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Some Frequently Asked Questions about Save The Lakes

What are those Save the Lakes signs?

These signs belong to a local organization that represents itself as an environmental watchdog group and not an obstructionist group. They claim to represent the broad interest of local residents and their concerns about potential environmental degradation of Williams Lake and 4th Binnewater Lake.

What is Save the Lakes concerned about?

When asked this question, spokespeople for Save the Lakes have consistently responded that there is no singular voice or position for the group. However, if you were categorize the main concerns the group has expressed with their formal communications it would be the following concerns:

1) Loss of affordable public access to the property, particularly for swimming.
2) The overall scale of the project (“the project is too big”). This is particularly with regard to the number of housing units and less so with the size of the hotel and its amenities.
3) Water usage and the potential “mining” (draining) of Williams Lake.
4) Potential groundwater contamination and impacts on wetlands due to the Karst Geology of the project area which promotes rapid subsurface water flow.
5) Need for on-site affordable housing for employees.
6) Need for greater specificity with regard to sustainable technologies and environmental commitments.

How have they helped influence the project?

Save the Lakes and other concerned citizens have raised sensitivity to a number of concerns, including those outlined above. Public access commitments have improved as a result of their efforts, including commitments to create “day-use access” to trails and swimming and ongoing free public access via the rail trail. Though the project is sized appropriately for the land and the existing zoning, the overall scale of the project has been reduced and onsite affordable housing has been added.

What Save the Lakes issues have been addressed?

Public access, Scale of Project, Water capacity, Groundwater Contamination, Affordable Housing, need for more detailed environmental commitments.

How does The Williams Lake Project hope to work with them in the future?

Going forward, we would like to work with Save the Lakes and other concerned citizens in ways that help connect the Project to the needs, interests and resources of the local Rosendale community. We also want to work in ways that move the project forward without unnecessary delays. In 2013, as we look toward detailed planning and construction, we will be hosting a variety of “community planning salons” to elicit input from stakeholders on a variety of topics such as Rail Trail/ Public Access; Local Sourcing; Wellness; Sustainability; and Conservation/ Historic Preservation.