The Coastal Animal Rescue and Education Network is howling the West CoastB次元官网网址檚 praises after scrambling to find a solution to an incoming water crisis at their animal shelter last week.
CARE co-founder James Rodgers told the Westerly B次元官网网址 that the network was told by the Alberni Clayoquot Regional District on Thursday, June 16, that the shelterB次元官网网址檚 water supply would be cut off indefinitely the next day.
B次元官网网址淲hat was a frustrating and disappointing reality of water getting shut off, with the exclamation point of 24 hours (notice), turned into a pretty positive experience where we felt very supported and excited that we can move forward with a pretty cutting-edge plan where we can take the animal shelter to another level of self sufficiency,B次元官网网址� he said.
Rodgers said CARE was aware of the ACRDB次元官网网址檚 ongoing water upgrade work, but had always expected their facility would be hooked up to the new system being put in place.
B次元官网网址淚t really was out of left field for us that we werenB次元官网网址檛 going to actually get connected,B次元官网网址� he said.
He suggested he and his team felt B次元官网网址渟hock and disbeliefB次元官网网址� by the water deactivation notice, but quickly turned their attention to possible solutions and reached out to their communities for help.
B次元官网网址淔olks came out of the woodwork with hoses and pumps and expertise and labour with a plan to put together a pretty robust system so that we can have enough water storage and enough of a catchment area to survive without water access from the ACRD,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淚t was a matter of hours. Literally, by Thursday night we had 3,000 litres stored thanks to the community, so if the water did get turned off as we were told it would, we would have been OK because the community stepped upB次元官网网址nd, weB次元官网网址檙e actually able to go forward with a long term, sustainable, self-sufficient solution because of the community. If we can be self-sufficient as much as possible and stay focused on what weB次元官网网址檙e here to do, which is care for animals and their guardians, then thatB次元官网网址檚 great, itB次元官网网址檚 a win.B次元官网网址�
The ACRD announced on Friday that the shelterB次元官网网址檚 water supply would not be shut off and that solutions are being hashed out.
The shelter is located within ACRD lands near Long Beach Airport and the ACRDB次元官网网址檚 announcement explains that the water line CARE is accessing is being deactivated because it is B次元官网网址渁n old military water lineB次元官网网址� that is B次元官网网址渓eaking and unstable.B次元官网网址�
It adds that the old water line thatB次元官网网址檚 being deactivated connects to a derelict building near the animal shelter.
CARE had and revilitze it to expand its shelter space but that plan was nixed by the ACRD last fall.
B次元官网网址淭he Care Network connection to the derelict building is unauthorized, and the cost to replace the old military water main is approximately $20-30,000,B次元官网网址� the ACRDB次元官网网址檚 announcement states.
It adds that the cost to replace the water line is not within the scope of CAREB次元官网网址檚 lease, though ACRD CAO Daniel Sailland suggested alternative solutions are being worked out. B次元官网网址淪hort-term solutions are available and have been discussed with the lease holder,B次元官网网址� Sailland said through the announcement. B次元官网网址淲e will not be turning his water off today (June 17), and we will continue to try to work together to find a solution that will work.B次元官网网址�
The announcement adds that CAREB次元官网网址檚 three-year lease is up for renewal on July 1 and that B次元官网网址淭he lease holder has not renewed its lease with the Regional District.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e will continue to keep lines of communication open with the lease holder and hope to come up with a temporary situation to fix this issue,B次元官网网址� it states.
Rodgers said that despite the ACRD agreeing to keep the water running for the time being, CARE still plans to move ahead with the plans it set in motion on Thursday to put together a rain catchment system to make the operation more self-sustainable.
B次元官网网址淎nyway you slice it, I think thatB次元官网网址檚 just good insurance. Being more self-sufficient and green is a positive that can come out of this very frustrating, out of the blue kind of situation,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e canB次元官网网址檛 be in limbo for such an essential component to keeping animals alive and in good care, so we just need to take this opportunity to become self sufficient and weB次元官网网址檙e fine with that, weB次元官网网址檙e not crying about that, itB次元官网网址檚 just that 24 hours (notice) is a little bit crazy.B次元官网网址�
He added CARE was heartened to see the West Coast step up and turn B次元官网网址渓emons into lemonadeB次元官网网址� as the water crisis was unfolding.
B次元官网网址淚t was integral, I donB次元官网网址檛 even know a big enough word for it. We could not do what weB次元官网网址檙e doing without not only the support, but the rapid support,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t was an unbelievable answer to the call to action. It was just unbelievable how many people came forwardB次元官网网址e canB次元官网网址檛 thank the community enough.B次元官网网址�
More information about CARE and how to support the networkB次元官网网址檚 efforts can be found at
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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