Save Tucker Bay Access on Lasqueti

Situated in the middle of the north side of Lasqueti Island, Tucker Bay and the road to it has been used by the public for more than a century. It was the site of the first public steamship dock built in 1912 and provided the essential link for settlers who needed water access to ship produce, cattle and sheep to Vancouver and Nanaimo. Tucker Bay was the original “hub” of Lasqueti, the site of the first co-op store and post office.  Like all early roads on the island, Tucker Bay road began as a trail and by 1925 had evolved into a road. It was built and has been maintained with public funds to the present day, and is the ONLY usable deepwater public access on the entire North side of Lasqueti. There is NO deepwater public access on the South side from Squitty Bay to False Bay and no potential for one due to topography and exposure.

In 2014 land through which a portion of Tucker Bay Road traverses, was purchased by Tucker Bay Holdings Ltd. who subsequently erected signs declaring the road to be private and blocked access by parking an excavator across the road. The company claims that the road has never been surveyed or registered, therefore it is not public.

Islander’s responded by producing one local petition of 200 signers and one on-line petition of 280 signatures requesting that the province uphold the public interest by clarifying the ownership of the road and associated water accesses. Consequently the Lasqueti Island Ratepayer’s Association (LIRA) was elected by the Lasqueti Community Association and the local Islands Trust trustees to undertake the task of finding a solution in the public interest. 

To date we have produced a substantial volume of documentation, case law and historical records to support the public position and engaged a lawyer experienced in this particular class of litigation. We have spent slightly under $5000 in legal costs and have received $3695 in unsolicited contributions prior to starting this campaign.

In May of this year, two Ministry of Highways & Infrastructure officials walked the full length of Tucker Bay road and visited all other possible alternative water accesses. The ministry subsequently offered to purchase a portion of the subject property to guarantee public access to the water in perpetuity. The offer was turned down. There is  now a new government and a new minister and she has been given access to our some 850 plus pages of documentation. 

While we are continuing to explore other options, court is our last resort. We need your support to preserve public access to Tucker Bay for current and future generations.

Visit the LIRA website for additional information:
  http://www.lasqueti.ca/lira
Sroll down the right side to  view documentation and newsletters.

Who we are:
 Both Craig and I are long time Lasquetians. We both live here and our parents lived here. Craig started school at Tucker Bay school at the top of Tucker Bay Road.  Craig's grandfather was part of McLennan McFeely & Prior who supplied  coastal logging camps My Grandfather moved to Lasqueti across Tucker Bay Wharf and up Tucker Bay Wharf Road to his new  homestead near Boat Cove shortly after the Wharf was built. 

Craig and I have been involved with the Lasqueti Island Ratepayers Association (LIRA) since its incorporation  in 1997  (Incorporation #  S-37371).  LIRA was instrumental in getting Lasqueti an all-tide public ramp  as well as helping get the False Bay Hill paved. 

Unless the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure moves to protect what has been public for over 100 years they are forcing us (Lasquetians) into a Supreme court case as now only a Supreme Court judge can render a binding decision. Our lawyer has told us that we need to have $30,000  to proceed to court.  As there needs to be an individual who is named to withdraw funds it is me, Karl Darwin, who as President will be one of the signers of the cheques.

All funds donated are transferred into the LIRA account at the Coastal Community Credit Union, Parksville , B.C.  and will be used only  for legal and court costs.