The Rock Report - April 2008
While "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" was a funny movie, planes and trains continued to make unwanted news this month concerning Crescent Rock Beach.
The Vancouver Sun newspaper ran a feature article this month about the effects of noise pollution and the various groups throughout the region who are banding together to pressure Nav Canada, Transport Canada and YVR to reduce jet aircraft noise. SUN president Don Pitcairn was instrumental in having this story placed on the front page of the Westcoast News section, bringing much needed publicity to this important issue.
SUN President Don Pitcairn protects his hearing from jet noise.
Photo by Ian Smith, Vancouver Sun.
Surrey's Nav Canada Working Group met to discuss the findings presented by Direct Approach Consulting Inc. in their report to Surrey Council. DAC's recommendations cover a wide range of jet noise issues throughout Surrey but it is the proposal to go back to the pre May 10, 2007 routes during non-peak times that may bring relief to Crescent Rock Beach users if Nav Canada implements this suggestion. Hopefully this can be accomplished quickly before summer heating results in runway 26 at YVR being used which puts incoming flights over Boundary Bay.
The aircraft noise debate that began over Crescent Rock Beach almost a year ago has now spread to Richmond where council announced this month they were following Surrey's lead and hiring an aviation consultant to study noise issues arising from YVR's operations and also forming a citizens airport noise task force to tackle this problem. This groups name "CANT Force" is symbolic as the problem with Nav Canada is that you can't force them to change their routes, no matter what negative impact their highways in the skies are having on the ground.
Mayor Judy Forester came out swinging against Metro Vancouver's plans to ship Lower Mainland garbage through White Rock on the historically dangerous BNSF Railway line, stating there was already too much train traffic endangering the safety of people coming to visit the beach. SUN inquired with White Rock City Hall if the Mayor would endorse the concept of BNSF relocation due to the threat of a landslide caused derailment along the unstable Ocean Park bluffs but we are still waiting a response to our question.
B.C.'s Environment Minister Barry Penner revealed that Metro Vancouver had applied for a permit to export 600,000 tonnes of garbage via rail for processing in the U.S. No decision has been made on this application to date but SUN is lobbying the B.C. government to find a way to deal with our own waste rather than shipping it to our neighbours to the south, which will likely mean trash trains destined for the shores of Crescent Rock Beach.
After one of the coldest Aprils on record, that included many frosty mornings and snow flurries at Crescent Rock Beach, it is hoped that warmer weather will soon arrive. SUN is looking forward to seeing naturists from across the Fraser Valley once again flocking to the shores of Crescent Rock Beach to use this secluded waterfront as a naturist playground. We ask people to review the Directions, Safety and Conduct sections of the website to familiarize themselves with this area and proper etiquette when visiting Surrey's nude-friendly shoreline. SUN looks forward to seeing you this sun bathing season enjoying yourself as naturally as can be down at Crescent Rock Beach.