Last chance to weigh in on lake-to-lake bike route

The final round of public consultation on the proposed lake-to-lake bike route in Penticton is about to begin.

For the fourth and final round of engagement, owners and tenants with properties neighbouring the proposed preferred route — South Main Street, Atkinson Street, Fairview Road and Martin Street — will be encouraged to comment on how a bike lane along their section of road may or may not impact their residence or place of business.

This stage of the consultation will open following the Sept. 15 meeting of Penticton city council where members will receive an update on the proposal’s progress.

More information about the possible design of the proposed preferred route and the impacts to intersections will be shared in preparation for the final round of engagement, which staff is recommending occur from Sept. 16 through to mid-October.

“On Sept. 15, staff will present the proposed preferred route to council and seek their confirmation to proceed to a fourth and final round of engagement,” Penticton engagement officer JoAnne Kleb said in a press release.

“Until now, our engagement process has focused on communicating and explaining the concept of a lake-to-lake bike lane, along with exploring options on where best to build it.

“For this final phase of engagement, attention shifts towards the specific streets that could form a route and understanding how the integration of a bike lane impacts adjacent homes or businesses.”

The three engagement stages began last fall and included confirming community interest in the project, suggestions for the neighbourhoods and streets best suited for bike lanes and the pros and cons of including the downtown on the route.

“Past efforts to share information and generate awareness is no guarantee everyone’s informed,” communications manager Philip Cooper said.

“Potentially affected individuals can quickly get up to speed by reviewing the information resources located on the City’s engagement website. If you’ve been putting off providing feedback or you’re someone who’s just learning about this project now, we encourage you to get involved in the process while the window for engagement remains open and staff are actively gathering feedback.”

People can review the information on the city’s engagement website: shapeyourcitypenticton.ca.