This phase of deconstruction of the Squamish Spit is nearly complete.
Edith Tobe, the executive director of the Squamish River Watershed Society (SRWS), said the plan is to be finished by Saturday, May 20.
As for the kite boarders, the Squamish Windsports Society (SWS) wrote in a news release that they have launched a soft opening to start the season from Mamquam Blind Channel dock this weekend and May 20 and 21, as they work on permanent access to the end of the Spit.
Overall, 850 metres of the berm will have been removed in an effort to create additional opportunities for juvenile salmon to reach the waters of the Squamish Estuary.
Tobe said the SRWS hopes to hold an acknowledgment of the support they have received from partners, such as Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and the federal government, later in the summer of 2023.
Future meetings on marine access
At the May 9th committee of the whole meeting, District of Squamish council members were supportive of allocating $20,000 held for estuary co-ordination to co-facilitating Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and community stakeholder meetings regarding future marine access from the end of the Spit as well as Spit island.
This recommendation from the committee is on the agenda for the May 16th council meeting.
Two other recommendations were under consideration May 9.
One was for the District to establish working groups to advise on marine and estuary-related planning on an as-needed basis for projects, instead of establishing a replacement for the Squamish Estuary Management Committee (SEMC).
A second was to establish a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nation and the province to address management and public access in the Skwelwil’em Squamish Wildlife Management Area.
These issues were deferred to a future meeting.
View the May 9 council meeting on the District’s YouTube page.
