| REGIONAL DISTRICT OF CENTRAL OKANAGAN | annual report 2004 nurturing fostering lifestyle growth, RECOVERY • PREPARATION • PLANNING • PROJECTION | CONTENTS | Our Mission Statement Message from the Chair . 1 Message from the Administrator . 2 “The Regional District of Central Okanagan will provide effective and efficient services that meet the needs of our Vital Statistics . 3 citizens, in a manner that nurtures growth, opportunities, and Finance . 4 prosperity while maintaining and enhancing the unique Central Engineering Services . 5 Okanagan lifestyle and environment.” Regional Waste Reduction Office . 7 The Central Okanagan is located along the shores of Okanagan Lake, in the beautiful Okanagan Valley of British Parks and Recreation . 9 Columbia’s Southern Interior. The Regional District Planning Services . 14 encompasses over 314,000 hectares of diverse topography. Inspections Services . 17 There are mountain peaks and beautiful sandy beaches. You’ll Human Resources . 19 also find naturally forested areas that provide so many recreational opportunities; orchards and vineyards that provide Economic Development Commission . 20 a rural, agricultural flavor and all the amenities associated with Crime Stoppers . 24 a thriving, urban centre. In fact, the Central Okanagan continues Crime Prevention . 26 to be one of the most desirable places in which to live. It’s truly Victim-Witness Services . 28 a four-season playground, attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year. They come to partake in extraordinary powder skiing, lush golf courses, world-renown wineries, fruit right off the tree and fresh, clean air and water. It’s no wonder an increasing number of people turn a visit to the Central Okanagan into their chosen place to live, work and play. DISTRICT OF LAKE COUNTRY The Regional District of Central Okanagan includes the two unincorporated Electoral Areas of Ellison/Joe Rich and Westside, along with the member municipalities of the City of Kelowna, the District of Lake Country and the District of ELLISON/JOE RICH Peachland. The mission of the Regional District is to help WESTSIDE ELECTORAL AREA protect the quality of life for all citizens by planning for the ELECTORAL CITY OF AREA KELOWNA future, while delivering regional services in an efficient and cost effective manner. Services that are provided by the Regional OKANAGAN LAKE District include water, sewer and garbage collection to the DISTRICT OF PEACHLAND Electoral Areas. As well, the District provides region-wide services such as dog control and recycling, 9-1-1, Regional Parks and the Emergency Response Plan for the Central Okanagan. The Regional District Board of Directors is made up of 11 elected and appointed representatives from the Electoral Areas and the participating municipal government partners. The Board meets every two weeks to provide guidance in managing 1450 KLO Rd., Kelowna, BC V1W 3Z4 the various programs, services and issues that arise as part of Ph: 250-763-4918 Fx: 250-763-0606 local governance. Email: [email protected] www.regionaldistrict.com REGIONAL DISTRICT OF CENTRAL OKANAGAN 2004 | MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR | Robert Hobson son 2004 was a year when we were again reminded of our dependence on the natural environment in the Central Okanagan. We began the process of recovery from the 2003 Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park fire. A highlight was the reopening of a portion of Bertram Creek Regional Park, which had been badly damaged. The Parks Department worked with Human Resources Development Canada in creating the Fuel Modification and Trail Building crews to reduce the fire fuel hazards in our Regional Parks. Our Regional Emergency Program has reviewed our policies with respect to disasters. This was also a year in which water supply became a critical issue. The Region partnered with the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management to complete the Trepanier Landscape Unit Water Management Plan, which looks at our ability to provide adequate water supplies in light of growth projections for the Westside. The study revealed a potential shortfall in meeting the future demand for water. The Regional Board supports working with other water purveyors and stakeholders in efforts to conserve and preserve our shared resource, while working to identify and develop new water sources to meet the needs of a growing region and to ensure a sustainable supply for agriculture and fisheries. The Regional Board also supported initiatives by the Okanagan Partnership and Okanagan Basin Water Board to improve management of water throughout the Okanagan valley. The Regional District continues to pursue its sustainability goals. We PAGE will move ahead with plans to expand community sewer services on ...the Provincial 1 the Westside. The Regional Air Quality Committee has made a number Government has of strides in protecting the air that we breathe. The highly successful agreed to identify the chairper Woodstove Exchange program, which began in the Central Okanagan, is being viewed as a model for larger province-wide program. As well, route of the proposed the Agricultural Chipping program has given fruit growers a viable Central Okanagan alternative to burning their prunings. And the three valley Regional Bypass, ... the Highway Districts have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to participate in 97 corridor. a cooperative effort on air quality issues. On the transportation front, 2004 saw several achievements. After extensive discussions, the Provincial Government has agreed to identify the route of the proposed Central Okanagan Bypass, which will provide a future alternative to the Highway 97 corridor. The Regional Transportation Committee has undertaken a “Smart Transit” program, aimed at improving the use of alternative transportation and reducing our dependence on our vehicles. And of course, we are anticipating the start of construction of the new bridge across Okanagan Lake. The year ahead will no doubt provide some interesting challenges as the Regional District and other local governments work to deliver an increasing range of services and programs in a cost effective and efficient manner, to an ever growing and diverse community. Your Regional Board, along with the staff and management of the Regional District will continue to look forward and plan for the future, with the goal of improving the quality of life we enjoy throughout the Central Okanagan. REGIONAL DISTRICT OF CENTRAL OKANAGAN 2004 | MESSAGE FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR | Wayne d’Easum ficer f 2004 has been a year of rebirth and renewal throughout the entire Regional District. Not only were many of those homeowners who were affected by the 2003 firestorm able to make new starts, but also with the intense effort of staff, contractors and generous donors, we were able to celebrate the re-opening of the fire-ravaged Bertram Creek Regional Park. The year has also seen a continuation of growth as the Central Okanagan remains a desirable place to live, work and play. The Regional District continues to keep pace while carefully planning for the future. An additional Building Inspector was hired to keep up with the steady demand for permits. Our Planning Services staff has consolidated the former Official Community Plans for Lakeview and Westbank into a new Westside Official Community Plan that’s designed to guide land use decisions for the next decade. Work continues on an updated Official Community Plan for those living and working in the Ellison area and it’s hoped that early in 2005 it will be ready for consideration by the Regional Board. During 2004, the Engineering Services Department saw the formation of one service area for street-lighting on the Westside and completion ...with intense effort of of two roadwork projects: the Okanagan Connector on-off ramp for staff, contractors and residents of the Trepanier area and along with local developers, Westlake Road was upgraded. Staff continues preparing for the generous donors, we PAGE expansion of sewer services in both the Lakeview Heights and Glenrosa were able to celebrate 2 areas. The Regional Waste Reduction Office made further inroads the re-opening of the during 2004 in curtailing the amount of waste heading to our landfills fire-ravaged Bertram by extending the ban on paper and for the first time, coloured plastics Creek Regional Park. are now accepted at the recycling depots. Another highlight of 2004 was the updating of the Regional District website. It’s an increasingly valuable method of providing information about our programs and services and is accessible whenever residents or businesses need it. As well our new website provides customers with a secure system for reviewing their accounts, allowing them to make financial transactions with the Regional District on-line, outside of our regular office hours. I’m extremely proud of the dedication and assistance provided by our staff at the Regional District. Our employees have provided a combined total of more than 1,200 years of service to residents of the Central Okanagan. We look forward to continuing that tradition of service for you in the years ahead. chief administrative o REGIONAL DISTRICT OF CENTRAL OKANAGAN 2004 | VITAL STATISTICS 2004 | Vital Statistics POPULATION (EST.) 2004 REGIONAL DISTRICT 162,555 * WESTSIDE ELECTORAL AREA (INCLUDING IR’S) 37,693 ELLISON/JOE RICH ELECTORAL AREA (INCLUDING IR’S) 4,100 CITY OF KELOWNA (INCLUDING IR’S) 105,621 DISTRICT OF LAKE COUNTRY 10,064 DISTRICT OF PEACHLAND 5,077 HOUSEHOLDS 67,232 ** BUSINESSES 10,000 *** AREA 2,956.3 SQ. KMS RDCO EMPLOYEES