Kelvin Grove Officially Off Limits

[nadwidny]

Sounds like a plan to me... lets go late at night, do a couple dives, give our tank dust caps a GOOD blow dry and then high tail it outta there.

Or perhaps we can try and appeal the bylaw if we promise to play nice and not pee in their parking lot. Anybody know the proper way to fight "the man" on stuff like this?

Well the worst way is to further piss off the locals. That just reinforces to them that they made the right decision.

The best way is to have a provincial body to speak for divers, like the OUC or the AUC. Here in Alberta the feds have tried a couple of times over the years to shut down or restrict diving at Lake Minnewanka in Banff, however intervention and lobbying from the Alberta Underwater Council has aided in such drastic measures not being taken. Bureaucrats like dealing with bureaucrats. They don't like to dirty their hands by dealing with the teeming masses.

Unfortunately last time I checked the BCUC was not operating anymore. So the next best way to fight the man is to organize a semi-formal group and meet with the town council on a civil basis, find out their concerns and see if something can be worked out.

Or graft...a little palm grease goes a long way to placating small town politicians.

 

[BradnerBoy]

Well the worst way is to further piss off the locals. That just reinforces to them that they made the right decision.

The best way is to have a provincial body to speak for divers, like the OUC or the AUC. Here in Alberta the feds have tried a couple of times over the years to shut down or restrict diving at Lake Minnewanka in Banff, however intervention and lobbying from the Alberta Underwater Council has aided in such drastic measures not being taken. Bureaucrats like dealing with bureaucrats. They don't like to dirty their hands by dealing with the teeming masses.

Unfortunately last time I checked the BCUC was not operating anymore. So the next best way to fight the man is to organize a semi-formal group and meet with the town council on a civil basis, find out their concerns and see if something can be worked out.

Or graft...a little palm grease goes a long way to placating small town politicians.

I think it's safe to say, if the citizens and council of Lions Bay had wanted our opinion, they would have asked. They didn't. It's a done deal. No amount of divers showing up to chat with council will change their minds.

If you were on Lions Bay Council, who would you side with; a bunch of divers acting out of self interest or the owners of ridiculously high property tax yielding homes acting out of self interest?

Yeah, me too.

 

[StuartT]

I guess the next thing needed for your boat is a boom box for surface intervals at kelvin grove.

 

[BradnerBoy]

I guess the next thing needed for your boat is a boom box for surface intervals at kelvin grove.

And have you hang a wizz off the stern :shocked2:

 

[StuartT]

And have you hang a wizz off the stern :shocked2:

Thats your specialty

 

[StuartT]

And have you hang a wizz off the stern :shocked2:

So looks like our next boat dive will have to be Boyer then Kelvin

 

[MarkH]

It doesn't make much sense to me. The access trail to the water is protected by the Land Title Act so no one can restrict the public from accessing the water at that point. The city council can restrict parking and activities on the land through bylaws, but unless they have a water lease, you can do whatever you want below the high tide line. Most of the diving I do takes place below the high tide line so "prohibiting diving" seems like it's out of their jurisdiction. Maybe they could have worded it better and banned: "assembling dive gear on city property for the purpose of diving locally".

 

[TheScubaBOB]

I'm not a local and will probably never be anywhere near this site but I do have a couple of observations:

Do non-resident divers generate any revenue for the local businesses/government? This can be via parking permits or beach access fees.

What issue are they trying to solve with this law?

These two pieces of information can be very beneficial when taking a civilized approach to this new ordinance.

If the locals believe that you guys are coming in and messing-up their beach with no benefit to the local economy then you can address these concerns.

If you choose to dive of boats instead then I would suggest that you not taunt the locals. What would you gain from it?

 

[CapitanBlack]

It doesn't make much sense to me. The access trail to the water is protected by the Land Title Act so no one can restrict the public from accessing the water at that point. The city council can restrict parking and activities on the land through bylaws, but unless they have a water lease, you can do whatever you want below the high tide line. Most of the diving I do takes place below the high tide line so "prohibiting diving" seems like it's out of their jurisdiction. Maybe they could have worded it better and banned: "assembling dive gear on city property for the purpose of diving locally".

+1 Totally agree to Mark.

I thought only in Russia and exUSSR countries, rich people prohibit access to the local lakes and shoreline near their homes, but looks like Canada is going same direction... This is just ridiculous - divers do not create any mess over there. I guess everyone would to pay for parking, if they would install a simple tickets vending machine...

Thanks Lord, parks aren't in private property here and they cannot prohibit you from parking somewhere outside, wear your gear and walk to the shore. Or assembling your gear, while you're below high tide mark.

 

[BradnerBoy]

Thanks Lord, parks aren't in private property here and they cannot prohibit you from parking somewhere outside, wear your gear and walk to the shore. Or assembling your gear, while you're below high tide mark.

Actually, if you read the new by-laws they published, they think they can. Question is; are their bylaws enforceable in law or only by their own by-law officers? They think they can call the cops and have you removed.

I'm certain a diver and a resident are DYING to test the legality of it by being the first to have to chat with the responding RCMP constable or perhaps with the judge.

Marty, you're not too busy, are you?