Maps and Dreams... trails that could be

Maps are fascinating things. I've been working my GoogleMap skills up, and decided to practice by adding a feature to the #CV2050 map.

What's the feature? One of my favourite "legacies of logging" – the Comox Logging & Railway Co's right of way that once stretched from north of Campbell River to the log dump and booming ground at Royston.

I've marked it in brown here (I'm not sure where it went north after what used to be called "Camp 3 Road" (but is now known as Endall Road, in Black Creek). Part of it has been turned into the "One-Spot Trail," thanks to the work of some horse folks. That part is marked in green. One day I hope to see a walking, cycling, equestrian trail from Royston all the way past Echo Lake (that's by the old Camp 8 sight north of Campbell River), and eventually connecting to old rail grades from Merrill & Lynch, and the big Bloedel Steward & Welch camps in the McCreight Lake and Sayward Valleys. Perhaps by 2050?


View #CV2050 in a larger map


I've also included a couple of landmarks in red: the Centre of the Known Universe (the roundabout at Cumberland and Willemar), and the constellation of 3 dance venues (Florence Filberg Centre, Courtenay Legion Hall, and Native Sons' Hall) that are one of the centres of activity and fun for me.


What and where are your special places in the Comox Valley? 


What kinds of trails and public spaces are you dreaming about?


Have fun!


hanspetermeyer 
29 April 2010

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A little exchange about the ALR, the Farmers' Market, and Comox Bay Farm...

I recently posted the "ALR / ours to preserve!" button as my Facebook profile. Within a day, a friend posted on my "wall" about it, and a conversation took off. Here's what it looks like:

Wendy Masterton 

I love your button, too bad CVEDS isn't applying this concept to the Duck's unlimited lands aka ALR land where they want to build the $5 to $6 million palace of a farmer's market. Pave paradise and put up a parking lot....booooo

Tom Dishlevoy
I tend to agree with you Wendy on this point. ALthough I am totally in support of the concept of a farmer's market facility, I cannot support the use of a known, historical flood plain as a site for a new building, sensitive estuary lands aside! We need to be much better with our VISIONING!


Paul Hansen
What is the environmental impact of planting a farmers market in that space? Where can we provide a space to honor our agricultural based providers & entreprenuers. Any links for me to see more of this convo?


Tom Dishlevoy
For me we might want to think about taking the produce to the people rather than bringingthem all by car to the center of the farmland. How about the Comox Mall, or the Driftwood Mall where we already have a sea of parking?


Wendy Masterton

I'm not against a farmer's market, but I am against paving ALR and estuary floodplain for it. They're talking about using a huge area (several hectares of land) for the buildings and parking. Also why use taxpayers' dollars and go through CVEDS why not form a society and let it pay for itself through membership and the market itself. Let's find a more sustainable location for the infrastructure portion which is the market itself (buildings and parking lot) and grow crops on this prime ALR land instead. Remember it's not that long ago that the land the Superstore sits on including the parking lot was part of this ALR land and was estuary as well. That was also a very bad deal. I don't want to see history repeat itself, would rather learn from it.

Tom Dishlevoy

We could design a building on this land that would have little impact, but why. Flooding will happen, needs to happen to keep land fertile and this will be very inconvenient. We could build on stilts, or a floatable building. We could build for easy relocation to higher ground when sea level rises as we suggested to other river side owners. But inviting thousands of people in their cars to this spot and elsewhere in the estuary is not wise or visionary.

Wendy Masterton

this is the quote from Phillip Round that concerns me regarding the vastness of the plan and the amount of ALR land that will be lost to paving/concrete/buildings:


In addition to offering space for existing vendors at the proposed building, CVEDS suggests the complex might include agriculture-related educational facilities for North Island College; a permanent shellfish sales centre; a butcher's shop preparing locally-grown meats; a produce distribution centre; a conservation interpretive centre; and offices, meeting rooms and exhibition space.

Sustainability. Regional Growth strategies, hello?

Wendy Masterton

Tom I LOVE your idea of creating the farmer's markets in the existing malls, they need to fill the empty spaces there, it brings it to the people and the parking exists, this is so simple and yet sustainable, great idea. One market on Wednesday, one on Saturday, perfect. Think of what it would mean to all the Comox residents who could walk or bike to the mall or a change (me included) instead of driving our cars to the market. Ditto for Courtenay. If they want to expand they can take another day in Cumberland in the Recreation Centre...growth and sustainability.

Wendy Masterton

how can we start to influence/encourage the decision makers to have more vision Tom?

Tom Dishlevoy

Philip Round, just the reporter, quoting John Watson I would presume. John has some big ideas, as do many others in the Valley. How do we get the process more collaborative so that the ultimate decisions are made with all the cards on the table, yours, mine and all of ours?


Remember that the various strategy documents were not by/for the politicians and staff, just the public that created them

Tom Dishlevoy

That last comment does not read as sarcastic as I wrote it!

Paul Hansen

I think the mall parking lot idea is indeed quite brilliantly simple. Double dipping on the use of that concrete and space. I also really like the farmers market idea (in the right location) if it can be a blessing to everyone. Thanks wendy for the info you forwarded me :)

.... and may this continue, here, on the CV2050 page on Facebook
but somewhere in our community where we can extend the conversation on what sustainability looks like in the Comox Valley, and how we get there.

hans

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• Beyond urban agriculture and farm land preservation (CITinfoResource.com)

Brian Rice 3x2x8

Brian Rice is the owner of Courtenay Toyota, a car dealership in the Comox Valley. He talks to hanspetermeyer as part of the series of conversations about sustainability in the Comox Valley hosted at www.CV2050.com. Hans asks him about the current Comox Valley Sustainability Strategy's "transportation" goals, what Brian sees as the challenges of meeting those goals, and how he and his business are going to play a role in helping this community move towards a more sustainable future.

Jon Ambler 3x2x8

City of Courtenay Councillor Jon Ambler talks to hanspetermeyer about sustainability and social well-being as part of the #3x2x8 project. Jon came to the Comox Valley as Commanding Officer at CFB Comox. He was elected to City of Courtenay Council in 2008. He talks to hanspetermeyer as part of a series of "conversations about sustainability in the Comox Valley" project. For more on the project, please visit www.CV2050.com or search Facebook for the CV2050 page

Tom Dishlevoy - An Alternative Project Approval Process #3x2x8

Comox Valley architect Tom Dishlevoy makes his own #3x2x8 video as part of the "conversation about sustainability in the Comox Valley." Here Tom talks specifically about an alternative project approval process that he thinks will help move our community towards its sustainability goals.

Kudos to Tom for taking this on.

Anyone else what to give it a shot? Let me know if you do; I'll do what I can to walk you through the process of getting your video or audio (or text) interview posted here and on our Facebook page.

Wedlidi Speck talks about social well-being and sustainability #3x2x8

Wedlidi Speck talks to hanspetermeyer about sustainability and social well-being as part of the #3x2x8 project. Wedlidi is the Executive Director of the Wachiay Friendship Centre in Courtenay, and a long-time resident of the Comox Valley with a reputation for successfully bringing together diverse cultures and points of view. He talks to hanspetermeyer as part of a series of "conversations about sustainability in the Comox Valley" project. For more on the project, please visit www.CV2050.com or our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/CV2050.

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...local eyes looking at CV2050 from a distance...

It's starting to happen. The online chatter about CV2050 – what sustainability looks like from different points of view inside and outside the Comox Valley.

You'll see comments on some of the video posts on Facebook (go to www.facebook.com/CV2050). We've also had a few folks send tweets about the #3x2x8 work. Sometimes I'm able to corral someone into an interview. Which is what this is meant to do: spread the #3x2x8 beyond the 16 folks that David, Meaghan, and I wanted to start the convo with.

One of those found via Twitter is Jackie Connelly. You can hear my interview with her here as an audio blog post. (We did this over the telephone and I used gabcast.com to turn it into a podcast – super simple tech folks; I encourage you to try it.)

You can also read Jackie's recent blog about it on her site, where she talks about "Comox Valley residents are talking about sustainability."

Jackie's a Valley girl gone to Vancouver, keeping busy as foodie photographer. Her connection to this place is pretty strong – she does work for at least one local restaurant and visits here often. She also did the photo work for the North Island Chefs' recent cookbook, Island Inspirations. I mention that because both of my #3x2x8 interviews on the "food security/sustainability" topic emphasized the need to buy and eat local food. Yup. Some message from an ag economist and a gourmet chef.

Gary Rolston is pretty close to the ground on the producer side of this issue. He said that buying local food, even if it was more expensive in the short term, is probably the single most important thing to do for long term sustainable food production. Chef Ronald St. Pierre made the same point – and then held up Island Inspirations as part of the solution: learning about what's available locally, buying local, and learning how to cook local product so it tastes delish.

So, I was happy to have Jackie play along with #3x2x8. She's got "local food" creds, and she's got a bit of distance on the local scene. Like so many of us, getting away really helps to make this place even more magical.

Thanks for playing along with the #3x2x8 project Jackie. Thanks for making our local food look so delicious with your photos!

hpm

ps. If you're looking for a copy of Island Inspirations, Beyond the Kitchen Door in downtown Courtenay just received a fresh box load at $25 each.

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• Jackie Connelly and #3x2x8 - sustainability in the Comox Valley (cv2050.com)