Photo: Contributed

A proposed expansion of the Nickel Plate Provincial Park to include the Nordic Centre will get no support from the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen.

The board voted Thursday not to send a letter of support, with many directors citing concerns over a lack of consultation between the group proposing the change and other local interest groups.

“There’s no collaborative process in here, I never saw it as something that brought all the different groups that are involved in Nickel Plate to the table to come to a joint proposal,” said Area G director Tim Roberts.

The board first heard about the proposal in February, and at the time denied support until they could get more information from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources. The ski club said they had plans to request to join the provincial park to protect the area from logging.

The board has subsequently received information from the ministry, as well as correspondence from other interest groups. 

“Way back when this first came forward we received a letter of opposition and concern from one of the  user groups that they weren’t consulted and that this would impact what they do, a snowmobile group,” RDOS director Karla Kozakevich said. “So we’re not seeing everybody all on board in this direction.”

Both director Spencer Coyne, mayor of Princeton and Bob Coyne, Area H director, also spoke vehemently in opposition to the expansion.

“This area is under intensive forest management already, and to walk away from that and get involved in something else at this point in time is just not the right thing to do," Bob Coyne said. 

The motion to send a letter of support failed, with only directors Ron Obirek of Area D and Subrina Monteith of Area I voting in favour.