COLLIERY DAM PARK PRESERVATION SOCIETY NEEDS YOUR HELP

---

COLLIERY DAM PARK PRESERVATION SOCIETY

NEEDS YOUR HELP

City of Nanaimo has every intention of pushing for destruction of the lower spillway at a price tag of over $8 million. This is by far a most invasive and costly option to fix a problem that has questionable benefit.

If the plan for the labyrinth design goes ahead it means that:

• the lower dam area will be shut off to the public for all of next summer

• both lakes will be lowered 5 meters during the construction period of 4 months which would be disastrous to the eco-system of the lakes

• the Labyrinth spillway being recommended will be almost 17 feet deep to manage the projected flow of a flood event that might occur in 35,000 OR 50,000 years. For much of the year we have about 1 inch of water in the spillway and rarely have more than one foot. Constructing the labyrinth spillway means blasting into the bedrock under the existing spillway and removing the bridge.

• When used, the low level outlet in the new spillway would draw down the water at the lower lake 10 feet, this likely would be used during peak recreational time. Drawing down water from the lower lake would only be a boost to the Chase River for a few days and would severely limit the recreational value of the lower lake during its peak usage. We have raised our concern for ensuring water flow into the entire system and we believe that this needs to be addressed and can be achieved by a comprehensive long term approach. This has become much more of a concern since the new reservoir has come online as there is now no overflow from the decommissioned reservoir. The Fish and Game Club have proposed options to enhance water in the river system and these have been on record for almost 2 years.

City of Nanaimo says they will only take some of the signs down. They are spending thousands more dollars to decide which signs should come down. Studies show the risk is minimal. They serve no purpose other than to project a sense of urgency that does not exist.

WE NEED YOU TO:

• become informed. There will be a lot of information that will be put on the City website that will help you understand the risk and the plans going forward. Please feel free to email City staff or myself with anything you do not understand. My email is solohunter@telus.net

• write Mayor and Council and insist that they stop this madness. It is important to take the time to make sure money is not wasted and that we develop a solution that does the least amount of harm to the park and its ecosystem.

• insist that the signs come down NOW. The risk is minimal.

• tell Council that you want public representation back at the table so that we have input into final decisions made. The options that have been presented to council do not address the mandate of the technical committee to be least invasive and cost effective.

• tell Council that we insist on the minutes for the Technical Committee meeting of June 27 be released with all amendments and additions as insisted by the Colliery Dam Park Preservation Society.

THIS IS NOT TIME TO BE PASSIVE. THEY WANT THIS TO BE LOCKED DOWN BEFORE THE ELECTION AND IT HAS BEEN IN MOTION FOR MONTHS. BE VOCAL NOW. 

---

JOIN US FOR A DEMONSTRATION AT

THE SARC (ANNEX) BUILDING ON 

DUNSMUIR STREET (City Hall)

1:00 ON WEDNESDAY AUGUST 06TH 

---

MAKE UP SIGNS. TELL THE CITY THAT WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY—

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

IT IS TIME TO STOP WASTING TAX DOLLARS

GET RID OF THOSE DAM SIGNS

TELL MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO STOP WASTING OUR DAM MONEY   

For more information and to answer any questions please Join us on Sunday at 1pm at the lower Colliery Dam.