Pull O'Keefe Ranch funding and fund new hockey rink

[nepal]

Watched the news tonight and see how the City of Vernon is proposing to cut most funding to O'Keefe Ranch (100k/yr), yet the next news feature was how the City of Vernon proposes to spend several million building a new hockey rink, which also has operating costs. Interesting which way the money flows... Is hockey that profitable?

[Fancy]

I watched too and there was mention about other interests that require money and the fact that O'Keefe Ranch hasn't been able to be self-sufficient.

[gardengirl]

I thought Vernon just built a bazillion dollar hockey rink. They have at least 3 that I can think of. There is only one O'Keefe Ranch.

[GordonH]

I thought Vernon just built a bazillion dollar hockey rink. They have at least 3 that I can think of. There is only one O'Keefe Ranch.

Wesbild Centre was opened in 2001 @ cost of 15 million.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesbild_Centre

[bob vernon]

The City of Vernon is considering replacing the Civic Arena with ANOTHER SHEET OF ICE.

[bob vernon]

The City of Vernon is considering replacing the Civic Arena with ANOTHER SHEET OF ICE. Not an arena with a lot of seating..... just a sheet of ice. The old Civic arena was built in 1938 and is finished. The new sheet of ice would best be built beside Wesbild. I hope they don't put it beside Priest Valley arena. The parking lot there is needed and both Priest and any new rink would have no seating. It should really go beside the Multiplex. But the city is tied up right now in court with the Vernon Agricultural Society and the fight over the horse race track. The land was donated in ancient history and was specifically donated for use as a horse race track and only a horse rack track. And that's a tough issue to overcome.

[Bubalouie]

what does O'Keefe Ranch charge to go in ? Maybe if they reduced the rate, more people would go..........

[gardengirl]

what does O'Keefe Ranch charge to go in ? Maybe if they reduced the rate, more people would go..........

Really? Discounts are business death.

[watchkat]

I think the problem might be that they are "giving it away" I sorted the garbled information on their web site for starters......

2013 Season Pass Rates

A season’s pass is valid from opening day May 12th, 2013 until closing day at the end of September. Daytime hours are 10 am to 5 pm – open until 6 pm during July and August.
The pass offers admission to all events excluding ticketed evening events.
Season pass holders are invited to bring a guest for a 50% discount off regular admission (maximum two guests per visit).
A Voting membership can be added for an additional $10.00 plus tax.
2013 RATES
Individual $35.00 + taxes
Family (Mom, dad & school-age children) $70.00 + taxes
Extended Family #1 (Mom, Dad, Grandparents & school aged children $ 85.00 + taxes
Extended Family #2 (Mom, Dad, two sets of Grandparents and school aged children $95.00 + taxes
Show your pass to receive discounts at the following attractions and museums: Barkerville Historic Town R.J.Haney Village Heritage Museum Vernon and Kamloops Art Galleries Allan Brooks Nature Centre Art Gallery of the South Okanagan Okanagan Science Centre Northwest Museum of Art & Culture Vernon & District Museum Kootenay Art Gallery, Nelson Hat Creek Ranch Nelson Museum of Art & Culture Fort Steele Heritage Park Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies Huble Homestead, Prince George Old Log Church, Yukon Fort Langley Heritage Park Island Mountain Arts, Wells The Nickle Arts Museum, Calgary Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin Lake Country Museum Quesnel & District Museum Penticton Art Gallery Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre Kelowna Art Gallery Boundary Museum, Grand Forks SS Moyie Historic Site, Kaslo
Volunteers: Consider volunteering. We welcome any age (children under the age of 12 must be surpervised) couples, singles – anyone who would enjoy helping at the Ranch. There is always a lot to do.
People who commit to a regular four hour shift receive a complimentary season pass.
Group, Club and Corporate Season Passes Available.
Pass holders are entered into an annual draw to win tickets for two to the O’Keefe Ranch Murder Mystery Dinner Show. Draw takes place at the end of August 2013.

[Ingevan22]

In the absence of leadership, yeah, let's fund another arena study... Geeessshhhh...

Meanwhile, Wesbild Centre aka Kal Tire Place is THE perfect location - easy access, lots of parking, far less inconvenience to nearby residents, and most importantly, this facility was designed to be twinned.

Instead of spending more public dollars to litigate and frustrate, why not give the Agricultural Society the funding that would have been provided to O'Keefe Ranch? Heck, might as well see if they want to operate it too! Horse racing at the ranch could be a perfect fit, and then maybe, there would be some demand for those RV campsites at the ranch (maybe even a reason to expand?), and another draw for tourists.

Then the rest of us might finally get that MULTI-use facility we've all been paying for!

[grammafreddy]

Is a multi-use facility worth the loss of one of the province's more significant heritage sites?

[juz516]

VERY good question, GF....will be interested to see any responses. IMO, forget another "sheet of ice" and put in a proper pool facility...but keep O'Keefe ranch....as has been said, it is one of the few historical sites left in Vernon.

[Ingevan22]

GF, what loss of a heritage site are you referring to? Kin Race Track?

We currently have a facility, i.e. Wesbild Centre soon to be Kal Tire Place, which was advertised at referendum time as a "MULTI-use facility". In reality it functions more like a SOLO-plex than a multiplex.

O'Keefe Ranch is physically located in Spallumcheen but is owned by the City of Vernon. The ranch was once a regional function, but the regional partners withdrew funding in 2007 - See the Morning Star article below from 2007 where the Ranch president states it is better for the Ranch to work with the City than the regional district.

This is not about the ranch versus a new rink.

If the ranch is regionally important and historically significant, it shouldn't only be up to the taxpayers of Vernon to fund it.

Similarly, a new rink would draw players from across the region, not just those living within City of Vernon boundaries.

If we are going to build another rink, pool, or any other capital investment, it is only fair to share those costs with everyone who benefits.


Friday, September 07, 2007
District cuts ties to O’Keefe
By RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff Sep 07 2007
http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/

Regional funding of historic O’Keefe Ranch has been abandoned. The North Okanagan Regional District board launched a process Wednesday to repeal bylaws that allowed O’Keefe Ranch to be funded as a function. “The number of participants is dwindling. It has not given the ranch a level of financial certainty,” said Jerry Oglow, NORD chairman. The function was launched in 2005 but since that time, Cherryville, rural Enderby, BX-Swan Lake and rural Lumby have opted out for various reasons. The remaining funding partners are Vernon, Coldstream, BX-Silver Star and Armstrong.

A staff report suggested that the viability of the service has been brought into question. Patrick Nicol, Vernon director, was disappointed with the situation. “This is the one thing I thought we could all buy into,” he said, citing the importance of the ranch to the region. Officials with O’Keefe Ranch are pleased with the change. “We are better off dealing with the city,” said president Rod Drennan. The city has owned the ranch for 30 years and while ownership was supposed to transfer to NORD, that never occurred. Drennan insists the ranch needs financial stability and with jurisdictions withdrawing from the regional function, that was difficult. “We have been more successful going to municipalities and electoral areas directly,” he said. Some jurisdictions provide monetary grants to the ranch outside of the regional function. While NORD will no longer officially fund O’Keefe Ranch, Oglow is confident that each individual jurisdiction will do its part. “I am sure the region will continue to support the ranch in other ways,” he said. “We need to support the ranch in any way we can. It benefits all of us.”

[anakerose]

It's not just hockey players that use the ice surfaces. Ringette and figure skating also use the facilities. If you've ever played at Civic you'd know the sheet has been in desperate need of replacing for years.

It would be a shame to lose O'Keefe Ranch, but every time I've been there, we spend half hour to an hour and we're gone. There's not much to do.

[grammafreddy]

It would be a shame to lose O'Keefe Ranch, but every time I've been there, we spend half hour to an hour and we're gone. There's not much to do.

When I go there, I spend the whole day and still don't see everything I want to see. I try to get there at least once a year, sometimes more often that that. When the Spallumcheen Pioneer Power Club has their events there is when I like to go but there are also other good events there as well.