The creation of the new Cowichan Communities Coalition that includes the Chemainus Residents Association is intriguing.
There are six other existing groups that have banded together to act as an instrument of change in the Cowichan Valley.
When you look down the list of the other member groups - the Cowichan Valley Naturalists, One Cowichan, Quamichan Lake Neighbourhood Association, Quamichan Watershed Stewardship Society, Sahtlam Neighbourhood Association and the Somenos Marsh Society - one thing stands out. And that is every group’s discontent with virtually everything the Municipality of North Cowichan does.
Reading between the lines of a press release issued by the group, there is a definite appetite to form a more united front. Their voices are not being heard much by the powers-that-be individually.
North Cowichan is not exactly winning over many friends by constantly ignoring peoples’ concerns and going ahead with projects that don’t seem to serve the public interest.
You can go way back to the start of the Echo Heights fight in Chemainus and so many other issues to see how the frustration people have experienced is compounding.
Perhaps thinking it’s going to get worse before it gets better, this group hopes to have a say before North Cowichan takes the rapid-fire approach without thinking about the long-term affects.
It’s going to require a change in thinking at the municipal hall and being more accepting of public input. It remains to be seen how the new group can get its foot in the door before more ill-conceived decisions are made.