Kent Council, residents to collaborate on combating climate change

District of Kent officials and residents plan to come together, think globally and act locally.

During the July 19 meeting of the District of Kent Council, Mayor Sylvia Pranger announced that council will discuss creating an environmental advisory committee to combat climate change on a local level.

Local artist and environmental advocate Rosa Quintana Lillo appeared as a speaker before council with Hanna Exley and Lillian Martin.

“I think we need to fundamentally change the way of thinking about global warming,” Quintana Lillo said. “I want to help any way I can to create a plan of action.”

Quintana Lillo said it was the recent multi-record-breaking heat dome that scorched much of the Pacific Northwest that spurred her current call to action. In addition to advocating for forming the environmental advisory committee, Quintana Lillo, Exley and Martin urged council to establish a tree bylaw to manage and preserve existing trees on public and private land as well as planting local wildflowers for pollination.

Coun. Stan Watchorn said planting new trees would significantly improve street temperatures, agreeing with Quintana Lillo’s assessment of cooler temperatures in Vancouver as a result of planting more shade trees.

“This didn’t just start this past month,” Pranger said, referring to the extreme weather. “We’ve neglected the environment longer than a few years, and there are things we can do now even if there isn’t a committee (yet).”

In other council business, Pranger reported there have been about 20 vaccine clinics at the Agassiz Agricultural Hall as of the meeting date and some volunteers have not missed a single one.

Council approved awarding a $587,000 contract to Timbro Contracting for the Cheam Avenue sanitary upgrade. The existing 200-millimetre main will be replaced with a 450 millimetre pipeline; construction is slated to begin Sept. 7.

Coun. Duane Post said he was glad a local company was awarded this contract.

Council directed district staff to apply for the B.C. Active Transportation Network Plan Grant to update the current Active Transportation Plan.

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