Pizza parlour approved for outdoor dining

Amore Pizza received approval for an expansion of its Main Street location, which includes an outdoor dining area covered with a pergola.

According to a report from staff, “the objective … is to provide an attractive, comfortable, safe environment for pedestrians while maintaining and enhancing the appearance of the downtown area by establishing a consistently high standard for development. The proposed development meets the intent. …

“Staff consider that the design … will be a welcome addition to a vacant site in a high-profile area.”

Pot business gets still more competitive

The cannabis retail scene in Oliver continues to become more crowded as council lent its support to another Main Street pot store application. 

Interior Cannabis will take the support letter to the BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LRCB) to seek a licence for its 6341 Main Street location between Casa Luna and Auntie Ag’s Seafood.

The store will enter a town market that already includes two operating outlets – Bluewater at 6341 Main and Higher Path at 5859 Main.

Another company, Tumbleweedz, is seeking its licence from the LCRB. And there remains the possibility that the province will open a government pot store.

Irrigation start-up set for April 14

Tuesday, April 14 is the start date for the Oliver agricultural irrigation system.

Operations director Shawn Goodsell told council Monday his team hopes to begin diverting water from the canal on April 6, allowing for a system turn-on eight days later.

He said operations staff are watching the weather, hopeful they will be able to complete maintenance and restoration on a 300-metre section of the ditch. 

He said “spray fill” water will be available ahead of the opening day for those who may need it.

Grice OK’d for $2,500 to attend Ottawa conference 

Council approved a $2,500 addition to its travel and expense budget to allow Councillor Aimee Grice to attend the Federation of Canadian Municipalities convention this June in Ottawa.

At a meeting in January, council voted to reduce the travel budget to reflect that only Mayor Martin Johansen would be attending the event.

Subsequently, Grice decided she wanted to attend and asked council to allocate the money for her to go.