The controversial location of a sani-dump was approved.
In a split vote, council approved the 1625 Powerhouse Road municipal property as the home of a year-round sani-dump during its Jan. 9 city council meeting.
Councillors Scott Duke, Trevor English and Linda Nixon voted in favour, while councillors Aaron Orlando and Gary Sulz voted against.
“I don’t believe that Powerhouse Road is the location,” said councillor Sulz. “Having been an RVer, I know for a fact that I would not drive across town if I was travelling to dump my sani-tank. I would wait until I got to the next community.”
He suggested looking at more options, including a public/private agreement in order to find something closer to the Trans-Canada Highway.
RELATED: Location of new sani-dump proposed
Councillor Orlando agreed and said he thought more input from community stakeholders was needed.
“I feel if we went with the one that is presented, nobody would be happy with it or they would see it as sort of a too-quick decision,” he said.
In March last year, staff presented a report including a list of 10 possible locations for the sani-dump.
The city’s previous sani-dump was removed during the Victoria-Mutas intersection project.
When they were looking at possible sites, the staff’s parameters were that the site needed to be on land owned by the city, that sewer and water is close by and that there would be room to stack waiting vehicles.
The Powerhouse Road location emerged the winner.
Tourism professionals in town have voiced their concern over not having a year-round sani-dump
There is a sani-dump available at the Frontier Motel, but concerns had been voiced over access and availability to the service, especially in the winter.
In a letter to council, Guylaine St-Gelais, Revelstoke Information Centre manager shared some concerns she’d heard over the summer from RV tourists.
“In May 2017, we received our first of over 100 complaints over the summer months from new and returning visitors about the lack of sanitation services,” she wrote. “Complaints were received daily by our information counsellors throughout the summer and while less frequently, into the fall and winter months.”
One couple told her they changed their Revelstoke travel plans due to the lack of service.
In December, a group of skiers cut their visit short because there was nowhere to dump their RV.
St-Gelais said she’d also received reports of illegal dumping on logging roads and even on Westside Road in August.
“Mountain bikers reported waste material sprayed across Westside Road, coming off Highway 1, where a camper opened the waste valves and drove down the road to let it drain.”
Bylaw services did not receive any complaints of illegal dumping by an RV or charter bus this summer.
Councillor Duke said that people will find the sani-dump at Powerhouse Road.
“If we don’t have one and they’ve got nowhere to dump it, then going another year without having a sani-dump is probably not the best idea,” he said.
The demand for a sani-dump will likely increase with a new campground planned for Mount Revelstoke National Park in 2019.
RELATED: Site preparation underway for new Mount Revelstoke National Park campground
The project is estimated to cost $120,000, and that amount has been included in the 2018 capital budget.
Providing the service is not mandatory for communities.
Mayor Mark McKee and councillor Connie Brothers were absent from the meeting.
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marissa.tiel@revelstokereview.com
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