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Sicamous project may be docked for downtown revitalization

Plans for upgrades to the area around Penticton’s iconic SS Sicamous may be some time before they become a reality.
8830pentictonSicamous
The SS Sicamous upgrade plan may not be possible until 2017 said the city director of operations.

Plans for upgrades to the area around Penticton’s iconic SS Sicamous continue to take place, but it may be some time before they become a reality.

City council was told on Feb. 9 that both grants requests for the next stage of downtown revitalization have been turned down, resulting in the city needing to find over $2 million in order to proceed with that project this year.

Director of operations Mitch Moroziuk said reconfiguring the city’s finances to support the downtown project would also reduce city’s ability to undertake other projects, such as the SS Sicamous master plan projects and facility master plan upgrades.

This comes after council approved a series of additions to the Sicamous plan at their Feb. 1 meeting, based on public input on the jetty walkway portion of the project. Plans are to build a wooden walkway along the length of the existing jetty, culminating in a deck at the northern end.

That deck could feature amenities like a gazebo, viewing tower, or even a restaurant. Plans also show a day moorage area for small boats.

Council approved finalizing the detail design of the first phase including a timber boardwalk, benches, and railings with a heritage theme for lighting and street furniture, as well as designing the end of the jetty to support future development concepts.

Moroziuk explained to council that completing the detailed design was actually a 2015 project.

“This will provide direction to the consultant doing the detailed design. The intent is they finalize the design, they make the application for permits with a several year window to actually do construction,” said Moroziuk at the Feb. 1 meeting. “They provide us with the documents and then it simply sits, until such time as council includes the construction of the project in their budget, which could be 2017.”

At the Feb. 9 special council meeting, Moroziuk pointed out that phase one of the Sicamous project may not be possible
in 2017.

“We weren’t able to move forward in any one year with two strategic priorities, so that is why we have been going back and forth between the waterfront and the downtown project,” said the director of operations Mitch Moroziuk. “This may then have to push it back from 2017 to 2018. And that is a project that is funded over a five-year period and broken into phases.”

Jim Cooper, president of the SS Sicamous Society, said he is disappointed to hear the improvements may be delayed but is confident that city remains committed to the project.

"We're still hoping it is going to happen," said Cooper, adding that the society's understands that the city is dealing with tight budgets right now.

The society, Cooper added, continues to spend funds maintaining and improving the boat, including the recent addition of an elevator to make the second level wheelchair and handicapped accessible.