Greater Vernon Expected To Land Games

Posted on 9/25/2015 by Pete McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM

Greater Vernon looks like it will get some good news this weekend. The BC government is expected to announce the area will host an upcoming BC 55 Plus Games. The official announcement will be Saturday at the opening of the new Greater Vernon Athletics Park at noon. MLA Eric Foster will be on hand to make what is called a special announcement. The Greater Vernon Advisory Committee made a bid earlier this year to host the event for either 2017, 2018 or 2019. The five day event involves about 35-hundred participants in more than 20 activities. An announcement is also planned for Kelowna Saturday, expected to be that city also securing the same event in a different year. Tannis Nelson from the Regional District of North Okanagan says events in the park run from 9 am to 9 pm Saturday. "We've got lots of fun activities planned for the day. We've got about 30 organizations and clubs coming out to join us, so it should be great." The facility features natural turf and artificial turf fields, a 400 metre running track and other track and field facilities. The province announced this week it's providing 50-thousand dollars toward the showers in the change rooms. The final bill for the new facility likely won't be known until new year. Greater Vernon voters approved borrowing up to $7.5 million for the complex in a referendum in April 2013.