnic on July 9, 2011 was a real success, not only because it happened on a sunny day, but more so because it brought together over 100 people including officials from BC Parks and the MLA Claire Trevena and North Island residents of all ages.

Participants had the chance to assist in the official ribbon cutting ceremony followed by guided interpretative walks on the history and natural resources of the park.

A free lunch and reprinted copies of a section of the Landmarks and Legends of the North Island by Philip Stooke was also offered to all participants. Since it was omitted in the previous article, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the volunteers of the North Island Trail Society (whose chair is actually named Dave Trebett and not Jane Treb as identified by mistake in your photo caption), Zsana Tulcik of BC Parks, Strategic Forest Management  Inc. and their park facility operators, the Regional District of Mount Waddington, the volunteers from Pacificus Biological Services Ltd. and the Chamber of Commerce of Port McNeill for their involvement and contribution to this event.

 

 

Myriam Belisle

Port Mcneill