Dear Editor,
Re: “Snow geese shooting sparks police presence,” Richmond-News.com, Nov. 11.
Your story about a massive police raid on an ALR home adjacent to Steveston Highway highlights several issues that must be addressed by Richmond City Council.
As a neighbour, I was able to observe the assemblage of heavily armed officers and six police vehicles for several hours to address a reported shooting for geese — all quite legal if permits are in place.
The police will determine any malfeasance in this case , but the point is the misuse of police resources and the confusion around what is legal and not legal regarding the discharge of firearms in Richmond.
It begs the question, what are the Richmond regulations regarding hunting on ALR land?
If you look it up, they are covered by Bylaw 4183, which has not been updated since 1983. Do those regulations make sense in 2020?
The hunting area in question borders No. 5 Road, Steveston Highway, Gilbert Road and the southern dike — an arbitrary zone deemed reasonable in the early eighties before our city was totally transformed.
What reasonable Richmond resident thinks long guns can be legally discharged a hundred metres from Steveston Highway — whether for hunting or whatever? Clearly the local regulations need to be updated , conforming with current sensibilities , the increased residential footprint on the ALR, and understood by Richmond residents.
John Baines
RICHMOND
