Infrastructure needs to be looked at

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“Our community values self-resilience but is quickly outgrowing its current infrastructure This funding from the province will be gratefully applied to the mounting infrastructure deficit costs our small community is facing” said Leonard.

The $2,287,000 received by Bowen is part of a $1 billion provincial investment in the new Growing Communities Fund. Each municipality in B.C received a one-time payment based on population and growth mit freeze by the province until the situation at the yard is improved. “It’s not a permanent structure, it’s essentially supporting our efforts to rehabilitate the site – we have to move staff into this temporary accommodation while we remove all the materials and equipment from this other space, ” explains Graham

It’s now up to the municipality to decide which projects the money will be best used on.

The director’s request this time was for $60,000 to install the trailer, and another $100,000 to conduct the environmental assessments “Regardless of the need for a building permit it’s also Bowen Island Municipality’s responsibility to address the contaminated site and carry on with that work,” said Graham

Mayor Andrew Leonard agreed. “Given the occupational health and safety issues at the site there needs to be a solution completed as expediently as possible I also think that the spending to remediate the site will have to happen regardless Given that there will be a design phase for a works yard, it does make sense to remove that obstacle now, ” he said.

Council approved both asks in a 6-1 vote, with Coun. Alison Morse in opposition. Permanent plans for the public works yard will return to the 2023 budget discussions later this year