North Cowichan will invite the Vancouver Island Motor Sport Resort to petition to join its properties to the municipality’s South End water system.
The resort will have to build a 1,400-metre long, 300 mm diameter watermain extension along Drinkwater Road to provide “excess or extended” service, dedicate 15 metres of road widening along the Drinkwater Road frontage and pay the required capital cost fee, which is calculated at $5,514.
Council will kick in $325,500 towards the watermain extension’s excess or extended service and will allow itself latecomer protection in order to recover as much of the financial contribution as it can from prospective new users over the next 15 years.
North Cowichan CAO Dave Devana said this interest from the Motor Sport Resort is timely because there has been a problem for years in the upper Drinkwater area with large lots with very little water.
“I see this as a key for industrial development along Drinkwater, especially light industrial,” he said.
Coun. Tom Walker was also delighted that V.I. Motor Sport was willing to join the party.
“We’ve been waiting for years for an economical way to get water out there,” he said.
Engineering and operations director Dave Conway said the latecomer agreement would allow North Cowichan the chance to recover at least some of the $325,500.
“The road-widening is really a significant thing, too,” Devana said. “And this gives us 15 years for other people to hook up and help us get back that money.”
Coun. Joyce Behnsen was also thrilled.
“This is a very positive step in the area, and long-awaited. It opens up lots of new opportunities,” she said.
