LAKE COUNTRY — The year 2015 was the busiest one for construction in Lake Country’s 20-year history.
According to the municipality, the construction investment of more than $68-million in the community was 36% higher than in 2014.
The municipality says while residential construction in neighbourhoods like Lakestone and The Lakes pushed a lot of the activity, new commercial investment in the community also increased.
The district says Lake Country is becoming a hotbed for investment in the region and the municipality has been able to add more commercial options with the long-awaited Lake Country Town Centre and other projects coming to fruition.
“As the fastest growing community in British Columbia, Lake Country is no stranger to rapid growth,” said Mark Koch, Director of Community Services for the District of Lake Country, in a press release.
“It’s great to see the local economy thriving and the level of investment that is happening in our community,” said Mayor James Baker.
Baker says in order to keep up with the rapid pace of construction in the municipality, its working on its infrastructure renewal program and recently invested in adding to its Building Inspections team.
“With a large proportion of our land base being protected farmland and lakes, Council is strategically using the additional tax base brought by growth to fund amenities that make the community more livable,” says Koch.
Koch points to such investments as the recently purchased Okanagan Rail Corridor and the current Parks and Recreation Master Plan process which are all geared towards providing amenities for Lake Country residents to enjoy.
Koch says with a high volume of development applications already in stream for 2016, the increased level of building permit values appears to be sustainable.
“With increased business confidence and the proactive approach that Council and staff are taking to encourage new starts in the community, this year will likely continue to see similar growth,” said Koch.
Comments