unique definition of what constitutes a park. No one ever claimed John Phillips Memorial Park was a first growth destination, but to define it as “an artificial environment” because it had been “manipulated” years ago for golfers and now “no one’s using,” so it’s “non-existent” borders on hallucination.
I invite him to visit the park at various times of the day and year. He continues to claim many people do not know it exists. If this is the case, why is there a strong voice of opposition since 2012, the time of birthing his development plan?
Some of the opponents of his place do agree ”development” is needed. That is so more people can use it more months of the year because it is heavily water logged during winter. The “development” would be benches, seating options, picnic tables and signage for tourist and obviously yes, some locals. The problem is the definition of “use.”
He has also voiced a concern about putting JPMP on the map. Seems to me it can be found on maps of Sooke.
Another fact is that Lorien Arnold owns the only bike shop in Sooke and a ramp/trail development in Sooke would benefit the monopoly he already has on bike supplies and services.
Seems land devastation history will repeat itself on this site if the bike club achieves their goal. The land will be stripped, blasted, scraped, filled, replanted and irrigated again. I imagine no chemicals will be sprayed but there will still be an impact on what species of plant and animal life is displaced again.
Clearly both sides believe the others have tunnel vision. Seems on side is short-sighted and self serving since trends in any physical sport are every changing. The value of this existing park is too great to not look at and accept the only logical; option in moving the bike club vision to SEAPARC’s existing renovatable bike play area.
Carmen Neumann
Sooke