The Active Living Centre, a new recreation facility, will cost up to $121 million, and Vernon, British Columbia voters will soon have the chance to decide whether they want to pay the predicted tax increases and borrow up to that amount.
The city gave media a tour of the community’s pool centre on Tuesday to highlight the deficiencies of the current facilities.
The city claims that the current pool facilities, which were constructed in the 1960s and underwent substantial renovations in the 1990s, are becoming more expensive and time-consuming to maintain.
“Every decade’s worth of infrastructure is there. The Vernon director of leisure services, Doug Ross, stated, “We are trying to maintain things as contemporary and improved as possible, but when you are rebuilding continually you can run into issues.
I can say that we have probably spent over a million dollars maintaining the facilities over the past two years.
The waterslide is one illustration of the problems the city has with its deteriorating infrastructure. Engineers discovered it would require more extensive repairs than the $96,000 Vernon Council had budgeted, therefore it will remain closed forever.
Ross added that a cover was stretched underneath it to prevent debris from falling onto the pool deck or into the water.
According to Ross, concessions were made in order for the current aquatic centre to fit on the current site, which means that nearly 30 years later, it is still insufficient.
“There is a graphic example of a capacity issue,” Ross said. “We currently (have) 1,220 kids registered in swimming lessons and we have 660 on the waiting list that we couldn’t accommodate.”
However, the new leisure centre that is being considered to replace the current pool will come at a hefty expense and most certainly result in considerable tax hikes for Vernon property owners.
Ross responded that the planned Active Living Centre is in line with what the neighbourhood has requested when questioned if it is possible to meet the city’s recreation needs at a lesser cost than what is being suggested.
The proposed Active Living Centre is expected to cost a maximum of $121 million, according to Ross, and that amount includes contingencies.
Ross stated, “Our aim is that we won’t spend $121 million.”
The borrowing referendum for the new facility will take place on October 15 in conjunction with local elections.
If the borrowing request is granted, it will start a bigger conversation with other regional local governments about what to do with the current, regionally funded aquatic centre.
The current aquatic centre will continue to operate even if the loan is denied.
The present aquatic centre in Vernon, British Columbia, is outdated and overcrowded: the city
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