KVR path? or future corridor
A motion by Terry Schafer at the RDOS board table put on hold – with enough directors wanting more information before making a decision.
Schafer’s intentions came as a notice of motion two weeks ago after a noisy meeting in Oliver where a number of people were boo’ed for having an opposite view. That meeting at Oliver’s Legion Hall saw a lot of farmers and others saying NO to a trail through orchard land when an existing hike and bike path lies about a half mile away on the river channel.
Directors at the board table in Penticton showed a sympathetic ear but said they need more mapping and a staff report before making a decision.
Schafer’s motion has two sides: ask the crown for tenure on the Hike and Bike trail from McAlpine Bridge to Road 22 for a path and for tenure on the KVR right of way in Area C for a future use as a transportation corridor. Schafer says he is working with MLA Linda Larson and Area D Director Tom Siddon on a plan that would see a pathway north of Deer Park Estates in land controlled by the Canada Wildlife Service on the west side of Vaseux Lake. Three bridges would need to be built to make that possible.
Found money? to be used for office improvements
One director said it was like finding a box of money in a park. Not quite. BUT.
The Regional District is in the middle of upgrading their offices (101 Martin Street) with a cost approved of over $381 thousand. But now an “old” grant has surfaced allowing for the expenditure of about $175 thousand on green items within that construction budget.
Directors approved two additional items – better LED lighting and repairs to the roof that should result in economic spinoffs (savings in heat and power costs) over a long period of time.
Directors were a bit confused with what the “found” money should mean as their wish list included the installation of a heat pump and a better sounding PA system in the board room.
Staff appeared a bit piqued when all the recommendations they made did not get approval. In addition to the present work being done by Greyback Construction – $46 thousand will be spent on retrofitting all inside and outside lighting and repairs to a roof at a cost of $70 thousand that has seen better days.
We have not heard the last of this item.
Fire Dispatch radio upgrades? Operation in 2016
For almost two years – Fire Departments in the Regional District has been working with RDOS staff and a consultant – Planet Works Consulting to upgrade all dispatching (done from Kelowna) to fire departments in the region.
Most of the work has been done and all concerned seem happy with a vastly improved system (infrastructure on hill tops, radio equipment, redundancy with fibre optics) and less confusion when there is multiple events in the region.
Dispatching is done by operators at the Kelowna Fire Department. There is some new wrinkles in the plan where mountain top transmission towers are located. For Oliver – Kobau Mt. remains. It will feed info to Oliver, Osoyoos, Willowbrook and Anarchist Mtn. A saving of just about $600 thousand has been made as the main tower will be at or near “Lost Moose” on the east side of the valley at Penticton. No towers will be used on Okanagan Mountain as it has been in the past. A number of repeaters will be utilized for the Summerland, Apex, Trout Creek, Okanagan Falls zone.
Each mountain top tower will be equipped with 72 hours of battery power in case of an electrical failure.