From the Cache Creek Council meeting on July 20.
Roll call: Mayor John Ranta, Councillors Lisa Dafoe, David Dubois, and Herb Hofer
Fire hall funding approval
The Village’s request for Disaster Funding Assistance for reconstruction of the fire hall, which was badly damaged in the May 23 flood, has been approved, although DFA will only pay for 80% of the costs up to a total of $50,000.
On Side Restoration of Kamloops estimates that the cost of reconstruction will be $40,142.54. Although reconstruction of the hall was listed by the Village as level C—the least critical of the three levels into which reconstruction projects were slotted—Mayor Ranta said, when asked, that this was “an easy approval for the government to make.” On Side was awarded the contract for the reconstruction project, with work to start on July 27.
McAbee fossil beds
The Economic Development Committee met with a consulting firm on Tuesday to begin preliminary discussions about the future of the McAbee fossil beds to the east of Cache Creek. The site—an Eocene Epoch fossil locality of 548 square hectares laid down some 52 million years ago in what was then a lake bed—is internationally recognized for the diversity of its fossils, and was taken over as a Heritage Site by the provincial government in July 2012. Since then the beds have been closed to the public, and although there was talk of an interpretive centre being built at the site—at a cost of some $6–8 million—nothing has happened in the intervening years. Even though the McAbee beds are outside the Village, it was noted that development of the site would bring significant economic benefits to the region.
Old Cariboo Road
A preliminary Geotechnical Assessment by Westrek Geotechnical Services has identified several points of concern on Old Cariboo Road following the May flood. Due to the damage caused by debris it will cost more than $100,000 to restore the road to its pre-flood condition, which must be done before the re-paving project scheduled for this summer goes ahead. The re-paving is on hold until funding approval can be obtained to restore the road.
Mail fail?
Mayor Ranta noted that at a recent TNRD meeting he took the opportunity to speak with a Canada Post Director of Municipal Engagement regarding the removal of the bulletin board from the Cache Creek post office earlier this year. The board was an important source of community information and engagement, and Ranta asked the DME why a letter on the matter, mailed to Canada Post on February 19, had not yet had a response. The Canada Post official replied that if the mayor hand delivered a letter to her regarding the bulletin board he would receive a swift response.
New Chief Administrative Officer
Council welcomed Melany de Weerdt as the Village’s new CAO. Ms de Weerdt comes from Taylor, and said that she is very pleased to be in Cache Creek. Mayor Ranta replied that she was not nearly as pleased as the Village is to have her there, and that he hopes for a long and prosperous relationship.
Landfill stop of interest
It was suggested, at a meeting of the Landfill Advisory Committee on July 20, that Belkorp put a sign by the new methane gas plant at the landfill, explaining what the plant is for those driving past it. It was also suggested that a “Point of Interest” sign on the highway near the road to the landfill might be a good idea. Mayor Ranta pointed out that while the gas plant is a boon to the area, there isn’t much to see there, and raised concerns about increased traffic on the road.
Barbara Roden