During the Sept.10 meeting, 亚洲天堂 Lake Council approved funding for the Arena Solar Project to enhance sustainability, decided against storing the grand piano at the Heritage Church due to space constraints, and directed staff to apply for the Vision Zero Grant to improve road safety for vulnerable users through crosswalk and signage upgrades.
Approval of funding for arena solar project
亚洲天堂 Lake Council approved funding for the arena solar project through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings grant, allocating up to $176,400. Additionally, the council has sanctioned a contribution of up to $44,100 from the Village of 亚洲天堂 Lake鈥檚 Local Government Climate Action Program (LGCAP).
The purpose of this initiative is to retrofit the Tom Forsyth Memorial Arena with a solar energy system, aligning with the 2024 goals of responsible environmental stewardship and wildfire risk mitigation. This project aims to improve the building's green footprint and operational efficiency.
Staff have identified the Tom Forsyth Memorial Arena as an ideal candidate for the solar installation due to its high electricity demands and ample south-facing roof space.
The total project budget is $220,500, with the grant covering up to $176,400, which constitutes 80 per cent of the total budget. The Village of 亚洲天堂 Lake will contribute $44,100 from LGCAP. The solar installation is expected to reduce hydro costs by over $20,000 annually, with projected total savings of more than $530,000 over the 20-year lifespan of the panels.
The proposed installation will include 300 solar panels, each with a capacity of 500 watts, on the southern side of the arena roof. This system is projected to generate approximately 150,000 kW of power, covering up to 59% of the arena鈥檚 annual electricity needs. Future expansion of the project could address the remaining electricity requirements of the facility.
Environmentally, the project will utilize solar power, a clean and renewable energy source, thus reducing the arena鈥檚 reliance on high greenhouse gas-emitting fuels. This initiative supports the village鈥檚 efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and advance sustainable energy practices.
From a social responsibility perspective, the reduced operating costs of the arena will allow for the reallocation of funds towards enhanced programming and other municipal needs.
Vision Zero Grant application
The 亚洲天堂 Lake Council has directed Village of 亚洲天堂 Lake staff to apply for the British Columbia Vision Zero in Road Safety Grant Program, which focuses on enhancing the safety of vulnerable road users and adheres to the Vision Zero principles of safe roads, safe speeds, and creating safe environments. The Vision Zero Grant offers up to $20,000 per project, with multiple projects eligible for funding. Applications for the grant are open from October 16, 2023, to January 15, 2024. Following discussions, council instructed staff to apply for up to $20,000 to install/ improve existing crosswalks. This initiative aims to enhance safety for pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.
In addition, council also directed staff to seek up to $20,000 for the installation of new signage and a Rapid Flashing Crosswalk Beacon to increase driver compliance with pedestrian crossings, reduce near misses, and boost overall public safety.
Council Decision on Grand Piano Storage
The 亚洲天堂 Lake Council decided against storing the grand piano owned by the Lakes District Festival Association at the Heritage Church due to space restrictions and the usage of the facility for other events.
In August 2023, the Council received a request from the Lakes District Festival Association to store their grand piano at the Heritage Church. The Council opted to delay this decision by one year to evaluate the usage and needs of the Heritage Church. The council reevaluated its decision on Sept. 10, after seeing that over the past 12 months, the Heritage Church hosted 75 bookings. Of these, approximately 20 per cent are music-related events.
The remaining bookings include a variety of activities such as lunches, social functions, classes, workshops, and clothing swaps/sales, which often fully occupy the available space. Given the extremely limited storage space in the Heritage Church and the lack of requests for a larger piano beyond the existing upright piano, the Council concluded that accommodating the grand piano would not be feasible.
