Sports field debate reignited at GVSC

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star - January 25, 2008

The sports complex debate is back on Greater Vernon’s agenda. The Greater Vernon Services Committee has reignited discussions about future sports fields, including during a closed-door session Thursday. “We have a couple of things we are discussing but nothing of the magnitude of the previous one,” said Gary Corner, GVSC chairman. GVSC had originally proposed constructing a sports complex on a portion of Coldstream Ranch on Aberdeen Road. However, a December referendum resulted in a majority of residents preventing Coldstream council from sending a land use application to the Agricultural Land Commission. The concerns of residents varied, but the primary one was using quality farm land for sports fields, and that could lead to traffic problems and increased urbanization.Corner was unwilling to get into the specifics of the current discussions.“It may be one large site or a few around the community,” he said.

Corner added, though, that an outstanding issue is finding large chunks of property not in the Agricultural Land Reserve. One site that has been suggested by some residents is farm land just to the north of the Multiplex and Kin Race Track. Earlier this month, the City of Vernon requested that GVSC hold a meeting with it to discuss sports facilities in the area. No date has been set for that meeting, but Corner is open to pursuing the matter with the city. “We will certainly talk to the city and the city has three representatives at this committee,” he said. Vernon city council will also meet internally to discuss land issues regarding potential sites for new fields.