Topics such as Lake Country’s new middle school, concern over leased land near Lake Country’s dams, and how Okanagan Indian Band IR #7 members may fall under Lake Country’s boundaries were all up for discussion at the Union of BC Municipalities, according to Coun. Bill Scarrow.
READ MORE: Water, education and wildfires topics for Lake Country at UBCM
Scarrow gave a summary of the recent talks, which happened in Whistler Sept. 10 to 14. As far as the middle school goes, “we should see the plans, what they have to go forward, they have the design done, and as soon as they get the cheque cut we’ll start digging the hole,” he said.
The raising of Beaver Lake’s dam won’t happen for years, he said. According to Mayor James Baker, the structures near Beaver Lake are currently on leased land, meaning cabins could be moved or abandoned once it expires. But, he said council wants to ensure the leased land doesn’t become owned land and used an example of McCulloch Lake, where structures close to the waterfront are permanently owned and could be affected should the water level be raised.
For IR #7, which is located at the north end of Ellison Lake, Scarrow conducted a petition in 1996 which he said 96 per cent of residents on the land signed, stating they wanted to fall under Lake Country’s boundaries instead of Kelowna’s.
However, nothing is in the works on this just yet, and but the topic was broached at the UBCM says Scarrow.
“It was a little bit of speculation, but it was one of the more interesting topics that we had,” he said.
Baker said council met with NDP ministers, but no Green members.
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