By Steve Hubrecht
The all-candidates forum on February 22 for those running in a by-election to fill the vacant seat on Invermere council produced no dramatic twist or turns. For the most part, candidates seemed to hold similar general viewpoints on the various topics discussed, although they did offer differing (perspectives) about just how these issues should be addressed.
The by-election, set for March 4, has attracted five candidates — Grey Bradatsch, David Goldsmith, Grant Kelly, Stephanie Stevens, and Juanita Violini. The five have been campaigning around town for several weeks now, submitting answers to questions of the week from the Pioneer (see this week’s on page XX), and gathering at the Lake Windermere District Lions Club on Wednesday, Feb. 22 for the forum.
During the forum, which was moderated by former Radium Hot Springs mayor, Dee Conklin, the candidates were given a chance to make introductory and closing remarks. In between, they were posed questions, some of which they were given in advance and some of which were kept a surprise by organizers. The questions ranged from current hot-button issues, such as a planned bylaw banning single-use plastics, to much broader questions, such how to balance long term planning with short term needs.
All candidates agreed that single use plastic is a big problem both globally and locally, for instance, but each had a different take on how best to tackle it. Stevens was very much in favour of the ban bylaw. Goldsmith said he was in favour of a bylaw, but added he feels the district should “only create laws that are enforceable”. He said he thinks the bylaw should deal with “easy” things first, such as single use plastic checkout bags and plastic cutlery, and then later add in items that are harder to enforce. Violini said “I’m not sure banning single use plastics is the most effective way” to deal with the problem, and indicated that she feels council could be more effective on the issue by pressuring federal and provincial governments to act. She added that she would, however, pursue a ban on plastic water bottles, for which she sees no need at all. Kelly said he thought a single use plastic ban bylaw could be viable even without enforcement, particularly if coupled with local education efforts, but added that, in his opinion, the “biggest culprit, one that doesn’t get addressed, is styrofoam. Let’s start with that.” Bradatsch suggested that “if our water quality was better, we would see less plastic water bottles used. That’s where we need to start.”
A community recreation centre with an indoor swimming pool is a topic that constituents have brought UP with the Invermere council sporadically for many years, usually by means of a written letter, with council usually ending the matter by pointing to the considerable cost of such a facility. The idea has been getting a bit more traction here lately, after the town of Golden and the surrounding rural electoral area (Columbia Shuswap Regional District Area A) voted in a referendum (held in conjunction with last fall’s municipal election) to borrow $18 million to build an indoor aquatic centre there. The Pioneer has heard from more than a few residents in the ensuing months asking, if they can do it in Golden, why not in Invermere?
The question on this topic produced the most varied responses among the candidates of any subject in the forum. Stevens answered first and said that previously she would have been against a new indoor pool-recreation centre because of the cost, but that recent conversations with local residents have underscored the need for such a facility, not just for swimming but also to house other recreation groups (such as the Invermere Judo Club), and that there are nonprofit groups willing to do much of the legwork. Goldsmith said he would support such an initiative, but only if was paid for by all Columbia Valley municipalities and rural areas. He noted that aside from the construction cost, annual operating costs of an indoor pool could easily run to $500,000. Violini pegged those same costs at about $1,000 a day ($365,000 a year), and suggested “we can brainstorm” ways to cover the bills. “I’d need to see a budget before supporting it,” said Kelly, echoing Goldsmith that operational costs need to be carefully considered in additional to building costs. “If we’re not going to have user fees and taxpayers are going to be on the hook, I’m not sure. It has to be the whole valley, not just the District of Invermere,” said Kelly. Bradatsch asked “has the pool been priced out? Where would it be located? What is lifespan?” He also said that locals and visitors can swim for about $20 at the Radium Hot Springs pool, at Copper Point for about $6.50, and can swim seasonally in the lake for free. “It seems we already have great value (for swimming) in our valley,” he said.
What role Invermere should play in climate change also elicited differing responses. Goldsmith said that 20 per cent of Invermere is roads and parking spaces which means “we are very much a vehicle intensive community” and suggested the district needs a more walkable, bike-able downtown, and needs to figure out how to get natural gas brought to the valley as an energy source. Kelly said the biggest difference comes in the choices made by the district, and that, for instance, building a new indoor pool-recreation centre brings with it a much larger carbon footprint for Invermere. Bradatsch championed going to BC Hydro as a municipality to lobby for a change in their tier system to help reduce energy use here, as well as the plastics bylaw. Stevens suggested the district engage climate-focused groups and professionals already in the valley to learn how to make ‘greener’ homes, better bike paths, and ‘greener’ transportation generally. Violini also supported better active transportation corridors and thought there ought to be a way to tap the heat coming from Invermere’s sewage lagoons for energy.
