News Leader News for February 26, 2008
TOWN WILL BE BIGGER
Town Council has begun the process to expand its boundaries. The boundary extension will bring in East Princeton, Airport Road and Jacobsen Road, for a total of 78 residences.
These properties will be withdrawn from Regional District and included in Town of Princeton.
The reason for the municipal boundary extension is to provide water services to these areas. The estimated cost of the project is $2,885,000. Not all of the expanded services go to the new residential areas. Some of the project includes improved water service to the industrial park and Deerview.
To help finance the project, Town Council has appealed to the provincial government for grants. Total project costs will be shared equally between federal, provincial and municipal governments.
Plans for the project include a feasibility study for waste water collection.
The push for the improvement of water supply comes from the provincial government in the form of regulations under legislation called Groundwater Protection, an effort to ensure all B.C. residents have clean water. Tenders for work on the project are expected to be available in late spring.
TOWN UPDATES EMERGENCY PLAN
The Town of Princeton has a newly updated Emergency Management Plan. The previous plan was 10 or 12 years old, and the new plan incorporates up to date provincial initiatives.
The new plan deals with interface forest fires, toxic spills, floods, and any other major emergency situations.
There will be a "tabletop" exercise in April to run through who does what in a particular emergency. This exercise is like a conference between Town Council and representatives from all emergency services.
The plan advises on how to draw on resources within the community as well as resources from outside the community, and how to recover costs from the provincial government.
PRINCETON ARTS COUNCIL LOOKS AHEAD
Spring is coming, and with it, the annual BC Arts and Culture Week. At the February 20 Arts Council meeting, members discussed forthcoming events for spring.
The main project for Arts & Culture Week is beautification of downtown Princeton. The Arts Council is focused on a mural at the base of the hill path behind Pharmasave, but local business people are encouraged to paint or otherwise improve their building's appearance.
The museum had planned to open at Easter time, but with renovations in the basement of the building, this does not seem possible. The museum opening will take place April 26, the Saturday of Arts & Culture Week.
Nick Mills said he is writing articles on BC history for the celebration of the province's 150th anniversary, and planning displays in store fronts. It is also the 50th anniversary of the museum.
Princeton Traditional Music Society is hoping to launch a new project, a CD of traditional music of Princeton. The society hopes to receive a grant to do the project. If successful, the society will produce 1,000 CDs for sale to the public. Proceeds from the sales will go to the society and to the museum.
Sue LePoidevin reported a very successful pottery workshop, and said it had generated interest from a number of people who read about it in the News Leader. Her youth pottery classes are going very well, and Potter's Guild members are working on a special project.
Vermilion Artists are planning a pastels workshop for April 11 and 12. Irene Gray of Summerland is the instructor.
Arts Council meetings are held the third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 PM at Riverside
Centre.
HOUSING GROUP ASKS FOR POLICY
Princeton Affordable Housing Committee has asked Town Council to develop an Affordable Housing Policy policy. In a letter to Town Council, the committee asks that Council prohibit any strata to own development if the vacancy rate is below four percent.
Included in the letter is information about other communities which have such policies.
Council referred the matter to staff to research what the other communities have done.
At the same time, Mayor Randy McLean stated, "We are not allowing any more strata title developments for the foreseeable future."
