Last year was the busiest construction year for Lake Country in their 20-year history with construction investment of over $68 million in the community, a 36 per cent increase over 2014.
While residential construction at neighbourhoods like LakeStone and The Lakes pushed a lot of the activity, new commercial investment in the community also increased. With the long-awaited Lake Country Town Centre developing, and other projects coming to fruition, Lake Country is adding more commercial options and is emerging as the hotbed for investment in the region.
As the fastest growing community in British Columbia, Lake Country is no stranger to rapid growth.
“It’s great to see the local economy thriving and the level of investment that is happening in our community,” said Mayor James Baker. “To keep up with the rapid pace we’re working hard at our infrastructure renewal program and recently invested in adding to our Building Inspections team.”
Director of Community Services Mark Koch also noted such investments as the recently purchased Okanagan Rail Corridor and the current Parks and Recreation Master Plan process which are all geared towards providing amenities for Lake Country residents to enjoy.
“With a large proportion of our land base being protected farmland and lakes, Council is strategically using the additional tax base brought by growth to fund amenities that make the community more livable.”
With a high volume of development applications already in stream for 2016 the increased level of building permit values appears to be sustainable; and with increased business confidence and the proactive approach that Council and staff are taking to encourage new starts in the community, this year will likely continue to see similar growth.