The City of Vernon insists more needs to be done to help people afford a place to live.
Council will ask Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster to lobby for increased income assistance rates that reflect the cost of housing in specific areas instead of a blanket figure for the entire province.
“If you can get the MLA to be a champion for the issue in your community, it will have more impact,” said Coun. Juliette Cunningham.
The issue arose after a recent letter to the editor in The Morning Star.
The letter highlighted a teen who lived on the street and was concerned her parents’ housing was in jeopardy because her absence would reduce the amount of assistance available from the government.
“It’s hard for me to realize sometimes how bad things are for individuals,” said Coun. Catherine Lord.
Lakeshore barriers a concern
A Vernon councillor believes there’s a need to relocate concrete barriers along city-owned properties on Lakeshore Road.
Coun. Juliette Cunningham says the current locations of the barriers create a hazard when vehicles are parked on the road.
“Some of those (areas) are pretty narrow and if there’s a big pickup, they stick out on to the road,” she said.
City staff state that for all but two of the 11 properties, the distance between the property line and the edge of the shoulder is 4.5 metres and it’s three metres at the other two sites.
“Where several lots are adjacent to one another, this accommodates angled parking and at individual lots, parallel parking is accommodated. No parking is provided for at the northernmost city owned property adjacent to the creek,” states a staff report.
An assessment of future uses of the park lands will be completed by 2018.
“Before this design is completed, it is considered undesirable to relocate the concrete barriers further into these properties, essentially converting this area to vehicle parking,” states the report.
No right-in, right-out
The City of Vernon will stay the course on a local road.
Council has instructed staff to continue with construction of sidewalk on 25th Street between Pleasant Valley Road and 46th Avenue, although some residents lobbied for right-in, right-out access only for vehicles at the intersections on 25th Street.
“Sidewalks were finally decided on to make it safer for the kids going to school,” said Coun. Bob Spiers.
