With the year 2011 being an election year in Lake Cowichan, it sometimes seemed that decision making came to a stand still.
But in reality the last year of my three-year term has been a time to reflect on the initiatives I was able to bring forward to the Council table during the first two years of office, and gauge how far along they have moved and whether or not they should stay at the table for discussion.
As the chair person of Parks, Recreation and Culture Committee, I have tried to put emphasis on upgrading our municipal trails as well as playground equipment in our neighborhood parks.
One of the largest initiatives that council is attempting to move forward is the renewal of Centennial Park. This project would see the addition of a soccer field as well as twin baseball diamonds and walking trails.
This past month, council has passed a by-law to create a reserve fund to start saving funds for park projects such as this. Another Park project that is moving forward is the Communities in Bloom created, Rhododendron Memorial Park, which is expanding into phase two at the end of Cowichan Avenue.
In 2011, the Public Relations Committee continued to look for ways to engage the public and keep them as informed as possible with the dialogue that takes place within the council chambers. As chair of this committee I have continued to encourage and support any idea that gets information about our local government, out to as many residents as possible.
Our community’s local newspaper does a fantastic job of informing the public weekly of current issues and just recently the Town of Lake Cowichan has developed a Facebook page so that residents using Facebook can stay current almost daily on issues and decisions as they evolve.
All in all, 2011 was a year to complete as much unfinished business as possible in preparation for a November election. As you all know, Mayor Ross Forrest and the remainder of Town Council were not opposed and therefore remain your newly Elected Town Council until 2015.
We look forward to the construction of our new library and the paving and upgrading of South Shore Road in 2012. As well, Town Council will begin working on the 2012 budget early in the new year which is always a challenge balancing funds to meet the needs of the community.
-Bob Day, Councillor, Town of Lake Cowichan
