The centrepiece of one of Vernon's newest roundabouts will pay homage to the mountain above it.
Vernon council unanimously supported a staff request to approve the installation in the circle at Phoenix Drive and Silver Star Road.
"An opportunity has been identified to incorporate a centrepiece feature in this roundabout, and SilverStar Mountain Resort has played a key role by generously contributing lift chairs that could be featured in the proposed design," said city manager of infrastructure, Mark Dowhaniuk, at the regular meeting of council Tuesday, Sept. 2.
The donation includes one chair from each of the old green and yellow chair lifts, attached to a blue-coloured pole. Conceptual designs of the proposed centrepiece were included for council's perusal.
The concept for the proposed roundabout feature originated through internal talks with Vernon's tourism department and the roundabout project team.
"The proposed centrepiece aims to enhance the visual appeal of the area, promote community identity, and support tourism by creating a distinctive and welcoming landmark," said Dowhaniuk. "Partnering with key community destinations and business is important to promoting the Vernon brand, and continuing to support the growth of the community's identity."
Coun. Brian Guy liked the proposal, but wondered if chairlifts hanging down from a pole might create sight problems for motorists. Dowhaniuk assured they would not.
"Our transportation engineer has been involved and there are no site issues," he said. "The chairs are up in the air quite a ways."
Dowhaniuk added the project team has started talks regarding possible supplementary financial support to offset the cost of installation.
The estimated cost for the centrepiece is $60,000, which, Dowhaniuk said, can be done within the project's existing approved budget.
"No additional funding is required," he said.
Construction on the centrepiece is likely to be done this fall, aligning with the overall completion of the roundabout. Ongoing maintenance costs, said Dowhaniuk, would be comparable to a standard landscaped roundabout.
