The cause is important and the work being done is awesome but the District of Invermere won’t support the establishment of a larger facility for the ICAN animal rescue shelter.

The reason being: ICAN wants to purchase a property at 455 Panorama Drive, adjacent to the messy S bend that winds through the Athalmer Industrial Park.

“We are looking to purchase that property and build a new shelter facility in the next few years. The property would need to be rezoned and we would like to get council’s thoughts on this before submitting a rezoning application. We would also like to hear about any expropriation that may occur (or be in the works) with regards to that property,” wrote ICAN president Lana Banham in a Sept. 1 letter to the district.

Banham appeared before council Sept. 13 to provide more information on her plans, noting “we’ve outgrown” ICAN’s current locale.

The Athalmer property is desirous Banham said because “proximity is a big one” for people using their service.

Noting that plans aren’t set in stone, Banham said she just wanted to get a sense from council as to what they thought of her plans.

“If that can’t happen, we can look at plan B,” she added.

To a person, councilors noted they support ICAN’s efforts.

“I like the work the ICAN groups does – no question,” stated Coun. Al Miller. “But I have a concern with the whole S turn down there. We need to have a serious look with the ministry (of transportation) to have them take back that road. It’s a highly traveled road and it is a mess. I really think we need to straighten that out and do an alignment down there. I think there are better places this can be set up.”

Coun. Ray Brydon told Banham, “I certainly like your plan but maybe it’s not the right location.”

Mayor Gerry Taft said he understands Banham’s frustrations but he had to agree with his council.

He said it would be wrong of the district and council to allow rezoning and the construction of a new building on that property because of the eventual likelihood of expropriation of land in the future, in order to straighten the roadway.

“Nothing may happen to the road in 10 years. You might be fine for 10 years but not for 20, 30 or 40” and such a lack of certainty would impact ICAN’s ability to obtain larger donations.

“I don’t know if we’d be doing a service to anybody for encouraging someone to build a new building there,” he said.

However, Taft said he believes something could be worked out to facilitate ICAN.

Coun. Bob Campsall, the longest serving member of council, said his experience tells him that nothing will happen to the roadway moving through Athalmer, which was downloaded to the district by the provincial government about 10 years ago.

“I hope I am still alive when it happens” (a solution to the road), he said. “I just don’t think it is going to happen.”

That said, Campsall told Banham that if an alternative locations cannot be found, “then I’d support you where you are.”

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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