The island

Trustees hear differing views on archaeological work at Komas Ranch

At a January meeting, the Local Trust Committee heard opposing accounts of past archaeological work and the need for a preliminary field reconnaissance.

The Denman Firestarter · reporting 2025-02-27 · compiled 2026-10-01

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The Denman Island Local Trust Committee heard differing views on archaeological work connected to the Komas Ranch rezoning application at its Jan. 21 meeting.^[1]

The applicant’s representative said there had been three extensive archaeological digs on the property and argued that a preliminary field reconnaissance would not add new information. The representative also said property owners should not bear the cost of providing further archaeological information.^[1]

A K’ómoks First Nation archaeologist said there had been no significant or extensive excavations on the property and that the owners had misunderstood information held by the BC Archaeology Branch. The archaeologist said the Branch’s information recorded archaeologists on site in 1952, hydro pole replacement work along the road, and K’ómoks First Nation attendance to rebury ancestral remains.^[1]

The minutes say the preliminary field reconnaissance is intended to address gaps in cultural and archaeological heritage information and help inform a heritage conservation area for the properties.^[1]

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