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This was in response to a letter published in the Sooke Mirror
on Wednesday, November 29, 2000 which called into question the amount
of revenue an event like Rock Crawl can bring to the local economy
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Sooke Mirror letter
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Letter published
in Mirror on Nov 29 in response to our ad (above): "Rock Crawl was
already cancelled"
Editor: I read
with interest the notice from the Island Rock Crawlers seeking support
for the continued use of the Harbourview lands (Sooke MIrror, Nov
22).
It came as no surprise that the club would not be hosting
the Rock Crawl in May 2001. The club has publicly stated that they
would not organize an event for 2001 due to member burnout (Sooke
Mirror May 17).
The Nov 22 notice leads the reader to conclude that the Rock
Crawl was cancelled due to the Land Conservancy's negotiations to
purchase these lands for inclusion in the sea-to-sea greenbelt.
How can something that was not planned be cancelled?
The club fails to mention that these private lands have been
used without owner consent.
As well, they lack the "special use permit" necessary for
such activities on parkland. Guaranteed access is a moot point.
It was a surprise to note the loss of revenue to Sooke listed
as $50,000 (Nov 22).
Again, with reference to the May article dedicated to the
Rock Crawl, the costing out of "big ticket" items (gas, camping,
restaurant meals, groceries) was reported to be $20,000.
I guess that leaves the other $30,000 for coffee and post-cards.
M.
Campeau, Sooke
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| IRC Responds |
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December 4,
2000
The executive
of the Island Rock Crawlers 4WD Society would like to respond to
last week’s letter, "Rock Crawl was already cancelled".
The executive would like to publicly state that the individual that
was quoted in the Sooke Mirror article (May 17) did not have the
authority or knowledge to make such statements about the future
of our Rock Crawl event. The continuation of the event is determined
by majority vote by the membership at the Annual General Meeting
which occurs in October of each year. The decision to cancel Rock
Crawl 2001 had nothing to do with "member burnout". We
have a very dedicated membership and many of our members have already
spent countless hours on the "Harbourview Lands Campaign"
to help ensure these lands remain accessible to all users not just
hikers.
We would also
like to state that our estimated source of revenue to the Sooke
community as a result of Rock Crawl is indeed $50,000. This revenue
comes from a number of sources; gas, groceries, vehicle repairs,
camping fees (Sooke Flats), restaurants, meals (prepared by the
Sooke Lions), firewood and advertising (Sooke Mirror) and does not
include any souvenir items (ie postcards, t-shirts, etc). Regardless
of the total amount, it should be noted that without the continuation
of motorized recreation in the Sooke area, the community of Sooke
will feel the economic loss. Creating a managed Off Highway Vehicle
(OHV) Park has the potential of generating hundreds of thousands
of dollars into Sooke throughout the year not just in one long weekend.
We encourage residents and business owners to consider how much
revenue a hiking only park will bring into our community.
Island Rock
Crawlers 4WD Society Executive
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The original Ad in
the Sooke Mirror
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The Island Rock Crawlers
4WD Society regrets to inform the Sooke community that our annual
event, the "Rock Crawl" will be cancelled for May 2001.
As a result
of the current negotiations of the Land Conservancy of BC (TLC) to
purchase 3400 acres of land in the Harbourview area, there is no guarantee
of the availability to access these traditionally used trails for
our event. It is estimated that due to the cancellation of this weekend-long
event, $50,000 of revenue will be lost to the Sooke Community.
The Island Rock Crawlers recognize the desperate need for a managed
Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) Park in the Sooke area so that multi-users
will continue to have an area to enjoy their sports. Unfortunately
with the impeding purchase of the "Harbourview lands" by the TLC and
subsequent transfer of the lands to the CRD for management, all traditional
motorized access, hunting, fishing and overnight camping will be strictly
forbidden. As members of the Sooke community, it is essential that
we work together to keep this area available for use as it has been
for the past 50+ years.
To increase public awareness regarding the need for managed Off-Highway
Vehicle Parks throughout BC, the IRC is hosting a public awareness
rally on Saturday, November 25 at 2:00pm at the BC Legislative grounds
in Victoria. We are looking for the support from all multi-users at
this event. We hope to see you there. |
Links: Map of Harbourview (90Kb)
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Island Rock Crawlers Home Page
