Road options continue

Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: February 27, 2010 12:00 PM

Disposal of public land doesn’t mean long-term transportation routes have been sent off course. The City of Vernon insists that a future extension of 25th Avenue is still possible despite it selling a 20,000-square-foot lot on 30th Avenue for a new library. “The alignment has changed,” said Leon Gous, chief administrative officer. Even with the current parking lot sold to Okanagan Regional Library, Gous says the city owns enough other land in the area for a road extension if it proceeds. The city acquired the lot in the 1980s for an intersection, and Gous isn’t sure if any Ministry of Transportation funds were used towards the purchase. But even if they were, Gous insists the city holds the title to the lot and ministry approval was not required to sell it. “The ministry is not involved any more. We’ve sold all sorts of rights of way that the ministry bought. We’ve determined they are surplus,” he said. ORL purchased the 20,000-square-foot property from the city for $10. It’s valued at $850,000.

Gous isn’t sure when an extension of 25th Avenue will take place, but says it may eventually be needed to improve traffic flow through Vernon. However, one stumbling block stands in the way. “The railway refuses to give us another crossing over the tracks,” he said. If a new connector route ever proceeds, the provincial government will be asked to contribute towards its cost. “We are arguing that the ministry will benefit by diverting traffic off the highway and on to 27th Street,” said Gous. It’s anticipated the new, $11 million library branch will open by 2013, with construction beginning in March 2012.