The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) is hoping for a strong turnout for its third open house on the implementation of the Lake Windermere Management Plan.

“We held open houses in August and September and had a total of 170 people take part,” says regional district planner Karen MacLeod.

“We have scheduled this third open house in an effort to reach those resident and non-resident property owners who may have been away or unable to attend the previous events, including second home owners who may be in the Valley over the holidays.”

The open house will be held on Thursday, December 29 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Windermere Community Hall. Regional district staff will be making a brief presentation at 5 p.m.

“The open house will include the same information and will follow a similar format as our previous open houses. There will be no new information provided. It’s another opportunity for the public to provide input, and to learn more about the recommendations in the management plan and the options the RDEK and District of Invermere are considering to address those recommendations,” adds MacLeod.

Both elected officials and RDEK staff will be on hand and will be gathering feedback and providing information on current foreshore development regulations, surface water zoning, foreshore and aquatic development permit areas, and more.

The open houses are the first step in the public consultation on the implementation of the Lake Windermere Management Plan. The Regional District and District of Invermere will be meeting with community groups, businesses, First Nations and other stakeholders in the coming months before beginning to draft the Implementation Plan in the spring of 2012.

For more information on the management plan, contact Karen MacLeod at the RDEK at 1-888-478-7335 or email lakewindermere@rdek.bc.ca.