One letter writer suggests alternatives to tearing down paradise to put up a parking lot at Westwood Lake. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Water Cooler: Westwood Lake parking, gas prices & plastic bags

Jul 11, 2021 | 10:41 AM

NANAIMO — The Water Cooler is NanaimoNewsNOW’s letters to the editor-style segment, featuring conversations about the news in Nanaimo and Oceanside.

This week’s feature discusses increasingly high gas prices, Nanaimo’s new plastic bag ban bylaw and proposed upgrades to Westwood Lake.

L. Davis, Nanaimo: These gas prices are out of control. Its always the same excuses! Blah, blah, blah,refinery and weather etc. These are just built in excuses for when they can’t blame it on cost per barrel. Its like saying we don’t want to make record profits with the price per barrel being so low. Its all the refineries fault. The government keeps telling us they will investigate but never do because the more we are charged the more they make in taxes!

NanaimoNewsNOW: There seems to be little rhyme or reason as to why gas prices continue to soar, beyond greed and lining of pockets. Each time we’re told it’s a ‘perfect storm’ where multiple situations converge to create a circumstance where the price has no choice but to increase.

It is hard to believe demand for gas has reached pre-pandemic levels, given many are still staying close to home to ride out the last bit of the pandemic before restrictions are completely removed in September.

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In July 2020, a litre of regular unleaded cost an average of 117.8 cents across B.C. Two years ago, in 2019, the same litre cost 135.4 cents. As of Friday, July 9, the average of 149.5 cents for the month with a current daily average price of 160.0 cents.

With people being urged to explore B.C., often involving touring the province by road, how many people will be able to afford multiple fill ups on long road trips? How will those ripple effects hurt already fragile tourism and hospitality sectors?

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Kellie, Nanaimo: I am a cashier at Save On Foods. Quality Foods were selling 100% compostable bags for 10 cents which sit great in the small compost bin we got from the city. Why can we not sell those?

NanaimoNewsNOW: Nanaimo’s new plastic checkout bag bylaw came into effect July 1, which effectively banned retailers from offering up single-use plastic bags for purchases.

Exceptions remained for some items, such as produce or bulk foods, however only paper or multi-use cloth bags can be offered for standard pricing.

The biodegradable bags offered at a retailer like Quality Foods are included in this bylaw and should no longer be offered to customers. The City of Nanaimo made the decision to include those with other pure plastic bags to simplify messaging for customers and chain businesses who operate multiple stores in different areas.

Taaj Daliran, recycling manager with the City of Nanaimo, said the issue with the green grocery bags is they don’t break down properly in organic facilities. He added if those bags leave the waste stream and end up in the woods or waterways, they are fundamentally no different to a regular plastic bag.

To avoid those problems and many others, the city included all single-use plastic bags together which is a move consistent with other municipalities who have enacted similar bylaws.

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V.L. Stafford, Nanaimo: Regarding the proposed changes at Westwood Lake: I’ve been swimming at Westwood Lake since 1960. I think I know which lot has come available for expanding parking. Is it the one adjacent to the paved parking? I shake my head that the City would consider cutting down trees and paving paradise for a parking lot! This is not a 21st Century solution to the problem of giving people access to a beautiful spot. Think of the increased heat in the expanded surface of pavement! Haven’t we just had a lesson in the foolishness of thinking we can impose ourselves on nature?

Certainly, it would be great to relieve the congestion which happens every hot summer day. The solution could include some modifications to the existing parking. Perhaps one way traffic from the Westwood Lake Road entrance and a new exit from the far end of the gravel lot. A sign down on Jingle Pot Road letting people know if the lot is full so that they could then divert to the large area near the East Wellington Road overpass which is already city property and a shuttle could operate through the busy times.

Certainly, a new playground would be lovely. A third beach? That would have to be approached cautiously. It has already happened that the swimming has had to be closed due to high coliform counts in hot weather. I would hope that any plans come under stringent review by a variety of user groups and knowledgable people.

My own solution to the parking/accessibility problem is to time my visits early in the morning or around 6:00 PM. That is not practical for families with children, so perhaps they could be given priority for the busy time of day.

NanaimoNewsNOW: The City is still finalizing plans for what it wants to do at Westwood Lake. An increased amount of parking is near the top of the list given the immense popularity of the venue, particularly through the scorching temperatures Nanaimo saw in late June and early July.

There are multiple options on the table for parking, however most include a plot of land up Westwood Rd. and behind the current parking space. A report presented to a finance and audit committee meeting in May suggested two configurations for paved parking at Westwood Lake.

The current parking setup at Westwood Lake (left) compared to one of the options available to the City ahead of public consultation (right). (City of Nanaimo/Google Maps)

Public consultation will help determine the next phases and it’s at that point residents of the area and those who use it frequently will have their chance to shape the city’s direction.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

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