Sicamous council hears safety complaints from residents concerned about Temple Street development

Photo: Luc Rempel

Some Sicamous councillors said they think council “missed the boat” on certain issues after a delegation came to council with safety concerns related to a new Temple Street development.

At the Nov. 27 council meeting, Al Zagar, Linda Stortz and Zella Wohrmann presented to council, saying they were concerned about a lack of sidewalks and lighting in their neighbourhood, especially with a new subdivision being planned at 222 Temple St.

The same three residents had previously come to a Nov. 13 council meeting to talk during the public input period about their concerns.

“I am representing the residents of the Temple Street neighborhood, and our concerns with some safety issues connected to the project plan for 222 Temple St.,” Zagar said.

“We are bringing you additional information that we believe is important for the safety of our current community, as well as the 300-plus new residents who will eventually live in our neighborhood.”

The delegation brought council a petition with more than 100 signatures from Sicamous residents opposed to the subdivision.

“We feel that safety was compromised for financial gain,” Zagar said. “We do not have an issue with the lighting within the 222 Temple St. development, we have an issue with lighting on Temple Street.”

Zagar said there are only three street lights on the south side of Temple Street from the corner of Shuswap Avenue and Temple Street, and even less street lights on the north side of the street.

The residents have said their main safety concerns relate to a lack of lighting and raised sidewalks on Temple Street. They are also worried about parking when new subdivision residents move into in the area.

“If council is promoting development, then upgrades in the infrastructure must be taken into consideration,” Zagar added. “This will ensure a safe and healthy environment for all ages.”

Council sympathetic to complaints

Many councillors in attendance were sympathetic to the delegation, with Coun. Gord Bushell going as far as to say, “I really think we might have missed the boat on this one.”

Bushell said the proximity of Temple Street to the Seniors Centre makes it a very important street to consider safety concerns.

“I know we're going through budget deliberations, and we should really seriously look at this as we move forward in the next month here, and see if we can work with staff and come to a compromise because this is a really important sidewalk.”

The development at 222 Temple St. successfully received a variance in their development permit to allow them not to build a raised concrete sidewalk.

Coun. Siobhan Rich agreed with Bushell that council should find a way to address some of the safety issues during budget deliberations.

She also thanked the delegation for their hard work engaging with council.

Rich acknowledged taxes are always an issue, but “our seniors and our community are also a huge issue.”

Coun. Malcolm Makayev agreed, saying “we are designated as an age friendly community, we have to live up to that designation.”

Another councillor said the sidewalk and lighting issues are not new issues that stem from the development.

“There's a couple of distinctions that we should make here,” said Coun. Ian Baillie. “Temple Street, as far as I know, hasn't had a sidewalk for forever.”

“I don't view this just as an issue around this development,” he added. “I support this development, I support more housing in Sicamous and I think it's critically important.”

He said he believes safety is important, but he doesn’t think the issue is solely tied to the new subdivision.

“I hear the concerns, on lighting and all of those things, I think we can address them through our budgetary planning and figure out how that gets phased in with the current development,” he added.