Water Master Plan
Council received a status update on the developing Water Master Plan from Michael Trickey, a consultant with Strategic Infrastructure Management Inc. The Plan will guide the operations, maintenance, upgrading and expansion of the municipality’s five water systems under one authority. The Water Master Plan Public Outreach Steering Committee, made up of six members of the community, has held three meetings and is evaluating options which will ultimately result in the selection of preferred options to be taken to the public for discussion and input. Financial options will also be applied to recommended options. Engagement with the public is expected to take place this September and October. The public input will be collated and the committee will bring a recommendation to Council in November.

Transportation Master Plan
Council received a status update on the developing Transportation Master Plan from Michael Trickey, a consultant with Strategic Infrastructure Management Inc. The plan will create a vision for West Kelowna’s transportation system as it relates to all travel modes, including walking, cycling, driving and transit. The plan will establish a guide for management and improvements to this system for the next 20 years. The intent is to present the draft plan to the public in conjunction with public outreach initiatives related to the Water Master Plan.

Village at Smith Creek
Council authorized a development permit for the Village at Smith Creek Care Centre at 2425 Orlin Road to facilitate the construction of a four storey, 23-unit addition. The addition to the assisted-living seniors care facility will be located in the existing visitor drop off and parking area on the eastern portion of the property, fronting Old Okanagan Highway. The lost parking spots will be replaced in an underground parking structure located under the proposed four-storey tower.

McIver Road – ALR Exclusion
Council supported a request to exclude a 1-hectare property at 3636 McIver Road from the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). The District will forward a local government report to the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) which makes the final decision regarding ALR land. The vacant property, owned by Glen Eagles Holdings Ltd., is surrounded by recently rezoned properties used for residential purposes in the Glen Eagles development in Glenrosa. Exclusion of this parcel from the ALR would facilitate a future subdivision subject to further zoning amendments. This property was identified as low value for retention in the ALR in a review of the Westbank area by the ALC and is included in an “ALR Lands Supported for Exclusion” map in the area’s former Official Community Plan prepared by the Regional District of Central Okanagan.

CNR Wharf Park Plan
Council directed staff to immediately begin work that will see reconstruction of the CNR Wharf in Gellatly Bay, beginning with demolition of the current wharf this fall and culminating in Phase 1 construction of a new, upgraded public swim facility at the site by Spring 2014. Council was advised that overwhelming public support for the detailed designs of the upgrades has been received during public consultation at a June 13 open house and from an online survey. Phase 1 of the upgrade of this popular waterfront facility will include an expanded wharf with shade structure, seating and interpretive signage, a new wood deck with 1-metre diving springboard and zip line, a new floating platform with slide and new lift towers and diving platforms. Council directed that the $543,000 currently allocated in the 2014 budget for Phase 1 be put in the 2013 budget to get demolition underway this year. Phase 2 of the CNR Wharf Park Plan is estimated to cost $1.37 million and would include an entry plaza with refreshment kiosk, a public washroom facility, a circulating boardwalk connecting Phase 1 improvements with the Gellatly Bay Recreation Corridor walkway. Phase 2 is included in Council’s 10-year capital plan. Council further directed that staff investigate options and costs related to providing lifeguard services at the CNR Wharf and report back to Council in August.

Memorial Park Plan
Council made adjustments to the Draft Memorial Park Plan and reallocated $153,000 it had intended to use to purchase a portable stage towards parking on the facility site. The Memorial Park Plan provides recommendations for improving the park, adjacent to Johnson Bentley Memorial Aquatic Centre, and include enhancements to benefit the popular Music in the Park summer concert series and improve the facility for a variety of different user groups. The draft plan includes recommendations for tiered seating in the grassy hillside of the lower bowl, a bike skills park on the upper plateau area near Highway 97 and improvements to the skateboard park. After the District investigated the cost and staff time required for a portable stage through a Request for Proposal process, it was determined it would be more cost and time-effective to rent a stage.

Revenue Generation Opportunities
Staff presented possible options for increasing revenue for Council’s consideration including pay parking, boat launch fees and fire department user fees. Council agreed not to pursue pay parking or boat launch fees but asked staff to pursue the possibility of advertising and naming rights on District assets and is seeking a preliminary report for providing some Fire Department services such as call outs for car accidents, fireworks and burning permits and review of fire safety plans.

Cultural Development Plan
Council adopted the District of West Kelowna Cultural Development Plan which guides cultural enhancement and development in the community. The plan takes into account the District’s financial pressures and includes recommendations that are financial conservative and would work to integrate culturing into the municipality’s operations beginning in 2015.

News from © iNFOnews, 2013