Residents of the condo building across from the Ken Forde Ramp parking lot and beach are voicing their concerns about rowdy behaviour in the area.
Chris Merrick, president of the Willows Oceanside strata council, says both owners and tenants residing in the building on Highway 19A are frustrated.
In a letter to Campbell River city council, Merrick says “For over a year, whenever it is decent weather (spring, summer and fall) there are a number of young adults that congregate in the parking lot, mostly in the north end where the long parking spaces are located.”
“There is continuous noise from loud talking, laughing, yelling, loud playing of music, vehicle motors idling, revving of engines, and vehicles with loud faulty or altered mufflers and screeching tires.”
He says residents have also spotted a number of dangerous drivers in the parking lot, who do donuts, speed, and come to sudden stops with screeching tires.
“When leaving the parking lot via the south entrance, there are numerous occasions where the vehicles roar the engine and travel at a very high rate of speed towards the intersection of Erickson Road.”
On most occasions, Merrick says there is a fair amount of litter like cigarette butts, beer cans, paper, plastic lids, and containers left in the parking lot as well.
At times, beach fires have lasted until 2:00am, and on a number of occasions, “the following morning the Fire Department had to be called to extinguish the remains of a smoking fire.”
“We have had our sleep, peace and quiet interrupted whenever these persons gather in the parking lot or beach area,” Merrick says. “We cannot enjoy the comfort of our homes due to the constant disturbance.”
This isn’t the first time the strata has voiced its frustrations, as last year the Strata Management Company wrote a letter to city council expressing concerns over these same issues.
“Some ideas we have discussed that council could consider are erecting gates at each entrance to the parking lot, locking them at 11:00pm and unlocking at 6:00am,” Merrick says.
He adds reducing the speed limit along that stretch on Highway 19A from 60km to 40km is another idea, along with putting up signs “stating the violations of the city’s bylaws that could lead to prosecution.”
Having a “police blitz” over a number of nights, during the week and weekend, is another consideration the strata brought forward, which could lead to “a deterrent of others,” Merrick says.
