Willow River took a big step towards its future hopes, this past weekend. They turned on the tap to fund a major civic development.
The estimated 200 residents there approved jumping their taxes to build a centralized sewer and water system. The vote on Saturday drew more than 100 voters, 67 of whom said yes to the proposal, 25 of whom said no. There were no spoiled ballots. (All results are unofficial until a formal notice is issued by the Chief Electoral Officer for the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George.)
"It is a very happy community today," said elected director Kevin Dunphy. "It is quite a good thing for the community. They feel that it is something that's been needed for years and will provide the opportunity for more residential lots to be built on, and for more commercial ventures to happen. It is a positive step."
The upstart Willow River Volunteer Fire Department will also get a big boost from this development. Dunphy hoped it would help retain seniors longer, and attract families to the small community in the Upper Fraser-Giscome region northeast of the city. "My ultimate dream is for a school here," he said.
Region district spokeswoman Renee McCloskey said the ground is not scheduled to be broken yet. The approval from the local taxpayer was the first step in a standard process to attract matching funds from the provincial and federal government.
"This was to clear one of the major hurdles towards acquiring more funding," she told The Citizen following the vote. She was impressed by the voter turnout, from a community with 200 to 250 estimated residents of all ages.
"We did a study for this project and based the proposed system on a population of 500, so we build in some opportunity for growth," she said.
Once the system is in place, it will be a central feature of residential and commercial development, said Dunphy. Without it, there was little hope the community could do more than maintain a status quo.
He said the idea of fire hydrants was still far from the discussion, but water treatment was on the radar to soften the iron content in the well water of that area. The water reservoir is slated to go east of the Willow River ball fields, while the sewage plant has a proposed home on a nearby acreage. The overall footprint of the service runs from Mina Avenue at the north end to Railway Avenue in the south, radiating out from Willow Street, plus a parcel along Arnett Avenue to the Willow River.
