On a recent walk along the beach at Hopkins Landing, I discovered the jaunt had become easier. Broken steps that had led from Hopkins Road to the sand had been replaced with a cedar ramp.
The ramp, constructed by Hopkins resident George Skea, was the second beach-access structure built at the bottom of the road within a year.
Ryan Matthews, also of Hopkins, had constructed a set of beach stairs at the same site last summer after water running down from Point Road washed out an old wooden staircase. This past winter, water again gushed down and destroyed the stairs he had built.
Skea then built the ramp, which he completed in March. He also put in new culverts. The Sunshine Coast Regional District maintains most beach access structures, such as stairs it recently fixed on Tideview Road, but it leaves repairs to the Hopkins Beach stairs up to Hopkins Landing residents.
Many of them complained to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure over the past two years that the drainage ditch on Point Road was plugged, Matthews said. They asked that it be fixed, but the ditch remained clogged.
If MOTI had cleared it, Matthews said, washouts would never have occurred and there would have been no need to replace the beach stairs – twice.
He said the Hopkins Landing community is grateful to Skea for his volunteerism and excellent work on the ramp. “It’s beautiful,” Matthews said.
Another beautification project in West Howe Sound is planned for a weekend in September. The West Howe Sound Community Association hopes to remove unsightly, illegally dumped items in a morning Trash Bash. The association is also planning a Reuse-a-thon for the afternoon.
The expected date of the event will be announced at the WHSCA’s general meeting at 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 11, in Eric Cardinall Hall. The meeting will feature guest speaker Fiona Beaty, a zoologist, conservationist and project manager for Howe Sound research for the Vancouver Aquarium.
Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons spoke at the association’s most recent general meeting, on March 21. He said his key goal for this, his 16th year in office, is to reduce poverty. That will gradually happen, he predicted, as his government replaces the Liberals’ tax reduction schemes with policies that help people who need help.
As the meeting concluded, WHSCA president Maura Laverty appealed to the more than 30 people who attended, asking someone to volunteer as a “compost ambassador” for the Dirty Rotting Scoundrel. That’s the name of the association’s community composter.
Since last summer the composting bin has spun in two locations near the ferry, between the highway and Langdale Elementary. It would be wonderful to move it, so that another West Howe Sound neighbourhood could try it out. If you can propose a flat location adjoining a road, please email [email protected] or see the association’s website at westhowesound.ca.
Speaking of Langdale Elementary, the school is having a beer and burger get-together to raise funds to enhance its playground. The event takes place at the 101 Brewhouse + Distillery on Sunday, April 22, from 2 to 5 p.m. Hope to see you there.
In the meantime, you can reach me at [email protected]
