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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