VERNON – For the second year in a row there will be no horse racing at Vernon’s Kin Race Track. The Okanagan Equestrian Society says it won’t be holding races this year because of a lack of facilities, after a suspicious fire destroyed the site’s grandstand last July.
The long-term future of the track also remains up in the air, as a long standing legal dispute involving local governments and the society continues. The court case centers around how the land will be used going forward: for horse racing or other possible civic uses. Now both the city and the society say they’d like to settle the matter this year.
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“I know that best case scenario for them would be to have a race track there. I don’t think that the residents of Vernon see that,” says Vernon mayor Akbal Mund. “Racing over the years has declined.”
There is also the issue of what happens to the insurance money from the grandstand fire.
“It should be applied to facilities at Kin Race Track, either rebuilding the grandstand or whatever alternative is decided upon ultimately,” says Okanagan Equestrian Society vice-president Ed Woolley.
The city has yet to receive the funds and the two sides are expected to meet again tomorrow to discuss Kin Race Track’s future. The Okanagan Equestrian Society has not ruled out moving to a new location.
As discussions continue about what’s next for Kin Race Track, the mayor hopes the issues can be settled out of court. While no races will be held this summer, the society plans to hold other events, including barrel racing.
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