By Steve Hubrecht
The District of Invermere is pursuing a pair of grants for active transportation projects.
Both grants are through the same provincial program — the B.C. Active Transportation Infrastructure Grant Program — but they are for different projects.
The first is for a paved trail in Athalmer, along the north edge of the Lake Windermere Resort (LWR) lands.
The second is for an e-bike charging station and washrooms, as well as bike parking and bike-washing equipment in the northeast corner of the old community hall site. (The space is currently an open gravel parking lot.)
The e-bike charging station and other bike amenities would accompany an electric vehicle charging station in the northwest corner of the parking lot that has been planned by BC Hydro.
Invermere councillors have given the green light to both grants, although they expressed reservations about the washroom and e-bike charging station. They agreed to pursue the grant for that particular project only after it became clear that it was still possible to tweak it.
The paved trail in Athalmer would be 325 metres long and would run along the south side of Tarte Street. The district is seeking $305,000 for the trail from the grant program. The grant can cover a maximum 70 per cent of the total project costs, meaning the district will need to kick in the remaining $91,000 for the trail.
It’s a similar story with the second grant – the district is seeking $593,000 in funds for the washrooms and bike facilities; the remaining $178,000 for the project would need to be paid by the district.
Councillors’ hesitation for the second project stems from how much space it takes up.
“I was surprised by the footprint. It’s way larger than I thought it would be,” said councillor Grant Kelly. He added that it is very rare to have a large, publicly-owned empty lot smack dab in the middle of a municipality, and the sheer size of the lot means there are some unique possibilities in how it can be used. Putting the washrooms and bike facilities on the lot, as presented, could change those possibilities, he outlined, adding there are other places in Invermere for the bike facilities.
“I really value that lot (the old community hall site) in its entirety,” said Kelly.
Councillor Kayja Becker voiced similar opinions, saying she liked the e-bike station and washrooms project “but just not as presented. We need to edit it a little.”
Acting Invermere chief administrative officer Kindry Dalke confirmed that if Invermere gets the grant, it can still change the project. So in the end council agreed to apply for the funding.
