Woodside not part of FV no shooting zone

[GPP]

Just came across this, new no shooting zones implemented in Fraser Valley back country.
Love the fact this has being done to protect the public but for some reason I cant understand Woodside is not included.
So imagine all the Red Necks that discharge literally tonnes of munitions up the chilliwack valley, Sylvester road and all over the Fraser Valley, where are they going to after this gets out....WOODSIDE
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2017FLNR0073-001092

Email the MLA to communicate the safety concern for Woodside Pilots.

Laurie Throness, MLA for Chilliwack-Hope
http://lauriethronessmla.ca/contact/

Jason Lum, chair, Fraser Valley Regional District
http://www.chilliwack.ca/main/page.cfm? ... spage=2083

[Martin]

Do we have contact for the district of Kent? Should not be too difficult send a few Emails in that direction....

Martin

[Ihor]

Bridal isn't in there either.

[Martin]

It would be a good idea for the club to assess this "no shooting zone" stuff, and coordinate an official response. I sent a couple notes (as a member) and received prompt responses from people within the system. Like all bureaucracies, they have done their work and feel that their work is done but I feel they are going to need to fix this issue now. The FVRD have inadvertently put our members and the other none gun toting users of Woodside (and other sites) in harms way.

For sure the club should respond based on all of our sites were are use had not been considered.

Here is a copy of my last letter to the "Paul" at the FVRD.

Paul,

Thanks but I do have a few important comments.

As best as I can tell the process used to create these "no shooting zones" never included my club. That happens allot when it comes to smaller special use interests, which is why these lower profile groups need to be on the lookout for actions being taken by local bureaucracies like the FVRD, Provincial and Federal Governments).

What I find disturbing is the fact the WCSC was not "obviously" included in the consultation process as the WCSC (West Coast Soaring Club) is not some small disorganized club of only a few members.

The WCSC has been a long time recreational user of Mount Woodside area for almost 40 years. The WCSC has a legal Forestry SUP (special use permit) and pays taxes to the district of Kent. The WCSC represents well over 100 active pilots (possibly the largest Hang Gliding / Paragliding Club in Canada). Mount Woodside is a primary training ground for both Hang Gliding and Paragliding with one of B.C.'s largest schools located at the foot of the mountain.

Here is my concern, the actions of the FVRD, having created "no shooting zones" may now have inadvertently put the members of our club at a far greater risk than ever before. Not including the area could be considered negligent given the fact that this will now focus/direct this careless uncontrolled firearms use directly at the doorstep of our flying site.

Last spring was the beginning of an disturbing level of fire arms use in our area. I personally made contact with the RCMP but there seems very little can be done to end this dangerous activity. Our members are being put at risk. I have personally walked several of the areas used by these gun owners and they are dangerously close to our launch and are our area of operations. Unless the areas of our flying sites are not included in the these "no shooting zone" then the FVRD should be taking action to immediately correct the oversight.

I want to point out that the risk not only extends to the public and our members on the ground, it extends into the air (where our members operate within Airspace designated for our use by Transport Canada). In addition the road network on the mountain also extends to within firing range of Kent prison facility (well with the range of ridiculously high powered weapons used by these gun owners) .

Last, as a personal comment. I am not opposed to gun use in the area by legitimate gun owners who have used the Mountain for hunting purposes. I am also not against the gun owners attaining a Forestry SUP and creating a "range" for the purposes of target/practice shooting (one professionally assessed to assure public safety) . Right now, we have gun owners with very high power weapons randomly driving down sections of road and carelessly discharging these weapons without any concern for other users of the mountain.

The fact Mount Woodside was not included in the "no shooting program" needs to be immediately corrected. The FVRD needs to correct this oversight by closing the area to the discharge of fire arms with the exception being the use of firearms for legitimate hunting purposes.

The "no shooting areas" are well intentioned but unfortunately have put our members at risk of death or injury.

Martin Henry
3595 Old Clayburn Rd
Abbotsford B.C.
V2S-7H5

C/C West Coast Soaring Club President (Tyler) C/C Fly B.C. (Jim Reich Fly BC Senior Instructor)

[Martin]

Looks like the FVRD wants no part of the process and they have kicked us over to the District of Kent.... if anybody out there does not think this is a big deal? ... wait till the real idiots start to come out with their "small man big gun" complexes.... Ask Jim R at FlyBC about his recent discovery at the Ranch. Just this weekend, only a few hundred yards from launch, somebody shooting down the hill from the forestry road.

I've asked the club to establish contact with the district of Kent because something needs to done.

FYI.....

https://www.quora.com/How-far-can-a-bullet-travel


Martin

[GPP]

Unfortunate, No luck with the MLA link either.
I've emailed the district of Kent.
I am very uncomfortable flying with people booming away, a couple years ago when the clearing to the left of launch and the south nole was used by shooters we were waiting on launch and had multiple ricochet zinging past us through the notch out into the valley. We had someone ask them to go somewhere else.
Maybe a bit out there, we usually like to keep a low profile with publicity but maybe, with an election coming, CBC would be interested in broadcasting the FVRD, MLA lack of concern for our safety.

[Suntan]

Last night there was more shooting on ws. The deflection from where they are shooting could ricochet right in front of launch. Also the garbage is already building up. Any ideas?

[Ihor]

Time to start shooting back.

[GrumpySmurf]

Time to start shooting back.

.. and seeing if they run vs. not, one can determine if they are well trained vs. not?

[skydawg]

Has anyone tried talking to them, the actual shooters? I don't mean with attitude but just to inform them you are there and to please watch direction of shots. Sometimes this method can go along way. Whereas if you just try and get this specific user group kicked out of an area you may bring on more problems. There are quite often shooters in the king eddy area of Vernon also but as long as they are doing it safe i don't care. They have just as much right to be in the bush as us paragliders/hanggliders do.

[the other martin]

Personally I have approached several groups over the years. I have always had a positive response. They have packed up and moved further up the mountain and away from our flying area. Most shooters are respectful but ignorant to the fact there are paragliders in the sky above their preferred practice area. Most are basically lazy and think they have gone far enough up the mountain not to be a bother to anyone. I have also contacted the RCMP on one occasion and they attended en masse. The shooters packed up and left. It is more positive when the RCMP attend. They can advise they have received a complaint (which is always anonymous and standard police policy), plus they can check for permits, legal weapons, and do character checks.

I think the best course of action is to continue to phone the police when shooters are in the area. A description of the exact location on the forestry road, a description of the vehicle(s) if possible, and the number of shooters present is always appreciated by the police. Information is a valuable tool to the attending officers. Officer safety is paramount when they are responding to a firearms complaint.

[Ian J]

I called the RCMP to complain about the paragliders at Woodside blocking my view of the sky, but they refused to attend. I did advise how many gliders were in the air and the various colours. The RCMP couldn't be bothered.

They are basically lazy.

[Ihor]

All the more reason to carry a gun in your ultralight.

[the other martin]

Actually my hands are like knives and my feet are like clubs. OK maybe not so much anymore.

I called the RCMP the day before yesterday. They attended but the shooters packed up and left just before they arrived.

I think I will put the Agassiz RCMP on speed dial.

[Martin]

Seriously. as the weather improves, the flowers bloom, the idiot gun nuts are going to start coming out of the wood work. Nothing says "spring" like a good drive by shooting.

Members should be sending Emails to raise our concerns directly to the District of Kent, here are a few contact addresses:

Kent Administrator: kponciano@district.kent.bc.ca
General Inquires: info@district.kent.bc.ca

(Can somebody track down the Email address for the Mayor and the local RCMP administrator address ?)

The trouble with calling the RCMP every time somebody fires a gun is it's just going to start to annoy the cops and they will stop responding. The district of Kent is will need to implement a "No Shooting Zone".

If the "Gun Nuts" want to play with their toys will need to establish their own forestry Special Use Permit and establish a designated safe shooting range. I'm not saying they need to be kicked off the mountain as I believe there is plenty of room for all, but they do need to create a controlled SAFE environment. Driving "far enough" down a dirt road is no longer acceptable.

Martin