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ACRD: China Creek tsunami system talks bog down

Tsunami warning equipment slated for China Creek Marina Campground in Port Alberni is hemmed up in bureaucratic red tape.
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Port Alberni Fire Chief Tim Pley displays the tsunami system that is waiting to be installed at the China Creek Marina Campground. Instead

Tsunami warning equipment slated for China Creek Marina Campground is hemmed up in bureaucratic red tape.

Alberni Clayoquot Regional District directors referred the request for the system to their Alberni committee.

The committee in turn is going to take the matter up with the Port Alberni Port Authority, who have thus far not been receptive to the idea.

The port authority has jurisdiction over the marina campground and has its own tsunami warning system installed there.

But the area is in the ACRD’s jurisdiction too.

Earlier this year, the City of Port Alberni’s offer of enough equipment to assemble a five-stack warning station at China Creek.

The city will monitor the new station as it does the city-owned stations and perform weekly and monthly testing.

The new station will be activated at the same time as city stations, and under the same ACRD command and control.

A new replacement would cost $25,000.Maintaining a refurbished system would cost $1,000 per year.

The port authority tsunami system isn’t connected to the city’s tsunami warning system and may not be triggered at the same time as the city’s.

The equipment became available after the city recently replaced two of its four 20-year-old systems.

There are enough parts left to build a five-speaker system. Though smaller than the standard nine-speaker system, it would effectively serve a smaller area.

reporter@albernivalleynews.com

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