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Deadline to oppose spending $241M on 91Ѽ recreation looms

‘It’s kind of like the Taj Mahal of rec centres’
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91Ѽ’s Parkinson Recreation Centre. (Photo/City of 91Ѽ)

With the deadline right around the corner, a 91Ѽ group vows to inform as many residents as possible about the city’s plan to borrow $241.2 million for recreation projects.

Concerned 91Ѽ Residents for Financial Accountability (CKRFA) have issues with the Alternate Approval Process (AAP) to gain residents’ approval to borrow the money.

“The AAP to me is the wrong tool to get public feedback because it’s a negative vote,” said Susan Ames, CKRFA.

It would take 10 per cent (12,160) of residents to say no for the AAP to fail.

If approved it would be the largest amount the city has ever borrowed to fund a project, as well as the largest capital project 91Ѽ has ever seen.

The $241 million would be spent on redeveloping the Parkinson Recreation Centre (PRC) site.

“It’s kind of like the Taj Mahal of rec centres,” Ames said. “Do we need that opulence, no.”

Also, $36 million has been earmarked for the Glenmore and Mission activity centres, $4.5 million for Rutland Recreation Park and $5 million for partnerships with UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College.

The total cost comes to $287.5 million.

Ames added she doesn’t think most residents know that 84 per cent of that amount will be spent just on the PRC.

“Rutland is getting 1.5 per cent of the funding, Glenmore and Mission are getting six per cent each, and 2.5 per cent for UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College.”

Ames also took issue with the city holding the AAP during the summer months.

The provincial government’s AAP guide states:

“The decision to hold an AAP when many electors are absent during the summer months or other holiday season could result in an artificially low response rate that falls well short of the required 10 per cent threshold.”

However, in July council approved a timeline that was two weeks longer than required by the province (Sep.15). At that same meeting councillors Ron Cannan and Gord Lovegrove suggested the deadline be set for Oct. 15.

That deadline was extended to Oct. 13 due to the Grouse Complex wildfires.

Ames said her group wants the city to hold a referendum on borrowing the money, as the City of Vernon did last year.

In November, residents approved borrowing $121 million to build a recreation facility.

The District of Summerland is going to a referendum this Nov., asking residents there if they want to spend $50 million on a new pool.

Ames said CKRFA will be in Kettle Valley this Saturday (Oct. 7) letting people know about the AAP.

The group will be at Thalia Street and Providence Avenue from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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Gary Barnes

About the Author: Gary Barnes

Journalist and broadcaster for three decades.
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