Phase One At Rainbow Ridge_ Boundaries With The Senior's Village And Firehall

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - There were a couple of changes in the plan for the Rainbow Ridge Affordable Housing Development as the site was cleared. A small parcel of land along the northern border of the property was given to the Cortes Island Fire Department, to enable it to expand. Plans for a hedge of trees between Rainbow Ridge and the Cortes Island Senior’s Village were drastically altered after root rot was discovered.  

Mark Lombard spoke on behalf of the Cortes Island Housing Society, “ In the first phase, we have cut down the trees in the area where the housing society will be building 24 units of affordable housing over the next few years, as well as a community building that'll house a laundromat and washrooms and an office for the housing society.”

“We've cleared about four acres of land right behind the Manson's Fire Hall. We've also cleared about 50 feet of forest that is now going to be part of the training yard for the fire department. There's more space for the helicopters to land and more room for training. The ambulance is also bringing in a housing unit for the paramedics into the training yard.”

Unfortunately they also cut down a great many more trees than the Cortes Island Seniors Village wanted. 

Mark Lombard: “We didn't communicate as clearly as we could have. We met with some of the seniors this week, and we had a really constructive, positive conversation. I feel like their concerns were addressed and we were able to answer their questions, but it's a really hard thing and we really empathize and understand the fact that it's never easy to see the trees cut down in the neighborhood where you live”

One of the seniors, who did not wish to be identified, expressed support for Rainbow Ridge as a project and agreed that Cortes Island needs more housing, but she had loved that forest.

Cortes Currents spoke to three seniors and they were all devastated, but Naomi Hayter was the only one who agreed to an interview.

“I've only just moved here. My concern is for the village here and the impact it's had on the people who have lived here much longer than I have. This has been a shock to everyone.” 

“This village was created by the elders who came before us, and I find that to be a very special living situation for people of the age group from seventies up into nineties. It's been a safe place for people and I think it's a model for other communities to come and look at. People have come and looked at it as future possibilities for other places, but it has been compromised, I think.” 

Up until now the Senior’s Village had been sheltered in the trees, now it sits on the edge of a four acre clearcut. 

This does not appear to be what the Cortes Housing Society intended.  

Two months ago, at a public meeting in Mansons Hall on January 29, Sadhu Johnston, Executive Director of the Housing Society,  said, “We heard loud and clear from them that they support the project, but they don’t want to lose all the trees. There are some nicer cedars. So we’re moving the project south. There’s a natural land clearing down here that we’ll be taking advantage of this way.”

Cortes Currents: The first aerial photos of the logging operation showed a fringe of trees separating the Senior’s Village from Rainbow Ridge. Most of these have since been removed.

Mark Lombard: “ In the northwest corner, which is directly adjacent to the senior’s cottages, we cleared the area where the training yard for the fire department's going to expand.  Then we cleared out a little patch of trees that were unhealthy that had a lot of root rot in them, and some of them had already started to fall over. We were particularly worried about having them blow onto the seniors' homes.”