Shuswap groups hope to turn West Beach into park | Shuswap Environmental Action Society

This is a good article, just a small goof up on the size – it is 12 hectares (30 acres). Also, that the sewage permit may have expired which allowed the former operator to truck out the raw sewage as there is no treatment plant built on the property. If this is true, the campground may not be able to open.

Shuswap groups hope to turn West Beach into park
March 29, 2012

By Cam Fortems
Daily News Staff Reporter
A coalition of Shuswap groups is raising money in a bid to purchase the West Beach development property for eventual use as parkland.

The project kicks off April 15 with a benefit concert in Salmon Arm that will raise seed money, with a goal of eventually purchasing the West Beach development site.

“It’s a beautiful sandy beach,” said Jim Cooperman, who is helping to lead the effort. “There aren’t that many beaches like that on the lake. It’s a total gem.”

The effort comes amid foreclosure proceedings at West Beach on Shuwap Lake. Primary lender Mission Creek Mortgage Co. filed a foreclosure notice last month after protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act for owner New Future Group was lifted.

The 8.5-hectare parcel is directly beside Roderick Haig-Brown provincial park.

Mission Creek is owed more than $21 million on the West Beach project, the site of two stillborn development projects by New Future under principal Mike Rink.

The development site and private campground is now operated by receiver-manager KPMG.

Ken Ihas, a Kelowna lawyer acting for Mission Creek, said there are no firm dates under the foreclosure process. The company is seeking either an order absolute, where it becomes the sole owner or an order for conduct of sale.

Under an order for conduct of sale it would have the right to sell the property and pursue New Future for remaining debts. New Future is still the title holder pending any award by B.C. Supreme Court. Ihas said Mission Creek intends to operate the campground under the receiver-manager. “I’m not aware of anything that will stand in the way of operations,” he said.

Receiver-manager Cecil Cheveldave, with KPMG in Kamloops, said crews are at the site with the goal of opening Cottonwood Family Campground May 1. “It’s always been a busy place in summer. We have an expectation it will be busy (this year), if not busier.” Cheveldave said operations this year will be unaffected by the foreclosure proceedings.

New Future was seeking to develop a 160-unit RV park, but B.C. Supreme Court recently ruled New Future’s plans were contrary to campground zoning under Columbia Shuswap Regional District.

Cooperman acknowledged the effort to turn West Beach into parkland remains in its infancy. Recording artist Joel Plaskett is playing at Salmar Classic Theatre in Salmon Arm at a reduced rate on April 15. Proceeds will be used to start fund-raising.

Shuswap Environmental Action Society, Salmon Arm naturalists club, Lee Creek Ratepayers Association and Shuswap Water Action Team are behind the effort.

Their eventual goal is to add the property to Roderick Haig-Brown park, mirroring a failed effort five years ago. At that time Cooperman and others trying to push the province to purchase the property from Rink, but those negotiations failed.

“Certainly they’ve (province) been approached but the government is having its own problems…. They say they don’t have they money,” Cooperman said. He added the goal is to raise funds to purchase the land, which would be owned by a conservation society and leased to the province for parkland.

“We want it used by the public with light camping, no motorized vessels. (But) a great deal of restoration is needed there.”