Ranch rounds up RV support

By Jennifer Smith - Vernon Morning Star - April 30, 2008

O’Keefe Ranch is hoping local support will sway the Agricultural Land Commission onto its RV park bandwagon. The ranch is re-submitting its application to the ALC for its RV park proposal. The proposal was recently denied, with the ALC stating that the land is suitable for growing crops and non-farm use is not acceptable. So with the new, scaled down plans, the ranch is seeking letters of support from local municipalities. So far, the ranch has roped in Coldstream’s endorsement of the plans. “I think this is a win-win for everybody if they can make it work,” said Mayor Gary Corner, who recently visited the site with MLA Tom Christensen and Stan Hagen, Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts. “He (Hagen) was quite intrigued with what they’re trying to do.” The new RV park plans are scaled back to include 100 spaces on a smaller footprint than what was originally proposed. It’ll be on a fixed piece of property and there will be no expansion,” said Rod Drennan, president of the O’Keefe Ranch Interior Heritage Society.

To ease concerns of some Coldstream councillors, Drennan added: “There’ll be no concrete on the property.” The ranch is also seeking the support of Vernon and Spallumcheen in its efforts to create the park, which will aid the ranch with its financial woes. “The whole plan is to over time remove ourselves from the public subsidy,” said Drennan. “We’ve got to do something to simply pick up more revenue and there’s lots of support for an RV park.”