Posted on 10/22/2015 by Ron Manz 107.5 KISSFM
The pressure is on the Regional District North Okanagan and the City of Vernon to get preparations in place for a November 28th referendum vote. The Ministry of Community Development approved the borrowing referendum bylaw to add a second ice rink through expansion at Kal Tire Place. That approval process initially started a year ago, but was stalled over concerns the regional district was holding a referendum for a facility that would be owned by the City of Vernon. After getting word it could proceed, the RDNO board endorsed the date at their meeting Wednesday. The public information campaign that must precede the vote will begin very quickly. Doug Ross, Recreation Services Manager for the City of Vernon who will be in charge of it, says if approved, the new ice rink will take up to 3 years to build and won't open until the fall of 2018. "This isn't a short term project. They will be about 8 months to a year of design work, and then there will be 24 months of construction," Ross tells Kiss FM. Ross says the public will have access to information cards and ads that will outline the implications of the vote. "There will be a website set up, and then we're also going to have some booths (in malls) that people will be able to stop at and ask questions." The referendum question will ask Greater Vernon residents is they are in favour of the RDNO borrowing 13.25 million for the expansion of a second ice sheet at the Vernon & District Multi-Use facility (Kal Tire Place)."That in essence is the question," says Ross. Local politicians say the new facility is needed to replace the 78 year old Civic Arena, which is costing more and more to maintain and keep open as an ice facility.
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