Next phase of Penticton Creek restoration set to begin this summer

PENTICTON – Plans are moving forward to restore another section of the Penticton Creek riverbed this summer.

The ambitious multi-phase project will cost a total estimated $30 million to restore 4.4 kilometres of riverbed, city council heard at a Committe of the Whole meeting yesterday, May 2. The project has been broken down into 23 sections, or reaches.

City engineer Ian Chapman told the councillors this year’s work will extend the restoration upstream of the showcase section which was completed in 2015. The work will extend the third pool in the showcase section and add three riffles and two pools to the creek bed, up to the Nanaimo bridge crossing.

The 2017 work has an estimated cost of $630,000 with construction to take place during the narrow window allowed by the Department of Fisheries for excavating the creek bed between late July and Aug. 24.

Chapman said the restoration committee had $250,000 set aside in the City’s 2017 budget, in addition to $220,000 from Fisheries and another $150,000 from the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund earmarked for this year’s work.

Public consultation is expected to take place at the mid-May Saturday Market in downtown Penticton, and with the Penticton Indian Band on May 15.

Coun. Judy Sentes was concerned residential properties adjacent to the creek would be affected.

Chapman said the City had already purchased some property where encroachment was anticipated. Discussions are also underway with another property owner potentially impacted.

Work would not begin until those discussions were complete, he said.


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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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