RDCO backs Joe Rich RCMP radio site, right-of-way for rebuilt Blue Grouse line
Separate Crown-land applications cover secure police communications along Highway 33 and a rebuilt power line serving telecommunications infrastructure on Blue Grouse Mountain.
BC Hydro crews work to restore electrical infrastructure damaged by the 2023 McDougall Creek wildfire. The RDCO board has supported a right-of-way application for a rebuilt line serving telecommunications infrastructure on Blue Grouse Mountain.
Photo: BC Hydro.
The Regional District of Central Okanagan board supported two provincial Crown-land applications involving communications infrastructure at its Aug. 20 meeting. One is for a proposed RCMP radio communications site serving Joe Rich and Highway 33, while the other concerns a BC Hydro statutory right-of-way associated with a transmission line on Blue Grouse Mountain.
The RCMP application seeks a licence of occupation for the proposed radio site. RDCO said the site would support secure communications for RCMP officers and Indigenous Policing Services operating in the area.
The board made its support conditional on the application of FireSmart principles intended to help protect the infrastructure and reduce wildfire risk. The board highlights did not include a construction schedule, project cost or technical specifications for the site.
In a separate referral, the board supported BC Hydro’s application for a statutory right-of-way associated with a transmission line serving telecommunications infrastructure on Blue Grouse Mountain. RDCO said the line was rebuilt following the 2023 McDougall Creek wildfire and provides power to critical communications infrastructure, including emergency communication services.
The board agenda says the line was rebuilt under emergency authorization to restore power to the mountain’s telecommunications infrastructure. BC Hydro is now seeking a statutory right-of-way for the rebuilt line.
The McDougall Creek wildfire began Aug. 15, 2023, and expanded rapidly during strong winds on Aug. 17. An official Central Okanagan debris-management plan says the fire travelled more than 10 kilometres, burned about 14,000 hectares on both sides of Okanagan Lake and affected approximately 200 structures.
The plan says the fire directly affected parts of West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation, the Central Okanagan West Electoral Area, Kelowna and Lake Country. It was contained Sept. 21, 2023.
The Central Okanagan Wildfire Recovery Plan says infrastructure recovery should be treated as a priority in support of response and recovery activities. It adds that restoring essential infrastructure can help the wider economy by restabilizing business operations and services.
The RCMP radio site and BC Hydro right-of-way are separate applications. RDCO said the Province will make the final decision on each application, and its Aug. 20 update did not include decision timelines.
Kelowna’s downtown waterfront will host classical voice, strings and piano Wednesday as the Central Okanagan Performing Arts Festival presents OVATION in the Park. The free concert runs Aug. 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Kerry Park, 1480 Mill St., and attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket.