Birders,

The north side of Boundary Bay, located in the Municipality of Delta,
B.C., is an outstanding birding area which has been used by birders
for decades. It hosts huge wintering populations of waterfowl and
Dunlin and many wintering raptors (including Snowy and Short-eared
Owls). In spring and fall, it has impressive shorebird migrations.
Rare shorebirds which have been seen here include Far Eastern Curlew,
Bar-tailed, Hudsonian and Marbled Godwits, Snowy Plover, American
Avocet, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, and Red Phalarope, as well as more
regular species.

There are 6 north-south roads which terminate at the Boundary Bay
dyke: 64th, 72nd, 88th, 96th, 104th, and 112th Streets. The
Municipality of Delta is planning to COMPLETELY BAN PARKING on three
of these roads (88th, 96th, and 112th Streets) beginning on July 1,
2000. This is a result of complaints by farmers and other local
residents about cars occasionally blocking driveways or access to
fields, or making passage difficult for farm vehicles. This parking
ban will be YEAR-ROUND, and will extend for 1-2 miles north of the
dyke (to Highway 10). Parking restrictions will also be imposed on the
other 3 roads (64th, 72nd, and 104th Streets).

I have lived in Delta for 11 years, and am very familiar with the
situation. Although there have been occasional traffic and parking
problems, they have been blown out of proportion by local farmers, and
these parking restrictions ARE NOT JUSTIFIED. The 3 roads where a
total parking ban is planned are those which are the best access for
shorebirds! Delta Council has heard little if any from birders on the
subject, and is not aware of the serious impact this will have on our
ability to enjoy our hobby.

If you are concerned about these severe parking restriction, PLEASE
send an E-mail to the Mayor and Council of Delta stating your
opposition to the ban, and asking them to reconsider their decision,
and adopt solutions that do not involve a total ban (e.g., parking on
one side of the street only.) The E-mail address is
mayor-council at corp.delta.bc.ca . Even if you bird the area very
infrequently, and your letter is only 2 or 3 sentences, it will help.
Council needs to know that large numbers of birders are opposed to, or
at least concerned about, this unnecessary
action. Letters from Americans, as well as from Canadians, will help!

Please copy this message to anyone not on an E-mail group who might be
willing to write Council about the matter. Letters may also be sent to
Delta Municipal Hall at 4500 Clarence Taylor Crescent, Delta, B.C.
V4K 3E2, Canada.

If you wish to read more about the problem, including a staff report
to council on the situation and minutes of an information session that
was held, visit the Delta website at
www.corp.delta.bc.ca/cpd/boundry_bay_council_report.htm .

If you do write, I would appreciate it if you could send me a BLIND
carbon copy (bcc) of your message, or forward it to me later. I would
like to gauge the number of messages being sent to Council, but do not
want to appear to be orchestrating a campaign (even though I am!)

Thanks for your support!

Wayne C. Weber
Kamloops and Delta, B.C.
wayne_weber at bc.sympatico.ca