The Regional District of Central Okanagan has received a letter from the City of West Kelowna asking to move the Westside Residential Waste Disposal and Recycling Centre.
“What they’ve asked, is to do a study to prepare a business case for whether it could be moved, or should be left where it is, or whether there’s any other options that might come out of it,” explained Bruce Smith, Communications Officer for the District.
The transfer station is currently located off of Asquith Road near Shannon Lake Road. Smith said it’s a spot that’s been used for decades, in one form or another, “It’s the site of the former landfill, since the mid 70’s, I think it is. In July 2010 we shut the landfill down and stopped burying materials. We kept the facility open as a transfer station, you know, people are used to taking their stuff there for disposal.”
The City of West Kelowna wants a more convenient spot in the industrial area of West Kelowna. “The recommendation is that they look for a business case for moving the site to another location within the industrial park, off Stevens Road, if we can find land,” Smith elaborated. It may be some time before a feasibility study will be given the OK. “The Regional Board decided on Monday(May 28) that it would be appropriate for the next Regional Board to consider this when it is developing the next Strategic Plan.”
The next Board will be decided in the October 20th Municipal Election and will take over late this year.
The Regional District Board would then have to approve the study, the results would be presented and then craft a plan to move the Waste Transfer Station, but Smith said that wouldn't happen until 2019, at the earliest.