Editor:
Even though I sort of expect the Town of Gibsons’ Tree Preservation Bylaw to be satisfied with the indirect praise I give it for creating a lively artificial market for reports that say unwanted trees are hazardous, I don’t want the bylaw to feel taken for granted. So when I can perceive it playing a helpful role in the development of a beach access, a more explicit compliment is called for.
The Town owns three waterfront plots along Franklin Road: the end pieces of Burns and Cochrane roads and a strip more recently acquired by subdivision near Gower Point Road. The beach normally accessed from Burns Road is named Pebbles and it has either the largest unused budget for repairs or the world’s most expensive 2 x 4’s and plywood nailed across its staircase.
The Cochrane Road access is named Atlee’s in Town documents but has an attractive new sign which acknowledges, either to prevent confusion or fisticuffs, that locals know the beach below as both Atlee’s and Franklin.
And thanks to Tree Removal Permit #217, posted for all to see and photograph in recent weeks, we know that the strip near Gower Point Road is officially named Franklin Road Beach Access. So now when locals want to request of the Town that both Atlee’s access and Franklin access get staircase budgets so that the beach known as both can be reached from either end, everyone almost knows what’s being discussed.
David Stow
Elphinstone
