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Outdoor party a hazard: Resident Beaver Creek man gathering support to oppose Five Acre Shaker festival KRISTI DOBSON ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES
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Beaver Creek resident is calling an outdoor rural festival the “Five Acre Money Maker.” Loren Smith put up with the loud three-day festival neighbouring his Mercy Road home last year and does not want to see a potentially dangerous situation reappear on a residential property. Organizers, however, say they have it under control. The Five Acre Shaker was launched last year as a fundraiser for the Zattzoo Project, in memory of Zakk Cross. Although not opposed to the concept of raising money for charity, Smith said he has a number of concerns, including the safety of party-goers and neighbours. Last year’s inaugural event attracted 500 people as a BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze) party on Lance Goddard’s acreage on Beaver Creek Road. With a vision of making it a lasting community event, Goddard expects to see double attendance at this year’s event, scheduled for Aug. 14–16. Included will be a beer garden, dance floor, stage, food truck, porta potties, EMT vehicles and campers. Smith’s main concern is the risk of fire. “We are in a record breaking month for lack of rainfall with predictions of the driest summer on record,” Smith said. “I live on a dead end road, so if a fire breaks out, I have no way of getting out,” Smith said.
“We are in a record breaking month for lack of rainfall with predictions of the driest summer on record.” Loren Smith, Beaver Creek resident
Goddard said he has a fire risk management plan in place approved by the Beaver Creek Fire Department. “It will be hayed a week before,” he said. “I will be mowing the lawn to keep it low and watering it. There will be zero tolerance for smoking outside the two designated smoking areas. If anyone is caught, they will be escorted off site.” He also said there will be no open campfires nor flames of any sort. Smith also feels the property is too small to hold such an event and believes an alternative venue should have been secured. He said it was his understanding that it would be a one-time event. “I never stated it was a onetime event,” Goddard said. “But this time I can say 100 per cent that it will be the last time on my property.” Goddard said he has written approval from all governing bodies, including the RCMP, Island Health, the Beaver Creek Volunteer Fire Department and the Ministry of Transportation and Intrastructure. He said the Bea-
Beaver Creek resident Loren Smith does not feel the location of the Five Acre Shaker festival is suitable for the number of attendees. [KRISTI DOBSON, TIMES]
ver Creek Fire Department will have volunteers on site around the clock with first aid and there will be a professional security company that can handle the number of people. Goddard was offered the use of the Fall Fair grounds to hold the event, but said it would be a detriment to the festival’s atmosphere. “It would be a big dust pit,” Goddard said. “Because this is a music festival, it doesn’t suit what we are looking for. It is also more of a residential area than my property.” He said he has done his homework and has enough room to host the event on his property
for one more year before looking into a bigger space. “We have a vision for the future of keeping it as a festival in the fields with grass and don’t want to taint that vision by having it on the Fall Fair grounds,” Goddard said. Smith is also concerned about the noise factor. “If you have ever laid in bed and listened to a wailing siren, you can attest to the fact that you can hear it for miles,” he said. Although Goddard said he has a lot of support from residents, including written consent from neighbours within 200 feet of the property, Smith intends to continue to canvass the area.
“I started in my neighborhood and within an hour had 25 signatures opposing it,” Smith said. The issue is currently being reviewed by the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District and feedback is being accepted until the board meeting on June 24. “It is a board decision but if the public feels it will either negatively or positively affect their property, they are invited to email their concerns or support,” said Beaver Creek director John McNabb. “I will personally be walking around my neighbourhood to raise awareness and get opinions and will record them.” Kristi.Dobson@avtimes.net
MUNICIPALITY
Council looks to plant food in city MARTIN WISSMATH ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES
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In the interests of improving food security for Port Alberni, the local parks and recreation department is looking at planting produce in garden plots throughout the city. Fresh vegetables could be harvested from the city’s land and donated to local food banks such as the Salvation Army and Bread of Life, said Coun. Chris Alemany. Alemany brought the idea forward to city council last month, which voted in favour of the idea. “It came up just in discussion with the mayor about different things that the Food Security Committee and council could do for building up a little food resilience in the community,”
“It came up just in discussion . . . about different things that the Food Security Committee and council could do for building up a little food resilience in the community.”
so that it woudn’t cost in terms of (work) time,” he said. Alberni Valley residents have looked at other possible ways of improving local food security with the city’s help. One of Port Alberni’s oldest agricultural lands at the top of Burde Street, the Redford Farm, is on the market. With nearly 100 fruit trees and berry bushes, the orchard could provide opportunities for community participation, according to local organic farmer Heather Shobe.
Chris Alemany, city councillor ALEMANY
said Alemany. “We have lots of plots around town that the city maintains.” Other communities such as Nanaimo and Victoria have also interspersed edible greenery on city property, he noted.
Portland, Ore., has also implemented a similar program. Alemany hopes that associated labour costs would be kept to a minimum by the parks department. “Hopefully they can integrate it
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