Annual Review - September 2004 through August 2005
In September, we united as a group. In our first two meetings we; established accountability guidelines; established executive duties and elected our executive. We then developed 8 objectives and the following mission statement, “the purpose of this association is to form an organized opposition to the proposed development on Birch Lake and Lac des Roches and to work for the future well-being of these lakes.”
Here are our 8 objectives and a list of our activities performed in the last year, as it relates to them.
#1 - Develop a membership roster
- Mailed out applications to all property owners
- Totaling 120 members and growing
- Mailing out quarterly newsletter
- Inviting member's stories to our website
- Conducting monthly general meetings
#2 - Develop a contact list for a letter writing campaign
- Mailed list of governing bodies to members and property owners, and posted to website
- Composed and mailed multiple letters with issues and concerns to contacts and others
- Contacted MLA's in North Thompson and South Cariboo, and invited them to speak with us
- Updated list with restructured cabinet ministers
- Developed questions for MLA candidates meetings and mailed these to our members and to the area MLAs
#3 - Provide sample letters to our membership for the letter writing campaign
- decided against this figuring that individualized letters would have more impact
- publishing all articles and letters to the editor on our website to provide ideas for member's letters
#4 - Establish media contacts with our message
- published newspaper articles in Kamloops, Clearwater, Barrier and 100 Mile House
- attended the Kamloops Outdoor Show, BC Fly Fisher's AGM in Vernon, and the Bridge Lake Flea Market and presented to the Kamloops Fish & Game Club
- contacted groups such as Ducks Unlimited and Trout Unlimited Canada for support
- constructed signage and provide pamphlets near the Highway 24 Rest Stop
- developed our website which averages 15 visits per day since March
- linked our website to the LWBC Watch website, like-minded groups opposing LWBC's aggressive mandate
- asked questions at the public South Cariboo all candidates meeting about the development and attended the Kamloops meeting
#5 - Prepare for the rezoning meeting
- reviewed process maps of both TNRD and CRD rezoning process
- met and established an ongoing contact in the TNRD Planning department
- documented alternative proposal to use the land as an environmental study area, not submitted to the TNRD
#6 - Develop a petition for public input
- collected signatures at 100 Mile mall and throughout our region
- mailed approximately 700 signatures to the Premier's office prior to the May election
- collecting additional signatures through our website petition form
#7 - Request a public hearing
- received a response to our written request promising 30 days notice of the mandatory public hearing for rezoning
#8 - Conduct our own environmental review
- hosted a site tour from Lac des Roches and created a photo journal of the more sensitive or challenging construction areas
- planning a fall fish habitat review with a Ministry of Environment contact established this summer
Two additional 2005 activities worthy of note;
Established our role as lake stewards. Evidently, groups that monitor their lake have influence on issues relating to their lake.
- joined the BC Lake Stewardship Society
- hosted a Lake Stewardship workshop focusing on the lake monitoring function
- monitoring lake quality in Lac des Roches, Little Lac des Roches and Birch Lake
Considered shifting the regional boundary
- analyzed the differences between the CRD and TNRD shoreline guidelines
- obtaining property owner support for our request to expand the CRD region