Red tape appears to have tied up the funds and movement behind a “Let’s make Canoe Beach awesome” project.
The Salmon Arm Daybreak Rotary Club decided in the spring of 2021 it would make the ‘Canoe Beach Swim Jetty Dock’ its legacy project. Club members entitled it “Let’s make Canoe Beach awesome.”
In May 2021, the club wrote to council, explaining it would like to install a Rotary Swimmers Dock in the main swimming area, which would coincide with the city’s 2016 Canoe Beach Park Plan.
“Daybreak Rotary would fund the Swimmer’s Dock and the city would incorporate the old boat launch dock as a future expansion once the new boat launch structure is in place,” wrote the club.
The letter said the swimmers’ pier in the middle of the main swimming area would move the swimmers away from the boat launch area, making it safer for everyone. The swimmers’ pier would be better designed to include ladders and other features to make it accessible to people of all ages.
Club president and past president Rich Smith and Chris Davis came to council on Oct. 11, 2022, the last meeting before the municipal election, for an update. They stressed the money is available and the club wants to keep the momentum going.
The city’s director of engineering and public works, Rob Niewenhuizen, explained the city started the process to upgrade the boat launch and put in a second ramp in 2019.
The ministries of environment and fisheries informed them the city doesn’t have tenure over the beach area, “even though the beach has been there for many, many years and the boat launch has been there since the ’70s,” he said.
Following guidance from the ministry, the city did an environmental review, a wave attenuation study and others that were required. Staff submitted the application to a consultant in March 2020. In September, the consultant contacted Front Counter BC to see how the application was progressing and was told it will be another year before the ministry can get to it.
“It’s very unfortunate, we’ve been waiting and waiting for some correspondence from the province on this but unfortunately they are extremely tied down with other things and have not looked at our application,” said Niewenhuizen.
Mayor Alan Harrison said staff have done everything they can, so it’s time for political intervention.
Council and the Rotary members agreed, so they will meet to discuss strategy.
Read more: Salmon Arm hopes to upgrade ‘dilapidated’ Canoe wharf by early August
Read more: Gazing into parks’ future
Read more: Council approves projects plan for City of Salmon Arm’s next 10 years
martha.wickett@saobserver.net
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