Now that Vernon has a new Mayor and Council, I hope they review planning functions in regards to roads and parks that previous administrations have hit the ditch on. Yes, the line staff carries over but maybe a new executive can steer them in a more practical direction.
My first point of contention is the closing of Hurlburt park after logging half of that beautiful tree stand and then realizing there wasn’t enough money to complete the project by a factor of two. Applying for a Riparian variance for a road after the trees were felled gets most of us fined bigley. The “Park closed for (non) construction” signs are authoritarian at the very least. Like someone might trip over a stump.
Despite having not enough money to complete the Hurlburt plan, Lakeshore Road has a new platinum park. Looks gorgeous, only two blocks from one of Vernon’s two showcase urban green spaces, Kin Beach. Pretty sure the Hurlburt budget went there. Right where I thought the OCP had a Kelowna type commercial waterfront plan to attract tourists. With a handful of new lakeshore homes constructed along Lakeshore in the last few years, I can’t see any property consolidation happening in the next two generations and Vernon relegated to the backwaters of OK Lake, which suits me fine. For the rest of you progressives, not so much.
Now I have been informed of a boutique lake access in the 8700 block of OK Landing Rd., complete with a lovely four-car cedar parking corral on the hillside, a crosswalk and flashing pedestrian lights, although I haven’t done due diligence yet. This is in a 30 km/h zone for about 50 feet of lake frontage. We can’t get flashing pedestrian lights on the frequently traversed crosswalk at VGH on a dangerous Hwy. 97 hill with braking seven axle semis but a turtle can make it across a 30 zone on backwoods OKL with flashing lights. City planners would be more adept to spend that money on a bike lane if they don’t have the cajones to make hospital folk safer.
My last observation is the four-storey abomination being built next to the single-story Gracelands development at the bottom of Allenby. Did Trump ram that through?
Now that Bob Spiers has transcended, who is holding the taxpayers’ purse? We are being savaged by every level of government, no more so than here in Greater Vernon, Municipally ($40 mil cultural) and Provincially ( $20 mil water) and soon to be Federal with CMHC bailouts.
I hope Victor Cumming sees the pipe. Plan appropriately, spend wisely.
Jay Langton