Kin Track Plan Put On Hold

  Peter McIntyre Thursday, 18 November 2010 15:35107.5 KISSFM

The plan to redevelop Kin Race Track carries a 7.5 million dollar price tag. That includes space for four "lighted" slow pitch fields, a BMX track, bike skills facility, general park space, 300 parking spaces, and aroad connection from the north end of the Wesbild parking lot.  It also leaves room for two arenas and a gymnastics facility but those aren't included in the cost as it's felt they are not needed as quickly. Parks and Rec G-M Al McNiven says the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee has given general support.  "The board has received that plan, and then for future year's budget will bring forward a request for funds to phase that in."  However, GVAC chair Wayne Lippert says no action will be taken until 2012 at the earliest, due to the court case over use of the park set for next March.  "That's recognizing that the Okanagan Equestrian Society has possibly a valid claim. It certainly has one valid enough that they want to take it to court, and everyone deserves their day in court."  Coldstream director Jim Garlick made the motion to not consider moving forward on the concept plan until after 2011.  "We've got an outstanding court case that needs to be settled, we've got parks issues that need to be settled. I think to put it a little further in the future is wiser at this time, rather than trying to force things."  NORD chairman Herman Halvorson says the board is waiting to hear more from the Equestrian Society, which wants to keep the site for horse racing.  "They got turned down from BC Lotteries and turned down by the Agricultural Land Commission so at this point I guess they've got  to have a viable plan."  He says they will ask society president Ed Woolley to appear before the board to outline their plan.  NORD has yet to decide if the horse racing society will be ordered off the publicly-owned site by the end of this year, as was the original plan.