Controversial plans for a road through Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park are getting a rough ride.
Regional District of North Okanagan directors voted Wednesday to tell the Ministry of Environment that it has concerns about the Ministry of Transportation wanting to adjust the park’s boundary to remove a 20-metre-wide right-of-way centred on Cosens Bay Road.
“It’s the element of the unknown. You can do a lot of silly business in 20 metres,” said director Brian Quiring.
“A lot can happen that changes the park.”
Instead of a blanket 20-metre right-of-way for the entire road, RDNO says the plan should be tailored only to those areas where safety improvements are specifically identified.
“There are some (safety) issues but it’s a huge area to take out of the park. Can’t we take it down to 10 metres?” said director Akbal Mund.
The Ministry of Transportation originally proposed a 30-metre right-of-way but that has been reduced to 20 metres.
“It’s important to try and minimize our footprint with the park,” said Erik Lachmuth, the ministry’s road area manager.
However, Lachmuth says a firm right-of-way is needed along the entire 4.5-kilometre road to address existing safety issues through ditches, culverts and widening so two vehicles can pass each other.
“We are not widening the entire road,” he said, adding that sight lines are a concern for motorists using the road to access residential properties outside of the park.
There has been some suggestion that a right-of-way could allow electricity and other utilities to be extended to the residences, but Lachmuth says that is outside of the ministry’s mandate.
“A utility request may come to you (RDNO) to decide if a utility corridor makes sense,” he said.
Director Mike Macnabb fears a two-lane road may ultimately be developed and believes the current road condition should remain.
“If a corner looks scary, people slow down. If you improve sight lines, you could see more problems,” he said.
The Ministry of Transportation will now work on a final proposal to present to the Miinistry of Environment. If it is endorsed, it must then be adopted by the provincial cabinet.
“The scariest part is it will go to the cabinet. They will screw it up,” said Greg McCune, an RDNO director. “I’d like to see people rally to start the process to close the road.”
