75% of voters support rail corridor borrowing in Lake Country

LAKE COUNTRY — Unofficial results for the Lake Country rail trail referendum are in. Chief Election Officer Reyna Seabrook says the results are successful with 3,336 of the 4,462 voters casting ballots in support of the district borrowing up to $2.6 million to purchase Lake Country’s portion of a CN rail corridor.

“The turnout for the referendum was outstanding and we are very pleased that residents in the community share our vision of the Okanagan Rail Corridor connecting communities and services of the valley,” says mayor James Baker.

Seabrook says it was a record-breaking turnout with 47.9% of eligible electors coming out to have their say in the referendum.

READ MORE: Province ready to commit millions to rail trail project — with conditions

“Designs, public consultation and operating models will be evaluated for developing the corridor, but it may be a year or more before the route is developed and the corridor is open to the public,” says Michael Mercer, Director of Engineering and Environmental Services. “We’d remind residents that while the corridor may be acquired as district-owned land, it is currently not open for public use.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Designs, public consultation and operating models will be evaluated for developing the corridor, but it may be a year or more before the route is developed and the corridor is open to the public," says Michael Mercer, Director of Engineering and Environmental Services. "We'd remind residents that while the corridor may be acquired as district-owned land, it is currently not open for public use."

Official results will be declared on Monday at 4p.m. at the Municipal Hall in Lake Country. A special council meeting will be held at 5 p.m. to adopt the Loan Authorization Bylaw.