Mayor Karen Hamling invited Columbia Basin Trust’s Lynda Lafleur to come and give the council a brief presentation on what CBT does in the area. Lafleur outlined the CBT’s mission: to support efforts by the people of the Basin to create a legacy of social, economic and environmental well-being and to achieve greater self-sufficiency for present and future generations. She also gave a quick description of the programs available to residents in the area.
Next up was the duo of Wend Van Puymbroeck and Emily Cayer-Huard from Kootenay Rockies Tourism with the presentation they took to stake holders in the area. KRT are the organization situated between Tourism British Columbia and Kootenay communities who are promoting tourism in this region. Their power point presentation revealed that tourism in the Kootenay Rockies accounts for ten per cent of the total tourism dollars spent in the province. Much of that revenue comes from our cousin to the east: “We really are Alberta’s playground in a lot of ways,” said the KRT rep.
The Village of Nakusp will soon be collecting friends on Facebook, and will also soon have agendas and minutes online too.
Joseph Hughes made a motion that staff work with Highways to increase signage for the Nakusp Hot Springs around the turn off. The motion was passed by council.
The Arrow Lakes Arts Council has asked for support in principle of a public sculpture designed by local artist Toru Fujibayashi to be installed along the waterfront.
Councillor Hughes wanted to ensure there was a specific plan so the sculpture didn’t sit in storage. Mayor Hamling replied that the Spirit of B.C. Legacies sculpture, a work commissioned by ALAC in 2009 and which is currently in storage, has not been installed due to safety and damage concerns.
“We looked into having the sculpture cut and fitted into the opening as you approach the area,” Hamling said in an email to the Arrow Lakes News, “Over time, we have tried to find a local who could do the work of working with the artist to take the sculpture apart and placing it. We are now reassessing placement etc. Once that is decided, it will need to be shipped for seal coating and then brought back and placed. I would love to see this project completed and we are working on it.”
Nakusp Council voted to participate in the 2012 Earth Hour on Saturday, March 31 from 8:30-9:30 p.m. Participants turn off their lights for an hour in recognition of sustainability issues around the world.
PK Nakusp is pursuing Community Directed Youth funding to build a youth activity centre in Nakusp, and asked the Council for a letter of support. Council passed the motion to write the letter in support of the group’s efforts.
