The following is a brief summary of selected items scheduled for discussion at the Town of Golden’s Regular Open Council meeting, as we are limited for space. It is not a complete account of the meeting package.
Residents who would like to review the agenda in detail can visit the Town of Golden’s website to download the full committee package and supporting documents ahead of the meeting.
• Golden council to consider finalizing new development cost charges
Golden town council will be asked to give third reading to a new development cost charge bylaw at its Aug. 18 meeting.
Development cost charges, commonly known as DCCs, are fees collected from developers to help pay for infrastructure needed as the community grows, including transportation, water, sewer and park improvements.
Under the proposed bylaw, residential development would be charged $164.82 per square metre of gross floor area. Commercial accommodation would be charged $10,322 per room, while commercial development would pay $107.35 per square metre. Proposed rates for industrial and institutional development are $88.91 and $125.29 per square metre, respectively.
The updated program is expected to collect approximately $18.9 million over the next 20 years or longer, depending on the pace of development. Of that amount, approximately $15.4 million would come from developers, while $3.4 million would be contributed by existing property taxpayers and utility ratepayers.
The bylaw includes exemptions for projects valued at $50,000 or less and residential units no larger than 29 square metres. Charges exceeding $50,000 may be paid in instalments under provincial regulations.
The proposed rates follow more than a year of review, including consultation with developers and the public. Council gave the bylaw first and second readings on July 21.
If third reading is approved, the bylaw will be forwarded to the provincial Inspector of Municipalities for approval before returning to council for adoption. Once adopted, it will replace Golden’s existing development cost charge bylaw, which dates back to 2012.
• Golden seeks to strengthen emergency response capabilities
Town of Golden staff are recommending council accept more than $26,000 in provincial grant funding to provide emergency operations training and exercises for municipal employees.
The $26,136 grant, administered through the Union of BC Municipalities, would fund Incident Command System training for Town staff, Emergency Operations Centre activation training and tabletop exercises designed to prepare employees before a major emergency occurs.
The funding would also purchase 31 vests and eight binders to help clearly identify roles and provide instructions during an Emergency Operations Centre activation.
The Town’s Emergency Operations Centre is used to coordinate its response to major events such as wildfires, floods and extended power outages. A staff report notes that recent activations involving the Town and Electoral Area A helped identify gaps in both equipment and staff preparation.
Council will also consider a revised plan for spending approximately $22,000 remaining from a separate equipment grant approved in 2025. Proposed purchases include portable lighting, fire weather meters, resource-tracking tools, a large touchscreen monitor, radio gear, signage, emergency food, 72-hour kits, first aid supplies and a defibrillator.
Together, the two grants would provide approximately $48,000 in equipment and training, with no matching contribution required from the Town.
The revised equipment purchases must receive UBCM approval and be completed in time for a final report due Sept. 24. The training program must be completed by June 2027. Council will consider the funding and training plan at its Aug. 18 meeting.
• Cycling club seeks council support for Reflection Lake gazebo
The Golden Cycling Club is asking town council to help move forward a proposed timber-frame gazebo at the Reflection Lake recreation area.
The club has secured funding through the Resort Municipality Initiative and the ReDi Grant program for the gazebo, which is intended to provide a gathering space for residents and visitors at the Reflection Lake trailhead.
However, the project cannot proceed until the Town obtains a new provincial Licence of Occupation for the site. According to a letter from club executive director Kelly Cytko, the Town’s previous licence expired and was not renewed.
The club is asking council to direct staff to prioritize the provincial application and establish a clearer timeline for securing the required approvals.
“Reflection Lake has functioned as a Town-managed recreation area for many years and already includes public infrastructure such as washroom facilities, picnic tables, parking, landscaping, and ongoing municipal maintenance,” Cytko wrote.
The club is also requesting a council resolution confirming Reflection Lake as the preferred location while authorizing the Keith King Memorial Park as an alternate site if the provincial approval process extends beyond funding deadlines.
According to the club, having an alternate location would assist with the documentation required for an upcoming Capital Gaming Grant application while keeping Reflection Lake as the project’s primary objective.
Council is expected to receive the letter at its Aug. 18 meeting.
• Province signals support for regional approach to forest management
B.C. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar says the province is exploring opportunities to give communities a greater role in regional forest management.
In a July 27 letter to Golden Mayor Ron Oszust and Columbia Shuswap Regional District Electoral Area A Director Karen Cathcart, Parmar responded to their support for the Provincial Forestry Advisory Council’s final report, From Conflict to Care: BC’s Forest Future.
The report recommends moving toward area-based forest resource management with stronger community involvement and oversight.
Parmar said such a transition would be complex but could better support B.C.’s forests, communities and local economies.
“I appreciate your readiness to play a greater role in managing regional forest resources to help achieve the benefits you foresee,” Parmar wrote.
He encouraged Golden and the CSRD to build partnerships with regional ministry staff as the province considers how forest management responsibilities could be shared among the provincial government, local governments and First Nations.
Any new approach would also need to protect non-timber forest values, respect existing rights holders and support reconciliation with First Nations, Parmar said.
The minister acknowledged Golden and Area A’s interest in participating in a pilot initiative and confirmed that discussions are already underway to explore more regionalized approaches to forest management.
Parmar said ministry staff are expected to continue working with local governments and First Nations to increase their participation in decisions involving forest values and wildfire preparedness.
The letter will be received by Golden town council as an informational item at its Aug. 18 meeting.
• Kicking Horse Culture seeks grant for Civic Centre accessibility upgrades
Kicking Horse Culture has applied for more than $39,000 in grant funding to improve accessibility at the Golden Civic Centre.
The organization submitted an application to the Columbia Basin Trust’s Basin ARTS program on July 15, seeking 100 per cent funding for upgrades to the building’s main entrance and the doors leading into the great hall.
The proposed work includes replacing the main entrance doors and existing automatic door mechanism and adding an automatic opening mechanism to the great hall doors.
The final design would consider doorway width, threshold height, manoeuvring space, opening force, push-button placement, emergency exits and winter conditions. Changes to the door frames or electrical system may also be required.
The application seeks $39,180, based on a contractor’s estimate and an allowance for professional oversight.
The Town of Golden has provided a letter supporting the application. As the main entrance already has doors and an automatic opening mechanism, staff estimate the new asset contributed to the Town would primarily be the great hall’s automatic door hardware, valued at approximately $17,000.
Columbia Basin Trust advises that funding decisions may take up to eight weeks. Council will receive an update on the application at its Aug. 18 meeting.
• Forests minister highlights rural issues following Golden visit
B.C. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar says a recent visit to Golden provided valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities facing rural communities.
Parmar toured the community on June 8 and met with Town of Golden staff and local stakeholders. Discussions focused on tourism initiatives, traffic and infrastructure challenges and local wildfire risk-reduction efforts.
In a July 17 letter to Acting Mayor Kristi Cooper, Parmar said visiting communities provides provincial decision-makers with a more complete understanding of local conditions.
“These are issues of importance to many rural communities in B.C., and most certainly of importance to the work me and my ministry are doing,” Parmar wrote.
The minister said local perspectives can help the provincial government develop policies that better reflect the needs of different regions.
Parmar also reaffirmed his commitment to encourage other provincial cabinet ministers to visit Golden, saying a rural perspective is valuable when ministries are working to fulfil their mandates.
“Not to mention the fact that Golden is simply a great place to visit,” he added.
Golden town council will receive the letter as an informational item at its Aug. 18 meeting.
• MLA invites Golden council to meet during UBCM convention
Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Scott McInnis is inviting Golden’s elected officials to meet with him during the Union of BC Municipalities convention in September.
In an Aug. 11 email to community leaders, McInnis’s constituency office said the MLA is beginning to arrange his convention schedule and encouraged local representatives to request a meeting.
The annual UBCM convention brings together local government representatives from across British Columbia, providing opportunities to meet with provincial ministers, MLAs and government officials about local priorities.
Golden town council will receive the invitation at its Aug. 18 meeting and may identify issues it wishes to discuss with McInnis during the convention.
• Golden asked to continue regional accessibility partnership
The Town of Golden is being asked to extend its participation in a regional committee working to identify and remove barriers for people with disabilities.
The Regional Accessibility Advisory Committee was established in 2024 through a partnership involving Golden, Revelstoke, Sicamous, Salmon Arm and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District.
The committee is responsible for developing a regional accessibility plan, advising local governments and helping establish a process for receiving public feedback about accessibility barriers.
Progress has been slowed by several committee resignations since its inaugural meeting in March 2025. The committee currently has five members and finalized a public accessibility survey earlier this year. The survey was launched June 15 and closed July 24, with the results expected to help shape the regional plan.
Staff anticipate the accessibility plan will be completed by the winter of 2026.
The current funding agreement expires Dec. 31 unless all five partners agree to an extension by Oct. 1. The committee will continue to be required under provincial accessibility legislation, which calls for accessibility plans to be reviewed and updated at least once every three years.
Costs are divided equally among the five participating governments. Each partner has contributed approximately $1,896 toward advertising, staff time and committee member mileage since 2024.
If Golden left the partnership, the Town would be responsible for establishing and administering its own accessibility committee and plan.
Council will consider extending the regional funding agreement at its Aug. 18 meeting.
• Council asked to add $150,000 to Rec Plex washroom project
Golden town council is being asked to increase the budget for the Mt. 7 Block redesign by $150,000 after utility servicing costs were left out of the bid package for a new washroom and gazebo.
Council awarded a $292,850 construction contract to Shamrock Mountain Building in May, along with a four per cent contingency, bringing the approved washroom and gazebo budget to $305,000.
During subsequent discussions with the contractor, staff discovered that water and sewer connections, hydro servicing design and a hot-tap connection had not been included in the bid package.
A staff report attributes the omission to a misunderstanding between the Town and the contractor.
Staff are recommending the additional funding so utility servicing can be completed this fall and the overall project can be finished before winter.
Most of the increase would be covered by transferring $136,870 left over from the completed Whitetooth Legacy Racquet Courts project. The remaining amount can be covered by funds already available within the Mt. 7 Block redesign budget. No new funding source would be required.
The broader Mt. 7 Block project has a 2026 budget of $645,505, including $286,000 for landscaping and skatepark reconfiguration, along with the washroom and gazebo construction.
Council will consider the budget amendment at its Aug. 18 meeting. If it is not approved, staff have suggested proceeding with the existing construction contract and delaying the utility servicing work until the spring of 2027.
• Town considers demolition of former Horseshoe Club building
The Town of Golden is considering demolishing the former Golden Horseshoe Club building following years of deterioration and a recent fire.
The municipally owned building, located at 1403 Ninth Street South, is believed to be a former railway crew bunkhouse that was moved to the property around 1995. The Golden Horseshoe Club dissolved in 2009, and the building has not been included in the Town’s asset register or regularly funded for maintenance.
Since 2018, the property has been used by Alexander Park Elementary School for outdoor education and storage under a Licence of Occupation. That agreement expires June 1, 2027.
An interior fire was reported July 21 and quickly extinguished. Town staff believe it resulted from someone breaking into and occupying the building. The structure has since been secured and is being inspected periodically.
A preliminary hazardous-materials assessment conducted in 2016 confirmed asbestos in the sheet vinyl flooring. Asbestos may also be present in other building materials, while the refrigerator, fluorescent lights and other items could contain additional hazardous substances.
Staff are recommending council approve up to $12,500 for Pinchin Ltd. to complete a detailed hazardous-materials assessment and prepare specifications for the necessary abatement work. The cost would be covered by the Town’s Asset Operating Reserve.
Demolition and disposal would be planned for 2027, after the school district’s agreement expires. The work is preliminarily estimated to cost approximately $100,000, plus landfill tipping fees.
Staff considered renovating the building but concluded the cost would likely far exceed its potential to generate revenue.
Council will consider the recommendation at its Aug. 18 meeting.
• Rockwater seeks liquor licence expansion
Golden town council will consider a liquor licence amendment that would expand the licensed area and increase the permitted capacity of the Rockwater Grill and Bar.
The application would add the former Reposados space near the building’s main entrance to the Rockwater’s liquor-primary licence, creating a new licensed area with capacity for 40 people.
It would also transfer the second-storey rooftop patio from the Whitetooth Bistro’s food-primary licence to the Rockwater licence. Although the two businesses share a kitchen, patrons must currently pass through the Rockwater to reach the patio.
The applicant has requested that the rooftop patio be permitted to operate until 2 a.m., matching the Rockwater’s existing licensed hours. However, Town staff are recommending an 11 p.m. closing time for the rooftop patio, consistent with municipal policy for patios near residential areas.
The building’s total licensed capacity would increase from 356 to 400 people. While the combined capacity of the individual areas could total 548, the overall occupancy would be limited to 400 because of available washroom facilities.
Public notices were delivered to properties within 100 metres of the business and published in The Golden Star. One letter opposing the rooftop patio’s proposed 2 a.m. closing time was received from a neighbouring family, citing concerns about late-night noise and the patio’s proximity to their home.
Town staff noted that two noise complaints have been submitted over the past seven years, although it was unclear whether the noise came from the Rockwater or the nearby Riverhouse.
Staff are recommending council support the application with the rooftop patio required to close at 11 p.m. Council will consider the matter at its Aug. 18 meeting.
• Tourism Golden seeks renewal of three per cent accommodation tax
Tourism Golden is asking town council to support the continuation of the three per cent Municipal and Regional District Tax used to fund destination marketing and tourism programs.
The organization is preparing an application to renew the tax for another five-year term beginning July 1, 2027. The designated area includes the Town of Golden and Electoral Area A, but excludes Yoho National Park.
Tourism Golden is also seeking council’s support to continue serving as the designated recipient of the tax revenue. The organization has operated as Golden’s destination marketing organization since 2007 and has administered the accommodation tax since 2012.
The current five-year agreement expires July 1, 2027, and the renewal application must be submitted by Jan. 1. Destination British Columbia requires letters of support from each municipality and regional district within the designated accommodation area.
In its request to council, Tourism Golden cited a 2025 study that found tourism generated approximately $198 million in direct revenue for local businesses and supported about 1,780 direct jobs. The organization also reported that accommodation tax collections increased by nearly 80 per cent between 2022 and 2025.
A resident survey conducted in 2025 found that 92 per cent of Golden and Area A respondents were familiar with Tourism Golden, while 84 per cent had a positive opinion of the organization.
Tourism Golden will also present its draft 2027-2032 strategic plan, which places increased emphasis on destination management, environmental stewardship, community benefits and attracting visitors whose values align with the community.
Council will consider the funding renewal request at its Aug. 18 meeting.
