Local climbers are getting their hopes up following news that an environmental group has taken up the cause of purchasing the land between the Stawamus Chief and Shannon Falls provincial parks where a controversial gondola was proposed to be built last year.
The Land Conservancy of British Columbia (TLC) is in negotiations to buy the industrial-zoned property, which was to have been the base for a gondola on the Chief until the proposal was abandoned in the face of opposition from the public and the Squamish Nation last fall.
The prospect of its purchase is making local climbers happy.
"If this land isn't bought and taken off the market, the possibility of it being developed in a way that conflicts with the values of the parks will never go away," said Anders Ourom, executive director of the Climbers Access Society of B.C. (CASBC). "It's much more that just a gravel pit."
TLC will have to raise $900,000 by Aug. 31, 2005, but the offer assures that the property is "tied up" until then, said TLC Lower Mainland regional manager Tamsin Baker.
"It prevents anyone else from buying it," said Baker. "But we're not sitting on a pile of money so we'll have to raise funds."
TLC is attempting to purchase the property on behalf of various interested parties including CASBC, retail chain Mountain Equipment Co-op, the Federation of Mountain Clubs and Squamish Access Society.
Its potential acquisition is part of a larger plan to purchase the upper Malamute, which has also been identified as having a high natural and recreational value, particularly for climbing. If successful, the group will allow public access, and it should facilitate parking at Stawamus Chief Park. The group also hopes to partner with BC Parks for the maintenance of the properties.
TLC was founded in 1997 and has so far raised $25 million and leveraged another $40 million to protect almost 100,000 acres around BC.
The group doesn't take sides on issues such as the gondola proposal. "We're not an advocacy group, we don't want to take a stand, that's not what we do," said Baker. "But the gravel pit property is the last remaining private piece of land there. It only makes sense that it be part of the parks."
