Castanet
Kelowna Westside Penticton Vernon BC Canada World Business Sports Columns Entertainment Letters Poll
Kelowna News
RCMP Constable, Gerry Guiltanene. (Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet)
RCMP Constable, Gerry Guiltanene. (Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet)

Minority ruining lake for majority
by Castanet Staff - Story: 40721
Jul 22, 2008 / 5:00 am

A very small minority of boat owners are causing a vast majority of problems on Okanagan Lake.

RCMP Corporal, Gerry Guiltanene, told City Council, only a handful of local boats are causing many of the noise and speed issues which draw the ire of residents each year.

"There's probably about a dozen resident boats and then on the weekend we may see an influx of boats from other parts of the province or the U.S.," says Guiltanene.

He was at Council Monday to update the city on the rules of the water and the options available to try and crack down on loud, fast boats.

"We have a nice long winter ahead of us, so let's get this done and go through different governments and get something passed before next season starts because, you're right, somebody is going to get killed on that lake," says Councilor, Norm Letnick.

"160 miles per hour you said? What's 160 miles per hour doing on Okanagan Lake, it just doesn't make any sense.

Councillor Robert Hobson, says the issue is not just a Kelowna problem, but a regional one.

He says it's also a Regional District issue because they pay the additional policing costs for the police to be on the water.

"This is going to take a concerted approach. A $109 fine for people with $50,000 to $100,000 boats is not going to deter people," says Hobson.

"There has to be some escalation. If it doesn't lead to forfeiture or loss of license or something like that, they are just going to continue to laugh at us, which unfortunately is what they're doing."

After listening to the presentation, Councillor Barrie Clark, says he feels the solution lies with the launching of the offending boats.

"If we could get the various jurisdictions to ban the launching of these boats, let them take us to court to try and prove we don't have the power. That to me would be a pretty easy, simple, straightforward thing to do," says Clark.

"Some of the private launches we have probably very little power to deal with, but some of the other private launch facilities we do. We could question their license because they are licensed operators."

Clark says offenders could be summoned before council to show cause why their license shouldn't be removed.

City staff will look at all possible avenues open to the city and report back to council.



5022








Kelowna Mayor
One to elect
Kelowna Councillor
Eight to elect
Kelowna School District No.23
Four to elect
Central Okanagan East Director
One to elect
(i) Denotes incumbents
(e) Denotes elected



















Lake Country School District #23
One to elect
Anna Hunt Binkley (i) (e)

(i) Denotes incumbents
(e) Denotes elected







Kelowna Cold Cases




Castanet pays for news tips. Email us a news tip, photo, or video and your name will be in a draw for our weekly news tip prize $25. Email us news@castanet.net






Lake Country Mayor
One to elect
James Baker (i) (e)

Lake Country Councillors
Six to elect
Alice Rees (i) (e)

Barbara Leamont (i) (e)

Bill Scarrow (e)

Geoff Greenwell (i) (e)

Noreen Guenther (i) (e)

Penny Gambell (i) (e)

(i) Denotes incumbents
(e) Denotes elected





Kelowna SPCA Featured Pet

_







Previous Stories






RSS this page.
(Click for RSS instructions.)
© 2008 Castanet.net