An initiative by the Shawnigan Residents Association, CVRD, RCMP, and community partners has resulted in a set of suggested rules for users of the Shawnigan Lake.
SRA president Calvin Cook explained that with the plethora of different user groups on the lake, it seemed fitting to devise a plan to keep everyone happy as much as possible.
From sunbathers on the beach and private docks, to swimmers and paddleboarders, water skiers and jet skiers, thereB次元官网网址檚 plenty of activity on the lake and that quite often means people jockeying for prime positions.
B次元官网网址淲hat weB次元官网网址檙e trying to do is find some common ground,B次元官网网址� Cook explained. B次元官网网址淚ts just a way that we could maybe address some of the concerns in a respectful way without coming down with hard and fast rules.B次元官网网址�
He noted a lot of times transient boaters use the lake and they may not be aware of the rules.
For example, one thing Cook noted is that specially designed boats designed to create large wakes, whether it be for wake-boarding or surfing often frequent the lake.
B次元官网网址淲hat weB次元官网网址檝e asked is those boats conduct those activities in the centre of the lake so it allows the wake to dissipate before hitting the shoreline causing shoreline damage or before hitting homeownersB次元官网网址� docks causing further damage there,B次元官网网址� he said.
In other jurisdictions if the issues havenB次元官网网址檛 been ironed out, people have gotten really upset B次元官网网址渁nd then those activities end up being banned or it ends up with conflicts on the lakes,B次元官网网址� Cook said.
B次元官网网址淥bviously there is no ideal solution for any party but this was a bit of a compromise and what it really involved was everybody in the community B次元官网网址� the different user groups coming together and saying well, what is a compromise, what can we live with and thatB次元官网网址檚 what the map represents. ItB次元官网网址檚 nothing hard and fast but itB次元官网网址檚 just an awareness that if youB次元官网网址檙e going to conduct these activities please respect other boaters, other lake users, and conduct those activities where they will do the least amount of damage and cause the least amount of aggravation.B次元官网网址�
The ultimate goal is less damage and more of a good time for all.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 early,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut what IB次元官网网址檝e learned is that the more people who can enjoy the lake, who love the lake, who feel ownership of it, who feel pride in it, thatB次元官网网址檚 the people who are willing to step up and protect the lake. In my opinion we donB次元官网网址檛 want to alienate anybody.B次元官网网址�
