By ROY WOOD

The town of Osyoos will participate in a regional heritage preservation service at an annual cost of about 34 cents per household.

Council voted Monday to get on board the program, which is aimed at bringing a region-wide approach to the development and promotion of heritage sites.

Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen rural projects coordinator Lindsay Bourque told council at an earlier meeting that the town’s annual share of the cost of the regional heritage program would be about $1,700.

In a report to council Monday, planning director Alain Cunningham said: “The many heritage conservation initiatives envisaged (by the program) include community education; inventorying, listing and in some cases registering heritage resources; promoting and marketing heritage attractions. …

“These should generate worthwhile benefits such as regional and community pride, ‘sense of place,’ cultural tourism which is a huge draw for visitors, and connections and support for local museums and heritage societies.”

Osoyoos museum manger Kara Burton sees benefits to the project and Penticton, Kermeos and Oliver have already signed on.

All municipalities in the RDOS must agree to the program for it to proceed.