When an official community plan is updated, we hope to see an improvement.
Two important public goals from the 1981 and 1997 plans have been deleted from the current OCP draft: “to provide clean and safe beach areas for public use” and “to maximize public accessibility and use of the waterfront.”
Considering that the whole of the eastern side of Oak Bay consists of waterfront and beaches, we must ask why were these two important goals deleted?
Beaches are public assets which must be protected. The word “beaches” has virtually been written out of this document, or replaced with “shoreline.”
These two removed goals should be a civic priority. Removing them is irresponsible and retrograde. They should be reinstated.
Helen Slade
Oak Bay