Facts Sheet – We do not NEED it!

Which do we prefer???

The following is a compilation and evaluation of GVSC Parks data by Denice Berlinski and presented at the Town Hall meeting on November 7. We thank her for her due diligence.

The Greater Vernon Parks and Recreation Master Plan include the following (Pages 25 – 27) (www.greatervernon.ca/user_files/File/PRC/parks_master_plan_mar2004.pdf):

The typical high and low range of supply based on other BC communities is:

Soft ball
Low range of supply 1/7,429 population
High range of supply 1/3,000 population
Our supply 1/2,116 population Very High Supply

Baseball
Low range of supply 1/10,000 population
High range of supply 1/7,429 population
Our supply 1/5,080 population Very High Supply

Sports Fields (soccer)
Low range of supply 1/6,000 population
High range of supply 1/2,811 population
Our supply 1/996 population Very High Supply

The above information is taken directly from Greater Vernon Parks and Recreation Master Plan which was published in 2004

Relate to teaching kids they can’t have everything they want

Also must respect and look after things they have before getting new things they want.


Usage is Overstated in GVSC Master Plan because Fields Supply and Availability are both Understated

When calculating the usage factor for the playing fields in our area they used only 6 hours (9-3) availability for Saturday. This is grossly understated as most are used well into the evening hours on Saturday. These calculations also did not include any availability on Sunday.

Neither Lavington Community School nor Lavington Park included in calculations. Facilities in these two locations include 2 ball diamonds and a soccer field.

Supply of Youth Soccer Fields in Coldstream:

4 at Creekside Park,
2 at Coldstream Elementary School,
5 at Kidston Elementary School,
1 at Lavington Elementary School

They have capacity for approximately 240 players per use (12 fields X 2 teams @ 10 players). With 1 use per weekday evening and 5 uses on Saturday, they can accommodate 2,400 players per week (240 players per use X 10 uses per week). That is enough for each of the 1,000 Coldstream children to play soccer 2.4 times per week.

In fact, 5 year old children play only once per week, and children up to at least 10 play only twice per week (one game and one practice).

Supply of Youth Soccer Fields in Greater Vernon:

We have a total of 35 youth soccer fields in the Greater Vernon area according to the Greater Vernon Park and Recreation Master Plan. Using the same factors as above; 2 teams per field, 10 players per team, and 10 uses per week, we have a total capacity for 7,000 youth soccer players per week. This is enough for each of the 2,223 children registered through NOYSA (North Okanagan Youth Soccer Association) to play soccer 3.15 times per week. Please note that this does not include Marshall Field or DND, or the field at Lavington School.

In fact, 5 year old children play only once per week, and children up to at least 10 play only twice per week (one game and one practice).

Sports Field Supply in Coldstream:

If you count only soccer, slow-pitch, and rugby/football, we have 7 sites hosting 23 sports fields. According to the Parks Master Plan there are 85 of these sports fields in Greater Vernon, therefore Coldstream has 27% of these facilities. According to Stats Can 2006 Census we have 18% of the total population of Greater Vernon. This does not take into account all the other facilities in Coldstream such as 2 lacrosse/hockey rinks, 1 skateboard park, 2 beach volleyball courts, as well as several tennis courts.

Spicer Block Production Capability:

600 tonnes of hay or 2900 tonnes of corn silage.

This property could also produce apples, prunes, strawberries, cane crops such as raspberries, and cool season vegetables such as peas, potatoes, carrots, etc. This land has excellent soils, greater than 150 frost free days, and is large enough for commercial food production.

The majority of the Beef produced by Coldstream Ranch may in fact be sold south of the border, however, that still contributes to our food supply here. It is a matter of each of us doing what we are better suited for and then sharing. I will try to explain this reasoning in a simplified fashion. If we, in Canada, reduced our beef sales to the USA, they would have to increase their own production of beef. In order to produce more of their own beef they would have to produce more hay, corn, and grain to feed the cattle. In order to produce more hay, corn and grain, they would have to decrease production of some other products they are growing on the land needed to grow these crops. In all likelihood they would choose to decrease production of fruit and vegetable crops that they export rather than decrease their own food supply. Therefore there would be less fruits and vegetables available for us. Many these products we simply cannot grow here ourselves because of our climate.

Traffic concerns relate to Marshall Field traffic trouble with only 200 vehicles.

Anyone who has ever attended a soccer game at Marshall Field knows the nightmare that it is to get into and out of the parking lot there. Just imagine the congestion with 5 times the volume, not to mention the light at the highway that will stop traffic and add to the problem. Also adding to the problem most people will be coming via the highway and will have to turn left across traffic on Aberdeen Road to enter the site.

This property will not become housing subdivision if Coldstream does not support it being removed from the ALR.

In order to apply to the ALC to change use of or remove land from the ALR the applicant must get support from the local governing body first. If we vote NO to this referendum we effectively let our council know that we do not agree with them supporting any such application to the ALC regarding this land. They could not then, in good faith, support any future applications. The most likely way for this property to become a housing development would be to vote YES in this referendum. If the ALC refuses this application, which they have already said they are likely to do, our council could then in goof faith support future applications to the ALC regarding this property without any further public input.

Boundary for development – OCP?

City of Vernon should be held to account and demand that they secure the Marshall Field site.

Other sites are available:

Beside Kin Track,
South of landfill - Letter to editor,
East of Hillview Golf Course??

May be surplus to current owner but not surplus to Area.

The current owner of the land may be in a position that he has a surplus of land but that does not mean that the Okanagan Valley, or the Province of B.C. or for that matter even Canada have a surplus of productive agricultural land.

ALR land quoted as reason to abandon other potential sites.

On an information sheet circulated by the sports users group at the September 11 meeting, the land being in the ALR is listed as a reason to abandon other lower grade, less productive, potential sites however seems of no concern for this site. Why is that?

Concern for Greenhouse emissions created by people driving to/from sports fields.

A yellow information sheet circulated by the sports users group at the September 11 meeting, stated concern about the greenhouse emissions produced by Coldstream residents (9,471) driving the families to/from fields outside of Coldstream as a reason to support this proposed sports complex in Coldstream. I fail to see how having the other Vernon area residents (43,102) driving out to Coldstream instead would improve the situation.

Number of Coldstream Children Registered in youth soccer is overstated.

If number 1,000 is factual, then 75.47% of the children (age 5-14) in Coldstream are registered in youth soccer, and only 25.27% of the rest of the children (age 5-14) in Greater Vernon are registered in youth soccer. Hard to believe.

Using 1,000 kids, 10 age groups (5-14), 10 kids/team, that means there are 10 teams for every age group in Coldstream. This is absolutely not true for either my daughter’s or son’s age groups.

No Resemblance to Polson Park.

I honestly think Mr. Corner must have some very serious optical impairment if he can see any more than a fleeting resemblance between Polson Park and the Sports Complex that he is trying to shove down our throats (Corner Field perhaps??). The only resemblance between the two sites is a football field, although the one proposed for Aberdeen Road site is much larger. Polson Park is indeed a park, it has only two organized sporting areas surrounded by beautiful open spaces and amenities for everyone to use and enjoy at any time. The complex proposed for the Aberdeen Road site is a sports complex plain and simple. There are no amenities, nor even any open space for use by the general public, there are only sports fields to satisfy the 4 user groups involved.

Agricultural Potential Lost.

Once this site is covered by large permanent buildings, and asphalt it can never be reclaimed for agricultural purposes. Simply leveling it to the extent required for sports fields will remove the topsoil that makes it so productive. The result would be no different than removing it from ALR altogether.

No Walking Paths or Trails.

There are no walking paths or hiking trails of any kind in this plan. The notion that these facilities would be incorporated probably stems from the fact that the Gray Canal walking Trail and this Complex were somehow deemed to be connected in some way during discussions. Gray canal is nowhere near Aberdeen Road. It is more than a mile away on the South-facing hillside above Buchannan Road.

What about the other ½???

The total size of the land the GVSC is proposing to purchase is 118 acres. The sports complex plan occupies only 60 acres. What is planned for the other 58 acres? How can we be expected to make an informed decision when we do not have ½ of the information?

At What Cost??

How can anyone be expected to make and intelligent, informed decision when we know absolutely no costs associated with this proposed sports complex?

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