by
Jennifer Dart
The Westerly News
Nov. 23, 2005
Erosion continues to affect access to Combers Beach.
The Pacific Rim National Park Reserve issued a statement in the Nov. 9 issue of the Westerly advising that the area had to be closed "due to recent storms and high tides," which washed out the stairs leading down the beach.
The access and parking area were newly opened on Labour Day weekend, re-situated because the old parking lot was too close to the beach and the embankment was slowly being eaten away by the ocean.
PRNPR staff decided to leave the new stairs in place a little longer than usual this year, hoping to prolong access.
"This season, it was decided to leave the stairs in place to allow public access as long as possible, due to the late opening of the day-use area," said Coastal Marine Assets Manager Bill Fox.
Unfortunately, an early storm thwarted those plans.
Fox said instead of reinstalling the stairs leading down the beach they will dig a "trenched ramp" next to the boardwalk path after the winter season. As Fox pointed out during a tour of the area, the ramp access could be more easily moved further down the beach, should that prove necesary.
Other efforts underway this fall include an experiment to remove large quantities of American dune grass, a non-native species that has colonised the spit and is pushing Sandhill Creek further north.
Fox said hopefully the winter storms will then work for them by de-stabilizing the spit and slowing the northward migration of the creek, which is contributing to the erosion problem in the area of the new access.
"The bottom line is that there will continue to be an opportunity to access Combers Beach in the coming years," said Fox.
Fox noted also the Spruce Fringe Trail is in need of major upgrades because many sections of the boardwalk are unstable. The trail may have to be slightly re-routed during this process. This work will be paid for with park entry fees, said Fox.
PRNPR has indicated they will be moving to a per-person park use fee for next season, as opposed to the per-vehicle fee that has been in effect.
Despite the closure of the Combers parking access, park officials found a couple of cars parked there, and acts of vandalism were evident. One sign was shot with more than a dozen bullet holes, and used firecrackers were found in the area.
"Some years are
worse than others [for vandalism]," Fox said.
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Copyright The
Westerly News, a Canwest Company. Reproduction of this article
or photographs, in whole or in part, is illegal without the written consent
of The Westerly News (westnews@ukeecable.net).
The Westerly News is published each Wednesday in Ucluelet. Phone: 250
726-7029
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