Vernon Matters file photo

By Liam Verster

Hydrogeology Study

Vernon to apply for funding for Polson Park Revitalization water studies

Feb 10, 2025 | 11:59 AM

The City of Vernon will seek some additional funding for necessary studies at Polson Park.

The city included the Revitalization of Polson Park in its 2023-2026 Council Strategic Plan, but in order to do this work the city must better understand the park’s groundwater, including the impacts of the recent creek naturalization work on the groundwater levels.

A city staff report said money was provided by the Okanagan Basis Water Board (OBWB) to undertake the Polson Park Creek Naturalization Project’s first phase, and the city will seek more funding to launch hydrogeology and data analysis studies to find out how the work has impacted the groundwater levels and the park’s overall hydrological system.

The studies would look at the groundwater and surface water conditions in Polson Park over a 12 month period, with plans to have that done between the springs of 2025 and 2026.

The cost of the study was estimated at $150,000, and staff recommended the city apply for an OBWB grant of $30,000 to offset the costs. The remainer would be covered through the Capital Design budget,

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Vernon City Council received the staff report at the regular meeting Monday, Feb. 10, and agreed to have staff apply for the grant.

Council also gave staff authority to use the funding for the studies, if the application was approved, and to adjust the 2025-2029 Financial Plan to account for the expenditure from the Capital Design stream.