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The following is the full

text of the address made by
J. V. Christensen, President
of the Tahsis Company, to the
Tahsis residents concerning
the Company’s future plans
for the community:
: The purpose of this meeting
is to give you information and
to answer any questions you
might have concerning the
community of Tahsis and its
future.

To Improve Community

We, of the Tahsis Company,
have been involved for some
time in feasibility and engi-

neering studies to improve

the community. While con-
ducting these studies — and
they are still going on—lI
might add that we have had
as our objectives more and
better housing, improved
water and sewer services, new
recreational and other facili-
ties, and incorporation of the
community.as a municipality
like any other self-governing
municipality in British Co-
lumbia.

But, we are not here to-
night simply to tell you what
the Tahsis Company plans to
do. We are here to give you
an idea of what we have in
mind —then, listen to your
thoughts on the matter. This
is important — because it is
you who will, in the end, be
‘running the show and, I
might add, paying for some
of it too. The things we are
about to discuss cost money
—and plenty of it. Let me
make it very clear at the out-
set that, while the Tahsis
Company will certainly make
its proper contribution—and

it will be the major part—the |

people living in Tahsis must
also be prepared to spend
both time and money, and ef-
fort particularly, to develop a
livable and happy com-
munity.
Others Involved

Others are also involved,
including the provincial de-
partment of highways and the
federal department of trans-

port, to name just two. Their ,

representatives tried to be
here tonight to tell you of
their plans for roads and an
airport but other engage-
ments prevented them from
coming. However, we will try
to tell you what we know.
First, let me say that the
planners at the Tahsis Com-
pany have drawn up a 50-
page book which is a sug-
gested plan for development
of the community. I empha-
size the word “suggested”.
The plan is flexible — and _ it
must be. It provides room for
change, if needed, to meet

changed economic or other
conditions.

Depends on Power
second. the timetable of
development plan de-
ends on getting public power

Tahsis because the pres- .

- TWO POINTS OF VIEW
ON FUTURE OF TAHSIS

EDITOR’S NOTE: The two |

articles printed on this page

‘are a follow-up to the article

condemning conditions at Tab-
sis which was published in the
May issue of the Lumber
Worker. In the first of these
articles the Company presents
its future plans for improving
the community and in the
second article, John Squire,
NDP candidate for Alberni,
expresses his opinions of what

safeguards must be taken if

the Company’s plans are to
meet with success.

Housing Development
© Housing development (in
stages), which will likely in-
volve various types of hous-
ing, such as apartments and

townhouses, etc. These prob-
ably will be made available
to families on both a rental
and a purchase basis, with
some mortgage assistance;
that is, the advancing of 2nd
mortgage funds at a reason-
able rate of interest, if re-

quired. In addition, an exten-

sive mobile home park de-
velopment is included and the
first steps have been taken 'to
clear the land. Whatever form
the new housing takes, it will
be made available at the low-
est possible cost—without any
profits to the Company. In
fact, the Company will shoul-
der the development costs, as
it did in Gold River. Full
details of housing will be pro-
vided in advance.

Other Facilities

© New school facilities will
be built.

© Recreational facilities are
another area in which there
will be developments some of
which already are underway
and more are planned such as
a curling and skating rink to
be built to coincide with the
arrival of B.C. Hydro power.

© Improvements in sewage
and water distribution sys-
tems is another priority item
in community development at
Tahsis. In most instances, this
will mean entirely new con-
struction, and it must be done

first. .

Government Jurisdiction

e Road, airport and other
matters under government
jurisdiction are other import-
ant aspects. As stated ear-
lier, the representatives of the
government departments in-
volved were unable to attend
our meeting this evening.
However, as we understand
it, their plans are well ad-
vanced.

®@ Of particular importance
in any plan of development
the incorporation as a muni-
cipality is essential. Of course,
incorporation means a muni-
cipal government, local re-
sponsibility for the communi-
ty and, as always, the in-
evitable taxes for everyone—
with the Company carrying,
by far, the greatest part.

I do not wish to take any
longer with this opening state-
ment. I would prefer to have
questions develop. Mr. Frank
Grobb, who has been closely
associated with Tahsis de-
velopment plans for some
time, is also here tonight to

speak and help answer your
questions.

Have Been Complaints

I would like to add a point.
There have been complaints
about the lack of this and
that in Tahsis — that nothing
was being done, that the Tah-
sis Company was only con-
cerned with making a dollar,

‘and so on. We, at the Tahsis

Company, have spent three
years actively investigating
improvement plans for Tah-
sis and, although more work
remains, a start can be made
now. Community develop-
ment is underway, and the
Tahsis Company shares com-
pletely the view that the fu-
ture lies in achieving “open”
town status. Many visits have
been made to Victoria in this
respect. The government is
very cooperative, and will as-
sist in any way possible.

As a final statement, I
would like to say that Tahsis
is not about to become an “in-
stant” town like Gold River
—no, it has grown up and is
going to take its place among
the villages and municipalities
of the province, where it be-
longs, and the Company feels
strongly its responsibility to
make the transition from
Company town to municipal-

‘ity as smooth and painless as

possible.

THE NEEDED
SAFEGUARDS

By JOHN SQUIRE
NDP Candidate for Alberni
Seventeen years of peti-

tions, agitation, representa-
tion, public meetings, politi-
cal promises ended with a

series of Tahsis Company an-

nouncements to the citizens of
Tahsis, July 27th. Officials of
the Tahsis Company headed
by President J. V. Christen-
sen, outlined the future plans
for development of the Tahsis'
community as a full-fledged
municipality together with
statements of road access
completion and the introduc-
tion of public electric power.
In addition, the residents
heard statements from the
President. of the Nootka
Cedar Products in which the
development of the new cedar
mill, its productive capacity

_ and its employment policies

were outlined. The ‘Tahsis

Company also announced the

new plans for future housing

development and the installa-

tion of new sewer and treat-

ment plans in‘one section of

the community. ;
No Definite Dates

While no definite dates
were given in respect to road
completion or incorporation
it was suggested that housing
development would start im-
mediately and the detailed
road survey would be com-
pleted some time in June of
1970.

While I am of the opinion
that the Tahsis residents look
forward to handling the af-
fairs of their own municipal-
ity there are a great number
of unanswered questions that
must be dealt with prior to
the date of incorporation.
Tahsis has learned some hard
and bitter lessons from their
neighbours at Gold River.
They are well aware of the
outrageous housing costs, the
assessment figures and the
property taxes that are mak-
ing that instant community a
most difficult place in which
to live.

Of Vital Jmvortance

While the Tahsis communi-
ty is at the present date par-
tially developed, the question
of what will be the assets of
the new Tahsis community
once it becomes an incorpo-
rated community is of vital
importance. At the present
time residents are well aware
that there had been certain
installations made by the
company to serve the resi-

‘dents such as water, roads

and sewer systems. The resi-
dents are also well aware that
many of these facilities need
repairing and bringing up to
adequate standards.

It is my understanding that
when the time for incorpora-
tion is reached, safeguards
should be taken to guarantee
that the community should
not be required to buy out-
dated and below standard

JOHN SQUIRE, Recording Secretary of Local 1-85 IWA
and NDP candidate in the Alberni constituency, is shown
discussing some of the problems in the Alberni area with

his fellow citizens. .

community facilities. It is my
opinion that between now
and the date of incorporation
the Tahsis Company should
put in first class shape all
existing municipal facilities so
that. the new community is

‘starting on a firm financial

footing.

Company Responsibility

I feel also that the Tahsis
Company has a responsibility
to the residents to supply
them with a first class com-
munity centre so that they
will have a focal point for
their community activity. I
believe also that the incorpo-
rated community should in-
herit sufficient lands within
its open boundaries to guar-
antee proper expansion and
to guarantee sufficient land
for school buildings, hospital
and recreation facilities.

There is an obligation on
behalf of the Tahsis Company
to see that this community
gets a proper start in order
to take its place in the com-
munities of this province. In

‘making these suggestions I

feel that the Tahsis commun-
ity, more than any other part
of the Tahsis empire, has a
right to expect such consider-
ation.

For 25 Years

After all, Tahsis has been
in existence now for some 25
years, and the sawmill and
its productive capacity is the
base from which Tahsis Com-
pany was able to obtain its
timber cutting rights, its tree
farm licence, its pulp harvest-
ing rights and, finally, the
pulp mill at Gold River. With-
out this original community
there would have been
nothing by which the Tahsis
Company and International
Paper could have claimed the
large timber resources it now
holds. -

During the time ahead,
while terms of incorporation
are being discussed, the citi-
zens of Tahsis should form a
committee or a ratepayers or-
ganization so that there are
people in the community fully
conversant and familiar with
the problems ahead. Then,
this group can act and advise
both the company and muni-
cipal authorities of the terms
and conditions under which

municipal status should de-
velop.

_ Road and Power
This committee should also

make certain that the road
survey promises and the
power supply promises are
pao Ru: in addition, .
wo ave a responsibili
along with myself to see that
the road is started just as
soon as survey plans are
finished. ie