City looks to hills to accommodate rapid growth

EDITOR’S NOTE: In recognition of Canada’s 150th anniversary, The Herald is reprinting historic stories from the South Okanagan focusing on the biggest news story of each year.

MARCH 30, 1993 – To some, Penticton may appear to be building at the seams.

But while its population steadily grows, there are no plans to expand the city’s boundaries, states Mayor Jake Kimberley.

“Council has seen no reason to look at boundary expansion. We feel we can accommodate the population growth through good management,” he says.

According to projections, Penticton’s population will jump from the 1991 census figure of 27,258 to an estimated 62,000 by 2011. However, the extent of that growth could depend on the availability of water.

Kimberley notes the city has earmarked its eastern hillsides as a prime area for future single family homes – but there’s a hitch.

“We can accommodate growth for the next few years up in that area, provided we put in another reservoir,” he states.

Although Penticton Creek has enough water to serve a popula;tion of more than 60,000, another reservoir is needed to provide water to homes above the 2,020 foot elevation mark – roughly equivalent to the location of the uppermost homes on Carmi Avenue. Kimberley says the city is therefore considering two new concrete storage reservoirs further up the hillside to service homes at a higher elevation. The mayor says the city’s new $20-million water filtration plant will provide a slight increase in the serviceable area, but a new upper reservoir is needed to provide adequate pressure. He notes enough pressure is essential to provide fire protection service in higher areas. The city will also continue to look at increasing density within the city core where sewer, water and electrical services are already in place. So far, that policy has resulted in a move skyward. Many older single family homes are making way for three and four-storey apartment buildings.