OKIB Fire Rescue (photo/Facebook)

By Kevin Rothwell

Possible extension of service

Update: Fire protection may be extended to Lawrence Heights

Jan 14, 2021 | 7:00 AM

Update: Lawrence Heights residents can now go ahead with a vote on whether they wish to pay for fire protection service from the Okanagan Indian Band Volunteer Fire Department.  Regional District of the North Okanagan (RDNO) directors have given approval to set up a grant-in-aid service to allow for the collection of fees.

There are about 150 residents in the development that don’t have fire protection, since the bands fire rescue service moved to fee based coverage with Desert Cove and Coyote crossing, Lawrence Heights ownership declined involvement in the process following an 18 month negotiation.

“It’s unlikely those residents will have fire protection in 2021, as this function will take some time to be established,” Electoral Area ‘B’ Director Bob Fleming said.

RDNO directors also gave the green light for residents in the Mara area to proceed with a vote on fire service in area ‘F’, with the establishment of a local service area bylaw.

Original: The Regional District of North Okanagan  (RDNO) is trying to assist the Okanagan Indian Band Fire Rescue to extend service to Lawrence Heights.

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The fire department has fee for service agreements in place with Desert Cove and Coyote Crossing for fire protection, which along with the obvious safety element, also lowers insurance costs.

“The situation at Lawrence Heights is that the operator doesn’t feel he has the authority to collect the fee and turn it over to OKIB,” Electoral Area B Director Bob Fleming said.

The establishment of a grant-in-aid service would allow RDNO to be the conduit for collection, which then would go to the fire department.

Residents of Lawrence Heights, a neighbourhood northwest of Vernon, would have to approve the fee through a petition process with 50-plus-one residents representing 51 per cent to the property values, voting in favour.

A similar arrangement already exists for IR#6 Sandy Beach, where the City of Vernon provides fire protection.

A feasibility study has also cleared the way for the Swansea Point Fire Department to provide fire service to Mara Lake residents in Area ‘F’ of the regional district.

There are 228 homes in the area, plus a major influx of seasonal residents.

Swansea Point Fire Department (photo/Facebook)

The fire hall for Swansea is located on Davidson Drive, immediately adjacent to Highway 97A, which is slightly over two km from the southern border between the Columbia Shuswap Regional District and the RDNO.

The proposed service area extends 11 kilometres south from the boundary and includes properties on the west side of Shuswap River including the Mara Community Hall and properties on Coell-Jones Road and Rosemond Lake Road.

The next step there would also be a petition process to establish if there is demand, and potentially the creation of a service agreement.