http://www.1075kiss.com/news/headlines/New Parkland Comes With Cost
Adding more parkland in Greater Vernon will mean added costs for developers. Greater Vernon Services plans to increase its development cost charges, by as much as 32 percent. The new fees would range from 36 hundred, to 56 hundred per unit. Chairman Gary Corner says the added revenue would be used to acquire and improve local parks. "As the community grows, there's obviously pressure on the community to purchase and hold more park land and this is a way of trying to generate more resources to do that." Director Barry Beardsell says there's a couple reasons the increase is needed. "Number one because of the way the price of park land or land in general has gone up, and the dire shortage of land for parks and so forth that we own in relationship to other communities." GVS has given preliminary approval to the increases which will affect all types of new housing. The next step will be to get input from the development community.
Adding more parkland in Greater Vernon will mean added costs for developers. Greater Vernon Services plans to increase its development cost charges, by as much as 32 percent. The new fees would range from 36 hundred, to 56 hundred per unit. Chairman Gary Corner says the added revenue would be used to acquire and improve local parks. "As the community grows, there's obviously pressure on the community to purchase and hold more park land and this is a way of trying to generate more resources to do that." Director Barry Beardsell says there's a couple reasons the increase is needed. "Number one because of the way the price of park land or land in general has gone up, and the dire shortage of land for parks and so forth that we own in relationship to other communities." GVS has given preliminary approval to the increases which will affect all types of new housing. The next step will be to get input from the development community.
Mayor Says GVSC Still Has Future
Vernon's mayor still feels the Greater Vernon Services Committee has a role to play, even though changes are in the works. Wayne Lippert says the city would like to see a change to how water is distributed. "The city of Vernon has asked for the devolution of (the) water (service) so that the stakeholders will stay as part of the bulk supply and the distribution will go out to each area (jurisdiction). That way it enables each area to do their own billing." Lippert says the new system would also allow for better planning for budgets and projects. The city's proposal is not sitting well with the rural directors. Cliff Kanester and Stan Field feel the city is too controlling, and are calling for the committee to be dismantled.
Vernon's mayor still feels the Greater Vernon Services Committee has a role to play, even though changes are in the works. Wayne Lippert says the city would like to see a change to how water is distributed. "The city of Vernon has asked for the devolution of (the) water (service) so that the stakeholders will stay as part of the bulk supply and the distribution will go out to each area (jurisdiction). That way it enables each area to do their own billing." Lippert says the new system would also allow for better planning for budgets and projects. The city's proposal is not sitting well with the rural directors. Cliff Kanester and Stan Field feel the city is too controlling, and are calling for the committee to be dismantled.
Gambling Impact 'Frightening'
A Vernon councillor is concerned about the impact legalized gambling is having on the community. Barry Beardsell was reacting to the latest figures from the province that show more than 28 million dollars revenue last year at Vernon's Lake City Casino. Beardsell realizes not all of that money is spent by locals. "But when you think that a large proportion of it is (spent by locals) and that money is in effect taken out of the local economy, it's frightening." The amount was three million dollars more than the year before, which casino officials attribute to growth in the Vernon market.
A Vernon councillor is concerned about the impact legalized gambling is having on the community. Barry Beardsell was reacting to the latest figures from the province that show more than 28 million dollars revenue last year at Vernon's Lake City Casino. Beardsell realizes not all of that money is spent by locals. "But when you think that a large proportion of it is (spent by locals) and that money is in effect taken out of the local economy, it's frightening." The amount was three million dollars more than the year before, which casino officials attribute to growth in the Vernon market.
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