Ten best decisions by politicians
For our weekly top 10 list, we chose good things that municipal officials did this term
For this week’s Okanagan top 10 list, we wanted to praise municipal councils for the good decisions they’ve made since their terms began in November 2014.
Consideration was given to the councils we regularly cover — Kelowna, Lake Country, Oliver, Osoyoos, Peachland, Penticton, Summerland and West Kelowna, plus the school boards.
Choices were made by the Okanagan Weekend editorial staff. The following is an opinion/editorial piece.
1. WELCOME WATER WORKS
Kelowna Kelowna has one fire department, one police department, one school board — and a whole bunch of water departments.
That curious state of affairs, due to longago historical events and the ongoing protection of little empires, changed somewhat in 2017.
The city managed to effect the integration of one irrigation district, South East Kelowna’s, into the municipally-controlled system.
“This is about creating a city-wide system so people in all of our community have clean and safe drinking water at the best, lowest-cost solution,” Mayor Colin Basran said when the $68 million integration plan was agreed.
Still beyond the city’s control, and likely to remain there for quite awhile, are large independent systems serving Rutland, Glenmore-Ellison, and Black Mountain.
Still, it was a notable achievement for this council to modernize — with the undeniable assistance of a $44 million provincial grant — water delivery for another six per cent of Kelowna’s citizens.
2. SOLAR PROJECT Summerland Summerland scored another first with a solar project to power the community. The first community in the Okanagan to enjoy electricity and the first to have telephone service, Summerland is only one of five municipalities in B.C. to have its own electrical utility.
Summerland recently received $6 million in federal funding to build a one-megawatt solar array with two megawatts of battery storage.
“Our community has indicated an immense amount of support for our electrical utility to begin generating power locally from renewable sources, and for us to take our energy future into our own hands,” said Mayor Peter Waterman.
Council unanimously approved the impressive project earlier this year.
3. ROOFTOP NIGHTCLUB NIXED
Kelowna The Innovation Centre in downtown Kelowna involved the participation of the city, the provincial government, and wealthy private individuals. And, very nearly, a nightclub. In 2016, it emerged that plans were taking shape for a late-night drinking establishment on the roof of the downtown building. The developer had “gotten a little carried away” and begun the project without first obtaining the required city permission, planner Ryan Smith told council.
Nevertheless, council’s obvious dismay at events forced Keen’s team to withdraw plans for a zoning that would have permitted a nightclub, in favour of one that would allow only for a restaurant.
Council showed a little moxie, when they might have rolled over for well-heeled, and well-connected, representatives of Kelowna’s high tech community.
4. FUNKY TOWN
Kelowna The remaking of entire blocks of downtown Kelowna would normally be big news.
But when it’s accomplished slowly, one property at a time, the transformation can be hard to detect.
Still, Kelowna city council deserves credit for a far-sighted and sensible decision in late 2016 to change development rules that affect more than 700 inner-city properties.
Essentially, the move allows the creation of newfangled fourplexes on standard, 50-wide lots.
At a stroke, the decision increased the value of those lots, many of which are home to old and tired rental properties.
It makes the re-development of the properties much more economically attractive, makes better use of existing infrastructure, promotes the goal of having more people living near downtown, and widens Kelowna’s housing stock.
5. HOT DOGS, COOL WATERS
Kelowna For too many years, too much of Kelowna’s long lakeshore was off-limits to dogs.
There was only one official doggy beach, at remote Cedar Creek Park in the Mission, where people could legally let Rover cool off on a summer’s day.
Other Okanagan communities, much smaller than Kelowna, had several dog-friendly beaches. But, periodic efforts to expand such amenities in Kelowna had long run up against neighbourhood parochialism, with some warning about all manner of dire consequences should what they perceived as their own patch of beach be made dog-friendly.
Finally, in 2016, city staff looked at shoreline realities, and saw where three new dog beaches could be created with (relatively) minimal fuss. Council agreed, and added Poplar Point, the base of Bernard Avenue, and the end of Lake Avenue.
In consequence, the beaches have not gone to the dogs. But, many dogs have enjoyed going to the beach.
6. ROCK SLIDE DAMAGE Oliver After a rock slide knocked out a key piece of the Oliver agricultural water system in early 2016, town council wasn’t shy about asking for help. The town issued an open letter to the B.C. government warning that failing to fix the damage could result in agricultural losses in the range of $140 million. The province almost immediately came up with $525,000 to cover a $1-million temporary repair, and a year later committed to covering half of the $10-million cost of the permanent fix. The repair is still awaiting a contribution from the federal government. The town, which doesn’t want to stick taxpayers with the entire tab, in February issued another open letter calling on Ottawa to act.
7. RISKY HOUSING REJECTED
Kelowna You wouldn’t want to be Rene Wasylyk right now.
The Kelowna developer, regularly feted for her projects and described recently as one of the most influential women in the Okanagan, feels badly let down by the City of Kelowna.
Council unanimously blocked her ambitious plans for a project called Diamond Mountain, which would have consisted of about 1,000 homes on hilly lands immediately south of the Glenmore dump.
Plans had been in the works since 2011, and Wasylyk undoubtedly thought she was on the verge of receiving the necessary rezoning. The city had last-minute doubts, however, and was especially concerned about the prospect of future lawsuits from Diamond Mountainers about noise, dust, and foul smells.
It was the right decision and one which almost certainly saved the city, and city taxpayers, a lot of grief down the road.
8. SCORE FOR SOCCER DOME West Kelowna The idea had been kicking around for years, but an indoor soccer dome for West Kelowna were finally confirmed in January of this year.
To its credit, the Westside Youth Soccer Association had secured $670,000 to contribute toward the project. It would provide a year-round playing surface for the 1,300 kids who currently enjoy soccer, and likely help draw many more participants in the future.
But the soccer crowd and city officials got to squabbling about the location, and the true costs of the venture, and for a long while it looked like it would never proceed.
In January, council agreed to use the association’s money, and provide $3.1 million in municipal funding, to make the dome a done deal. Creative financing was used, with the cancellation of other recreational projects.
It was a brave decision, especially in an election year, and council’s been taking heat from some who’d like to see more money spent on policing than soccer.
If soccer moms and dads return the love on October 20, incumbent councillors should score re-election.
9. VOTERS RESPECTED
West Kelowna In 2016, more than 4,000 voters in West Kelowna signed petitions against the municipality’s plan to build a new $10.5 million city hall.
People signed the petition in the expectation the project would be put to a referendum. But city officials, clearly salivating at the though of fancy new digs for themselves, came up with a ludicrous idea to move the city hall plan forward by simply imposing a new parcel tax on all properties in West Kelowna.
It would have been legal, but horribly anti-democratic.
To their credit, West Kelowna councillors — a majority of whom supported the City Hall plan — unanimously rejected that option and agreed to put the project to a referendum.
Voters subsequently defeated the City Hall plan. Councillors were dismayed, but they acted honourably in letting the people decide.
10. CLOUDY WATER DISAPPEARING
Peachland The quality of drinking water in Peachland hasn’t changed substantially over the years.
But, what has changed is Interior Health’s assessment of when water quality advisories should be issued. As a result of the tighter standards, Peachlanders have lived for months each year with boil water advisories.
However, those inconveniences are coming to an end. In 2017, final approval was given to a new $18.8 million water treatment plant for the town of 5,200.
Senior governments are paying much of the cost, but townsfolk are still on the hook for more than $9 million. But, a wise buildup of reserves has lessened the immediate impact, and less than 50 people signed petitions against the project.
Raise a glass of clear water and toast the ability of Peachland staff and council to deliver this much—needed project.