Sept. 23: Council Updates

Updates from Vanderhoof's council meeting on Sept.14

A wall of pre-1950s cars were used to fight river erosion on Riverside Park’s west bank sixty years ago.

A wall of pre-1950s cars were used to fight river erosion on Riverside Park’s west bank sixty years ago.

River Bank Stabilization

Vanderhoof’s district council is currently looking for contractors to stabilize the west bank of Riverside Park.

“It’s been wearing away for a couple of years, on council’s radar for awhile,” said Tom Clement, the district’s Chief Administrative Officer. “We just want to make sure we’re not going to lose a significant part of the park.”

Currently lined by a collection of pre-1950 automobiles to stop the river bank’s erosion sixty years ago, the target location has been identified as the spawning ground of the Nechako White Sturgeon, Clement added.

“It could be part of the solution, taking them or leaving them,” he said, as contractors explore the river bank armouring’s potential impact to the local environment as well as further downstream. “We want to take all those things into consideration.”

 

90th anniversary celebration

Vanderhoof will be turning 90 on Jan. 22, 2016! The district council is currently welcoming ideas and volunteers for the district’s birthday party organizing committee, with plans to carry that theme throughout all celebrations in the upcoming year.

 

Highway 16 beautification

The district council will turn 293 and 210 First Street, leased from Imperial Oil, into temporary green spaces by eliminating eye-sore material such as fencing.

“The ultimate goal is to have Imperial Oil rehabilitate the properties to turn back to the commercial plan, so somebody can build a business,” said Tom Clement from the district council.

 

Extending fire boundaries

3414 Saranovich Road, following the new owner’s application, is now included in the Vanderhoof Rural Fire Protection Area.

 

Agricultural land subdivision

The district council has approved the owner’s application to the Agricultural Land Commission to subdivide 950 Sackner Road into five lots, with four designated as rural and one remaining as agricultural.

 

Business Walk

The district council is looking to reach out to Vanderhoof’s businesses by a walk through the community with the Vanderhoof Chamber of Commerce next spring, to better understand local businesses’ successes and needs.

 

Integris Recreation Centre

$103,200 of the district’s general reserves — $81,550 from Municipal Hall Building, $14,500 from L.E.D. Sign, and $3,950 from Native Carving — will be reallocated to fund the centre’s renovations, which totals $460,000.

 

Vanderhoof Omineca Express