Columbia Shuswap Regional District directors agreed unanimously to approve $150,000 plus applicable taxes taken from the Area C Community Works Fund to develop a parks plan for the South Shuswap.
In his report to the board, Ryan Nitchie, team leader of CSRD’s community services department, explained the current parks plan is outdated and is in need of a review. The existing plan for Area C was developed in 2003.
“The plan aimed to be comprehensive in providing guidance over a 20-year planning horizon,” wrote Nitchie in his report. “Although there are many positive attributes to this plan, it lacked an appropriate methodology for the expansion and creation of new parks and the acquisition of parkland.”
“The acquisition and development of parks in the regional district and in Area C in particular, has advanced substantially since the original plan was developed,” Nitchie wrote.
“Many new policies and practices have been employed and the overall understanding of parks planning, parks maintenance and development has also grown significantly.”
The regional district is now in a position to begin the parks plan review process and intends to start with its oldest plan, the Electoral Area C Parks Plan, said Nitchie
A comprehensive RFP (request for proposal) will identify the scope of work, budget and timelines. It will contain the requirement for a communication plan and a public consultation process, along with the identification of the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders involved in the process including staff, elected officials and the plan review committee, Nitchie told directors.