City of Kelowna looking to borrow $241M to upgrade sports facilities

The City of Kelowna, B.C., may soon be borrowing millions of dollars for a major overhaul of its sports and recreation facilities.

One of the planned projects is a new recreation facility to replace the aging Parkinson Rec Centre.

However, the city also wants to construct activity centres in both the Glenmore and Mission areas, and also redevelop sports fields in Rutland.

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But getting the projects going would entail borrowing $241 million.

Enter the province’s controversial alternative approval process, which allows local governments to sidestep resident input.

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Akin to negative billing, the alternative approval process puts the onus on the public to say no, not yes or how much.

The process requires at least 10 per cent of local residents to oppose the proposed measure. And if that 10-per cent threshold is met, or more, the measure then goes to a public referendum.

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More information about the AAP is available online.

“We all recognize the extreme importance of physical activity of sports,” said the city’s mayor, Tom Dyas.

“There’s a sense of huge community there. And what we’re trying to establish is bringing forward that idea of community.”

City council will look at the proposal on Monday and vote on it. From there, the measure would go to the province for further approval.

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