Sugar Lake marina has some residents concerned

A 30-slip marina could be built on Sugar Lake between Vernon and Nakusp, and that has some residents feeling like they've been sent up a creek.

Right now, the lake is fairly remote and quiet, but residents like Huguette Allan worry about the marina bringing in noisy powerboats, which could degrade the water quality and upset the fish and birds that live on Sugar Lake and the Shuswap River, which the lake drains into.

"It is one of the last clean watersheds at this latitude, and it's a very small lake... and it's one of the last places that people can go to canoe and swim and kayak in peace and safety," Allan told Radio West host Rebecca Zandbergen. "We have been making it known widely that we are prepared to do whatever we can to keep it clean and keep it quiet."

"This is not at all compatible with the community's wishes."

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The site for the proposed marina was purchased by a company called Sugar Lake Developments. Allan says they have not met with the community, and the company declined several interview requests from Radio West.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations is the provincial body that must give its blessing to the proposal, and it is taking public comment on the proposed marina until Nov. 1.

To hear the full story, click on the audio labelled:Some residents of Sugar Lake concerned about new marina