Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: January 30, 2010 12:00 PM
There’s a price to be paid for expanding beaches in Greater Vernon. The North Okanagan Regional District has just spent $1 million for a residential lot on Lakeshore Road in Vernon. It has 50 feet of lakefront. “Long-term, we would like to see a lakefront park and over time we are acquiring property,” said Al McNiven, manager of parks and recreation. The funds came from development cost charges and money set aside for parks in a 2005 referendum. With the latest purchase, NORD now has nine lots on Lakeshore Road and some have been turned into beach access. And more improvements could occur as part of the proposed 2010 budget. “We could tidy up the sites and put in some irrigation,” said McNiven. Public demand for access to Okanagan Lake is high, but McNiven admits there are some challenges when trying to buy property. “The price has definitely been a big issue and somebody has to be prepared to sell,” he said, adding that the regional district has a process in place. “If there is an interest in a property, we approach the owner. It’s a combination of that and waiting for a For Sale sign to go up.” McNiven would not say how many lots NORD hopes to purchase. “There is an interest in a few more properties,” he said. The house on the property recently acquired has been demolished.
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