Group of conservationists not giving up on saving Sickle Point

Photo: David Mai/Kaleden Community Association

The Save Sickle Point Committee is not giving up on its dream of conserving a plot of ecologically significant lakefront land north of Kaleden, despite the community giving a proposed purchase by the regional government a thumbs down.

On Tuesday, the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen announced an Alternative Approval Process — in which voters in Area I who were opposed to them borrowing up to $3.1 million to purchase the land and make it a park were asked to register that opposition formally — showed that 805 people did not support the move, far more than the 10 per cent of the population (182) needed to automatically trigger a referendum vote, or have the board decide to put the project on hold.

Tax hikes would have affected the community to pay off the loan.

The Save Sickle Point Committee, which had entered into a subjective purchase agreement alongside the RDOS and has raised close to $300,000 to date for that purchase, was disheartened but not defeated.

"It has always been the intent of the Committee to fundraise the total amount of the purchase price of $2.5 million and have a year to do so before the taxpayer might be affected in the 2022 tax year," they wrote in an open letter, adding "We continue to be optimistic that Sickle Point can be protected."

The committee is continuing a variety of fundraising initiatives including a WayBlaze crowdfunding initiative, grant applications, requests to all levels of government and various conservation groups and other creative events.

“We will continue to work collaboratively with the Penticton Indian Band and the Regional District of the Okanagan-Similkameen to ensure the land is conserved and protected in perpetuity," said committee member Doreen Olson.

Pledges towards the purchase of Sickle Point can be made through the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen here.