FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sports Complex Proposal on Aberdeen Road
The Greater Vernon Services Commission has tabled an offer for a"Sports Complex" to be located on 120 acres of prime Agricultural land for endorsement by Coldstream Council to change land use from agricultural to a non-farm use category.
GVSC require Coldstream Council's endorsement to remove from the ALR 120 prime acres of agricultural land so that they can construct a stadium, a one thousand car parking lot, a banquet facility and a number of playing fields. This offer was tabled at a Coldstream Council meeting by Gary Corner who doubles as Coldsteam Mayor and GVSC chairman.
Neither a cost benefit analysis nor expected costs of this mega project were offered by Mayor Corner either to his fellow Coldstream Councillors, or to the Citizens of Coldstream.
Through our own research the Coldstream Ratepayers Association (CRA) have managed to secure the following facts:
1. The GVSC's own Recreation Master Plan states that existing sports facilities are sufficient for Greater Vernon's needs until the year 2014.
2. The Master Plan identifies scheduling and inadequate maintenance as the needs requiring immediate attention.
3. The sports and banquet facilities in a draft drawing of part of the "Sports Complex reflect an adult orientation rather than the playing needs of our children.
4. The GVSC has stated to the ALR that this land, if converted to sports facilities, could be rehabilitated for agriculture if needed in the future. However, Paul Christie, a member of the Advisory Planning Commission, who saw the proposal, made the point that once you have paved a thousand car parking lot and built a stadium with wash rooms, offices. banquet halls, kitchens and sewage facilities, rehabilitation becomes unlikely.
5. Coldstream Council can not approve the GVSC proposal without a major amendment to their OCP as almost ninety percent of residents surveyed rejected the idea of removal of lands from the ALR.
All Coldstream residents are invited to a Town Hall Meeting of the residents of Coldstream at Kidston Elementary school on September 6, 2007 at 7:00 pm. We are also inviting the GVSC. We are inviting The GVSC to explain its proposal at this meeting and give us the likely costs of the project at this meeting. As with any other big expenditure proposal, the taxpayers must be given a detailed cost/benefit analysis. It behooves the GVSC to collect information on usage, and potential usage, of a sports complex. Then, it must determine exactly, to the penny, how much the sports complex will cost taxpayers. Finally, the GVSC must explain the benefits for all the taxpayers and lay out other options that have not been explored. All we, as taxpayers, ask is for the GVSC to let us express our informed opinion, whether for, or against.
The CRA expects Coldstream Council to respect its Official Community Plan and reject this proposal. If they choose to amend their OCP and endorse the proposal it must be presented to all the Citizens of Greater Vernon for their input and authorization through referendum of the likely multi-million dollar expenditures accompanying this proposal. If the OCP is amended, there will be a meeting for all residents of the Greater Vernon area.
Attached are maps of the 120 acres of Coldstream Ranch and the proposed sports complex. (Click on image to enlarge).
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Contacts:
Andy Danyliu, Coldstream Ratepayers Association• 260-2628 • andredanyliu@shaw.ca
Antony Stamboulieh, Vernon & Districts Taxpayers Association • 260-1082 • antonystam@shaw.ca
For information on planning contact Paul Christie, Advisory Planning Committee and agrologist expert in municipal planning • 542-9109 •paulc@talismanenviro.com
For information on GVSC governance contact Gyula Kiss • 545-8772 •gyula1@shaw.ca
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