After over 8 months since the Hump Clear Cut for Votes began, and still nothing has been done to restore the hump. The promised beautification project has left an ugly neglected sterile open wound in its wake, with fresh new mini-landslides frequently noted after each large rainfall. With no vegetation, this slope will be unstable and is a blight on a once beautiful sea-side promenade.
Eight Months after the Hump Clear Cut and nothing has changed but the excuses.
The reasons that the city gave for the hump clear-cut are laughable fiction. They claimed it was to stabilize the hump, but Transport Canada told White Rock’s Mayor in 2007 that trees are NEEDED for slope stability (I have a copy of the report). So that excuse is a lie and contradicts what the expert at Transport Canada said.
Then we are told that the trees had to be removed to inspect the retaining walls. Since when do we need to clear-cut trees located 1/4 mile away from retaining walls to inspect them? As can be clearly seen in this picture, the retaining walls are solid and did not need this clear-cut to inspect them. Another failed attempt by City Council to justify their actions.
So then, we are told that the trees were rotten and too small to help stabilize the slope. Another lie. I took pictures of these stumps, and the trees were very healthy, many were 50-70 years old, and most were over a foot in diameter (many were three feet in diameter). The City’s own bylaws state that trees over one foot in diameter are protected, and another bylaw specifically states that the trees on the hump are to be PRESERVED.
It appears that the Mayor Baldwin and the Condo-Coalition made elections promises to those living on the hump that the hump would be clear-cut. That is according to those on Facebook who thanked City Council for being politicians who actually delivered on what they “promised” during the election. Strange how this never appeared as a promise on their election brochures, which instead said that they would preserve White Rock’s unique charm and character. I never thought of White Rock’s “charm” being a cleared cut hump devoid of trees or more High-rise Towers in single family neighbourhoods. More spin and lies.
Experts agree that a healthy city requires a tree canopy of 40%. By one estimate, White Rock’s tree Canopy is now only 2% and falling. Two Mature trees create enough Oxygen for a family of four, 2 square meters of pavement create none.
Moral of the story: Don’t listen to political spin by politicians who are motivated by greedy developers and who will say anything to get your vote and their campaign contributions, look instead to a candidate’s track record.
Sadly, while Mayor Baldwin used to talk about moving the tracks, all his actions do is move his own track record deeper into the mud, along with much of the soil washed down from the now barren hump.
When it comes to the Hump Clear Cut, Mayor Baldwin’s and Councillor’s Meyer’s track record appears to be one of lies and spin and false promises, at least that’s my opinion. What’s yours?
Enough with the insults and unsupported claims, please present your 5-page “Legal Opinion” for all to see if it exists. How can anyone believe you when you have yet to present any supporting evidence to any of your claims, and even your own witnesses contradict you? Don’t be that Bully who lies to the principal, be the Mayor we all know you can be. White Rock deserves that.
White Rock is now being used by communities such as Gibson’s as a shining example of how development should NOT be done by a City! Our little City by the Sea is becoming famous as an example of a beautiful sea side down being destroyed by greedy developers and the City Council that they helped get elected. Communities throughout the BC Coast as far away as Norway and Australia have commented on how our problems mirror their own.
The issue of excessive development, affordable s
scott4whiterock 