A plan to develop Lac des Roches and Birch Lake has united the area’s residents who have a variety of concerns.
The Friends of Lac des Roches and Birch Lake was formed in response to an Aug. 25 meeting between locals and Land and Water British Columbia (LWBC). The Crown corporation is proposing residential development on both lakes.
The Friends held their first official meeting Sept. 16 at the Bridge Lake Community School to establish an executive and discuss possible directions it could take.
“There are a lot of really good people who are kind of anxious in some ways and nervous in other ways,” said Barry Reid, a member of the executive. “And yet they know what they want and what they don’t want. I think it’s going to come together very nicely.”
On the agenda for the night were two options. One was to oppose the project outright. The other was a lengthy outline of concerns that would have to be addressed if development were to proceed in the area.
Though Reid had respect for all sides of the debate, he concluded that some development would be inevitable.
“There were people at the meeting last night who were adamantly opposed to any further development of any kind,” said Reid. “But I think, generally speaking, most of the people there were thinking well, that’s not realistic. We can’t close the door to everything.”
LWBC has been meeting off-and-on with residents and soliciting input regarding a proposed residential development. The plan could see up to 98 additional properties being built on Lac des Roches, 130 at Birch Lake and 61 at Montana Lake. A hotel and golf course have also been mentioned.
“I think that if we can ever kind of get together with the Land and Water BC people, I think there might be some points of contact where the confrontation might be waylaid a little,” said Reid. “We might be able to come up with some reasonable option that will make it possible for people to feel more comfortable with some of the things that are on there.”
Two more meetings are scheduled – Sept. 22 and 29 at 7 p.m. at the Bridge Lake School library.
Despite how well Friends have united, Reid held a cautious optimism about the fate of the lakes.
“There’s a certain reality that’s going to intervene on our behalf, I think,” said Reid. “How it’s going to end up, I don’t know.”