Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen

direction they want the regional district to go, and come up with a strategic plan as to how to get there. It’s a very good collaboration from everybody.” Newell explains that the RDOS is a service-orient- ed organization, providing social, recreational, and environmental programs to its various communities, as well as infrastructure support.Newell enumer- ates: “We have about 80 employees; we have seven departments.Our largest is our public works depart- ment.We have nine water systems, two wastewater treatment systems; we have four landfills and we do curbside collection through the regional district. We spend a lot of time talking about environmental sustainability and howwe can improve our infra- structure and our recycling programs.We believe that we draw people to the area by having good infrastructure and good recreation programs and facilities,andmaking it a good place to live.”Regarding community safety,the RDOS also oversees seven re- gional volunteer fire departments,as well as a regional emergencymanagement program,responsible for emergencyplanning,response,and recovery. THE REGIONAL DISTRICT OF OKANAGAN-SIMILKAMEEN The RDOS also owns and maintains many com- munity assets, including parks,meeting halls, swim- ming pools, playgrounds, tennis courts, ball fields, skate board parks, libraries, and over 150 hiking and biking trails.“A new service we started is called PAT-Physical ActivityTrailer,” says Karla Kozakevich, Chairperson of the RDOS Board of Directors.“We have a trailer that can move from community to community. It has different types of sports equip- ment and recreational activities that we can set up. It’s a brand new service that we’re offering by way of a Health Authority grant.”PAT allows small communities throughout the RDOS to have activi- ties brought to their communities so that children and adults can have easy access to recreation at a shared cost by the electoral areas. PAT is packed full of great equipment such as disc golf, hula-hoops, bocce, badminton, and much more. Kozakevich adds that during her time on the RDOS Board, a primary focus has been on the District’s drinking water and wastewater systems. “We have very old pipes that need replacement,” she