municipal
Budget ramped up for John Tod centre
KAMLOOPS - The finishing touches are being installed as a crew hustles to complete the conversion of John Tod from a school to a community centre — and now a parking lot has been added to the 2014 to-do list. Work began on the $2.2 million conversion earlier this year but the city planned to...
ARCHER: City staff aren’t immune from taxpayer scrutiny but here’s a better idea
PENTICTON - City Hall has quite the series of plot lines going these days, with lawsuits, legal threats to citizens, complaints from residents and rallies outside on the street. Mayor and city councillors have taken a lot of heat from the media and public, whether it’s about vote results, a development project, or the use...
STAHN: Even our goals for voter turnout are sad
In the 2011 municipal election less than 30 per cent of eligible people voted in Kamloops. This is a typical trend across B.C., and even the country, in most municipal elections. To break it down into very simple terms, less than a third of people chose to speak up when it mattered most. Nearly everyone...
Budget talks begin early
KAMLOOPS - It is only August but Kamloops city staff are getting a jump on the 2015 budget discussions by asking council to approve several items for the upcoming budget requests. It does not mean these items will be be part of the budget, it simply means staff was asking council to approve them to...
Farmers’ market now offering local brew
KAMLOOPS - A typical crowd formed during the Saturday morning farmers’ market but they weren't just lining up for fresh produce — it was the first time wine sampling was allowed at a Kamloops market and people were more than willing to stand in line for a sample. The farmers’ market was given the green...
TCC repairs to be complete this fall
KAMLOOPS - Repairs to the leaky walls and ceilings at the Tournament Capital Centre Fieldhouse will be completed this fall, about a year after council committed to the repairs. The vapour barrier was identified as being ineffective and has been causing condensation when the outside temperature is just above zero Celsius. The water has then...
Pay by phone finally arrives
KAMLOOPS - Drivers now have another option for paying for downtown parking, their cell phones. The pay by phone system is aimed at offering convenience to drivers, but you’ll need to register with telepark.com before you can use it. Once registered you can text or phone in your start and stop times for downtown street...
Wine would be winning addition to markets
KAMLOOPS - The province now allows liquor to be sold at farmers markets but city staff are not quite ready to make the leap, suggesting council move to a public hearing first if they wish to explore the possibility. Shawn Haley, co-chair of the Kamloops Regional Farmers Market Society, is requesting the city approve a...
July good for multi-family housing
KAMLOOPS - While the number of permits for multi-family units was significantly higher for July 2014 over the previous year overall, units are still down quite a bit this year. Last month permits were issued for 60 new multi-family units, up from only 12 in July 2013, but that did help put a dent in...
Casino public hearing set for Aug. 19
KAMLOOPS - If you have questions or concerns about the proposed relocation of the downtown casino to Aberdeen, next week is your chance to make yourself heard. Council decided late last month the public and the company behind the proposed casino relocation should get a chance to speak before any decisions are made as to...
Westsyde Road rehab to be complete by fall
KAMLOOPS - Westsyde Road will get a lot of new asphalt this summer and it will be done with a lower price tag than originally thought as well. The road will see more than 70,000 square metres of concrete surface milled and paved, as well as drainage improvements and replacement of all sanitary, storm, water...
Garbage fees going up
KAMLOOPS - If you bring a load of garbage to the landfill you will be looking at higher fees but it should have little impact on the average homeowner who has garbage picked up curb side. Public Works Director Jen Fretz said the hope is increased fees will help divert waste, but it is also...
Senior crossing gets more attention
KAMLOOPS - Though there are more than 110 signatures of support for a full traffic signal at Mayfair Street and Tranquille Road staff still believe the current system is safer. In a petition submitted to council this week residents, volunteers and staff at the RiverBend Seniors Community on Mayfair Street are asking for advanced left...
Downtown intersection set to reopen
KAMLOOPS - After a year delay and several months of construction the work connecting access to Riverside Park and the downtown core is nearly complete. Last summer a the city backed off the project because the cost was higher than anticipated and money wasn't available in the capital plan budget to cover it. When it finally resumed,...
STAHN: Tax payers should find another way
The City of Kamloops spent $45,000 this year on a temporary tax office just to help residents who insist on paying their tax bills in person avoid the construction taking place outside of City Hall. Does that make sense in 2014? Only 2,600 people used the temporary office at McArthur Island working out to a cost...