Less than 10 members of the public attended a facilitated session at the Oliver Community Centre – hear any comments pro or con on an application for land tenure made by Pacific Silica and Rock Quarry to the Government of BC.

Concerns expressed on view, reclamation, noise, dust and limits on rock crushing.

Laura and Kelly Venables appeared as the applicants.

The government was represented by two ministries – Mines/Lands and Forests – Rick Adams and Gerry Johnson. Both said they were attending to hear concerns and report back on public input about the application.

The session facilitated by Bill Ross and lasting less than 30 minutes.

Bob Park spoke about his fears that a crown license could be granted that would allow rock crushing 12 months a year from 7 am to 5 pm.  Laura Venables said the company had always been a good neighbour and crushing lasts about 1 month per year.

One land owner spoke about the dust and affect on the farm below the mine and one other on the reclamation and the view from other parts of the valley. The government said reclamation comes when a mine closes. This one had operated for 100 years with many more years contemplated.

Mike Wadman spoke and said he had been a neighbour with a home and business for 46 years and had no concerns.

Why the Crown Land Tenure? That would allow not for expansion but the right to take off the waste material from the mining process.  The Gypo Mine started operations in 1927 to fuel the Cominco mine in Trail. Later silica become desired by other customers.

Mrs. Venables says her company has spent about a million dollars cleaning up the site in the last 8 years. She says the waste rock is need for construction, roadwork and landscaping and has value once taken off the mine site.

The government said the applicant had a good record and that the government allows mines to proceed with plans to make operations viable.