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[paddleBOT]

Something smells in False Creek and boat squatters feel the heat
Soaring fecal coliform counts prompt city to search for a solution


August 8, 2004
 
The finger of suspicion is being pointed at squatter boats after a big jump in fecal coliform counts in east False Creek, but the squatters deny they're the sole source of the problem.

The risk is large enough to prompt a meeting next week between Vancouver Health officials and the city's engineering department to discuss the readings and ways to deal with them.

"We have a number of theories," said Nick Losito, of Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. "I think there's a suspicion that it's the illegal squatter boats that are there.

"Without some further analysis, I don't think we can conclude that, but there is definitely something in that east basin that is anomalous for that area."

Test results from Aug. 3 show a count of 550, more than double the 200 limit that usually leads to the closing of swimming beaches. False Creek East isn't a a swimming beach, but it is a popular area for dragon-boat paddlers, kayakers and other recreational users.

"You can get some accidental submersion . . . especially from novices," said Losito. "You can get spray kicking up from the water.

"Above 200, you have an increased possibility of coming down either with some form of gastrointestinal illness or eye infection. By extension, at 500 the risk is greater than at 200."

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.
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Arthur Brock, director of the False Creek Property Owners' Association, called the situation "very worrying," adding the number of squatter boats in eastern False Creek has doubled in the last two years to 100.


Cont'd in article

[Rae]

And does anyone else want to tell me "it's just water" as I'm getting this stuff in my face and up into my ear???

[Imposter]

This is disgusting.

We should really get some kind of petition going & send it to the local MP to do something to get rid of the squatters.  Why is there no enforcement of the law???

[schnip]

I got water in my eyes 3x times today..

They're still stinging.. and it's been 12 hours ago..  

[zephyrantes]

How selfish for the boat squatters to say that they aren't part of the problem.   People are people, and anyone who's worked in retail (myself included at one point) can testify that people are messy and lazy.   I don't believe that every single squatter out there on the water is "responsible" enough to properly dump their sewage/waste.

[Photog]

they did the test August 3rd, which was shortly after Indy.
during Indy, false creek was swamped with yachts and other boats . . .
that may have something to do with the high count.
funny thing is i saw a guy swimming/water skiing in the creek during Indy. guess he isn't from around here.

[Guido]

Wow.....I'm trying to imagine that.....no one buying in False Creek....no one living down there.....no one walking on the seawall.
It would be so desolate....they would either have to extend Gastown all the way to False Creek....or the name would finally suit the location.

But seriously.....there have been petitions in trying to clean up the creek....There is a society called Friends of False Creek and they doing their best to get it cleaned up.  

If you're really concerned....then let's get something going.  
We can't just sit and complain and laugh about it.  

Hell....can you imagine what your kids are going to look like from ingesting the water?????

[Photog]

But seriously.....there have been petitions in trying to clean up the creek....There is a society called Friends of False Creek and they doing their best to get it cleaned up.  

If you're really concerned....then let's get something going.  
We can't just sit and complain and laugh about it.

neat. you got me curious, what kind of treatments have the Friends of False Creek been doing to the water, and what kind of work does this involve?

[Imposter]

I encourage everyone to copy/edit this letter and send it to your MP, City Hall, Hedy Fry, Transport Canada, etc.  Let's see what kind of response we get.

--------------------------------------


August 10, 2004


Hon. Hedy Fry
Member of Parliament, Vancouver Centre
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON  K1A 0A6
Email:  [email protected]


Dear Ms Fry,

Re: Illegal Boat Squatters and Soaring Fecal Coliform Count in False Creek

I am writing you regarding the serious and ongoing issue of soaring fecal coliform counts in False Creek.  On August 3, the coliform count measured over 550 in False Creek, more than double the limit of 200 which would require swimming beaches to be closed.  There is the strong likelihood that the primary reason for the unacceptably high coliform count is due to the raw sewage discharge from over 100 illegally moored boat squatters in False Creek.

False Creek is a very important tourist and recreational asset for the city of Vancouver, on par with Stanley Park.  False Creek is being used daily by hundreds of rowers, kayakers, canoeists and dragon boaters, and these people’s health is being placed at risk by the polluted waters.  In addition, the growing number of boat squatters has clogged up the waterway for recreational and tourist activities, have put at risk such events as the annual Alcan Dragon Boat Festival, and are forcing UBC to relocate its rowing facility to Richmond.  The raw sewage in False Creek is appalling to see and smell and the squatter boats are usually dilapidated wrecks.  The squatters are negatively affecting the thousand of residents who live along the shores of False Creek and the thousands of residents and tourists who use the seawall and visit the Creek’s many attractions, such as Science World and Granville Island.

False Creek and the boat squatters fall under the jurisdiction of Transport Canada.  Very little is being done to enforce the laws and move the illegal boat squatters out of False Creek and monitor and improve the water conditions of this valuable asset.  As the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre (which borders False Creek), you should be taking a leadership role, working with Transport Canada and the City of Vancouver to resolve this serious issue.  This should include enforcing the laws and quickly having the illegally moored boat squatters removed from False Creek.  Can you please let me know what actions you are taking to resolve this matter.

Yours truly,

[paddleBOT]

Old article about the Friends of False Creek group.
Dated July 10, 2002.

[DBWTim]

Great idea Imposter... We'll see if our government will actually listen to some of its people.  I've sent an email to Ms. Fry... I'll keep everyone posted on the response.. if any...

[paddleBOT]

Heard on the radio that the Feds are doing something.  I didn't get all the details.  They said boats would be allowed to moor 2 weeks in summer and 3 weeks in winter witout a permit.  This would be in effect starting next spring.  IMO, 2 to 3 weeks is still too long.

[Photog]

what i was talking about at indy. meh heh.

[meowzers]

that's disturbing...

during the 2004 Alcan db fest. the the murky green "water" s-l-o-w-l-y turned in to this crap like color...any one notice that? i was chasing boats on zodiacs...with out a lisences but i did have Kim and Ross w/ me so it's all good

in a nut shell even if the gov is planning put a limit on how long sqatters can sqwat. Flase creek creek is still going to be screaming "public feces/p***/god knoes wat else in that "water" zone"

you gotta look at the boat - majority of them near sci world...are pretty cruddy boats that don't have or the occupants don't use the boat "crap jar"

the water is so feces infested... i don't think friends of false Creek will make a big change unless they dump gallons of bleach in to it... think about it... the fecefied water has been feces infested since..."a long time" how are they going to clean it with out harming the organic specimens... unless they make some biosafe bacteria[like the oils eaters] that eats ermm human waste deposites [scratches head] i would like to know how the heck they are going clean up...

but the good news : at least FC's condiction won't worsen *hopefully* or else my team will bloody slap the fecefiers with our paddles!

[Sunny_Daze]

Fecal count of 500+?!?!?  That is absolutely disgusting!  But you can see the crap floating in the water.  Sometimes "logs" and condoms.  Gross!

So instead of a nice paddle, we are getting splashed and splashing our team mates, our friends, with other mammal excrement.  GROSS!!!

This is enough to make me quit my team and stick with Outrigger on Howe Sound.  Seriously!  Last year I had a 3 week ear infection that put me on antibiotics.  Lead to a sinus and throat infection along with a perforated ear-drum from the ear infection.  

Do I want to put my health at risk like this?