Ken Gibson Editorial

I’d like to take a “shot “ at how I feel this could be solved .. With consultants &” green sticky fingers” we the ‘public ‘
don’t always’ s hear the truth –seeing it is a “rarity “
Nearly 50 years ago, Chestermans got going .. For a long time residents, had decide which side of their property
to put the “water well “ on...And it was often heard “I'm not drinking his sewer water”,, When the Chamber of Commerce pointed out the ratio of visitors coming to the west coast to the ‘House owner or resident ‘ It was , ,,say ”fifty to one “
And here again I don’t have the amount –But I recall 11,ooo,ooo grant dollars for the area being offered.
Tofino Village boundary’s only went to “Industrial rd. “,, We” North of that line” had John Motherwell as our
engineer and under “tight fisted rule “ of Don McGinnis & Hugo Peterson not many pennies escaped.. It was totally inconceivable that we could afford a water system for the( well to do) ‘son’s & daughter ‘s “ coming to
live on the beach in the summer at ‘Chesterman's ,”,, A group of “locals “ had formed a water board & had stated to formulate plan’s under a engineer named “Bullock” sp?,,, If my memory has this
“ right” these “plans “ were under way when the “wind-fall of grant money ‘ arrived ,, The million gallon low pressure tank at Industial rd was part of that plan & water was to come from Tofino to fill it ( Until ‘Ginnard creek “ could be realized) About this time the Governments stepped in & said “make love –not war “ –one district –one council- (south of Industrial Way became part of the Village)7 instead of 5- or” FORE GO” the grant . The vote was accepted, Projects in progress were allowed to continue & ..Mr. Bullock’s supply tank lost it’s bottom & a court case lasting seven years started -costing more than it was worth & fellow residents are still dealing with this “Creation “ useless as it was with no bottom ,,Unless we look at it as ” low pressure FIRE RESERVE” ,, & introduce Hi pressure to the South our problems are just beginning –We are no longer dealing with the low land that surrounds the beaches- but high land throughout the
the district-Rosie Bay –Industrial way –Hansen development & Higher peaks that now require ‘Pressure Pump’s”
I'm really surprised “Fire Underwriters “ have not introduced new rates,,, “Secrecy”.. Grant money & those that
“money mean’s every thing in design ‘ have “compounded” the problem with’ a lure for water at Tofino airport’,
with a gesture of more to be made at Kennedy lake, Part of that low pressure “Era”is the undisclosed amounts
& ever continuing expenses at the Six Mile , placing ‘band aid on band aid’ is not the answer ,, I’m not sure
where modern CAO’s have us ...I know there is 350,000 gallon mistake in elevation at the six mile & I now hear
its really low pressure (not Barr’s mt pressure that ‘Warren Bernard “had fought for ,) If this is the case “perhaps
our neighbours near Long Beach would like it . Its doesn’t suit ‘water treatment standards ‘ any –way as the
water sits idle should be moving on. These folk’s.. is what “administration – college degree’s & money can do
you. Lets welcome back “Old fashioned” John Motherwell & take our “Lump’s”
Ken Gibson –Water since 1949