Apologies! Bill Yoachim inadvertently omitted from list of supporters.

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I apologize that our Blog left out Bill Yoachim as another candidate who has supported our efforts to save the park.

Bill worked closely with Doug White and their efforts prevented council from giving the order to start the bulldozers. 

Bill has stated openly on a number of occasions
that he remains very supportive.

—  Jeff Solomon

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Colliery Dams Update: Nov 3 Council Meeting

Motion adopted at the November 3rd council meeting:

• review water distribution in overtopping situation and how it impacts overtopping flow rate;
• review capacity of existing spillway; and
• review concept of alternate swale/drainage course to Harewood Creek

Update: We returned to Council on Nov. 03 and asked for two further studies which were also staff recommendations. We wanted clarification of the spillway capacity, as there are differing calculations in the reports. We also want a determination of where the water would disperse should it ever exceed the spillway in Noah’s major storm. This information is important to understand the impact this storm would have on the dam. The cost of these studies was to be between $6,000 and $12,000. Council also decided to accept City Staff’s further recommendation to spend between $20,000 and $30,000 to provide preliminary designs for an alternate swale/drainage course to Harewood Creek. While this is an option that may have merit, we pointed out that it was premature to proceed with this study without having spillway and water distribution information.. We do not wish to see further money spent until it is established that it is necessary.

The newspapers have not been presenting a good account of the information and it will be up to us to write our letters. 

The points to be made are (and please do not cut and paste but use your own words. It is much more effective, even if it is only a few sentences):

1. No fatalities expected in 1,000 year flood event (risk assessment done spring of 2014) and only a minimal risk in a 50,000 year event.

2. No fatalities expected in a seismic event.

3. Getting information about the lower dam and how it would respond in an extreme flood event is important to knowing what needs, or doesn’t need, to be done, rather than making conservative guess’.

4. Take time to get information before spending money where it may not be necessary. Is it wise to spend $30,000 for an option that might not be necessary?

5. Urge new councilors to get as much information as possible so they can make informed and responsible decisions.

6. We now know that the Colliery dams do not present a big risk to our community based on the engineers reports, especially the ‘in depth’ risk assessment. It is time to consider what work is really necessary.

7. Will the other dams In our region need to go through this kind of scrutiny? Will they have the same criteria applied to them, with the astronomical costs attached? If not, why not?

8. CDPPS members should continue to be involved with decisions regarding studies and any related work.

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We would like to take this opportunity to thank those on the current council who have been instrumental in helping us save the dams in our park. They are Jim Kipp, Fred Pattje, Bill Bestwick and Bill McKay. Although they were, for the most part, in the minority when important dam decisions were made, their effort to represent us was extremely important for achieving the success we have. We would also like to thank four people who are new candidates who have supported and walked with us from the very beginning of the Dam adventure: Brunie Brunie, Jim Taylor, Leon Cake and Gord Fuller. They have all, in their unique ways, brought strength to our cause and without their knowledge and commitment we would have had a far greater challenge. The Dams issue has seen a community rally in an amazing way. My hope is that the new council will reflect the call for community engagement that has been so lacking from the majority of our current council.

Note from Jeff Solomon: As some are aware, I am running for a school trustee position. I have become familiar with candidates, for both council and the school board and would be happy to give my impressions. To contact me email: solohunter@telus.net


Thank you for your support for our park.

—  Jeff Solomon

Update from Jeff Solomon

I realize that things have been quiet on the dam front and I would like to give you an update.

Council, in September, agreed to have CDPPS approve the scope of work required for a study on how the dams would react in a flood event. We are requesting the study to determine if the dam wall would withstand the never before flood event predicted to happen sometime in the next 50,000 years. The next step, if there is a question regarding how the wall would respond would be to explore how the berm on the back side of the dam would react (erosion) and how it would support the wall in this event. Basic questions that have never been answered.

We were to meet with the engineer on Thursday October 9 but it was delayed. We are now on hold until next week and will probably go back to council on Oct. 27.

The City staff have removed some flood signs but are refusing to take them all down as we had insisted. (The risk assessment document states that no one is expected to die in a 1,000 year storm event.)

Please pay attention to the upcoming election.

I have been asked many times if I am running for council and I have declined. I could not really advocate for the park if I sat on council. City councilors are also required to attend many meetings and read huge numbers of documents, neither of which I am a fan of. I am, however, committing to running for the School Board as I think that I can fulfill the requirements of the job. I especially would like to support the Cedar community as I believe the facilities plan was very poorly thought out and a huge loss for the community.

Progressive Nanaimo

I also am a founding member of Progressive Nanaimo; supporting positive change in our City’s governance. Progressive Nanaimo is holding its second NEW Candidates meeting, scheduled for Oct. 14 at 6:30 at Beban Park. A third meeting will be held on Oct. 23 at 6:30 at Bowen Park. Both these meetings will give the public a better idea of who the new candidates are. Please attend one or both if you can. An informed voter is a responsible voter.

We have learned a lot about City Hall in our 2 years fighting for our dams. This is our opportunity to make good choices on election day.

Also please check out the Progressive Nanaimo facebook site for information about the new candidates and events being held. Should be very a interesting time over the next month for both the park and the election. Will keep people posted as events unfold..

Also don’t forget

Dam Zombie Halloween Party
at the Lower Dam.
All are welcome. Sat. Oct. 25 at 5:30.

October 14, 2014 - Beban Park 6:30 New Candidates meeting.

October 23, 2014 - Bowen Park 6:30 Second New Candidates meeting.

October 25, 2014 - Lower Colliery Dam – Dam Zombie Party

Thank you for your ongoing support for our park.

Jeff Solomon

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COLLIERY DAM PARK PRESERVATION SOCIETY NEEDS YOUR HELP

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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. 

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JOIN US FOR A DEMONSTRATION AT

THE SARC (ANNEX) BUILDING ON 

DUNSMUIR STREET (City Hall)

1:00 ON WEDNESDAY AUGUST 06TH 

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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.