Gallagher Lake business owners and residents met Monday to discuss safety concerns on Highway 97 and how to get the regional district and Ministry of Transportation to take responsibility for the hazards.
Lyonel Doherty photo
A meeting in Gallagher Lake on Monday galvanized residents’ concerns that safety has been compromised in the wake of recent construction work on Highway 97.
A number of business owners and private residents are calling on the regional district and the Ministry of Transportation to fix the problem of poor lighting and dangerous speeds in the community.
More than a dozen residents met at Ye Olde Welcome Inn to establish a plan of action.
Scott Hutchinson from Route 97 Motorcycle Tours & Sales said a lot of problems occurred since the McIntyre passing lane project and water and sewer works took place this fall.
Hutchinson said the passing lanes have led to increased speeds through the area, noting that some vehicles go over the highway bridge at 110 mp/h. He noted his concern for elderly residents crossing the highway, recalling the tragedy that claimed the life of a female pedestrian last winter (due to poor visibility and no lighting).
“You better have a flashlight and run for your life,” he stressed.
Hutchinson said vehicles need to slow down, and he’s advocating for a 60 km/h sign to address that. He also called for a streetlight and/or a crosswalk on Highway 97.
Several residents raised a concern about the recent water/sewer construction project on Gallagher Lake Frontage Road.
Byron and Aina Stetsko from Indian Head RV Park said there was no consultation about the work that impacted their property and business operation.
Byron said if he wanted to rezone his property, he would have to follow a multi-step process, but government officials didn’t do that with residents, he noted.
Hutchinson said he almost had to close down his shop because of the project’s physical impact (tearing up the frontage road and yards). He claimed that one machine caused such a disturbance that it cracked a foundation.
One business owner said she lost six weeks of business during the construction. “The only business I had was the workers.”
Ye Olde Welcome Inn proprietor Dale Hyworon noted that also he suffered a loss of business.
Hutchinson said very little respect was shown to local business owners and residents during the project.
Resident Mike Whittaker said he doesn’t like the fact that the regional district is trying to force people to hook up to the new water/sewer infrastructure provided by the Osoyoos Indian Band.
Another resident said she can’t afford to hook up to the new sewer system, and noted that her well water is fine, which she tests every month.
Hutchinson said the regional district should not make anyone give up their water wells.
Discussion switched back to the safety issue, with some residents agreeing that the frontage road should go back to having two entrances instead of one. Others said the east side ditch should be filled in.
Hyworon said he watched a fire truck try to access the new entranceway and the driver had to back up into traffic to make the corner.
Hutchinson said Gallagher Lake is a “dangerous place to live.”
One property owner said the entrance to Senkulmen Business Park is well lit, but nobody lives there. “We need lights here,” she stressed.
Aina Stetsko said the regional district is forgetting one important thing: “They work for us with our tax dollars. They need to be reminded that we are their bread and butter.”
The Gallagher Lake group has scheduled another meeting next Monday, December 16 starting at 11 am at Ye Olde Welcome Inn. They plan to invite regional district and ministry officials to respond to the concerns.
Lyonel Doherty
Oliver Chronicle
