Dear Editor:
Re: letter from Marlene Gregory, Summerland Review, Dec. 20.
I would have to agree with the opinion of the above writer.
I have lived on North Lakeshore for 25 years, and am on my second dock. My son also has a dock a few doors to the south.
The construction of these three docks were contracted out by myself. I signed off on the design and materials, and construction was done after permits were in place.
I went down and inspected the docks at Rotary Beach, which were just replaced after damage caused by 2017 high water.
The piles appear to be steel, the framing is treated wood, and the decking is composite.
Overall, the construction appears average. Not fabulous, but not bad. Acceptable.
My questions would be:
Why are two docks required?
Why are side extensions required on the one dock?
What is the actual purpose of the docks? for kids to play on?
No boats come in there. Never in my 25 years living here, have I been out on one.
Would the usage of this swimming beach be less desirable with no docks? Why not just put a swim float out there in the summer season?
The docks appear to be a bit higher than the previous ones, there might have been an issue with water contacting the treated lumber. I built my last dock with aluminum framing. Was that not an option?
In swim season, and with the water higher then, I don’t quite understand what is considered too “too high.”
If it’s a couple of feet higher than previous, so what? When I was a kid, higher was better. Kids jump off the big pier just to the north, which is much higher.
I think every taxpayer in Summerland deserves an explanation. The municipal employee who okayed this design should be accountable. If I were that employee, I would be hiding out.
So come on elected council, its your job to pursue this, and provide us with some answers.
David Balfour
Summerland
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