Coldstream’s new mayor likes new council, wants to meet with Vernon on ALC costs

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“Simone will be focused on environment, I believe, and that’s not a bad thing. We’re looking at restoring wetlands and looking at water quality and making an overall plan for the entire Coldstream Creek to ensure we have water, and that the freshets are under control, with less silt,” she said.

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Hoyte calls Jeremy Levy a “very enthusiastic young man.”

“I think he will provide a lot of great energy to council. I know he has an athletic background [played for Okanagan Sun football team]. I’m not sure what his focus is. I haven’t had the opportunity to speak to either one of them,” she said.

Ruth Hoyte, mayor-elect of Coldstream. (submitted photo)

Hoyte, who is a current first-term councillor, plans to contact all the new and returning members to “see where they are at” and having a discussion with them.

Hoyte was not surprised outgoing mayor Jim Garlick topped the polls or that Stephanie Hoffman was returned, calling her “a very conscientious councillor.”

The new mayor said she looks forward to the veteran input from the likes of Garlick, Pat Cochrane and Doug Dirk.

“They add a tremendous amount of value and history, and a lot of good information. When they do speak, they give thoughtful consideration to the issue on the table, and I appreciate that,” she noted.

As far as Glen Taylor not getting re-elected, Hoyte isn’t sure why that was.

“I don’t know why. This is the first time Coldstream has had so many candidates in quite a long time, and I think Coldstream was looking for a bit of a change, but not too much of a change,” she said.

Hoyte said she looks forward to discussions with the City of Vernon on an operating agreement for the $121 million Active Living Centre which was given the go ahead by Vernon voters (60.9 per cent, corrected figure) in a referendum.

Hoyte said it will be up to council to decide how Coldstream participates in that facility financially.

“I think it’s important that we come to Vernon and open up the discussions and see where they lead, to see what Vernon has in mind and what Coldstream and other stakeholders can provide,” she said.

Hoyte said those details will take some time to work out.

“I’m sure Vernon has to take a deep breath and see how they would like to proceed with that. We will be getting a new pool for the area. That’s very exciting, and that is something that Coldstream supports,” she said.

Back in April, Coldstream and the directors for Electoral Areas B and C of the regional district issued a statement saying they had decided to not participate in the ALC referendum.

“We are not opposed to this project in principle as we agree there is a legitimate community need for a new pool and additional recreational spaces,” read the statement “However, we do not have the confidence to move forward at this time based on the information that has been provided.”

The statement noted that the decision to not participate was not based on one single aspect, but was based on “the totality of unknowns given the magnitude of the risk exposure.”