Beautification project goes to vote

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: March 16, 2011 1:00 AM

A new stage of downtown revitalization is in the hands of merchants.  Property owners on 31st Avenue, from 29th Street to the downtown Safeway, will vote by the end of March on whether to proceed with a beautification project.  “The plan is a good option and I’m looking forward to a positive response from businesses,” said Coun. Shawn Lee.  The cost for items like decorative brick and benches would work out to about $420 per metre.  Support would be required from 50 per cent of the properties representing 50 per cent of the property values for the revitalization initiative to go ahead. Property owners are warned, though, that construction is going ahead no matter what because of upgrades required to underground services like sewer lines.  “If they vote against it (revitalization), they will get concrete sidewalks instead of brick pavers and no furniture,” said Rob Dickinson, engineering services manager.
Two blocks of 31st Avenue will be done at a time, with the area between 30th and 32nd streets proceeding this summer.

Unlike previous revitalization on 30th Avenue, the city will cover the costs of street lighting and trees on 31st Avenue.  Staff says trees and lights must be covered by taxpayers because they  are now part of city standards, but that has upset Coun. Bob Spiers.  “To have $600,000 more absorbed by taxpayers on a project similar to 30th Avenue is beyond me,”  he said.  Spiers also questions staff’s claims that the project is needed to replace underground utilities when the original catalyst for revitalization was the proposed redevelopment of the former legion property.  “It never happened,” he said of an office tower plan.  When the matter goes to a vote among property owners later this month, the city will also be involved in that process.  It owns 22 per cent of the frontage along 31st Avenue — including the parkade, the former medical clinic site, Cenotaph Park and the Coldstream Hotel parking lot. “We believe this will succeed with our vote or not,” said Dickinson of revitalization.