Study examines terrain hazards
Powell River Regional District board has voted to direct staff to complete a geotechnical hazards study that identifies high-risk terrain and drainages in Electoral Areas B and C. It further recommended that the information contained in the report be used as background information to update the natural hazard development permit areas within the Official Community Plans for the two electoral areas.
The purpose is to update the committee on management of emergency incidents following the Stittle and Atrevida road land failures during the heavy rainstorms in December 2014, resulting in overland flooding in several areas. Regional Emergency Service was activated to support evacuations from both areas.
Subsequently, staff became aware of other slope failures in the vicinity of residential properties on Stevenson Road (Area B), Highway 101 at Myrtle Rocks (Area B), and Pine Tree Road (Area C), although none of these led to an emergency response.
None of the areas with slope failures are identified as natural hazard development permit areas in the Area B or C official community plans.
Lacking qualification
The Municipal Insurance Association of BC is now offering expanded coverage for groups, individuals and associations that provide services for the regional district. However, that does not appear to mean that coverage will be extended to groups using regional district facilities. The regional district’s committee of the whole was told that as of January 1, coverage of up to $5 million was available for associate members. Sandy McCormick, Electoral Area D director, said on Texada Island, the theatrical group Rock Island Players puts on live theatre once or twice a year using the Texada Island Community Hall. Her question was whether they were providing a service by putting on theatrical events, and were they covered? Linda Greenan, manager of financial services, said that to qualify as an associate member, the theatre group would have to be performing a service for the regional district, so they would not qualify. The committee recommended the report be filed for future reference.
Allocates funds
The regional board has approved the expenditure of $2,625 to hire Geoff Allan of InFocus Facilitation to provide strategic planning services for a workshop to take place on February 26 and 27.
Staying home
The board has concurred with a recommendation from the rural services committee to not attend the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference taking place from June 5 to 8 in Edmonton, Alberta.
Application needs upgrading
The regional board has voted to submit an application to the Building Canada Funding Program – Small Communities Fund to rebuild the Lasqueti Island fire hall and to move and upgrade the island’s recycling centre. In a recommendation from the rural services committee, the fire hall upgrade had been listed as a must-do priority under the regional district’s 2013 strategic plan. On July 24, 2014, the regional board passed a resolution to apply to the Building Canada fund to rebuild the fire hall at an estimated cost of $400,000.
Ryan Thoms, manager of emergency services for the Powell River region, said regional district staff had further reviewed the drawings created for the fire department, showing the preferred design for a new fire hall with four truck bays and a partial upper level training and meeting space, for a total of 4,200 square feet of floor space. Allowing for an estimated $250 per square foot building cost, plus installation of necessary utilities, resulted in a total construction cost in the vicinity of $1.2 million.
Thoms said on that basis, the original $400,000 estimate is no longer accurate, so a new board resolution would allow staff to submit the grant application for the currently estimated project cost.
