Old, worn-out docks being replaced with new ones at Christina Lake are being recycled by the Christina Lake Stewardship Society (CLSS).
CLSS president Peter Bowen noted posters have been placed around the lake with a number for residents to contact if they are interested in having their old docks removed.
“We will dispose of them in an environmentally friendly manner, which means all the nails and metals are removed,” he said. “All the Styrofoam is removed, all the treated wood is removed, and then we’re cutting up all the remaining good wood into firewood lengths and using it as camp fire wood.”
Bowen explained a base fee of $400 is applied, plus whatever the group is charged at the Regional District Landfill Site for items that can’t be burned, such as Styrofoam or metal.
“One that we did was $405 because that was all we had to dispose at the dump, a pail full of nails,” he said. “Another was an additional $115 because of waterlogged Styrofoam. It’s a lot of hard work.”
The dock-recycling program also acts as a fundraiser for CLSS. Last year was the first year attempting this program where they experimented with dismantling one dock to see how long the process would take.
Regional District of Kootenay Boundary Area C director Grace McGregor noted a lot of the projects and work done at the lake could not be possible without the help of the directors, like Bowen.
“For many, it was straying from what we normally focus on because when you think about the stewardship group, it’s more counting fish and not necessarily about running chainsaws and doing physical work,” said Bowen. “So far the response has been very positive. What we’re trying to do is get rid of all the debris that ends up accumulating around the lake.”
Bowen explained to the Gazette, “For years and years people would replace their docks by buying a new one or building a new one by themselves, and many of them would take their old ones and tie it up to Crown land or kick it out into the lake and let it go.”
The stewardship society keeps an inventory with detail information about what is on every single property around the lake, including the number of docks.
“We’re working on trying to provide a solution,” he said. “I sent out a proposal to all the companies who build wharfs, not just the local people but those in Nelson and Castlegar as well. I told them this is what we’re proposing, asked them if they would be involved and all of them said yes.”
Bowen noted there would be some docks removed next year but there will also be assistance from the RDKB with the project.