by Jack Christie
Georgia Straight, Nov 29, 2007

Excerpt: If you do take a vehicle, one of the most charming and controversial spots to visit is Cape Roger Curtis. In 2002, development slated for this sensitive microclimate on the southwestern corner of the island triggered the formation of the Cape Roger Curtis Trust Society (www.caperogercurtis.org). After a contentious five years, during which the 255-hectare cape was posted as off-limits to the public, the owners recently reopened its old logging roads and trails to visitors. Depending on the outcome of current negotiations, the point’s most ecologically sensitive portion may be set aside as a park.

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Nov 26, 2007 — Ownership has announced that they will hold their third public meeting to discuss their planners’ development proposal for Cape Roger Curtis on December 1, 2007, from 9:30-1:00 and 2:00-5:00 at Cates Hill Chapel. They will be making a formal presentation at 10:30 and repeating it at 2:30, and during the remainder of the time the planners and their consultants will be available for informal discussion and questions.

See the Wild Coast Plan 2 for Cape Roger Curtis Trust Society’s position on the owners’ proposed plan and our alternative parks proposal.

Trust Society Launches WILD COAST Plan 2 and Urges Improvements to Parks Proposal for Cape Roger Curtis - November 26, 2007

*CRCTS does not endorse any development at the Cape. However, if development is to occur, it should be tightly clustered and contain greenway corridors to buffer sensitive areas and pedestrian trails.

In September, the Cape Roger Curtis owners presented a concept plan for a second village, as well as a large park, at Cape Roger Curtis. After several months of discussions, the Cape Roger Curtis Trust Society has concluded that Ekistics’ plan can and should be improved to better fit the needs and public interest of Bowen Island.

While we embrace ownership’s offer to create a truly substantial park, it is still a fragmented park with too much housing and other activity far too close to the fragile coastal bluff habitat along the south shore. The development plan could be much better fitted to the Cape’s ecological values and to Bowen’s needs and public interest if the parks and greenways aspect of the plan were further expanded as shown on the map above. Read more