18 replies to this topic

[snaptee]

Recently, residents of Langford Lake were given brochures about a proposed rowing program on the lake. SMU wants to build a facility at the west end (in what is currently a park) and basically split the lake right up the gut with rowing lanes. Langford seems to like the idea which prompts me to wonder which friends and family of mayor and council attend SMU.

Users of Elk lake know full well the conflicts that arise from having rowers on that lake. Langford Lake is 1/4 the size of Elk and the proposed lanes splitting the lake in half and running right through high use areas means there will be even more conflicts, collisions and possibly drownings.

What I don't get is why SMU would even want to do this. Can they not partner with all the other rowing clubs in town and avoid the capital costs of building the facilities? Are they aware that as far as lakes in the CRD go, Langford is about as far away from the school as you can get? They know they'll be stuck in rush hour traffic every time they go to train after school right? If they want to put their shiny buses to good use, why not revive the program at Royal Roads and Esquimalt Lagoon. If they are bent on blowing a bunch of money, build a facility in Brentwood Bay. Brentwood College pumps out plenty of Olympians from the other side.

Here is a copy of the brochure.

[Langford Rat]

...thanks for this info. I was on the Island Outfitters site a couple of days ago and they had a splash on their front page about this crazy bad idea. I searched around on the inter webs briefly for some corroboration but couldn't find anything...so it's not just a bad joke?....sigh.....

[SamCB]

Do rowing lanes have a physical barrier? Or just some buoys in a line?
I am not a frequent user of this lake but I don't see the conflict. Can you guys spell it out more clearly?

[VicHockeyFan]

Yes, spell out the conflict more clearly. Is is any different than if me and 40 friends decided to use our rubber dinghys every day from 3:30pm to 6pm at Beaver Lake, and race?

I understand the permanent structure(s) are different, but is the lake use different?

I guess what I'm trying to say is, yes, it'll make the lake much busier, but the lake is for everyone. Organized group or not.

Do Belmont, Spencer, Stubbs etc. get guaranteed access to the lanes if and when they get their programs up and running, as the brochure suggests?

[snaptee]

Rowing lanes are marked with buoys.

The main issues are the rowers colliding with other users and the wake the coach skiffs generate. Several times a year on Elk Lake, there are collisions between rowers and other users and many more near misses. These aren't collisions between two boats that are underway, these are incidents where an 8 man skull piles into an anchored punt.

Langford Lake has an electric motor only restriction to keep riparian erosion in check and for safety. Rowing skulls move through the water quickly - the men's 8 were moving at over 20 km/h a couple weeks ago. For some perspective, a good speed for wake boarding is 30 km/h. If you ever watch the coaches in their skiffs pacing these boats you'll notice they create a huge wake as they are not going fast enough to get up on step but are going just fast enough to push a lot of water.

With all the problems between rowers on Elk Lake between and other users, it's just a recipe for disaster when you take the same situation and put it on a water body 1/4 the size.

[Langford Rat]

...If you and your 40 friends can manage to get you rubber dinghies up to 25 kph, facing in the opposite direction you are travelling (often without a cox or a spotter boat) and expect that all the swimmers, canoeists, and fisherman need to get the hell out of your way (because you can't easily turn or stop)...then you bet that's a concern for me. Just to make it a little more realistic, don't forget to attach a long sharp prow to the front of your inflatable. The lake isn't nearly big enough and is already under pretty heavy recreational use. There have been several accidents between boaters and rowers on Elk Lake over the years and countless "close calls". I know about three of those close calls first hand. It's not a NIMBY thing.....it's just a bad idea.

[Mike K.]

Unlike Elk Lake, isn't Langford Lake lined with houses?

My girlfriend's house borders the Gorge Waterway across from Gorge Rowing and I've gotta tell ya, the noise the rowers make when training can get disruptive at times.

[snaptee]

Unlike Elk Lake, isn't Langford Lake lined with houses?

My girlfriend's house borders the Gorge Waterway across from Gorge Rowing and I've gotta tell ya, the noise the rowers make when training can get disruptive at times.

Yes it is and coxswains are loud and so are the coaches. Unlike Elk Lake which allows gas powered motors and is right beside a highway, Langford Lake is a quiet and peaceful lake and allowing rowing would seriously disrupt that.

As of now, Langford has no plans to hold any public meetings regarding this and there is no information on their website. For now comments can be made to Langford Parks Manager Mike Leskiw.

[VicHockeyFan]

Failed to pass at council.

http://www.timescolo...6441/story.html

[Mike K.]

Not a surprise.

[mysage]

No but I pleasant outcome non the less. Langford Lake is much to small for something like that

[Langford Rat]

Yes, it could have been another stewpid mistake...I wonder why they only polled the people who live on the lake. What if the lakeside residents thought it was a good idea? Are those the only opinions that matter in Langford?

[Bingo]

Lake is much to small for something like that

Right! With a total length of only 1500 metres it is too short to have a 2000 metre Olympic rowing course.

[Mike K.]

I was a little taken aback to see that the pamphlet showed the City of Langford logo and made the proposal seem all that much more community-focused than it actually was. Sort of cheeky how Langford went about promoting a for-profit rowing centre proposed by a private school despite the loose wording on public school students (presumably) benefiting from the facility.

And notice the contact info:
123 Langford Lake
250.555.5555

Say what...?

[VicHockeyFan]

I was a little taken aback to see that the pamphlet showed the City of Langford logo and made the proposal seem all that much more community-focused than it actually was. Sort of cheeky how Langford went about promoting a for-profit rowing centre proposed by a private school despite the loose wording on public school students (presumably) benefiting from the facility.

And notice the contact info:
123 Langford Lake
250.555.5555

Say what...?

I think that image is the rough draft, or early proof of the brochure, it also says "Contact Info Here" like it is awaiting the information.

[Mike K.]

Ah, ok. For some reason I thought that was a scan of the actual pamphlet.

[VicGardener]

As one of these brochures was hand-delivered to my door, I can confirm that the wording on the final product is exactly as shown above, less the words "contact info here". Two of the images have traded places, that's it.

[tedward]

Sort of cheeky how Langford went about promoting a for-profit rowing centre...

You say "cheeky" I say "business as usual".

[Mike K.]

As one of these brochures was hand-delivered to my door, I can confirm that the wording on the final product is exactly as shown above, less the words "contact info here". Two of the images have traded places, that's it.

So you never called 250-555-5555 for more info or dropped by the info booth at 123 Langford Lake?

Welcome to VV, btw.

You say "cheeky" I say "business as usual".

Yikes, that sounds about right.