It’s simply absurd.
That’s how an irate Mike Owen with the Ladner Sediment Group describes the worsening situation of silt steadily building up in the secondary channels of the lower Fraser River, highlighted by recent photos and videos by riverfront property owners showing boats and float homes sitting on mud.
Owen was provided a video shot last weekend by waterfront resident Karen Bond showing Graham Harkley literally walking from to a sandbar at the end of Ladner Harbour Park during low tide, showing how shallow the channel has become. The pair said people keep getting grounded, even with smaller crafts.
Owen, who spoke to an overflow crowd at a town hall meeting on the issue in July, told the Optimist he’s hopeful Mayor George Harvie will get someone to finally listen when the mayor returns with a delegation to Ottawa in September.
Owen said the situation has become more dire but the federal government refuses to acknowledge a problem, let along take responsibility.
“This is so absurd and there’s so many layers of bureaucracy getting foisted on the people on the lower Fraser River,” said Owen.
In addition to government and the port willing to undertake necessary dredging, as well as an ongoing maintenance program afforded to the east coast, costly and unreasonable conditions for property owners to conduct any dredging, including ocean disposal fees, make it all the worse, he said.
Owen also noted it should not be viewed as a Ladner or Delta problem, as material up the river is being deposited into the lower Fraser, but those living in the area and businesses are stuck with the consequences.
Watch the video below:
