Rowing Facility / Langford Lake

S

Silver Streak

Member
The City of Langford is taking comments on a proposed Community Rowing Facility on Langford Lake to be built and paid for by
St. Michaels University School. I am opposed to this given the past, and ongoing, problems experienced at the Elk Lake Rowing
Facility of the Victoria Rowing Society. The Elk Lake facility was recently expanded with hundreds of thousands of taxpayers
dollars. There is no reason St. Michaels cannot use the Elk Lake rowing centre. I also feel that it is inappropriate to call the
proposed Langford Lake rowing centre a "Community" facility when it is being built, paid for and controlled by a private business.

Please make the City of Langford aware of your concerns. It should also be required that a public meeting be held to address
this proposal. To my knowledge, none is planned as of now. Send your comments to:

Mike Leskiw, Parks Manager, City of Langford, 2nd floor, 877 Goldstream Avenue, Victoria, B.C., V9B 2X8
Phone: 250-391-3162 or e-mail to mleskiw@cityoflangford.ca
 
There must be something in it for Langford or they wouldn't consider it. Like $$$$. With Elk lake, Shawnigan and the Gorge waterway, surely that should supply the demand.
 
why not use the facility that was a royal roads university,langford lake is too small and used by too many people
 
are you kidding!! this lake is already to populated with developement, just look at the hillside, maybe they should go to glen lake so the mayor could watch from his front yard
 
I have just been sent a copy of Langford's budget for 2012 and it shows a rowing centre budget of $650,000 with $350,000 donated
(presume this to be St. Michael's University School) and further $300,000 coming out of Langford's Reserve Funds (general amenities).
This despite the promotional material issued by SMUS/Langford which notes that SMUS will build the facility, thus implying that there
would be no cost to the Municipality. And all this prior to comment (and approval?) by residents, the public and the lake users.
 
rowing

I don't support this deal between St. Michael's and Langford. The Gazette today reports today that the entire project is paid by the school and Langford will provide community use through the Amenity Reserve Fund. The reason St. Michael's can't use Royal Roads is that the centre was shut down last year because the boat house was being converted to an first nations centre. I have experience on both sides of this issue as a high school rowing coach (Belmont) for 7 years and also a fisherman at Langford Lake.

I have a few main issues with plan. I have a problem with a school in Victoria being able to buy access to the biggest and most popular lake in Langford while restricting access to the taxpayers of Langford. Is there going to be a public hearing? Can Belmont kids use the lake for rowing or do they need to rent the facilities off St. Michael's? The lake is also not large enough for rowing and all the fisherman that use the lake (The Gorge doesn't have fisherman).
It also seems our parkland is for sale at the right price.
 
Community use? What does that mean exactly? "hey honey, let's take the kids down to the lake and do some 4 man skulls?" I doubt that. Again, is there not enough room at Elk lake, Shawnigan, or Gorge for SMU to row?

I hate sneaky stuff, and this seems sneaky by Langford and SMU.
 
If this goes thru they will push us out.At Elk lake the rowing club (along with the CRD) attempted to get control of the lake bed,if they accomplish this they will control the lake,who uses it when it is used and by who_One lane will not be enough and once the lanes are installed they are there.
There will be no community use,it will eventually become SMU's exclusive rowing facility
 
I don't know if anyone realizes it or not but Langford Lake is s restricted to Electric motors. Since chase boats are necessary to prevent hypothermia and drowning in the event of someone accidentally entering the water, gas engines will be required. Electric engines will not be fast enough. Gas motors will change the lake entirely.
 
Langford lake is so small, it is pretty far from SMUS. I fish at langford, because of the rowers at elk lake, and the motor boats at prospect. Langford is one of largest electric only lakes on the south island, I feel it would be a loss to allow rowers, and gas motors on langford. JMO

kunni
 
The Amalgamated Conservation Society has drafted a two page letter in opposition to this rowing facility proposal.
Once it has been reviewed and approved by the 10 member associations, it will be forwarded to Langford Parks Dept.
later this week. Additional distribution forthcoming.
 
Goldstream Gazette just published a news article on this today - http://www.goldstreamgazette.com/news/166777546.html

I too am completely against this and fired off a letter to Mike Leskiw (mleskiw@cityoflangford.ca) with the hopes that it will be read and acknowledged.

I can't tell you how "ticked" I'm going to be when Father's Day comes around and my kids want to take me fishing and I have to say "Sorry kids - St. Michael's is rowing on the lake this weekend, so we'll have to do something else".

I sure hope the people that own property in the vicinity of the lake are outraged. The noise level(s) are going to be significant if this is allowed to happen.

I still don't understand why they can't look at building this "new" facility at Royal Roads? This new "native center" can be on one side, with this facility on the other.
 
Just received a letter from the city of Langford (Susan Lai) indicating that SMU was instructed to consult with residents, and 2 out of 3 were opposed to the project. It will not go ahead.

Good to see democracy at work!

CP
 
Koodos to Langford.

I received a response e-mail within an hour on Friday acknowledging the e-mail that I had sent opposing this.
I then received the e-mail today noting what Cut Plug has stated.

Tips
 
I too received the letter from Langford Parks and Recreation dated August 21. Thanks to all who phoned, e-mailed and wrote letters.
I suspect the barrage from lake users had as much effect as did the apparent lack of enthusiasm by the residents of Langford Lake.
Hope this proposal is dead for all time.
 
2012/08/21
Dear Resident:
RE: PROPOSED ROWING FACILITY ON LANGFORD LAKE - UPDATE
Council instructed the applicant (St. Michael’s University) to consult with residents on Langford Lake regarding the proposed rowing facility. This consultation process revealed that 2 out of every 3 residents were not in favor of the proposal. Therefore, the City will not proceed with the proposed rowing facility on Langford Lake.
Thank you for participating in this democratic process.
Parks and Recreation Department

Thanks go to Silver Streak for a lot of work on this.
 
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