Council To Vote On Rail Referendum

Written by Peter McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM Tuesday, 03 March 2015 16:50
A referendum could get the Okanagan Rail Corridor deal back on the rails in Lake Country. The District's council will meet tonight to debate and vote on a staff recommendation to hold a referendum April 25. It would seek consent to borrow 2.6 million dollars to fund Lake Country's share of the 22 million dollar deal for the former Canadian National rail line. The question staff are recommending is: 'Are you in favour of the District of Lake Country adopting a loan authorization bylaw to borrow up to $2,615,000 to fund the purchase of a 50% share of 16 kilometres of the Okanagan Rail Corridor within District boundaries.' The vote will cost ten thousand dollars to hold. It comes after a failed alternative approval process where 960 residents -- or more than 10 percent -- opposed the plan. The Regional District of North Okanagan and City of Kelowna are other partners in the proposed deal for the 49 kilometre rail line which could be turned into a public trail.