Ratepayers target Aberdeen sports complex

Vernon Morningstar Nov 2.

An organized effort is being made to spread awareness about the implications of a proposed sports complex.The Coldstream Ratepayers’ Association is gathering the community for a town hall meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Coldstream Elementary gymnasium.All residents who are in favour of preserving agriculture land are invited to attend.The association hopes to educate the public on the implications of the sports complex project prior to an upcoming referendum. Voters will be asked Dec. 15 if they support Coldstream Council submitting an application to the Agricultural Land Commission for a 188-acre parcel of Coldstream Ranch lands. The application requests non-farm use for the land at 9325 Aberdeen Road for the purpose of a park/sports fields.If a majority support the referendum question and the project proceeds, Coldstream Ratepayers Association president Andy Danyliu wants to inform residents about the possible implications.

He points to traffic impacts and the irreversible damage that could be done to the land if the project proceeds as currently planned, with a stadium and 1,000-car parking lot.“I think it’s important that people understand that if council were sincere then council would have no objection to placing a covenant on the land that no permanent building be put on the land for at least 20 years,” said Danyliu, demanding that the project provides a compromise between what is planned and what local residents would like to see.“I personally would withdraw my objections if a covenant were put in place, and I don’t expect I would be the only one.”The association has also sent out letters to residents to sign and send to council if they do not support the ALC application, do not support the referendum but do support preserving prime farmland.While the future of any plans are in Coldstream’s hands, Danyliu reminds residents that this a key time for the community to speak up and be heard.“Once the land is bought there is no obligation for the GVSC (Greater Vernon Services Commission) to come back to us for anything.”

He also reminds residents that since no dollar figures on the project costs are being released, they are being asked to sign a blank cheque.“We’re talking about public funds which could go up to $20, $30, $40 million, who knows?”Danyliu has also suggested alternative land options for the project. Those include land just south of the Greater Vernon landfill on Highway 97 and land along Old Kamloops Road that could be incorporated into Kin Race Track.GVSC chairman Gary Corner, who is also the mayor of Coldstream, has stated that these options have been considered but that the Aberdeen Road land is best suited for the project.The project proposal includes fields for baseball, soccer, football, slo-pitch, dog agility and a stadium. Planners have stated in the past that these are just preliminary plans and that details can be changed.