Cache Creek Council passed a motion at its May 24 meeting to take over responsibility from the Chamber of Commerce for maintenance of the Downtown Revitalization (DTR) area.
The DTR stretches from the Star House Restaurant at the south end of town to the elementary school, leaving the highway businesses at the north end of town noticeably barren.
The Village collects extra taxation from the businesses in the DTR area and gives it to the Chamber. Amounting to approximately $22,000, the Chamber hires a contractor to maintain the area.
“They do a great job with the flowers,” said Village Administrator Tom Kadla, “but the maintenance wasn’t being kept up.”
And because there was a contractor hired by the Chamber, the Village’s Public Works employees couldn’t do any needed maintenance in that designated area.
Kadla said last year the Village had to spend $6,000 to hire a company to trim the trees in the DTR because it just wasn’t getting done.
“We need to do our best to beautify from one end of town to the other,” he said. “It’s challenging when you have a contract that only goes so far (down the highway).”
Assuming the contract from the Chamber will mean the Village needs to hire a seasonal employee, according to Kadla. But the employee’s wage, minus the $22,000 they currently pay the Chamber will be a very small amount.
In order to make it work, the DTR businesses will no longer be charged the extra tax. All downtown businesses will receive the same downtown maintenance, with the north end hopefully receiving the same planters and accessories that the DTR area received in the past.
Kadla said the Village needs the province to build its promised four-lane Cariboo Connector so it can put in sidewalks and plan development along the highway to the north.
It’s going together piece by piece, he said.
The revitalization of Cariboo Sam Park at the main intersection of town was likened to one pearl in a string of pearls by a consultant last year when it was still in its planning stages. Each green park and rest area in Cache Creek were more pearls that needed to be connected to a string of walking paths.
Electrical conduits are being placed under the new pavers going in by the school and over at Chums to provide night lights in the trees. There is also electricity at Cariboo Sam Park for the same purpose, as well as to showcase the town’s Christmas lights every year.
Kadla said Council and the Chamber are still negotiating how the change in management will proceed, but decisions have to be made soon so that plans can be made for next year.