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Carr’s Landing comments draw emotional response

Lake Country councillor says her comments were misinterpreted
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Part of Commonage Road in Lake Country. - Image Credit: Contributed

A comment by a Lake Country councillor has been misinterpreted as a derogatory label directed at Commonage Road area residents in Carr’s Landing.

The phrase ‘hill people’ evolved from a comment that Coun. Jeannette Lambert made about parks being accessible for everyone to enjoy in the surrounding hills and not just those living along the Carr’s Landing shoreline of Okanagan Lake.

“I’ve had a couple of complaints about the hill people reference really hammering me, but that is being taken way out of context,” Lambert told the Lake Country Calendar.

“I never used that specific term, and referring to people living in the surrounding hills was meant from a geographic connotation.

“My intent was that it’s important for everyone to be aware of our local parks so that everyone can take advantage of what they have to offer. We have a lot of park areas where people are not widely aware they exist and they don’t get used to their full potential. I just want these areas to be known to as many people as possible.”

When asked if the hill people term had been heard around municipal hall, Mayor James Baker said he had been asked about it by other people but it was his understanding it evolved from a comment being misinterpreted.

Several Commonage Road residents interviewed by the Calendar last week were well aware of the hill people reference, calling it a derogatory slap in the face.

They say comments like that are causing a potential divide between people living along the Okanagan Lake shoreline in Carr’s Landing and those who purchased property further up the hill to seek out a quieter, rural lifestyle.

Gary Warren, owner of the Eagle’s Nest B&B on Commonage Road, said the hill people reference was inferred as short for hillbilly to him and many of his neighbours, and nobody was happy to hear themselves described in that way.

Warren said he and his Commonage neighbours are already unhappy with how the O’Rourke winery project has been allowed to proceed. According to Warren, some homeowners have suffered vibration damage to their homes blamed on blasting done to create the winery’s rock caverns.

“When you talk to individual neighbours each of them have particular concerns, however, for most of us we bought properties here as rural residential and we want them to remain rural,” said Warren.

Meanwhile, the planned improvements to Commonage Road were the centre of a confusing debate between area residents and district staff at last Tuesday’s council meeting.

Some residents were seeking clarification on the future plans for Commonage, impacted by development of the O’Rourke winery in Carr’s Landing, feeling that paving the road will lead to more traffic and alter the rural lifestyle that brought area residents to live there in the first place.

Alberto De Feo, Lake Country’s chief administrative officer, explained that council had given the project third reading with regards to rezoning and development permit requirements, but that fourth and final reading is pending on a resolution of what road improvements the winery proponent is prepared to make.

De Feo said that is a matter of negotiation, one that is focused on the Carr’s Landing Road-Commonage Road intersection improvements, of which there is unified consensus it needs to be upgraded. How much more of the gravel road along Commonage is paved if any, however, has not yet been resolved.

He said the road improvements will not be a matter for further public consultation as the opportunity to do so was given during the public hearing on the project, but De Feo noted whatever agreement is reached will be publicly disclosed prior to fourth reading.



Barry Gerding

About the Author: Barry Gerding

Senior regional reporter for Black Press Media in the Okanagan. I have been a journalist in the B.C. community newspaper field for 37 years...
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