THAT the Committee of the Whole provide direction to staff to add the Updating of the Parks and Trails Master Plan, aligning with OCP policy direction (4.4.2c), into Council’s Strategic Plan and to schedule the project in either the 2024 or 2025 (as soon as capacity permits).Specifically, the update should address:
- Aligning the PTMP with the goals and objectives of the new OCP.
- Exploring and addressing Quw’utsun Nation's concerns related to recreational trails in forest lands.
- Responding to changes in recreational demand, usage patterns, and resources enduring from, or linked to, the pandemic.
- Incorporating evolving/new insights into economic development opportunities related to organized/unorganized mountain/gravel/road biking tourism.
- Addressing the formal request from the Cowichan Trail Stewardship Society for a plan revision concerning Richards Mountain.
- Exploring the potential establishment of a parkland acquisition strategy and associated fund, in line with OCP policy 4.4.2c.
- Integrating new understandings and goals emerging from the nascent Biodiversity Protection Policy, especially recommendations regarding ecological trail impacts.
- Tackling community concerns over trail access and parking that became pronounced during the pandemic.
- Responding to changes in provincial legislation with respect to Municipalities ability to negotiate parkland contributions through rezoning applications.
- Reconsidering parkland acquisition plans in the Bell McKinnon Local Area Plan given unanticipated complexities in the implementation of that plan.
- Exploring emerging or potential opportunities for collaboration with Quw’utsun Nation to identify areas for conservation/protection that can contribute to the Tripartite Framework Agreement on Nature Conservation between Canada, BC, and the BC First Nations Leadership Council and which also have potential for recreational use.
- Exploring recreational opportunities related to the presence of the national training centre of Rowing Canada.
- Addressing changes related to the new Regional Recreation funding model.