By Tyler OlsenMorning Star StaffJan 19 2007 http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/
Spallumcheen is moving ahead with plans to annex a watershed that provides it, and the City of Armstrong, with water, Mayor Will Hansma told council Monday. The township hopes that by annexing the land – from the township’s eastern boundary to the boundary of Silver Star Provincial Park – it will be able to better control activities impacting the watershed. Hansma said the need for local governments to take water protection matters into their own hands was made clear by Dr. Paul Hasselback of Interior Health who last week told NORD directors, including Hansma, that provincial oversight can be ineffective.
“The presentation from IHA underscored the fact that there is no co-ordinated effort in place because there are so many ministries with their hands on it. It would be good if there were a local government in charge of protecting our watersheds. “What Spallumcheen has been saying has been strongly reinforced by Dr. Hasselback.” The plan is to annex a vast tract of land that supplies water to several areas districts including Silver Star, Larkin, Armstrong and pallumcheen, among others. “The protection of that watershed has a tremendous impact on our township and a number of different entities. That’s why we have to act on it.
“All those districts get their water from it and at this time we’re relying on provincial regulatory bodies to protect it for us.” Currently the township is consulting with the various people and governments involved. Hansma said most people he has consulted with back the plan, with the exception of the City of Armstrong. City council there has seen no signs that current regulations need to be bolstered, according to Armstrong Mayor Jerry Oglow. “We haven’t been convinced that additional levels of government are needed at this time,” said Oglow. The city’s Fortune Creek water source is a small part of the land the township is annexing. And while the city is hesitant to see it annexed, Oglow said he has no problem if Spallumcheen annexes the other tracts of land.
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