2241 replies to this topic

[Cassidy]

My reference to ferries was mostly in jest, but it was made in the spirit of the ferries from Manhattan to Staten Island ... frequent, convenient, safe, and making enough trips back and forth in a given 24 hour period to handle the load.

Think P.E.I. before the Confederation Bridge type of thing.

 

Swartz Bay to Cowichan Bay would be vehicle ferries, but the concept remains the same. Probably four super-ferries running constantly (and at the same time) to handle the traffic flow. The plus is that these would be inland ferries, with open decks and quick load and unload (similar to Washington State ferries around Seattle).

 

The Mill Bay ferry would be somewhat redundant in the above scenario, but we'd be free to keep it for the sentimental value.

 

Actually the more I think about it, the more I like the ferry idea ... but then again - the Malahat in a couple of years is going to be pretty painless, maybe even convenient.

Edited by Cassidy, 22 July 2017 - 05:29 PM.

[VicHockeyFan]

We need more direct flights from YYJ to Nanaimo and Comox. And Qualicum Beach.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 22 July 2017 - 07:54 PM.

[exc911ence]

Since the E&N will never be resurrected, why not widen and pave the train line and make it an alternate route? Or make it northbound only and convert the current Malahat "highway" to southbound only?

 

I know that Victorians despise "out of the box" thinking but it's inevitable that half of Canada is going to retire out here so we need to be ready for the 1-2 million new vehicles a year on our future roads. <- Written tongue-in-cheek but it might very well happen!

[rjag]

https://drivetribe.c..._source=organic Interesting article by Jeremy Clarkson on his fear of average speed cameras

[G-Man]

I think another option is to fix the burnt bridge past Shawnigan lake and pave that to the new paved road between Port Renfrew and Cowichan then later on have a road off that to the south that could go to the West of the watershed to near Jordan River.

[Cassidy]

If one were to consider a new road to supplement the Malahat, the roads we might consider are all actually already there ... we just can't use them due to the 7 or 8 gates in the way, with one gate at Otter Point Road, and another gate at Shawnigan Lake ... most folks can't get anywhere near this route.

 

Starting in Sooke Village, you go up Otter Point Road (flat) to the Boneyard Main. Then up Boneyard Main to Leechtown (essentially flat). Then from Leechtown to the East side of Sooke Lake on the existing Sooke Lake Road (flat), then from Sooke Lake Road to Shawnigan Lake Road.

 

The Galloping Goose train basically did this route (but on the East side of Sooke River), and took folks up to Sooke Lake to their summer cabins, or to spend the day swimming. Folks could access Leechtown and Sooke Lake from either the Goose, the Boneyard or from the North at Sooke Lake Road in Shawnigan Lake.

 

Shawnigan Lake Road then dumps you out at Mill Bay.

 

This route, if cleaned up and paved, is a essentially flat, safe, and uses existing roads as a way to get from the Westside to Mill Bay - while going nowhere near the Malahat.

[Coreyburger]

If one were to consider a new road to supplement the Malahat, the roads we might consider are all actually already there ... we just can't use them due to the 7 or 8 gates in the way, with one gate at Otter Point Road, and another gate at Shawnigan Lake ... most folks can't get anywhere near this route.

Starting in Sooke Village, you go up Otter Point Road (flat) to the Boneyard Main. Then up Boneyard Main to Leechtown (essentially flat). Then from Leechtown to the East side of Sooke Lake on the existing Sooke Lake Road (flat), then from Sooke Lake Road to Shawnigan Lake Road.

The Galloping Goose train basically did this route (but on the East side of Sooke River), and took folks up to Sooke Lake to their summer cabins, or to spend the day swimming. Folks could access Leechtown and Sooke Lake from either the Goose, the Boneyard or from the North at Sooke Lake Road in Shawnigan Lake.

Shawnigan Lake Road then dumps you out at Mill Bay.

This route, if cleaned up and paved, is a essentially flat, safe, and uses existing roads as a way to get from the Westside to Mill Bay - while going nowhere near the Malahat.

The route would run directly alongside Sooke Lake Reservoir, which is never happening. Half the old rail bed is in the water or near to & the runoff from the highway would be brutal to try and get out of water. The CRD won't even let the Goose continue through this section (which I think is a shame)

[Cassidy]

This concept that people can't go anywhere near reservoirs seems a bit unique to British Columbia, if not Canada.

It's not common around the world.

 

In places like New York State, their reservoirs are located in heavily populated areas, some even in the middle of residential areas. The Kennedy Reservoir in the middle of Central Park was used right up until 1993 for Manhattans drinking water.

 

Manhattans current "big" reservoir has half a dozen roadways crossing over it, and a major Interstate Highway running alongside part of it.

Manhattans second largest reservoir stocks their reservoir with fish, allows fishermen and boaters to access the lake, and generally encourages use of the reservoir for recreation.

Manhattans largest actual source reservoir up in the Catskills also allows fishing, and the shores are open to access for hiking. A roadway surrounds it.

 

I'm not sure where this CRD concept came from, the one where people can't get anywhere near the reservoir lands, and access is closed completely to residents, including all road access.

[rjag]

https://onthewater.c...ndon-Reservoirs

https://www.bewlwater.co.uk/

Lots of reservoirs in the States that allow boating and fishing etc.

[HB]

If one were to consider a new road to supplement the Malahat, the roads we might consider are all actually already there ... we just can't use them due to the 7 or 8 gates in the way, with one gate at Otter Point Road, and another gate at Shawnigan Lake ... most folks can't get anywhere near this route.

 

Starting in Sooke Village, you go up Otter Point Road (flat) to the Boneyard Main. Then up Boneyard Main to Leechtown (essentially flat). Then from Leechtown to the East side of Sooke Lake on the existing Sooke Lake Road (flat), then from Sooke Lake Road to Shawnigan Lake Road.

 

The Galloping Goose train basically did this route (but on the East side of Sooke River), and took folks up to Sooke Lake to their summer cabins, or to spend the day swimming. Folks could access Leechtown and Sooke Lake from either the Goose, the Boneyard or from the North at Sooke Lake Road in Shawnigan Lake.

 

Shawnigan Lake Road then dumps you out at Mill Bay.

 

This route, if cleaned up and paved, is a essentially flat, safe, and uses existing roads as a way to get from the Westside to Mill Bay - while going nowhere near the Malahat.

Would not work not now not ever.

[Cassidy]

Would not work not now not ever.

Thanks for the contribution.

Edited by Cassidy, 23 July 2017 - 09:20 PM.

[HB]

It's mostly on private property and active logging areas all owned by timberwest and the reader including leechtown and north is CRD watershed lands you idea would cost Billions

[Coreyburger]

This concept that people can't go anywhere near reservoirs seems a bit unique to British Columbia, if not Canada.

It's not common around the world.

 

The CRD is very proud of the fact that they are apparently one of two water systems in North America that have full control over their entire watershed. I really don't see CRD staff changing their mind on this anytime soon and doubt politicians will force the issue (especially for a highway).

[Cassidy]

The CRD likes to overstate their control of the watershed lands, although they do work very hard to legislate everybody they can from gaining access.

 

But on any given day there can be dozens of placer miners working any one of the 100's of claims in the Leech watershed. Recent changes have resulted in the Leech area being amended to a "no-staking" zone for new claims, but the hundreds of existing placer claims are legal, active, and worked regularly.

There are also large hard-rock claims in the Leech watershed, some being prospected full time.

 

There is also access for First Nations members to gather Salal, fish, and generally wander about as they have for the last 1000+ years.

 

These folks do have to work with the CRD to get their access key, so I guess that maintains a semblance of CRD control ... although the CRD can't legally deny the access (even along Sooke Lake if need be), and must provide keys to those folks who require said access to the watershed.

 

(The above applies to Tiimberwest as well).

 

Indeed, the Sooke to Shawnigan road system would make an excellent by-pass route to the Malahat (although this line of thinking is for pondering only, as I agree the likelihood of it ever happening is slim to none).

Edited by Cassidy, 24 July 2017 - 07:03 AM.

[lanforod]

^ reading that post, i thought i time traveled back 100 years. Placer mining in 2017? Really? For what, gold?

[Nparker]

^ reading that post, i thought i time traveled back 100 years. Placer mining in 2017? Really? For what, gold?

I believe so. I used to work with someone who panned for gold in this area...and it wasn't 100 years ago.

Edited by Nparker, 24 July 2017 - 07:52 AM.

[Cassidy]

lanforod, placer miners are pulling gold and nuggets out of the Sooke Hills on a regular basis - right now in 2017!

 

Some of the claims are legacy claims, which means they've been continuously active for way over 100 years, since the original Leechtown gold rush in 1864

 

Nothing like the lovely "plink" of a gold nugget in your pan!

 

Lots of placer miners are highbanking the Leech area - Martins Gulch, Cragg Creek, Old Wolf Lake, and with some of the biggest and most productive claims right at Leechtown - site of the original gold rush, and the end of the line for the Galloping Goose train.

 

https://en.wikipedia...ritish_Columbia

Edited by Cassidy, 24 July 2017 - 08:01 AM.

[Coreyburger]

The CRD likes to overstate their control of the watershed lands, although they do work very hard to legislate everybody they can from gaining access.

 

But on any given day there can be dozens of placer miners working any one of the 100's of claims in the Leech watershed. Recent changes have resulted in the Leech area being amended to a "no-staking" zone for new claims, but the hundreds of existing placer claims are legal, active, and worked regularly.

There are also large hard-rock claims in the Leech watershed, some being prospected full time.

 

Leech is not part of the active water supply right now. Sooke Lake Reservoir is. And there is a pretty key difference between a few hundred people driving to many difference places vs the concentrated pollution of a highway in regular operation, let alone what something like a drunk Columbia Fuels driver can do (http://www.timescolo...-river-1.694559). That kind of spill would probably prevent us from drawing water from Sooke Lake for a long time.

[Mike K.]

Yeah, I have to agree with Corey here. Other jurisdictions have water supplies that are – or in the event of an emergency can be – interconnected. On the south Island we rely on what we have. There's literally no infrastructure to connect our water supply with that of Duncan, let alone Nanaimo or points north. So one screw up and we're in trouble.

[thundergun]

https://drivetribe.c..._source=organic Interesting article by Jeremy Clarkson on his fear of average speed cameras

To me, he's just a guy complaining about speed limits.

 

I think that average speed cameras are a good idea, but also think that you want to build in a bit of a cushion for speed. We want to catch the high speed drivers not the ones that may be going under 10 km's/hr over.