Think of fish at Skaha Marina

Dear editor: Even though we have paid out $ 200,000 to Trio Marine they still have a foot in the door until October 2018. Will they be paying rent to the city for next summer’s use?

Our mayor and council are bound and determined to “improve” Skaha Lake. They are looking to borrow $1.7 million for repairs and upgrades to the marina. Granted that some repairs are needed for safety’s sake, they intend to go well beyond that by increasing the boat slips by more than 100 to a total of 177. At present only about 50 boats are moored and no one knows where those 120 additional boat owners will come from.

Mayor and council see Skaha Lake only as a recreation area. where in reality it is an ecological area for fish fry and endangered species. The Penticton Indian Band has worked hard and invested a lot of money to enhance the fish stocks. This year they have included sockeye salmon fry in the hope of returning that species here as well.

The City of Penticton will need their approval as well as approval from the provincial government before they can expand those boat slips and in the case of sockeye salmon the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans will be involved as well.

They are quite willing to take on a large debt for a project that may not be feasible at all.

On a totally different note: Our strata council was recently informed by the city that our 35-year-old building must have a special valve installed in our water line to prevent eventual flooding and damage to city property as well as our own. The city will do the job but we must apply and pay for a permit so city crew can go ahead.

Does a city crew need a permit to do work the city deems necessary? Just asking. Hank and Joan Eschbach

Penticton