HIGH NOTE | Piano proves popular outside downtown Vernon business [A12]
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Friday, July 17, 2015
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Stickle plans driving ahead
MAZE MASTERS
RICHARD ROLKE
LISA VANDERVELDE/ MORNING STAR
Morning Star Staff
Isabella Haxby, six, and her cousin Brianna Mebs, nine, of Edmonton, charge out of the corn maze at Historic O’Keefe Ranch Saturday. The maze is open seven days a week.
Vernon-Monashee’s MLA is adamant that plans for a dangerous intersection are proceeding despite significant opposition. The Ministry of Transportation has developed a T intersection to improve safety at Stickle Road and Highway 97 although the City of Vernon, residents and businesses have demanded a traffic signal. “The traffic engineers say a light won’t help Eric Foster there,” said MLA Eric Foster. “I don’t think a traffic light there will be supported (by the ministry).” The new proposal calls for a protected T intersection to allow for left turns from Stickle Road on to the highway towards Vernon. There would be a separate left turn with turn-around access for the Silver Star RV Park area and the ministry would eliminate highway crossmovements and left-hand turns from the RV park.
There would also be new acceleration lanes leaving Stickle Road and existing deceleration lanes entering Stickle Road from the highway would be lengthened. “It definitely answers the concerns of left-hand turns off Stickle Road (to Vernon),” said Foster. “It answers the safety issue.” On Monday, Vernon council members unanimously spoke against the ministry’s proposal, saying that a traffic signal is the preferred option to allow motorists to access the highway. The ministry insists a signal would negatively impact safety and result in delays and traffic queues. “The issue of a traffic light is about traffic flow and thousands of cars go through there every day,” said Foster. The new proposal will go before the Regional District of North Okanagan board July 22 and the Ministry of Transportation will hold a public open house July 29 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Prestige Hotel. The ministry proposal for Stickle Road can be viewed at www.vernon. ca/transportation. Comments can be e-mailed to eng@vernon.ca and they will be forwarded to the ministry.
GVAC clarifies restrictions process RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff
A local politician insists the tightening of water use wasn’t an arbitrary decision. Some residents have questioned the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee’s recent shift to stage one water restrictions. “Staff are responding to the drought response plan we have in place,” said Juliette Cunningham, chairperson, adding that stakeholders were involved in developing the plan. Stage one restrictions were implemented
because of current dry conditions and reservoirs being drawn down. “We want to do everything we can to avoid going to the next stage and we want to make residents aware of the situation,” said Cunningham. Cunningham also says there is a need to preserve the water supply for months to come. “We don’t know what will happen before next year (with the weather) so we want to take action now.” Under stage one, residents can water:
• Tuesday, Thursday, and/or Saturday if their property has an odd address number. • Wednesday, Friday, and/or Sunday if their property has an even address number. • Automatic timer irrigation may operate between the hours from midnight to 6 a.m. • Manual sprinklers (moved by hand) may be used between the hours of 6 and 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. and midnight. • Drip irrigation may operate between the hours of 7 p.m. and 10 a.m. (could previously run anytime under normal restric-
tions). • Customers using a watering can or hose with spring-loaded nozzle may hand water anytime. More details can be found at www.rdno. ca/waterrestrictions. Cunningham says other communities are looking to Greater Vernon’s drought response plan, particularly because of climate change. “If temperatures keep increasing, this will be more commonplace,’” she said of pressures on water supply.
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