Grouse Mountain: wind power a potential threat to wildlife

The most prominent clearcut in B.C.?

You’d have to give consideration to The Cut at Grouse Mountain, an eyesore that has remained unchanged even as clearcuts on provincial Crown forest land have evolved over the years to better fit the landscape.

Now, the same ever-diversifying tourism destination is poised to alter Metro Vancouver’s northern skyline once again with a prominent white wind turbine stretching more than 100 metres into the air atop the Olympic Express chairlift.

Grouse Mountain hopes the turbine will generate up to 25 per cent of its power needs but concedes the greater incentive is to showcase the benefits of alternative green energy for visitors.

Is that the full story?

Wind turbines have raised concerns around the world for denuding scenic landscapes and posing a risk to birds, bats, and other wildlife.

Locally, the peregrine falcon and seven species of bats are among the winged wonders that could be impacted by a turbine at Grouse Mountain.

Four members of the District of North Vancouver council, including Mayor Richard Walton (rwalton@dnv.org), narrowly okayed the turbine, which is to be constructed in summer 2009. The opinions of the greater millions of people who live and visit Vancouver were not considered. You can change that.

Are wind turbines an ill wind blowing or a valid alternative in a power-hungry province? And, more to the point of this debate, do you want one atop Grouse Mountain?

Larry Pynn

The Vancouver Sun ^[1]

9 October 2008

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[1] The Vancouver Sun: http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/gonewild/archive/2008/10/09/grouse-mountain-is-wind-power-a-wildlife-threat.aspx

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