Multiple Topics Covered at the March 26 Town Hall Meeting

By Jo Anne Malpass

About 50 people at a town hall meeting March 26 put on by Area F Director Jay Simpson heard information from six presenters on topics ranging from policing to forests, roads to economic development.

Sidney Potter, Ministry of Forests Land and Resource Coordinator for Okanagan Shuswap Natural Resource District talked about a Crown Land wildfire risk reduction program developed to put a buffer around communities protecting human life, communities and critical infrastructure. A project is happening this fall around Anglemont and three more projects are in the development stage for treatment in the fall of 2023.  These areas are a buffer at Lee Creek, above and around Celista protecting the egress route and in Shuswap Lake Provincial Park. 

Chase RCMP Sgt. Barry Kennedy said seven police officers patrol from Monte Creek to Sorrento, to the north end of Adams Lake, to Seymour Arm. Last year from June to September, there was at least one police car on the North Shuswap each day. Traffic services from Kamloops came to the North Shuswap one day each week, with four extra cars. This was successful as many cars were impounded and several drivers under prohibition were charged, mostly the same people, until they had no cars left to drive. This policy will continue this summer.

He said there were five people causing most of the trouble for RCMP last year but three of those have left the area, after RCMP went to repeat offender residences at various times over many nights to make sure they were abiding by conditions and curfews. 

RCMP are happy with the number of phone calls to the detachment that are helping RCMP find the people and try to proceed to get charges laid by Crown Council. “Eventually we’ll catch them in a car with stolen property.”

John Reed, Executive Director for the Shuswap Economic Development Society, said the Society operates in Areas C, D and F, South Shuswap, Falkland-Ranchero and North Shuswap. It was incorporated in November 2020 and has several projects on the go including a new website, a multi sector business advisory council, Shuswapconnects.com -a business to business and business to consumer portal, and collaborations between business and nonprofits. 

Doug Easterbrook, for the North Shuswap Pathway Team, talked about the history and progress on an active transportation path along the Squilax-Anglemont. The Team’s goal is to position the North Shuswap for funding opportunities by having a shovel ready project in place.  This goal is closer with an engineering plan developed and a meeting set April 5 with the Ministry of Transportation to review the plan.

In the “Ask Me Anything” section of the meeting, Director Simpson was asked about the mosquito program in Lee Creek / Scotch Creek. He said he is almost certain it won’t happen this year but discussions will happen with Little Shuswap Lake Band.

Director Simpson said there will be an alternative assent process this June or July regarding taxing residents to fund the North Shuswap Health Centre. The yearly amount would be about $100,000 resulting in a cost less than $25 a year for each property. If 10% write in to say no, it will not happen and we may lose our health centre and lab services. 

Once cost numbers are finalized for upgrades and expansion of a water system for Wharf Road and Captains Village areas, residents will be surveyed later this spring.

CSRD FireSmart Coordinator Len Youdon talked about a recent Area F Wildfire Protection Plan which shows the best way to reduce damage to homes is to reduce hazards on private property.  Wildfires usually spread to urban areas from large flying embers. The main danger of wildfires spreading to homes is from flying embers from fires within 2 km. There’s a 90% chance your home will not burn if the first 10m around your home has no flammable material.  Resources are available for communities and individuals and information is available from FireSmart BC and Canada and on the CSRD website.

An evacuation planning report for Area F is expected next month, an Area F Issues Assessment to look at CSRD services and costs is planned for next year, and work on an Official Community Plan and zoning update is in the works for 2024.

Mike Scott, Ministry of Highways Road Area Manager – North Okanagan/Shuswap answered several questions posed to him by Director Simpson.  The Ministry can remove vehicles if they are abandoned but this does not include licensed vehicles parked on the side of the road, not impeding road maintenance.

The 60km speed limit at the entrance to Scotch Creek will be extended to the other side of the S-curve. This is just waiting for the engineer to sign off on.

A traffic survey showed there is not enough usage at the cross walk in Scotch Creek between the Provincial Park and the Hub to warrant improvements. Another survey will happen this year. 

Road resurfacing, especially in Anglemont, is not likely to happen soon. Projects like this are usually an add on to larger projects within five km.

Replacing the Scotch Creek bridge is on the radar but resources being consumed to repair highway flooding damage at the coast, puts this farther into the distance.

Scott said concerns about specific road issues should be called in to AIM Roads to get it on their priority list, which in turn is brought to the Ministry.