Rain and the US presidential debate didn’t keep close to 150 Vancouverites from coming out to SPES’ AGM at the West End Community Centre on Monday evening.
After the official business of the day finished, which also included highlights from SPES’ three main program areas: conservation, public and school programs (see picture on left), a highly anticipated panel presentation began. Featuring Lance Barrett-Lennard, Vancouver Aquarium; Ben West, Wilderness Committee; Robyn Worcester, SPES, and moderated by Park Commissioner, Niki Sharma, the panellists discussed some of the ecological impacts a major oil spill could have on Stanley Park’s wildlife and ecosystem and took questions from the audience.
Coinciding with a large pipeline rally at the Victoria Legislature, the topic was timely and the presentation garnered substantial media attention from local papers and TV including Vancouver Sun, News 1130 and CBC News.
Lance Barrett-Lennard was quoted by News 1130: “The effects that people aren’t as aware of is how long these impacts go on. The oil gets in the sediment, it gets in the rocks, it gets in the gravel and then it leaches slowly out over time. It poisons the food change, not necessarily lethally but injures the food chain. It impairs the food chain for tens of years.”