Arena Referendum Put On Hold

Written by Peter McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM Monday, 06 October 2014 16:10

Plans for an arena referendum this fall in Greater Vernon have been put on ice. The Regional District of North Okanagan won't be proceeding with the vote after not getting the required approval from Victoria, and not having enough time for a public information process. RDNO administrator David Sewell says the province's Inspector of Municipalities had some concerns with the vote. "Under the new parks agreement that all recreation assets are owned by the city of Vernon, Kal Tire Place is owned by the city. The nature of us borrowing to fund that expansion, the province raised some issues that the regional district would be debt financing an asset owned by the city of Vernon, so the debt and asset ownership wouldn't be the same organization." says Sewell. Sewell says future steps will be determined in consultation with the RDNO board and local jurisdictions. "There's a number of different scenarios how it could play out. I expect there will be lots more discussions about how we can move forward with the jurisdictions and the provincial government." The vote was to have asked Greater Vernon residents if they supported borrowing up to 13 million dollars for a second ice sheet at Kal Tire Place. Greater Vernon voters will still decide the fate of another referendum on borrowing up to $70 million for water projects during the municipal elections November 15.
----------
http://www.vernon.ca/news/public_notices/141006_MR_Vernon_District_Multi_Use_Facility_Referendum-Not_Proceeding.pdf