Council has put in place fees and policies for the Celgar Pavilion kitchen and picnic area at Millennium Park. The facility will be available for rent between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., 7 days a week, during the summer months and in conjunction with the Millennium Park concession contract. Any party renting the kitchen and covered seating area may not sell food or beverages and compete with the concessionaire.
General use by the public of the covered seating area will be available at any time that is not reserved for private use. The public will be able to use the covered seating area for any legal purpose, provided they are respectful of others using the area at the same time and clean up after themselves.
Exclusive private use will only be allowed when both the kitchen and picnic area is reserved and paid for. Reservations will be made through the Castlegar and District Recreation Department (CDRC). Rental rates are $125 for over four hours to a full day and $75.00 for up to four hours. A special nonprofit rate of $60.00 is also available. A $300 refundable damage and key deposit is also required.
In council financial business, a decision was made to purchase advertising in Kootenay Business Magazine. Two half page ads will cost a total of $3030 and will come out of the economic development budget. A $400 travel grant was awarded to the Castlegar midget rep hockey team to assist with the expenses for the team to participate in the provincial championships to be held in Prince George next month.
Two readings were given to Bylaw 1299, amending the Official Community Plan regarding human wildlife conflict reduction. The amendment includes objectives, policies and action steps that are consistent with the city's bear-human conflict management plan and is one of the steps that must be taken before the city can obtain British Columbia Ministry of Environment Bear Smart status. An advisory planning commission review and public hearing will take place before the third reading.
A decision was made to continue with the toilet rebate program for 2016. The rebate program was first introduced in 2010 and has been increasing in popularity, with 60 rebates given last year. The program is administered through a rebate given on utility bills. It is available to homeowners who replace existing 13 litre or greater toilets with low flush six litre or less toilets.
Individual rebates are for either $75 or $100 depending on the specifics of the retrofit. The program is being financed to a maximum expenditure of $5000.
Since the program's inception, 274 toilets in Castlegar have been replaced.Using published averages, the replacement of 274 toilets will result in approximately 9.56 million litres of potable water being saved per year.
In other washroom related news, the transportation and civic works committee announced that city staff are currently working on upgrades to the facilities in Castlegar public parks. New paper towel and soap dispensers are being installed in all washrooms and with the exception of one location that does not have enough room, infant changing stations are being added to the men's washrooms.