Concerns spill over marina

Published: March 05, 2009 6:00 PM Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star

North Okanagan politicians are wading into the fight over a marina in a nearby jurisdiction. The North Okanagan Regional District will write to the provincial Integrated Land Management Bureau and the District of Lake Country to express concerns about a planned 200-slip marina on Wood Lake. “It’s not just a Lake Country issue. That lake drains into Kalamalka Lake and then into Okanagan Lake,” said director Doug Dirk. A canal also allows vessels to travel between Wood and Kalamalka lakes. “The lakes are all connected. Activities on the shoreline affects the lakes,” said Dirk. The developer has applied to the ILMB to use 2.3 hectares of Crown land near Ponderosa Road for a marina. Some residents have expressed concerns that the marina would lead to more boat traffic on Wood and Kalamalka lakes and potentially impact the environment and water quality. “Wood Lake is pretty small and Kalamalka Lake is their target,” said director Mike Macnabb. “I’m getting calls from people saying that, ‘We suck water out of that lake and we don’t want more boat traffic.’ This is a big issue. This is not trivial.”

However, other politicians point out that the property is in Lake Country, which is part of the Central Okanagan Regional District. “We need to do our homework and be cognizant that it’s someone else’s jurisdiction,” said director Wayne Lippert. Mary-Jo O’Keefe, alternate director, is also urging her colleagues not to be close-minded about the marina, because it could benefit the valley. “Tourism is a pretty major booster so we shouldn’t discourage it too much,” she said. NORD staff have received some information on the proposal, including a Lake Country proposal to change zoning to prohibit marinas on Wood Lake. The developer has stated previously that the environment is not at risk. “These applications are very complex. There are numerous agencies that review the application and set regulations. This is very much the beginning of the process,” said Jayson McCarthy, spokesman for Ponderosa Enterprises, during a recent interview. Environmental assessments will take into account Kalamalka Lake, as well as Wood Lake. The marina could ultimately be less than 200 slips, and McCarthy has said that he doesn’t expect construction would begin until at least 2012.