Council wants service to end

Jennifer Smith - Vernon Morning Star Published: December 21, 2010 7:00 PM
 Coldstream is ready to pull the plug on Greater Vernon parks, recreation and culture.  The district has joined Area C’s (BX-Silver Star) request for an “orderly wind down of the service by Dec. 31, 2011.” Initially, Coldstream initiated discussions nearly a year ago around parks services in an attempt to seek maintenance control of their own parks and facilities.  Coun. Pat Cochrane – the lone councillor not in support of separating from the parks function – said it would have been very simple to address Coldstream’s concerns via a separate maintenance contract.  But the discussion has evolved with Greater Vernon and the North Okanagan Regional District.  “The current service can no longer meet the unique needs of each participant,” said Mike Macnabb, Area C director, in a letter to parks and recreation.  “A healthy partnership cannot succeed when there are philosophical differences, a lack of common goals and distrust.”  Coldstream Coun. Maria Besso agrees with Macnabb that separation from the service is the best route, considering all the debate.  “We went through an 11-month process and it is disappointing to get to that stage where we were,” said Besso. “We were almost at a point that they want us to go back.”  The issue will come forward at the Jan. 5 board of directors meeting, where there is the potential for some sort of function to be rebuilt.

“I understand there’s the intent to put something back together,” said Cochrane, weary that whatever is rebuilt won’t be as good. “At some point there could be discussion whether the parties are going to continue supporting those facilities (Wesbild, Performing Arts Centre, recreation complex, etc.),” said Cochrane. If region-wide support is not there and Vernon takes over control of the facilities, Cochrane warns Coldstream residents (and others outside of Vernon) could face restricted access and/or user fees if they want to go skating or attend a performance. “All the taxpayers in Greater Vernon are going to lose out,” said Cochrane.  He also questions how receptive residents will be to supporting the sports facility at Okanagan College when government co-operation cannot even be achieved. Cochrane doesn’t want the parks function broken up and feels it could have been saved.  “I’ve just been involved too long to see it all torn apart.”