Editor:
(re: RAMP it down and Hankin-Evelyn ‘misunderstanding’, Interior News, April 4).
So that readers are not led to believe there is a relationship between the editorial and the story, I would like to make it very clear the Hankin-Evelyn issue is in no way linked to the ongoing controversy surrounding the RAMP process mentioned in the editorial.
To the best of my knowledge the RAMP committee was not sitting at any time during the planning or building of the Hankin-Evelyn recreation site, therefore they were not involved in any of the decision making around this project.
Consequently, the Evelyn and surrounding community, who also were not given the opportunity for input, have decided to deal directly with the government people who were responsible for the establishment of the Hankin-Evelyn Recreation Area, Recreation Sites and Trails B.C.
Our intention is to have a courteous and mutually respectful discourse with Recreation Sites and Trails B.C. with the objective of arriving at a mutually beneficial resolution to our issues with this recreation area.
As for the ‘misunderstanding’, in addition to not being consulted with or formally advised of the plans for Hankin-Evelyn and people should realize there is indeed an Evelyn Community Association which also has its community newsletter, The Pitchfork, it would seem those responsible for the erection of misleading signage in their zealousness to claim the area for their own, did not understand.
Their application for the use of crown land was for 45 hectares only. Not the much greater area as indicated by the polygons as drawn on the maps produced by the proponents of Hankin-Evelyn.
And a further comment as family wisdom seems to be in order, I too had a wise grandmother who was apt to dispense words of wisdom that often are, in your words, spot on.
One such comment was, “don’t believe anything you hear and only half of what you see.” Lets hope we see some genuine sharing of the resource, our backcountry, we all feel so passionately about. After all, it belongs to each of us, from the very young to the very old, the newly arrived or those who have lived here all their lives, lets share.
To close, for interest sake, when one listens to the news we have to realize we aren’t the only ones in the province having access issues.
Dale G Glass
Evelyn