Ranch funding debated

105.7 Kiss FM Pete McIntyre:

Future funding for the O'Keefe Ranch is expected to remain a topic of debate for local politicians. The ranch, which is owned by the city of Vernon, is looking to get approval for an R-V Park from the Agricultural Land Commission, but has already been turned down once. Outgoing Vernon councillor Juliette Cunningham feels more funding has to come from senior levels of government. "The taxpayers of Vernon just can't continue to subsidize the ranch to the level that they've had to, and the thing is, it's deteriorating all the time, we need to maintain it so I think we need strong support from our MLA and the other ministers involved, and even perhaps federal money in terms of the heritage preservation of the ranch."

Mayor Wayne Lippert says the Ranch's society has two applications into the Land Commission, one for 50 R-V sites and the other for 100. He feels the one for 50 may be the better bet because it uses less farm land.