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Pioneer Lodge demo near; grants announced
Kimberley City Council Report
By Nowell Berg
On February 27, City of Kimberley council held its bi-monthly meeting.
Councillors Kent Goodwin, Albert Hoglund and Daryl Oakley were present along with Mayor Don McCormick. Councillor Bev Middlebrook participated via teleconference call. Councillor Nigel Kitto was absent from the meeting.
Abandoned Pioneer Lodge buildings closer to demolition
The Kimberley Senior Society (KSS) made a presentation at a Public Hearing into proposed amendments to the local zoning bylaw and the Official Community Plan (OCP) concerning land at 600 – 650 Church Ave.
David Biggs spoke of the need to have the old Pioneer Lodge buildings demolished due to “health and environmental hazards.” In particular, Biggs pointed to the buildings being loaded with “asbestos” and not being fit for human occupation.
He went on to say there was “a desperate need for affordable housing” in Kimberley. With rental vacancies less than one percent, the city needs additional housing, especially for “single parents.”
Using funds from BC Housing and possibly Columbia Basin Trust (CBT), KSS proposes to replace the old buildings with “nine new units.”
While “all for re-development” of the site, Gail McFarlane, who resides on Church Avenue, raised several concerns around safety, increased traffic and environmental degradation. She said, “the road is barely one and a half lanes wide even with shoulders and no sidewalks.”
Her safety concern arises from heavy truck traffic using Church Ave., including city owned dump trucks, private dump trucks and even 18-wheelers accessing Timber Mart. She pointed out the street is zoned “residential” and yet this truck traffic continues to use it to access Mill Pond, which the city has essentially turned into a dump.
McFarlane worries that an increase in the number of children in a housing complex do not mix with the heavy traffic and that it could be an “accident waiting to happen.” She said the “mixture of residential and light industrial uses could be a liability for the city.”
Environmentally, she pointed out that Mill Pond was once a wetland. She urged council to seek “reclamation” much like what was done to Mark Creek. “Now is the time to pressure the city to dump elsewhere.”
After the public hearing and later in the meeting, council unanimously granted second and third reading to the proposed zoning amendments.
McFarlane’s reaction was one of resignation. “I don’t think it can be stopped,” she said, adding she also hopes the city brings in exterminators to eliminate the vermin infestation before the buildings are demolished. If not, they’ll end up in homes along Church Ave.
Winter Games Legacy Grants announced
In a letter to the city, the Kimberley & District Community Foundation (KDCF) recommended four local organizations get Winter Games Legacy Grants for 2017. Those receiving funds include: Kimberley Curling Club – $2,000; Kimberley Seahorse Swim Assoc.- $500; East Kootenay Climbing Assoc.-$740; Kimberley Junior Nordic Racers – $1,300.
Council unanimously carried a motion to make these awards. The city has already received funds from KDCF to cover the grants.
Kimberley Pipe Band 90th Anniversary Tattoo seeks city support
The Kimberley Pipe Band made a request to council that the city be named as “applicant organization” in a request to the Community Fund for Canada’s 150th anniversary. In their request, the Pipe Band notes they have been an “integral part of most parades and festivals in the Kootenay and beyond” for 90 years.
The band plans to hold a large Tattoo with over 200 pipers and drummers along with dance groups from all over the Pacific Northwest on July 15. They have already sold over 650 tickets to the event.
Council unanimously carried a motion to work with the Pipe Band to make application for Canada 150 funding.
Kimberley Crossing one step closer to approval
Council unanimously carried a motion to grant second and third readings to a zoning bylaw amendment that pushes the Kimberley Crossing project closer to approval.
A second motion, also unanimously carried by council, instructs staff to send a letter to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) confirming the city will deal with the MOTI’s “alignment concerns relating to the intersection of 302nd Avenue and the Kimberley Golf Course access road.”
Coun. Hoglund supported the motion but raised concerns over who would pay for the roadwork to change the intersection. He was concerned the golf club would have to pay.
Coun. Goodwin also supported the motion as long as the developer would pay the costs to altering the intersection.
Mayor McCormick reassured councilor the “golf course would not have to pay.” The developer will pay for the re-alignment.
City seeks to terminate JUA with School District No. 6
In a report to council and the Mayor, city staff outlined the rational for terminating the Joint Use Agreement (JUA), signed in March of 2001, between School District No. 6 (SD6) and the city.
Staff point out the JUA does not meet the city’s “strategic goals of new revenue and financial sustainability.”
In a December 2016 meeting between the city and SD6 representatives, it was agreed the JUA “does not meet its original intent.” Further, mutual benefit, particularly from the city’s position, “has not been realized.”
SD6 now uses ice time at two rinks and students take swim lessons at the Aquatic Centre.
The city does not utilize any SD6 facilities.
The staff report estimates the amount of user fees SD6 would pay after the JUA is terminated would be “approximately $24,000.” A sum that SD6 said was provided for in their operating budget and “would not be an additional hardship to the school district.”
SD6 policies now require all community users of their facilities to have “on-site supervision and insurance.” Something the city is not set up for nor prepared to provide.
With social media ablaze all day, many local citizens packed council chambers ready to defend their children’s interests.
The Mayor and councillors said they were “not at odds with students, but the school district.” Council agreed it needed more information in order to make a decision.
After much debate and some history on the JUA from Coun. Hoglund, council supported a motion by Mayor McCormick to defer a decision to terminate the JUA and take the matter up at the next Committee-of -the-Whole meeting.
Stay tuned; when it comes to kids and sports, parents are concerned about perceived extra costs and negative impacts of change.
Levirs Ave II Prescribed Burn contract awarded
By unanimous vote, council approved the awarding of a $41,500 contract to Strategic Fire Control to undertake the Levirs II Prescribed Burn project in the spring.
The city has already received confirmation of a $19,855 grant from the Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) to cover some of the costs of the Fuels Management Program.
Coun. Goodwin spoke in favour of the motion, but urged city staff to undertake communication with citizens about the burn and the possibility of smoke moving through communities.
2018 55+ BC Games still looking for President and VP
The Kimberley / Cranbrook 2018 55+ BC Games Nomination Committee is looking for qualified people to serve as President and Vice-President (VP) for the Games.
A first round to applications yield two interested parties who eventually were not able to commit to the positions.
Mayor McCormick urged people with strong “organizational and leadership skills” to apply.
While the time commitment may see onerous, the work of the President and VP would start immediately and run until June 2019, the Mayor said there would be 15 Directors and hundreds of volunteers doing the footwork.
If you are interested in helping the community and think you’d make a good candidate contact the City of Kimberley or the City of Cranbrook.
Kimberley City Council meets twice monthly. All meetings start at 7 p.m. and are open to the public. Check the city’s website here for the meeting agenda. Click on the 2017 folder and follow the link.
The next council meeting is Monday, 13 March.
It’s your city; get involved.
