District of Summerland invites public input for solar power project

The council of the District of Summerland is inviting residents to voice their opinions on its solar power and storage project.

Members of the public are being asked to speak at the upcoming Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday.

The meeting is being held at the Summerland Arena in the banquet room on the second floor.

The council says it wants to facilitate community engagement to ensure transparency with the project.

“In compliance with provincial health orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic, those who wish to participate in-person will be limited to a maximum of 50 people within the meeting room, including Council, staff, and members of the public,” said Anthony Haddad, the District of Summerland’s chief administrative officer.

“We will have staff on-site that will coordinate additional members of the public to ensure that they can speak to Council but restrict a maximum of 50 people in the meeting room at any given time,” Haddad said.  

The results of a detailed site analysis, land appraisal and land use assessment will be presented to council and the community at the meeting.

Summerland received a $6-million federal grant from the Gas Tax Fund to build a one-megawatt solar array with two megawatts of battery storage in 2018.

Council identified the district’s former public works yard and storage area (13500 Prairie Valley Rd./12591 Morrow St./Denike Street) as the prime potential location for the project.

The district says it hopes to achieve three goals with the project:

1. Create an affordable and easy pathway for residents and businesses to install solar technologies
2. Establish an energy efficiency program that provides resources and education to residents and businesses about sustainable energy use, and incentivizes them to save energy
3. Build a detailed project plan for the development of district-owned solar energy generation resources in the most beneficial way(s) possible and prepare for implementation of the plan

Those planning on speaking at the meeting are asked to register by email in advance (corporateofficer@summerland.ca).

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