A four-year, $100,000 Columbia Basin Trust grant will be spent on providing programs for Creston Valley’s youth, while organizers look for a youth centre location, Creston town council was told at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
“That was a source of controversy through the entire planning process,” said Youth Engagement Strategic Plan community liaison Jesse Willicome in a report to council. “After the four years are up, there should be a clearer indication of whether a youth centre is needed or if existing facilities are the best answer.”
After a public forum and establishment of teen action and community advisory committees, teen advocate Ashley Allin was hired. Allin, in her half-time position, works with the teen advisory committee in organizing events and programs, Willicome said. She also works with the community advisory committee to coordinate resources and assets to support local youth.
Other community service providers have expanded programming and resources for youth, engaging youth in their planning and oversight, he added.
In conjunction with the existing programs, a study by BC Healthy Communities is underway. Funded primarily by CBT, the study “will analyze the current environment for youth engagement” and make suggestions as to how local government and youth service providers can coordinate their efforts to serve youth in the community, he said.
Council Briefs
•A public hearing to discuss a rezoning application by Columbia Brewery was delayed for a second time at the recommendation of town staff, who wanted a few more days to ensure neighbouring residents had sufficient time to see how the brewery plans to mitigate their concerns. Columbia Brewery wants to buy a residential property adjacent to the brewery and railway tracks to provide for more rail delivers of malt and syrup. Neighbours have expressed concerns about noise, odor, lighting, vibrations, views, among others.
The hearing is slated to restart on Friday at 4 p.m., with a vote on the rezoning bylaw to follow.
•On recommendation of Creston Fire Rescue Chief Mike Moore, council appointed Eric Graham as bylaw officer under the Police Act. Graham was also appointed as the public safety compliance officer to the ICBC Access to Information Agreement.
•Engineering manager Colin Farynowski will represent Creston at the Building SustainAble Communities conference on Nov. 25-28 in Kelowna.
•Moore reported to council that repeat bylaw offenders will now receive daily fines in an effort to get them to comply with bylaws.
“There a small number of offenders who have refused to comply, despite our efforts to educate and inform,” Moore said.
Common repeat offences occur with animal control, cat control, property cleanup, noise control and business licenses.”
Moore pointed out that the bylaw compliance philosophy adopted by the Town of Creston includes “education to help raise awareness of communities standards, and enforcement of town bylaws to ensure timely compliance with a professional unbiased approach.”
•Council will write a letter of support for the Creston Valley Bird Fest, which plans to follow up in 2014 after a successful event this year.
“We had so much fun last year, we have to do it all over again,” organizer Tanna Paterson said in making her request.
•Mayor Ron Toyota and municipal services co-ordinator Ross Beddoes are attending an asset management workshop in the Lower Mainland this week.