Dear Editor:

This letter is directed to Boundary-Similkameen Member of the Legislative Assembly Linda Larson.

I am most concerned regarding current and ongoing actions at Haynes Point Provincial Park.

As a daily walker at the park and a volunteer off-season custodian, I am most distressed to learn that as of October 1, 2014, I and approximately 50 other daily park users will be excluded from the use of the park facility.

With the finding of human remains during excavation for new and much-needed washroom facilities, the park has been in a state of disruption and severely restricted toilet facilities.

The bones as recovered may be those of the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) ancestors, but in the absence of carbon dating and DNA analysis, it cannot be stated to be direct ancestors of the OIB.

They may indeed be remains of early fur traders or perhaps, if truly ancient, those of the earliest tribes who crossed into North America from Asia.

I fully appreciate and respect the concerns of the OIB and their right to conduct investigations into further potential grave sites within the park, but I cannot accept the banning of other citizens and visitors from this most popular nature and recreation site.

Haynes Point Provincial Park is important to the many family campers who utilize the facility and to the Town of Osoyoos.

During the camping season, this park has been utilized to capacity and more for approximately 100 days each year and about half capacity for a further 95 days per year.

It has generated camping revenues of more than $120,000 per year and has provided some 5,900 camper nights utilized by both British Columbians and visitors from across Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.

This equates to some 21,000 person days in the facility.

With an average daily spending of $50 per site occupied, some $2 million is realized by the Osoyoos business community for food, services, liquor, gas and other tourist requirements.

In the “off season”, the park is used by approximately 50 regular users per day with activities ranging from walking, jogging, cycling, dog walking, birding, skiing and photography.

On weekends with nice weather, this number can swell to over 100 as families utilize the park for outings and picnics. Users of the park respect the cleanliness of the park. Another person and I – on a volunteer basis – ensure that garbage cans are emptied and relined and that dog waste bag dispeners are kept full, thus encouraging the proper disposal of garbage and dog droppings.

The presence of “regulars” in the park helps to prevent vandalism and non-permitted activities.

Surely some reasonable accommodation can be found between the desire of the OIB to further research their ancestors and the needs of locals and visitors to exercise on a flat and safe area and to appreciate and respect the park environment.

I would appreciate it if you could bring this letter to the attention of whoever is in a position of authority to correct what has become a most unsatisfactory situation.

Robert J. Hyslop

Osoyoos, B.C.