No easy answers to parking -- Editorial, Morning Star

Perhaps there are no easy answers to parking at the Kalavista boat launch if we ignore Coldstream Council's past long-standing policies. These policies were not only common sense for Coldstream but would also serve all the residents using Kalamalka Lake as their domestic water supply.

Past Council's tried to reduce boat traffic on the north end of Kal Lake mainly to protect the quality of water supply and at same time reduce the inconvenience to residents living along the lake and paying significant property taxes.

That was the main reason Coldstream supported the establishment of the Kekuli Bay campground and boat launch.

That's why efforts were made to eliminate parking in most residential areas where residents were hugely inconvenienced from launching of boats of various sizes and parking trailers everywhere.

That's why Councils of the past encouraged the speed reduction along the shoreline.

Councils are considered to be a continuum and each new Council should make themselves familiar with policies of previous Councils. Personal convenience, such as owning a boat, should not interfere with making the proper decisions in line with set policies.

Another aspect we must consider is the fact that we spend huge sums of money to acquire land and develop parking spaces which then we provide to boat owners for nothing. The parking lot next to the Kalavista tennis courts are exclusively reserved for boat trailers free of charge. We must decide why we cater to tourists. Businesses want tourists so they would leave some of their money behind. The often repeated cry by some councillors is that we should operate the Municipality like a business. Losing money on an enterprise is not very business like. Let's be sensible!

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