WEST KELOWNA — Premier Christy Clark has made two multi-million dollar promises in West Kelowna.
Clark announced Friday the province will invest $45-million over the next five years to improve safety on Westside Road.
The notorious road has claimed numerous lives over the years and topped the list of BCAA’s annual “Worst Roads in the Province” again in 2013.
READ MORE: Westside Road back to #1 worst in province
Friday’s announcement involves two major construction upgrades worth $10-million, contracted to a pair of local construction companies.
The first project involves widening an 800-metre section of Westside Road from Waterfront Farm to Blue Grouse, adding paved shoulders, roadside barriers and rockfall protection measures. Construction for that project started in September and is slated to finish sometime this fall.
The second stretch of road receiving an upgrade is an 8.7-kilometre section between the Highway 97 junction and Skook Mine Road, near Vernon. Work there is expected to start in early October and finish by the end of the month.
Clark also announced the province is giving the district an $8.7-million land grant to help build a new municipal works yard.
“Through the Sponsored Crown Grant program, the Province has offered the District of West Kelowna a five-hectare parcel of Crown land at the junction of Bartley and Stevens Road,” says Premier Clark.
“After extensive negotiations with the Province, Westbank First Nation is pleased to say that it supports the offering of a sponsored Crown grant to the District of West Kelowna. We believe that WFN’s interests are being properly addressed,” says Chief Robert Louie. “We look forward to working with the Province on reconciliation of our interests.”
Comments