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Group wants to restore Dry Creek estuary in Port Alberni

Walkabout happening on Sept. 24, 2022
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The areas noted in yellow are the five properties included in the sale of the Somass Sawmill to the City of Port Alberni. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

An off-shoot group from AV Transition Town hopes to persuade Port Alberni city council to reclaim the Somass lands as estuary.

The Dry Creek Restoration Group has been working on a vision for the Somass lands since the city announced they were purchasing the lands, spokesperson Chris Alemany said. This Saturday, Sept. 24, group members are planning to lead a walkabout around the Somass lands to explain what they would like to see. Interested parties are asked to meet at Tyee Landing prior to 2 p.m., when the walk will begin.

The City of Port Alberni has issued requests for expressions of interest for the 73-acre parcel that formerly housed Somass sawmill.

Alemany said the Dry Creek Restoration group intends to submit an expression of interest to the city “in the coming weeks.”

“We are not an anti-development or anti-industry group. We don’t want to push anything away but rather re-grow, with restoration and renewal, something that can help our community flourish even more than ever before,” Alemany said.

For more info visit the AV Transition Town at www.avtransitiontown.org/restoredrycreek.



Susie Quinn

About the Author: Susie Quinn

A journalist since 1987, I have been the Alberni Valley News editor since August 2006.
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