The lifeblood of a healthy community is “engagement.” For a town of some 9,000 residents, Qualicum Beach boasts a surprising number of active, vibrant residents’ associations whose members toil in support of the place we are fortunate to call our home town. We all benefit from their work, and the members deserve our thanks for their volunteer efforts.
Second Opinion QB reached out to a number of these organizations to find out who they are and what they are doing. Here is a brief recap of the information received to date. We encourage QB residents to consider becoming a member of the residents’ association in your area of our town.
These organizations include Chartwell Residents’ Association, Eaglecrest Residents’ Association, Qualicum Beach Residents’ Association and Qualicum Woods Residents’ Association. We believe there may be residents’ or homeowners’ associations representing other areas of Qualicum Beach, but we were unable to confirm that they are still operating.
Chartwell Residents’ Association (CRA)
Membership is open to residents of Chartwell. Should you wish to become a member, contact CRA President Carol Haas at mchaas@shaw.ca Unfortunately, no other information was made available to us before this story was published.
Eaglecrest Residents’ Association (ERA)
Formed in 1993, Eaglecrest Residents’ Association operates a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/myeaglecrest/ ERA President John Wood says that anyone wanting information on membership can write to the ERA at PO Box 582, Qualicum Beach V9K 1T1, contact @MyEaglecrest or email eaglecrest.r.a@gmail.com, or call John at 250.738.2728. Eaglecrest Residents’ Association is currently running a photography contest open to all members of the ERA that has already produced some lovely photos of local scenes.
Qualicum Beach Residents’ Association (QBRA)
The QBRA has been in existence since 1971, and is governed by a board of ten directors, led by President Doug Mackay-Dunn. The board meets monthly and board meetings are open to all members. QBRA has been very active in the community in the last several years. In the fall of 2019, the QBRA delivered a copy of their newsletter The Issue through the mail to QB residents. It contained a useful tool, the Council Report Card, which is a quick and handy way for QB residents to keep tabs on our local government’s performance compared to promises made. The QBRA also publishes a summary of issues discussed at each Council meeting entitled “Beyond the Minutes” for those who don’t want to plough through entire meetings themselves. The QBRA encourages people to meet and discuss issues by hosting community Conversations, most recently one on the Climate Emergency Urgency, and another on Healthcare. Check out QBRA’s website, https://www.qbresidents.ca/ for information about their actions and activities, including how to become a member.
Qualicum Woods Residents’ Association (QWRA)
Carol and Fred Dowe founded the QWRA in 2015 after Qualicum Woods residents expressed concerns that they were not being heard by QB Council, in particular in response to the high incidence of traffic accidents at Qualicum Road and Village Way. Among other accomplishments, QWRA efforts have resulted in a traffic crossing light at that intersection; tables, benches and a toilet at Christleton Park; a bus shelter on Village Way; the launch of a Block Watch group; and, membership on the Town Public Safety Committee. Most recently, the QWRA has taken a role in addressing the issue of low flying aircraft and airport noise, advocated for more playground facilities for young families, and in July 2020 made a presentation to Council strongly opposing the proposed sale of Town-owned heavily treed lots which are considered community assets. QWRA garnered over 500 signatures on a petition to save the lots from being cleared for 2 houses.
One of the issues of concern currently occupying a great deal of QWRA’s time is the Telus proposal to install a large telecommunications cell tower on Hwy 19A, near the eastern approach to Qualicum Beach. This may be a concern for anyone living in Qualicum Beach, regardless of what area you live in. Should you wish to become a member or support their efforts in any way you can contact Todd Provost, Vice-President and Acting Chair by email at qualicumwoods@gmail.com or telephone 250-752-1995. The QWRA also has a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/qualicumwoods/
