Two people active in their communities want to replace retiring Joe Allan as the Cowichan Valley Regional District director for Electoral Area F.

Joan McKenzie of Mesachie Lake and Ian Morrison of Honeymoon Bay have been involved in community organizations for several years and believe that will help them do a good job.

McKenzie has been Allan’s alternate director the past three years, which she said has put her at the CVRD board table on many occasions to discuss and vote on issues in Allan’s absence.

“I’m not sure I would have appreciated the commitment and amount of work if I hadn’t been the alternate,” said McKenzie. “I’ve been able to build a relationship with CVRD staff and know many of the important issues.”

Infrastructure is one of McKenzie’s top priorities, especially development of a new sewage system that could serve both Honeymoon Bay and Mesachie Lake.

“Mesachie Lake needs a new sewage system,” said McKenzie. “We have been talking with property owners between Honeymoon Bay and Mesachie Lake to discuss this. Money has been set aside for a study.”

Building a new sewage system in conjunction with potential new development would be a key.

“Infrastructure is what will attract business, which will bring people and broaden our tax base. The more who share the load the lighter it will be.”

Regarding development, McKenzie stressed that it’s important to make sure it’s done right the first time.

“We have only one chance to do it the right way. We aren’t going to stop development, but we do have a say about how it happens, where it happens and when. We need to open up new avenues for the future of the lake, incorporating innovation and diversity.”

McKenzie, who until earlier this year was the postmaster in Mesachie Lake for 10 years and for the last few years in Honeymoon Bay, said that if elected she would like to hold monthly town hall meetings to hear residents’ concerns and desires and to keep people up to date on what’s happening for them at the CVRD.

As with many other communities, McKenzie believes affordable housing for young families and appropriate housing for seniors are key issues that should be addressed.

Morrison believes there needs to be a new mandate and new blood at the CVRD board. He said it isn’t satisfactory that Area F residents often complain about making five or six calls to the CVRD office before a return call is made.

“When Joe (incumbent Joe Allan) announced he wasn’t running, my phone started to ring,” said Morrison. “That got me talking to respected community members in Area F. It was the positive encouragement from community members that convinced me to run.

“I want to help — no serve — Area F and bring a unified voice to the regional board.”

Morrison said many newer residents don’t understand the difference between the CVRD and the Town of Lake Cowichan and how the two intersect, even though they are two different jurisdiction.

Morrison said there is a dominant flow of recently retired people to the area who are still working in some lesser capacity and their contributions need to be encouraged.

He believes there needs to be affordable housing so that young families can move to the area and governments needs to encourage incentives for seniors’ independent living “so that parents and grandparents aren’t forced to leave the community.”

“I think that could be part of new developments.”

Because there is development pressure, Morrison would like to initiate a community-driving development handbook that covers everything from an individual subdividing a property to major projects.

“Another key issue is protection of the lake. I think the rest of the Cowichan Valley looks at the lake as an endless supply of water. Cowichan Lake residents should have priority when it comes to its use.”

Both candidates believe amalgamation of the Cowichan Lake area into one municipality should be considered.

Morrison said it needs to be explored with all the facts on the table: what the costs are, the benefits and the disadvantages.

“If the people of Area F, Area I and the town want amalgamation, it should be based on the facts and not emotion.”

McKenzie agrees the pros and cons should be presented on amalgamation. “I think now is the time to look at it again,” she said. “There are things we could do as a municipality that we can’t do now.”