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Langford Lake not big enough for rowers and summer users

It’s like putting a private yacht club in a public park, so clearly unfair.

A proposal to build a “community rowing facility” on Langford Lake would have rowers on the lake weekends in September and June, and early mornings and late afternoons September though June.

This would seriously disrupt the enjoyment  of many people using the lake for fishing, swimming, sailing and just floating around on their rafts, tubes and other toys.

On weekends in September and June, when it is still quite warm, a rowing lane would cut the lake in half north to south, directly in the path of all the boats from the boat launch and swimmers from one of the two tiny beaches.

Early mornings and late afternoons in the fall and spring are prime fishing times, and the long rowing boats would significantly reduce the area where people could fish.

Langford Lake is a pretty small lake – too small for an activity like competitive rowing. The City of Langford is calling it a “community “ rowing club but it’s joint proposal with a prestigious and expensive private school, St. Michaels’ University.

The private school would be paying to build a boathouse, fenced storage, two docks, showers, an office and exercise room –all squeezed in the northwest corner, which, by the way, is parkland.

So, what we have here is a proposal to spoil the fun of many for the benefit of an elite group. It’s like putting a private yacht club in a public park, so clearly unfair. How did the idea get this far?

Sandy Bell

Langford