Glen Morrison Thursday, 30 July 2009 10:05 1o7.5 KISSFM:
The Okanagan Indian Band has fired another verbal shot in the dispute over Lakeshore Road in Okanagan Landing. The land dispute had been quiet for almost two months after the band had threatened a closure over concerns about area residents using the road to get onto the band owned beach.The City of Vernon says it has multiple documents that claim there's been a road there and right of way since the late 1800's. In a statement, Band Chief Fabian Alexis (pictured) is again asserting legal ownership of the roadway adding the band has filed a specific claim with the government of Canada seeking a resolution to the problem.He says their concerns are exacerbated by some local residents using the road to gain vehicle access to the Band's Kin Beach where their conduct has raised public health and safety concerns.Alexis ends the statement by saying the band will take 'appropriate' steps to protect their reserve land from trespass and abuse.
Mayor Wayne Lippert says he's frustrated by the statement, and that the band won't return his calls. "The city of Vernon has offered assistance in that (problems at beach) and we offered to put some significant funds into the infrastructure down there, and they turned us down," Lippert says he wouldn't be surprised if the band staged some sort of action on the road for the upcoming long weekend.
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