Osoyoos council gives final approval for inflatable water park and new workers' camp

A new inflatable water park as well as a workers' camp for seasonal employees working in the tourist industry should open soon after being given final approval by Town of Osoyoos council Monday.

Council officially adopted a rezoning application by Okanagan Wibit to open the Osoyoos Wibit Park on Osoyoos Lake at Gyro Park near the Osoyoos Seniors Centre and Osoyoos Lawn Bowling Club.

Meanwhile, council also supported a staff recommendation to move forward with a 49-unit workers camp that will be built on Osoyoos Indian Band land near the Petro Canada station in the east end of town.

The Watermark Beach Resort and Nk’ Mip at Spirit Ridge Resort have spearheaded the program with support from the Osoyoos Hotel and Motel Association to set up a camp made up of numerous trailers purchased from a work camp in northern Alberta.

The Town of Osoyoos has agreed to waive several water and sewer connection fees to allow the camp to open as quickly as possible.

Chief administrative officer Barry Romanko told council Monday that the partners are hoping to have the camp open within two weeks.

The deal to establish the camp is for five years and both the town and partners have agreed that a permanent “no build covenant” on the land in question will remain in place, said Romanko.

The only thing preventing the Osoyoos Wibit Park from opening is for the owners being able to get all of the necessary approvals from the provincial government, said town planning director Gina MacKay.

During the November 20, 2017 regular meeting, council resolved to consider North Gyro Park as a potential location for the establishment of an inflatable waterpark and requested that Okanagan Wibit present its proposal at a public open house.

An open house was subsequently held and there was very little public opposition, so council then gave direction to staff to proceed with the rezoning proposal to the Gyro Park location.

A report was prepared and presented to council on April 3, at which time Council read the amending bylaw for a first and a second time and set the public hearing date for April 30.

Council gave third reading to ameding the bylaw in early May and the amending bylaw was then forwarded to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure for approval.

The ministry approved the amending bylaw on May16.

Okanagan Wibit will be responsible for all financial responsibilities regarding liability insurance, property fees, and application and permit fees and for any costs incurred for environmental assessments, said MacKay.

The timing for the opening of the waterpark is dependent on various factors, such as obtaining the necessary approvals from the province, she said.

Okanagan Wibit is in the process of obtaining the necessary provincial approvals and the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment is also at the discretion of the province, she said.

While Okanagan Wibit has made it clear they hope to open in time for the summer of 2018, management has commented they would still be amenable to opening in July if they can obtain the necessary provincial approvals, said MacKay.

The partners in the workers’ camp are continuing to work hard to make sure the camp opens as quickly as possible and all signs indicate it could be open within two weeks now that council has given its final stamp of approval, said Romanko.