A federal/provincial infrastructure re-annoucement, confirming funding for improvements to the Westside’s waste water treatment plant, provided opportunity for some lobbying for other projects in West Kelowna.

Okanagan-Coqui-

halla MP Stockwell Day and Westside-Kelowna MLA Ben Stewart were at the sewer plant Wednesday afternoon to commit to a $7.37 million upgrade and expansion to the Gellatly Road facility.

But Mayor Doug Findlater wasn’t content letting a chance slip by, putting in a plug for a couple of other projects that didn’t make the cut four weeks ago, during the latest round of infrastructure announcements across B.C.

Noticeably absent were a $6 million, phase two expansion of sewer trunk lines for Glenrosa and Lakeview Heights and another $1.5 million for road and sidewalk improvements throughout the municipality.

Findlater seized a moment after the waste water treatment plant announcement to speak privately with Day.

Afterwards, Day hinted that hope is not lost for the outstanding infrastructure work in West Kelowna.

“But, there are a couple of key steps we’d like to see finished with the water treatment process here. So, we’re pushing hard and working with the mayor and I’ve brought those needs forward and seeing what we can do.”

In the growth and life of any municipality there are always more announcements down the road and that will be the case for West Kelowna, said Day.

“We’re pushing hard to see if we can get it under the wire. I told the mayor I don’t know if we can, but, we’re working hard to do it.”

As for phase one of sewer expansion to Glenrosa and Lakeview Heights, it was announced in the spring as part of the initial round of infrastructure funding. That amount was also $6 million and will extend sewer lines to 940 homes.

About 500 homes will still be on septic however, after the first phase of expansion is completed in approximately two years.

As for Wednesday’s waste water treatment plant announcement, the upgrades and expansion are meant to take the plant’s capacity from the present 28,000 connections up to a maximum of 42,000 in Peachland, Westbank First Nation and the District of West Kelowna, according to a regional district staff report.

With Victoria and Ottawa collectively picking up $5 million of the tab, that leaves the regional district to cover $2.4 million, which will be taken from reserves, according to Findlater.

As Day stood outside the drab buildings of the Westside sewer plant on Gellatly Road, on an overcast day, he admitted that this project wasn’t as flashy as others, but was certainly necessary.

“Some people might think that a waste water treatment plant isn’t all that sexy a project, but I can tell you if you don’t have it you’ve got a problem.”

Day also commented that without his government’s Economic Action Plan, infrastructure projects like this one might have had to wait a few more years.

“These are items that were needed, but under normal circumstances they’re probably things that would have been built over three, to five, to seven years,” said Day.

“We’ve said we’ve got to compress those. One, they are needed. Two, the global downturn requires that we stimulate the economy.”

Stewart added that the original waste water treatment plant was built in 1988 and expanded several times over the last 15 years, including an extension to his family’s Quails’ Gate winery in West Kelowna about 10 years ago.

“It’s interesting how this project has evolved over time. It goes to show how important waste water treatment is in the development of an entire community.”

The sewer plant funding was originally announced four weeks ago as part of the provincial government’s buy-in to the second half of economic stimulus funding, matching a federal funding commitment.

The second half of the program is estimated at $719 million for projects across B.C.

jluciw@kelownacapnews.com