Save Star Lake from:
Parks' Proposed: Commercial Light Industry
and Storage Sites at Star Lake
Information and Suggestions for Star Lake cottagers
Prepared by Doug Collicutt, Lot 7, Block 6, Star Lake
Deadline for Feedback is Sept. 18!
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Please feel free to contact me at Doug Collicutt, I will be happy to include your suggestions, comments, pictures or videos.
After my neighbour posted that great little video it inspired me to do one, too. If anyone else has videos, comments or suggestions to post, please send them my way. And don't forget to check in to the Star Lake FaceBook page, too.
This video has been viewed over 650 times, as of Nov. 3.
NOTE: Video has been reposted to a different server.
Some Thoughts
What, and who, are Cottage Based Businesses? To be fair though, I'd like to know more about the proposal. What is being proposed? What is light industry and cottage based business? Parks letter makes no mention of the types and nature of the proposed activities. What are they wanting to allow in our backyard? When I think of "off-site storage for commercial operations", I think that translates to dumping the stuff you don't need or use, without having to take it to the transfer station.
The south end of Star Lake has had more than its share of development over the years. We have, or have had, a Hydro substation, a Hydro transmission line, the former landfill, the former sand extraction operation, (sand pit), and a commercial logging operation (thankfully no longer allowed in Parks). Why has Star Lake born the brunt of all this activity? And now they want to do more? Maybe Parks thinks we don't care about the land just south of our cottages? Sometimes I think the Parks guys in Winnipeg think we all just sit in our cottages and walk back and forth from the beach with no regard for the rest of the land.
Why have Parks Planners had extensive discussions with a special interest group (the Cottage Based Business owners: Commercial Light Industry Storage Group) BEFORE even consulting with the special interest group most affected by this proposal: Star Lake Cottagers?! We would have told them what they could do with this idea right away and saved everyone a lot of time, effort and tax dollars.
Habitat destruction. As a wildlife biologist and plant ecologist I have enjoyed watching the recovery and succession of the native plants at the former sand pit and landfill sites. I would hate to see the area clear-cut and bulldozed for the proposed uses. Especially after the efforts, by Parks, to revegetate and remediate the disturbed areas. Now they're suggesting bulldozing the area?
Now, how about YOU! Have you got things to say? Please send me your input/feedback at the email link above. I'll be happy to post your comments or questions.
Safety concerns regarding this project
The junction of the Block 4,5,6 road and Hwy 301 is already a dangerous intersection. The hill to the left, towards West Hawk Lake, makes for a near-blind intersection, especially if vehicles are speeding. Cyclists and people walking have to make a dash across 301 to get to the Trans-Canada trail, not knowing what's coming over the hill. We don't need more traffic, including trucks and trailers, making this intersection more dangerous.
Commercial traffic, trucks and trailers, on our access road will make the road more dangerous as well as adding to the degradation of road conditions. Wash-boarding is already a problem for Star Lake cottages, and commercial vehicle use, trucks and trailers taking stuff to and from these "storage sites", will only worsen this.
Commercial traffic on the currently abandoned roads and trails where people walk, bike, berry-pick, etc., will put cottagers and their families at risk. These back roads are popular for kids to ride bikes and for folks of all ages to explore and enjoy nature. (See the video above.)
Commercial vehicle use and activities such as gas generator operation, etc. on back roads are a fire hazard! Catalytic converters of vehicles can start fires, as can the improper operation of electrical and gas powered tools.
Other Issues
Property Values? Hey, I don't want to be crass, but wouldn't something like this make Star Lake cottages less attractive? I don't really care about the monetary value of my cottage, it's far too precious to me to ever sell anyway, however it is something else to consider.
(More coming soon. Please send me anything you'd like to see up on this site. Bye for now.)
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