West Kelowna making all the right moves

DEAR EDITOR:

I am writing to say how pleased I am with the general direction, performance to date and the forward thinking of the current council and management at the City of West Kelowna.

I am particularly pleased to see the focus that is being placed on the critical need for sidewalks and road infrastructure. Sidewalks that go nowhere are a serious problem and an accident waiting to happen.

The city might consider furthering this momentum with the addition of sidewalks on a particular hill in Shannon Lake.

Each day I observe young women pushing baby strollers on the roadway of Shannon Way. This is a narrow street with parking on both sides and oddly no connecting sidewalk between Hihannah Drive and Woodstock Street.

Similarly, I observe elementary school children, seniors and dog walkers having to navigate passing and parked vehicles on this narrow roadway that would benefit greatly from a proper sidewalk.

In recent years, this area has become exceptionally busy with the addition of new homes, condos, and townhouses. Attention to this matter will be greatly appreciated.

I am also impressed with the progress to date on the long overdue Rose Valley water treatment project and the plans for the City Hall.

Additionally, the new works yard will also help transform West Kelowna into a modern forward-thinking community that is able to deliver services efficiently to citizens.

The tax increases that are required to support these improvements are necessary and I fully support council’s direction in this regard.

The continued growth and a drive towards density that makes better use of existing infrastructure in areas that are designed or upgraded to accommodate the growth will create a vibrant community that can support a higher standard of living and lower operating costs for everyone to enjoy and be truly proud of.

I look forward to the progress that this council and the management team will achieve in the coming years.

Rick Evans, West Kelowna