FILE PHOTO: Okanagan Lake
(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)
February 15, 2017 - 10:30 AM
VERNON - Vernon residents can get involved in the city’s plan for developing public accesses to Okanagan Lake at an input session today.
People are invited to attend the first of two open houses Wednesday, Feb. 15, between 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The city has 39 individual sites on Okanagan Lake, but most are not signed or easily accessible. Some of the locations are being encroached upon by adjacent landowners, and some even have no trespassing signs, according to Coun. Juliette Cunningham, who wants to see the sites improved for public use as soon as possible.
Some of the locations are steep and difficult to get to, while others have sandy beachfront, views, and considerable potential for public use. Of the 39 sites, thirteen are considered a high priority for improvement, 14 as medium and 10 as low priorities, while the city is looking at selling off two.
One idea on the table is to improve one lake access site a year, starting with the high priority ones.
Today’s open house is at Paddlewheel Hall, at 7813 Okanagan Landing Road, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. A second open house will be held Feb. 25, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Vernon Recreation Centre at 3310 37 Avenue.
Public input will be reviewed in March and presented to Council with a final Lake Access Plan expected in Summer 2017.
In addition to the open houses, community members can find more information and complete an online feedback form. Interested residents can also email lakeaccess@vernon.ca or call 250-550-3634.
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