Following a $75,000 t grant from the Columbia Basin Trust , the Town of Creston is getting ready to restore three unused reservoirs on Crawford Hill into wetland.
Chief Administrative Officer Mike Moore, said the project will encompass lands both owned by the Town and the Regional District of Central Kootenay.
“Half the property is RDCK. What’s interesting is that where that property line lies is about a third of that reservoir is on Town property and two thirds is on the RDCK, which is managed by the Arrow Creek Water Commission,” said Moore. “Certainly, they are a part of this project.”
The Town is still in the works of turning the reservoir land into an open space through public consultation. But regardless of the outcome, the CBT funded portion of the wetland project is moving forward.
“The project will allow the municipality to return unusable land back to public use while increasing, improving and providing habitat for various species,” said Mike Moore in a February CBT media release early February. “The diversity of wetlands and fish habitat will provide an opportunity for visitors to the area, including Creston Valley youth, to better appreciate and learn about the natural world.”
The funds given by the CBTwill solely be used for wetland restoration, but Moore said that doesn’t mean some projects won’t go hand in hand.
“When the consultant was up there one of the things we talked about was building bat condos. We looked at [the former concrete water treatment vat] and said there’s a great opportunity to turn that into a bat condo itself. In addition we would but an observation deck,” Moore added. “Some of that infrastructure may be used as part of the wetland development and ecosystem diversification for the area.”