By Lyonel Doherty
Bylaws are made to be broken, and there is no exception in Oliver. But a recent report from the Town indicates there were fewer complaints than last year.
On Monday, Corporate Officer Diane Vaykovich presented a report to Town council on enforcement activity from January 1 to August 31 this year.
She said the Town received 109 bylaw enforcement complaints in relation to nuisance, unsightly premises, noise, animal control, and traffic infractions. During the same period in 2016, the Town received 130 complaints.
“The Town has a few chronic offenders of the Good Neighbour Bylaw, in particular untidy and unsightly premises,” Vaykovich said.
She noted a fair amount of time has been spent bringing these people (some are absentee owners) into compliance.
She added that puncturevine continues to be a problem in Oliver, and they are trying to educate residents on how to eradicate the invasive weed.
Vaykovich said there is considerable concern about some people’s activities in local parks. That’s why the Town hired a private security company to patrol the community late at night for a 30-day period at a cost of $1,500. Enforcement was primarily carried out in Lion’s Park, the visitor centre, river channel and Teal Street.
Vaykovich reported that partiers and campers were requested to leave. An officer also caught youth vandalizing sprinkler heads and “scared them off before further damage occurred.”
As far as ticketing for bylaw infractions, Vaykovich reported that 14 were issued for traffic offences, while nine were issued for property maintenance offences.
She noted the tickets that are disputed go to adjudication, while others go to collection.
Mayor Ron Hovanes commented that the season when fruit pickers gather in Lion’s Park doesn’t seem to be as long as it used to be.
“They disperse quickly after the cherry season.”
The mayor also noted, like he did last year, that nobody seems to be using the park now that the farm workers are gone.
