Rowing Canada Aviron is pleased with BC Premier Gordon Campbell's announcement today that a re-elected BC Liberal government will commit up to $10 million, as part of an equal three-way partnership with the federal government and the City of Burnaby, to allow the Burnaby Lake rejuvenation project to proceed.
"Burnaby Lake was an outstanding facility and having it restored would enhance rowing programs at all levels in the area," said Alan Roaf, Rowing Canada's High Performance Director. "It would allow Burnaby to host local, provincial, national and international competitions."
"Burnaby Lake is an important environmental and recreational asset for the city," Campbell said in a news release posted on his party's web site. "Over the past two decades, sediment build-up has undermined water quality. The City has already committed to fund one-third of the cost of the sediment-removal project. If elected, the BC Liberals are prepared to invest up to $10 million, and work with the federal government to secure the necessary matching funds, so that we can complete the rejuvenation of Burnaby Lake."
The Province provided an environmental-assessment approval for the City of Burnaby's rejuvenation project in 2002. At the time, the City estimated the project would cost $29 million. It involves improving water quality and restoring fish-and-wildlife habitat, through a dredging program that would remove up to 400,000 cubic-metres of sediment over an area of about 36 hectares.
The lake was last dredged in 1972. In addition to improving water quality, removing sediment build-up would also help re-establish rowing, canoeing and kayaking facilities at the lake. The current course has been reduced from a useable length of 2,000 metres (rowings Olympic distance) to 1,500 metres. The Burnaby Lake Rowing Club and Canoe and Kayak Club would like to establish a national training centre, in cooperation with Simon Fraser University.
"Vancouver used to be a high performance centre, but Burnaby Lake has not been suitable in recent years," explained Roaf. "In the long-term, we would be able to use the facility for National Team activities."
Until now, the City has had difficulty securing funding for the rejuvenation of Burnaby Lake, due in part to the cost of the dredging, renewal of water-main infrastructure and the establishment of a world-class training facility.
"This is exactly what we had hoped for," said rowing Olympian and Vancouver lawyer Tricia Smith, who trained on the lake in the 1970s. "It's a calm, fair course - an ideal place to train and compete."