15 May, 1992 His Worship Mayor L.M. Traboulay City of Port Coquitlam 2580 Shaughnessy St. Port Coquitlam, B.C. V3C 2A8 Your Worship: T am writing on behalf of the Sturgeon Slough Game Club, to formally seek from Council, an exemption from Bylaw No. 1220 which governs the discharge of firearms within the City of Port Coquitlam. This request is necessary as we have learned that due to the annexation of Douglas Island, our waterfowling activity now contravenes Bylaw No. 1220. According to the terms of the bylaw, we may be granted an exemption on the grounds of being "a hona fide shooting club". This would however, only permit the discharge of firearms for " the practice of target shooting". The discharge of firearms for waterfowling is not included in the text of the bylaw. To help Council review our request I would like to provide some background of who we are and what constructive efforts cur Club perpetuates on Douglas Island. I will also explain why we believe our presence on the island serves not only our Club’s self-interest but also the interests of the owner, the City of Port Coquitlam, and the public at large. The Sturgeon Slough Game Club has been active in the Port Coquitlam/Pitt River area for over 80 years. The club takes it’s name from the Sturgeon Slough region near Pitt Lake, where members leased land from the Pitt: Poulder Company and carried on waterfowling in that location until the land was sold to the Province in the 1970’s. Members continued to hunt in the area until 1985 when the Club secured a lease for Douglas Island from the owner, Canfor Ltd. Canfor’s principal use for the island is as a fresh water booming ground, however the company’s owners carried on the waterfowling tradition established long before them by families such as the Maitlands, who shot on the island early in the century. A&A permanent caretaker was kept on the island and considerable effort and money was expended to improve waterfowl habitat and to maintain the integrity of the island's infrastructure. Ducks [ITEM | PAGE