The District of Houston council has added two potential recreation projects, both involving water, to its capital expenditure consideration list.
The first is agreeing to spend $15,000 this year on a cost feasibility study to add a waterslide at the leisure services facility and the second to investigate the costs of installing a dock at Irrigation Lake next year.
Councillor Tom Euverman, who brought both items to council for consideration when it met March 7, did concede that it may not be the best time to advocate for more spending given the pending closure of the Canfor sawmill and resulting economic uncertainty.
“But there’s lots of support for this in the community,” he said, adding that accomplishing both would have a substantial benefit to Houston and area.
Euverman noted that the footings for a waterslide were included in the original construction of the leisure services facility.
“It’s 16 years old now,” Euverman said of the facility. “It’s important to have something. Not this year, or even next year, but to have a feasibility study.”
While a feasibility study will provide council with a proposed cost, very preliminary inquiries from District staff determined a waterslide could cost anywhere from $375,000 to $500,000 and that would not include engineering or structural considerations.
As for a dock at Irrigation Lake, Euverman said better access to the recreation spot would appeal to and be welcomed by many community members and that he’s been approached by many people.
Anglers and people with non-motorized watercraft were two groups mentioned by the councillor.
Council members approved Euverman’s initiatives in two separate motions and did so by unanimous votes.