Re: Mounties step up patrols at Stave Lake, April 25 edition.
I am writing in regards to your story about the police stepping up patrols in the West Stave Lake area as your headline is over the picture of a four-wheel drive vehicle.
This makes a direct implication that police are cracking down on people who engage in 4x4 recreation in the West Stave area.
This isn't the case!
It becomes evident as you read through the article. The crackdown is directly related to "widespread illegal gun activity, vandalism and garbage dumping." There is also mention of an unlicensed motorcycle. None of this is related to the four-wheel drive vehicle pictured. Police are not cracking down on this activity.
What also isn't mentioned is that the Four Wheel Drive Association of BC hosts cleanups of this very forest service road system to address the garbage dumping, and we have been doing it for the last 12 years. During this time, our volunteers have removed more than 120,000 kg of garbage and steel. That is 120 tonnes of garbage removed by nearly 5,000 volunteer hours over those years.
The Four Wheel Drive Association of BC is working directly with the District of Mission and the representatives from other important proponents of the Interpretive Forest initiative to secure 4x4 access for the residents of Mission and all British Columbians to this public land.
Kim Reeves,
President
Four Wheel Drive Association of BC