Public restrooms for public safety

Public washrooms will be opened in downtown Wesbank by May, city council will hear today.

The new lavatories are proposed as part of “safety and security” initiatives planned by the City of West Kelowna. Without any public washrooms currently, council has heard that many street people ask to use the facilities at local businesses.

There’s also a proposal to hire “required security” for the downtown core, but a staff report to council provides no additional detail. Also suggested is the hiring of two RCMP reservists dedicated to enforcing speed limits throughout West Kelowna.

The 12-page document on 2018 priorities as proposed by city staff also includes buying land for a new city hall (although construction of the building is not foreseen until 2027), completing a preliminary report on the extent of homelessness in West Kelowna, design and construction of Rose Valley water treatment plant, and reviewing ways to improve public transit.

MORE SIDEWALKS TO COST TAXPAYERS It costs $1,700 to build one metre of sidewalk in West Kelowna. City councillors will learn that math lesson today when they are expected to approve the details of a previous decision to double funds for the construction of new sidewalks near schools, to $1.2 million.

The single most expensive project is $1.2 million for 720 metres of new sidewalks around Helen Gorman elementary school in Glenrosa. The shortest project is 169 new metres of sidewalk around Glenrosa Elementary, at an estimated cost of $289,000.

All work is to be undertaken over 10 years. The sidewalks will be built within a 10-minute walking radius of various West Kelowna schools.

— The Daily Courier