Town of Golden News: August 2025

Fall is on its way!

Believe it or not, fall is on its way, and that means so are the bears! As bears prepare for winter, you might spot them around our community looking for food sources. Here are some important reminders about using your bear-resistant bin to keep our community safe for both humans and wildlife:

  • Lock it up! To use the bin, unclip the locking latch and place your garbage in the container. Don’t forget to lock it back up! Bins must be locked 24 hours a day (except for the morning of pick-up days).
  • Put out your bin! On the morning of your garbage pick-up day, put your bin out ‪between 5 and 8 a.m. and make sure it’s unlocked for collection.
  • Put it away! Once your garbage has been collected, lock your bin up and put it away.

Bear-resistant bins are only resistant, not bear-proof. If you can, we ask that bins are secured and placed in a shed, garage or other enclosure that cannot be accessed by a bear.

And don't forget to harvest the fruit from the trees in your yard and remove any fallen fruit from the ground!

Bylaw, Conservation Officers and the WildSafeBC Golden Community Coordinator work together to conduct random bin checks and tagging throughout the year to make sure bins are being used properly and aren’t being put out the night before collection.

For more information about curbside collection, including rules for using your bins, collection schedules and maps, visit golden.ca/curbsidecollection

 
 

 

Council Briefs

Find out what's new at Town Hall with Council Briefs.

Find out when the next Council meeting its:

Upcoming Council Meetings

Golden & District Historical Society
Brittany Newman, Executive Director of the Golden & District Historical Society (GDHS), made an in-person presentation to Council to provide an update on the organization's three main projects in 2024/2025:

  • Study on the 1904 CPR Train Station
  • Grounds revitalization project
  • Solar Energy system

Later in the meeting, staff presented a report to Council regarding the renewal of annual funding the GDHS. Through this process it had also come to the attention of staff that the GDHS has not been paying for municipal utilities since 1995, when the Town of Golden relinquished ownership of the old CPR Station and the land it resides on to the GDHS. 

Council approved the annual funding request for $60,000, shared between the Town and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, and denied continuing the practice of not charging municipal utility fees to the GDHS for the land occupied by the Museum and Archives.

The annual funding included an increase of $1,000 to offset the costs of charging municipal utility fees.

Read the full report here.

Horsfall Rezoning & Development Variance Permit
Council received information regarding a proposed rezoning and development variance permit (DVP) and directed staff to proceed with public notice requirements. 

The land use and development proposal is for the lands located at 837 Park Drive (former courthouse lands). The owner is proposing a mixed-use commercial and residential development, which would be comprised of 1,022 m2 of commercial space on the ground level and 24 dwelling units above. An underground parkade and surface parking facilities are included as a component of the development to satisfy on-site parking requirements. Learn more about the proposal here.

Council Corporate Sponsorship Policy
Council directed staff to update the Council Corporate Sponsorship Policy based on staff suggestions and the following Council input:

  • Provide a mid-year update on funds on the website, including what’s been allocated and what is left in the fund.
  • Include a question in the application asking if the applicant has received funding before and how much.

Staff will bring back draft policy amendments to the September 2, 2025, Regular Open Council Meeting for Council's consideration.
 

Project Updates and News

21 New trees planted this summer

Thanks to funding support from BC Hydro, 21 new trees were planted around town this summer. The trees were planted in several locations to improve shade, support a healthy urban tree canopy, and replace trees that were removed or failed to grow. You’ll find new trees at:

  • Keith King Memorial Park
  • Alexander Park
  • Dogwood Park
  • Confluence Park
  • The cemetery
  • The Reflection Lake parking area
  • The SE Administration Building (across from Alexander Park Elementary)
  • 9th St S & 11th Ave S

Through the Community Regreening Grant, the Town received $8,000 toward the project, which helped offset the total cost of planting over $10,000 worth of trees. Additional costs for supplies, equipment, and labour were covered by the Town.

Thank you to BC Hydro for supporting our efforts to keep our community green, cool, and beautiful.

Join the Regional Accessibility Advisory Committee!

Want to make a difference in your community? We need YOU to help make our local governments more accessible for everyone!

Join the Regional Accessibility Advisory Committee and play a crucial role in enhancing livability, inclusivity, and accessibility for those living and working in our region. We’re on the lookout for:

  • Volunteers from the Town of Golden, City of Revelstoke, District of Sicamous, City of Salmon Arm, and CSRD rural areas
  • A diverse group of members, including individuals with disabilities and their supporters
  • A representative from an Indigenous community

Interested? Check out more details and apply here.

Let’s work together to build a more inclusive community!

 

Your pet. Your responsibility.

August 26 was International Dog Day! Did you know that approximately 200 dogs are licensed every year in the Town of Golden?

Here are the top 3 tips for being a responsible pet owner in Golden:

  1. Licence your dog!
    Licensing your dog (and making sure they wear their ID tag) is their ticket back home if they sneak out or wander off. Licensing your dog with the Town of Golden can cost as little as $13 a year!
  2. Don't let your dog run loose!
    Keep an eye on your dog, use effective hand/voice control, and respect other dogs and owners. If your dog doesn’t have recall, it shouldn’t be off-leash. Please make sure you are familiar with the on-leash areas of town.
  3. Scoop that poop!
    Cleaning up after your pet isn't just the right thing to do, it's the law. Dog waste can be harmful to people, pets and the environment if not picked up and disposed of properly. The Town provides biodegradable pet waste bags at 20 stations around Golden.

For more information on responsible pet ownership, visit golden.ca/pets

To learn more about safety and etiquette when you're hitting the trails with your dog, visit golden.ca/trailsandpathways

Fall Recreation Schedule

Our fall recreation schedule goes into effect next week and here’s what you need to know

Lace up your skates! Arena programs start Tuesday, Sept. 2!

Afternoon programs, including kids multi-sport, youth open gym and classic court sports, start at the Rec Plex on Wednesday, Sept. 3!

Don’t forget that you can register for programs up to one week in advance. Check out the schedule below and register for your favourite program at golden.ca/recprograms