A soggy meeting in a quiet cul-de-sac Monday evening saw Town of Gibsons councillors and neighbours of the Oceanmount Boulevard water pump house project starting to hash out concerns.
Well 6, drilled in 2019, could be the largest producing well of the Town’s system, possibly extracting 1,900 cubic metres per day, says the Town’s website. An 8.5 metre by 3 metre pump house with concrete pads extending out from that, is set to be built this spring but has roused loud neighbourhood frustration and opposition. Neighbours want to see the project stopped until their concerns are addressed.
For the dozen or so residents present, concerns varied – noise, sight, smell, size, industrial nature and proximity to the neighbouring property – but neighbours were unanimous in their frustration with the lack of consultation.
“We’ve been asking on and off for three years about what’s going on with basically no information given,” said one resident. Emails went unanswered and questions and concerns piled up.
Another pointed out that the one piece of communication they did have in 2019 said the pump house would be the size of a garden shed. “You cannot erect a garden shed that size in the Town of Gibsons,” he said.
Three of Gibsons’ five council members (Councillors Annemarie De Andrade, Aleria Ladwig and David Croal) attended the meeting, which lasted about 45 minutes in the pouring rain, along with several staff members, including CAO Emanuel Machado. One of the councillors noted Mayor Bill Beamish would have attended but he was out of town.
The Town council is in an awkward position, Coun. Croal told residents – council awarded the $1.17 million construction contract to Industra Construction Corp in mid-February. The other logistical factor is this well is where they drilled and found water.
Residents noted that they weren’t against a well and know the need for water. “We want to improve the [water] situation – but not at the cost of our neighborhood.”
Should work not be stopped, residents say they’ll pursue legal action.
Councillors agreed there had been a communication breakdown and generally agreed – without making commitments – that the Town would work with residents to address their concerns.
In a later email to the Oceanmount Boulevard neighbours, Machado said that the Town was not planning on issuing a stop work order but have notified the contractor that the projected start date will change. "I stress the need to appreciate that there is urgency in completing the project within a reasonable timeline, so not to put at risk the availability of water shall the region experience yet another drought," he said.
–With files from Connie Jordison
