Penticton set to add more snow removal equipment to roster

PENTICTON – City staff are preparing for winter with a pitch to city council for more snow removal equipment.

Buiding and Permitting Manager Ken Kunka asked council for an additional $20,000 to purchase more ice and snow clearing equipment. The request was made to facilitate clearing of nearly 10 kilometres of city lanes that will now require snow and ice removal.

A number of new, multi-family developments in the city have been constructed that are accessed primarily from lanes. Staff proposed purchasing a one-ton pickup with a front mounted blade, along with a sanding unit to service the additional road surfaces.

Staff also asked for an additional $10,000 to be added to the city’s the $320,900 snow removal budget, beginning in 2016, in order to operate the new unit. The additional money will allow the city to clear primary access lanes in these new developments in addition to servicing new traffic calming areas at Wiltse Boulevard, Carmi Avenue and Kinney Avenue. Two sidewalks and a set of stairs servicing Sendero Canyon will also be serviced through the additional budget.

Kunka also reviewed the city’s snow and ice control policy, which now include provisions for the clearing of designated lanes providing primary access to multifamily developments.

Council agreed unanimously to staff’s request for an additional $20,000 from the 2015 budget, to be funded from general reserves, as well as a $10,000 annual addition to the snow clearing budget, starting in 2016.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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