A $250 per year per household tax increase is needed in Lake Country to deal with an aging transportation network that includes sub-standard roads and a lack of proper sidewalks.
The District of Lake Country is holding an important public open house on Thursday (Nov. 28) for residents to find out what the municipality is proposing to improve transportation in Lake Country over the next 20 years.
All residents of Lake Country have been invited to attend the event in a special mailing to every home.
"We have to ensure that Lake Country continues to be a healthy, livable and vibrant community," wrote the district in the newsletter.
The district goes on to say the majority of roads in Lake Country were built around 1970 and are at the end of their collective life.
As far as funding, property taxes are the main funding source and the only source of funds for maintenance and renewal of roads with grants only made available for improvements to green infrastructure or alternatives to cars.
"Current funding is not adequate to renew our aging roads and this means that our Official Community Plan vision is not attainable," states the district.
The current annual roads budget in Lake Country is approximately $3.1 million and the district says an additional $1.5 million is needed per year equaling the $250 tax increase per average household.
To replace all of the 200 kilometres of roads in Lake Country would cost $100 million.
To deal with the aging roads in Lake Country the district has a Transportation for Tomorrow Plan to deal with the issue. Residents can learn about the plan at the open house at the Municipal Hall to find out what the plan means for the future and how much it will cost. It takes place Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Lake Country municipal hall.