Lake Management Plan Moves Forward - No Decisions Made

From the Regional District of East Kootenay:

As work continues on the Lake Windermere Management Plan, the RDEK is encouraging all residents and property owners to learn about, and participate in, the project.

“There has been some misinformation circulating, including a number of incorrect claims about actions being taken, such as a ban on motorboats. There is no such proposal and this underlines the need for people to know what we are working on and what the purpose of the Plan is. I want to emphasize that no decisions have been made and we are still early in the process,” says RDEK Planner Karen MacLeod.

A brief FAQ sheet and other information is available on the RDEK’s website and provides an overview of the process to date.

“We’ve held two public workshops and an Advisory Group made up of local citizens has been formed and is a key part of this planning effort,” says RDEK Planner, Karen MacLeod. “We have been gathering public input since July on a range of management tools that could be recommended within the plan. The public’s involvement is a critical part of this process, but it needs to be based on all the information.”

Individual comment forms were distributed at the workshops and have been available on the website since July. Comment forms are to be submitted to the RDEK by September 7, 2009.

“The goal is to develop a Plan that contains practical, enforceable and realistic policies and recommendations that balance the social, economic and environmental values of Lake Windermere,” adds MacLeod. The next step in the process will be for the consultant to review and compile the results of the comment forms prior to the next Advisory Group meeting this fall.

“We want people to be involved in this process and there will be more public meetings and opportunity for input. The key is for everyone to have the correct information and I’d encourage them to read the FAQ sheet,” adds MacLeod.

An initial draft of the Lake Windermere Management Plan is expected to be available for public review in January 2010. For more information, visit the RDEK website at www.rdek.bc.ca.

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For information contact:

Karen MacLeod, RDEK Planner
250-489-2791 or 1-888-478-7335