Group offers $30M to buy proposed Bowen Island park where camping has become contentious

A Bowen Island, B.C., group opposed to overnight camping at a proposed regional park wants to buy the park site from Metro Vancouver.

The Bowen Island Conservancy has sent a letter to the regional district, offering $30 million to buy lands slated for the park on Cape Roger Curtis.

It says it is making the offer to prevent what it calls "serious negative impacts to our Wild Coast Nature Refuge adjacent to the park and conservancy values in the area generally," should the park materialize.

The conservancy noted "overwhelming public opposition to the park as currently proposed, in particular with respect to camping."

The letter cites pledged donations as the source of the funds. When contacted Wednesday, conservancy president Owen Plowman declined to comment.

Last year, Metro Vancouver announced plans to build the park. A total of $40 million was spent to buy the land — spanning 97 hectares or about a square kilometre — from a private developer. 

The regional district said the park would add about 90 camping spots for walk-in and drive-in camping in a region where spaces are limited.

But the idea became controversial on Bowen, where camping is not allowed.

Some residents say the park will change the island's character, bring noise and crowds, impact conservation efforts near the park and stress public services on the island.

Visitors increasing but services aren't, mayor says

Metro Vancouver says it has received the Conservancy's proposal and its parks committee and board will consider it.

"Metro Vancouver has applied to Bowen Island Municipality to rezone the properties from rural residential to park, and for an amendment to the Official Community Plan," a spokesperson wrote in an email.

"Metro Vancouver is committed to this process."

Bowen Island Mayor Andrew Leonard would not say if he was supportive or opposed to efforts to buy the park land when asked Wednesday, although he is not a member of the conservancy and did not donate to it.

He did say much of the opposition to the park comes from residents unhappy that visitors are increasing while services are not improving — especially ferry service.

"Just shy of one-third of all traffic coming to the island [is] non-residents already visiting Metro Vancouver Parks," Leonard said.

"So adding a 240-acre park with 100 campsites that would see thousands and thousands and thousands of visitors a year does create a real impact on the community of 4,200.

"Many of them recognize that they're part of the region, but the frustration comes in being able to address the impacts that regional growth has."

Bowen council will receive an update on the park process Monday, Leonard said.

Metro Vancouver's parks committee will meet next in early October, the district spokesperson said, and its 2023 parks capital plan has budgeted $15.8 million for the planning, design, development and opening of the park between 2023 and 2027.

A planned date to open the park, the spokesperson added, "will be phased and is subject to change" depending on zoning and bylaw processes.