Culture Votes Could Be Delayed

Written by Peter McIntyre  107.5 KISSFM Wednesday, 04 September 2013 16:11 

Design of new Vernon Public Art Gallery

A request for a referendum next spring on Greater Vernon cultural facilities, will be debated by local politicians Thursday, but it may not get far.  Regional District of North Okanagan staff is recommending any decisions for a proposed new art gallery and expanded museum be put off until strategic and master plans are completed. That could add two years to the process, but Community Development CVoordinator Tannis Nelson says in a report to the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee, it would lower the risk, provide more information, and give the projects the best chance for success. "If a commitment to a referendum is given prior to developing, reviewing and approving the proposed operating budgets, the RDNO will be subjected to any operating increases," states Nelson's report.  Dauna Kennedy Grant, executive director of the Vernon Public Art Gallery disagrees with the recommendation. "It's definately not in the best interest of these projects moving forward, so we are trying to work with them on this to modify this recommendation and see if we can get other possibilities put in there," Kennedy Grant tells Kiss FM. Kennedy Grant says she agrees with one part of the recommendation. "We do need to update the previous (arts and culture master) plan (last updated in 2006), but I do not believe it's in the taxpayers best interest to start from scratch and redo something that's been done multiple times in the past." The art gallery is pushing for a new 6 million dollar facility on city owned land next to Cenotaph Park, while the museum would like to expand on its current site in the civic complex.
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Staff Recommendation can be found Agenda