Local politicians say they will keep pressing for a new land-use plan for Mount Macpherson, after the Minister in charge said that would not be happening.
Steve Thomson, the Minister of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations, told the Review last week that the land-use plan would not be re-visited, even after the City of Revelstoke made a request to do so, and more than 1,600 people signed an online petition asking for a new plan.
"We believe there's a robust process in place that is working to address the concerns and under no circumstances will the cross-country ski and mountain bike trails be affected by the proposed development other than some alterations to the visual landscape," Thomson said.
Both Mayor Mark McKee and Rural Revelstoke director Loni Parker said they will continue to push for a new plan. The matter was addressed at the last meeting of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District Board of Directors, who received a letter from the Minister responding to a request for more consultation on the matter.
"The board wholly supported us sending a thank you letter back to the minister for his response and reiterating we'd like to see some more land-use planning for the community of Revelstoke," said Parker.
McKee told the Review he was still waiting to see the official response to the city's request for a new land-use plan. Still, he said he's willing to go to Victoria to discuss the matter if the request is denied.
"The bottom line for us is the community has given a pretty strong and clear direction they want more involvement in the land-use panning, especially around Macpherson," he said. "Council agrees with it, the regional district agrees with it."
BC Timber Sales is planning to log two cut blocks on Mount Macpherson in 2016. The logging would impact several mountain biking and cross-country skiing trails.