Town raids savings to repair flood-damaged wall
Osoyoos will dip into its savings for close to three hundred thousand dollars to repair and upgrade the retaining wall near Cottonwood Park damaged by this year’s flooding.
According to a report from operations director Jim Dinwoodie, the silt and sand under the Allan block wall adjacent to the lake edge was eroded to the point where it the wall is unstable and leaning outward toward the lake. “Concrete and asphalt walkways have sunk and the surrounding landscape has been compromised.”
Council decided to rebuild the wall with considerable improvements to make it more flood proof. Cost of the project is estimated at $518,000. A grant from the Emergency Management BC of $281,565 will mitigate the cost, but the town will still need to pull $276,435 from its general reserves to cover the cost.
The project will also see $40,000 in Resort Municipality Initiative funding pay for improvements to the lighting along the Canal Pathway.
Dinwoodie said tenders would go out soon and the work will likely start in January or February for completion by May.
Mystery benefactor grants $25K for heat system
Osoyoos council said thank you very much on Monday to an organization few of them had heard of for a grant of $24,750 to help pay for a heat and light control system at the Sonora Centre.
Earlier this year, community services director Gerald Davis applied to the Fraser Basin Council for the grant, which will help offset the $70,000 price tag for the system.
Councillor CJ Rhodes asked who the group is so that he could thank them should the opportunity present itself.
According to its website, the council is “A charitable … society that brings people together to advance sustainability in the Fraser Basin and across BC.” Its headquarters are in Vancouver and the nearest office is in Vernon.
The project at the Sonora Centre will see automated switching of heat and light systems to optimize energy use and thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Town supports museum society grant bid
Council agreed today to write a letter in support of the Osoyoos Museum’s $1.25 million grant request to the federal/provincial Community, Cultural and Recreation Program.
The Osoyoos Museum Society (OMS) is scheduled to take over the Home Building Centre on Main Street in just 13 months and begin turning it into the new home of the Osoyoos and District Museum and Archives.
In a letter to council, OMS president Mat Hassen said the proposed budget for the project is $2.5 million, including $2 million for building upgrades and $500,000 for exhibit infrastructure.
Hassen said: “Currently, the OMS has, either in hand or firm commitments for, approximately $750,000 by December 31, 2019.”
The main Street property was purchased as the future home of the museum following a 2011 referendum in the town and regional district. Home Building Centre has been leasing the property since then.
The current museum Quonset building in Gyro Park is well past its optimum life expectancy.
by Roy Wood