Proposed sports complex
Posted: Jan 8th, 2013, 2:36 pm
http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... .htm#85566
I am typicaly all for progress and support the push towards addtional avenues for sports and actvities, but i can not get behind this with my current level of understanding. I have 2 concerns
1) We have a sports field at Polson Park that is empty every time i drive by. Why would we spend this kind of money when existing infrastructure is not utilized. Is Polson park not suitable for the needs of the community ? if not what would be the cost to upgrade it to acceptable levels?
2) I am concerned about the proposed location. If you think this complex will bring more money into the town via tournaments and additional visitors, would it not be wise to build it close to local business which could actually benefit from close proximity to the increase traffic? For example the under unitized land near Kin Park next to the Westbuild center might be a better location when considering the larger economic implications. ( i have no idea who owns this land)
I welcome your input on this matter.
Voters in Vernon and Coldstream will be asked to approve borrowing up to $7.53M for a sports facility complex adjacent to Okanagan College in Coldstream.
The proposed facility will include a synthetic turf field, a second soil based grass field and a rubberized track.
It will also feature stands for about 400 spectators as well as changerooms, officials rooms, washrooms and mechanical/.electrical rooms.
Photo: Contributed - NORDOriginally, the cost came in at just under $8.5M, however, those costs were trimmed by nearly $1M at a recent Regional District meeting.
RDNO Parks Planner, Keith Pinkoski, says the budget was trimmed in three areas.
He says the cost of off site upgrades to College Way (streetlighting, curbs and sidewalks) was trimmed from $1m to about $390,000, covered seating was eliminated saving approximately $200,000 while a decision was made to go with a soil based second field opposed to sand based, saving about $145,000.
Pinkoski says he believes the figures will hold up.
"These are all numbers that have been used on previous projects so we are pretty confident in the numbers we're using," says Pinkoski.
"They are numbers that include some contingencies. We're confident we have enough buffering in there to account for any weird fluctuations in the construction."
Pinkoskis says if the project comes under the $7.53M figure that would affect the tax impact downwardly.
The current figure would add about $15 a year to the tax bill over the next 20 years.
If given the go ahead by the electorate, Pinkoski believes the facility could be operational by the spring of 2014.
"If we get approval April 6 we would have a bout six weeks of design and four weeks of tendering so we would be looking at awarding the contract at the end of June and starting in late 2013," says Pinkoski.
"It looks like we would be completing the project, if it goes ahead, in spring of 2014."
If the project gets turned down, Pinkoski says it would have to be significantly changed in order to go back to the people a second time.
As for public reaction, Pinkoski says he is receiving a lot of positive feedback.
"At a lot of the public appearances we have received a lot of good support but unfortunately the ones against it are the ones that are the loudest."
Exact wording of the referendum still has to be adopted with the new numbers in place.
I am typicaly all for progress and support the push towards addtional avenues for sports and actvities, but i can not get behind this with my current level of understanding. I have 2 concerns
1) We have a sports field at Polson Park that is empty every time i drive by. Why would we spend this kind of money when existing infrastructure is not utilized. Is Polson park not suitable for the needs of the community ? if not what would be the cost to upgrade it to acceptable levels?
2) I am concerned about the proposed location. If you think this complex will bring more money into the town via tournaments and additional visitors, would it not be wise to build it close to local business which could actually benefit from close proximity to the increase traffic? For example the under unitized land near Kin Park next to the Westbuild center might be a better location when considering the larger economic implications. ( i have no idea who owns this land)
I welcome your input on this matter.