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South Canoe residents oppose works yard move

A growing group of 57 residents with property near the school have sent a letter laying out their concerns to the city
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'We think expansion of that park in the future is a great idea. We are just opposed to the public works yard going to South Canoe.' - Lisa Nobbs

A group of South Canoe residents have a bone to pick with the City of Salmon Arm’s plans to relocate the city’s public works yard to the vacant South Canoe Elementary School.

A growing group of 57 residents with property near the school have sent a letter laying out their concerns to the city.

The group, led by Lisa and Darrell Nobbs whose property is directly adjacent to the school, say the plan does not conform to the city’s official community plan (OCP) and will affect their property values.

“The public works yard in South Canoe doesn’t fit with the residents of South Canoe,” Nobbs said.

The city approved the purchase of the school site for the purpose of relocating the public works yard at their Aug. 8 meeting. The purchase from School District #83 is conditional on alternate use authorization from the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) as the property is on the Agricultural Land Reserve.

Nobbs said she has spoken to a representative of the ALC and is in the process of composing a letter on behalf of the other residents protesting the use of the school site for a works yard, even though it is zoned for institutional use.

Nobbs said the development of the public works at the South Canoe site doesn’t conform with Salmon Arm’s OCP because the plan highlights an area west of Highway 97B as it’s light industrial development area.

“The Official Community Plan generally acts as a guide to rezoning. The subject property already has the appropriate institutional zoning for this use,” said Carl Bannister, the City of Salmon Arm’s Chief Administration Officer.

The letter that Nobbs and her fellow South Canoe residents sent to the city also questions the suitability of the roads.

“The current location of the public works yard is on a main street with paint lines, turn lanes and sidewalks on either side. The roads in South Canoe are country roads with none of these features, and as such, are unfit for heavy industrial traffic,” the letter reads.

Bannister said there are no plans currently in place to the undertake road improvements in the South Canoe Area, but stressed that there was lots of work on the financial and site planning aspects of the project before the site is actually moved. He added there is already truck traffic from gravel pits and logging operations in the area.

The letter also suggests city heavy equipment would be at risk when pulling onto highway 97B unless a traffic light is installed.

The present public works site is also in a residential area close to a widely used recreational facility, and several school zones, Bannister said.

The city plans to use the vacancy created by moving the public works yard to develop a track and field facility attached to the Little Mountain Sports Complex.

“Please let it be clear that we do not oppose the changes the city has for Little Mountain Park. We think expansion of that park in the future is a great idea. We are just opposed to the public works yard going to South Canoe,” Nobbs said.

Nobbs suggested the old Department of Defence rifle range or the industrial park as possible alternatives.

The site in South Canoe is ideal because it is for sale for a reasonable price, large enough for the city’s needs, zoned appropriately and near a gravel supply and major transportation networks, Bannister said.

“It may be a long time, if ever, before such a site comes along again.”