City of Vernon officials are promising an infrastructure transformation.
On Monday, council endorsed the four-year capital implementation plan.
“It’s the culmination of five years of asset management work,” said Mark Dowhaniuk, infrastructure engineer, adding that $37 million will be spent over four years.
“It’s a lot of money that will change the community.”
As part of the plan, there will be an annual allocation to storm water management of $100,000 in 2016, $200,000 in 2017 and $363,000 in 2017.
“Storm water funding is not (currently) dedicated at sustainable levels,” Chris Thompson, asset management analyst, told council.
The capital plan also calls for $250,000 to be spent both in 2017 and 2018 for parks projects.
“We’re trying to catch up with improvements in the parks,” said Coun. Juliette Cunningham.
“Infrastructure isn’t strictly pipes in the ground. Infrastructure does include parks and what makes a community appealing to live in.”
With both the parks and storm water initiatives, the funds will come out of the city’s 1.9 per cent infrastructure tax.
Among the other projects that will likely proceed through the capital implementation plan are road crack sealing and repairing aging sewer pipes.
Upgrades to road corridors, such as 30th Street and 35th Avenue, could proceed while a multi-use trail may be developed along Kalamalka Lake Road from B.C. Hydro to the Coldstream boundary.
“We’re really connecting the community at large,” said Dowhaniuk.
