The District of Summerland has been presented with a Community Excellence Award in the Asset Management by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) at this week’s annual convention in recognition of the District’s Water and Road Integrated Asset Management Plan.
The Community Excellence Awards distinguish and acknowledge UBCM member municipalities, regional districts and First Nations that have implemented projects or programs that exceed expectations in meeting the purposes of local government. The awards are intended to showcase outstanding initiatives and share them with other local governments to encourage implementation in other communities.
The Water and Road Integrated Asset Management Plan details the condition of all Summerland roads and water mains and their likelihood and consequence of failure. It includes a priority list of 19 capital projects, three of which are included in this year’s budget: Dale Meadows Road, Jubilee Road West, and Victoria Road South.
The full Plan is posted on the District of Summerland website in the form of a story board and geodatabase. People can click onto an interactive map and view information about any road’s condition, work being planned, and project costs. The plan will be updated as projects are completed, and eventually irrigation mains and sewer lines will be added.
At the Awards Ceremony at the UBCM Convention on Sept 19, it was noted how the Plan incorporates strong asset management principles and that the public-facing webpage is innovative and provides transparency in decision-making.
“The UBCM Community Excellence Award recognizes how Summerland is looking at infrastructure in a more unified way to avoid inefficiencies like repaving a road only to dig it up later to fix a burst pipe,” said Mayor Doug Holmes. “We knew we needed to change the way we plan, design and manage infrastructure, and recognition of the District’s Water and Road Integrated Asset Management Plan shows we’re headed in the right direction.”
To view the plan, visit: https://www.summerland.ca/city-services/works-and-utilities-department/roads?pname=Roads