Water plant, city growth main topics at West Kelowna state of the city address

West Kelowna Mayor Gord Milsom highlighted the city’s growth to the Greater Westside Board of Trade during the state of the city address, but a number of other issues concerning residents of West Kelowna were left unresolved.

The Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant and the recent news of BC Hydro delaying the second power line to the city are two issues the city is grappling with.

The water plant, which the city received a $41-million grant from the government, has had setbacks due to lack of available land. The city acquired 24 acres of land on Bartley Road in early March, and planned to move ahead on construction that was suppose to have started in 2018.

Mayor Milsom gives some details from the West Kelowna State of the City Address. #WestKelowna pic.twitter.com/a37EBOuO7U

— Mack Britton (@MackBrittonBC) April 4, 2019

But now, the land-clearing for the water plant has been delayed Milsom said during the address.

“There was a delay because of some endangered snakes, we just couldn’t go in there, and now birds are nesting,” said Milsom.

“We are OK from a time point of view, especially with the extension.”

Along with the water plant delay, the City of West Kelowna was notified last month of the BC Hydro plan-change from adding a new power line to the city, and other nearby municipalities, to now a plan for a review of the existing line.

“That’s certainly an issue, they promised it would be a redundant line put in, they were going to make an announcement early 2019,” said Milsom.

“We were taken by surprise by them going back saying ‘no, were not going to be looking at potentially another alternative option, we want to look at how resilient the current line is.'”

“Quite frankly, we’re not in favour of that.”

Milsom touched on a wide variety of topics within the City of West Kelowna’s growth, including development projects, business licence increases, legal marijuana sales and social issues.

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