The provincial government held an open house information and consultation meeting at which Moose Jaw Citizens raised several important issues that have been ignored by Gov’t. The land for sale also included a parcel on the east side of Highway #2 on the southern edge of Wakamow Valley. This parcel had no connection to V.V.C. land so was this another case of “what else can the Provincial Government sell?"
It appears that the City of Moose Jaw will be left to deal with any and all issues arising from this V.V.C. sale. Therefore, it is positively necessary to enforce to the letter all existing and resultant regulations pertaining to, for example: asbestos, no burying on site, land use, zoning, drainage, heritage/historical, landfill impact, services, archaeologist and so on. All enforcement to be done by experts (e.g. In asbestos) on site throughout the decommission and reuse of the site and — send the bill to the Provincial Government.
Apparently trespassing is not allowed on ex V.V.C. land and the actual record of the process necessary to close (eliminate) municipal road allowances seems to be illusionary, then existing fencing should be kept in good condition to protect neighbouring Conservation Easement and Park lands from encroachment.
The 7th Ave. S.W. bridge should be replaced by the Provincial Gov’t for at least two reasons: one being that the actions of the Provincial Gov’t did knowingly cut off access for existing residents (the issue was raised at the “open house”). Secondly, the bridge is in an area of serious erosion within the last 20 years caused by flooding from rainfall outside of the snowmelt period.
Drainage both random and legal have resulted in fast flushing of the Moose Jaw River Watershed.
Prediction of flooding and water energy based on past records is now “Poor Science.” In a few years, the river channel has been seriously altered. The evidence is abundant, for e.g. hundreds of years old “firepit” and its protective setback from the riverbank gone, both washed away in 2011 & 2013. The area of this river crossing has been largely affected by DOWNSTREAM results of UPSTREAM changes sanctioned in the final analysis by action or inaction of the Provincial and Federal Gov’ts, replacement of the 7th Ave. SW bridge is their responsibility.
This entire V.V.C. process has ignored requests pertaining to First Nations Heritage and History within the area. It also missed the opportunity to have First Nations’ contractors decommission, educate, modify, reduce, reuse and safely protect “Mother Earth,” communities and workers, during such endeavours. This would have given a hands-on effort of Reconciliation because pretty words are not enough.
The V.V.C. lands are in the CFB flyway, also the Dept of National Defence has Registered Interest in all of a large area around C.F.B. Given that one of Carpere Canada’s signators has “connections” to the totalitarian Gov’t of China and the recent poor record of vetting regarding Carpere Canada and Canadian Protein Innovation; there may be at least an outside chance that the D.N.D. might be interested.
Has appropriate communication taken place?
-- Percy Hill
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
