Hello BCMCers.

The following is a letter written and sent by myself on behalf of the BCMC (with BOD input) to the Minister of Environment Mary Polak regarding the "illegal camping" fines levied against the Heathens Mountaineering Club and their volunteer trail work at Crest Creek Crags in Strathcona Park (Vancouver Island).  

The Heathens have asked both the FMCBC and the BC Mountaineering Club for assistance and support in this ongoing dispute, which the BCMC Executive unanimously supported/approved of at the last meeting.

--x--

December 23^th, 2016

Chris Ludwig
65-10200 Fourth Avenue
Richmond, BC
V7E 1V3

Dear Minister,

I represent the British Columbia Mountaineering Club [BCMC] with more than 800 active members.  We are writing you to urge the crown and BC Parks to repeal the “illegal camping” fines levied against the Heathens Mountaineering Club [HMC] in 2016.  The BCMC also strongly encourages BC Parks to normalize relationships with the HMC by preparing and ratifying a new signed volunteer agreement that is consistent with other volunteer groups across the province of BC.

The volunteer work at Crest Creek Crags, which has been performed by the HMC volunteers over many decades, has an estimated value by some to be in excess of a million dollars.  In addition, the access to the outstanding rock climbing area that this volunteer trail work facilitates is recognized and appreciated internationally by the growing global climbing community.

In light of the current funding and resource pressures facing BC Parks, it appears to be highly counterproductive that BC Parks has chosen to both alienate and punish volunteer trail crews by issuing excessively large fines.  Equally puzzling to the BCMC is why BC Parks representatives have demanded the HMC sign a new volunteer agreement which is distinctly different from other provincial agreements, in order for the HMC to continue their usual volunteer trail improvement efforts.  Furthermore, the BC Parks decision to include a confidentiality clause (viewed as a “gag order”) in the new volunteer agreement is not consistent with other coastal club agreements ratified with BC Parks and appears excessively harsh for the situation.  The BC Parks staff dealing with this issue have also failed to recognize and acknowledge the legitimacy of the existing signed agreement with the HMC; an agreement that supports and legitimizes the volunteer work that the HMC has been performing for many years.

The BCMC requests that BC Parks work quickly and responsibly to remove the fines levied against the HMC to restore and foster the spirit of volunteerism at Strathcona Park, and to create a reasonable volunteer agreement with the HMC that is more consistent with similar volunteer groups.  The BCMC is concerned that without ongoing volunteer work provided exclusively by the HMC, the outstanding trail infrastructure at Crest Creek Crags will soon deteriorate, which would be a tragedy noticed by many.  We sincerely hope that such a loss is not the desired outcome of BC Parks and the BC Government.

Sincerely,

Chris Ludwig

BCMC Conservation Chair and Webmaster

Check out the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v336YH-atBU