The official permission for West Kelowna to borrow $8 million for a new firehall has been granted after the votes were counted.
Results of the city’s alternative approval process came in late Thursday, and very few residents opposed the plan of borrowing money to partially fund a new firehall for the Lakeview Heights neighbourhood.
The city states that only 68 forms were against the plan, which is well below the 10 per cent threshold of 2,810 opposing signatures for West Kelowna, as required by the alternative approval process.
The alternative approval process is beneficial to the government because those in favor of the proposal do not need to take any action, while those against it need to register their opposition.
If enough residents express opposition, the process can either be halted or proceed to a yes-or-no referendum vote.
In the North Okanagan, residents in Area F recently objected to a plan to allocate $289,000 for mosquito control expenses.
The regional district’s alternative approval process faced strong opposition, with 30.7 per cent registering opposition – significantly higher than the 10 per cent population threshold.
However, despite this, the regional district moved forward with a referendum vote, which was strongly defeated, with 1,231 votes against and 114 votes in favor.
The city of West Kelowna reports that Firehall 32 is now 53 years old and is well beyond its expected lifespan.
The new firehall, estimated to cost $14.3 million, would be located at 860 Anders Rd., a park site near the current location.
The city reassures that there will be no new taxes resulting from the borrowing, and city staff will discuss the initiative at the next Tuesday’s council meeting.
