Gas tax fund money flows to Okanagan communities
6 projects up and down Valley receive more than $19 million
The federal gas tax fund scattered bounty on Okanagan communities Friday.
Part of the taxes you pay at the pump flow from the federal government to the Union of B.C. Municipalities to administer the gas tax fund and pass bucks along to local governments on a per capita basis.
Each year, the federal government provides $278 million through gas taxes for local government infrastructure across B.C.
Friday’s announcement includes making 112 projects worth $193 million possible.
Fifty-eight are capital projects worth $184.5 million, and 54 are capacity-building endeavours worth $8.5 million.
The six Okanagan projects announced Friday represent $19.4 million and are as follows:
Summerland The town received conditional approval for up to $6 million to support the development of a massive solar array and battery storage project to tie into Summerland’s electricity utility. (See story at right.)
The clean-technology initiative will bolster the utility and provide affordable electricity to residents.
Lake Country A 7,000-square-foot multi-functional building will be added at Lake Country’s Nexus, the hub that already includes Winfield Arena, the curling rink, seniors centre, food bank and McCarthy Park.
Some of the $5 million in funding will be used for renovations to the arena and seniors centre, but the bulk of the cash will be for new construction that will include a daycare, outdoor play areas, youth activity spaces, washrooms, office, art studio, kitchen and parking.
Peachland The Trepanier Creek water system interconnect project is now possible with $4.9 million from the federal gas tax.
The link between the Peachland Creek water system and Trepanier Creek water system will extend clean, treated water to all community water users.
Last year, Peachland received a $6.9-million grant for its main water treatment plant.
Lumby Pat Duke Arena will get a major upgrading with $2.6 million from the fund.
Four new change rooms will be added, and improvements will make the facility safer and more and energy efficient.
Last year, Lumby won $100,000 though Kraft Hockeyville to put into the project, too.
Coldstream With $500,000 from the gas tax fund, a four-metre-wide multi-use pathway will extend 350 metres from the Coldstream-Vernon boundary to the intersection of College Way and Kalamalka Road.
The new path will connect the existing college trail and the new path in the City of Vernon and also connect to the future Okanagan
Rail Trail. Okanagan Basin Water Board The Valley’s 27 principle tributaries that empty into Okanagan Lake, other lakes and rivers will be studied to better understand stream flow and plan flood and drought strategies, infrastructure projects and development plans. The study is made possible with $400,000 from the gas tax fund.