A 麻豆精选 woman has taken to the streets to raise concerns about the process the city is using to borrow $241 million for recreation.
In June, council voted in favour of using the Alternate Approval Process (AAP) to borrow the money, most of which will be used to redevelop the Parkinson Recreation Centre (PRC) lands.
It would take 10 per cent (12,160) of 麻豆精选 residents to say no for the AAP to fail.
Renee Del Colle has made it her mission to inform as many residents as possible about the AAP and have it defeated.
鈥淥nce we can stop that, then we can have a discussion about how we can move forward in a more fiscally responsible way if that鈥檚 what people want to do,鈥� she said.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy for them to make whatever decision is best for them as long as they鈥檙e informed. I would say for the most part people aren鈥檛.鈥�
Del Colle added she is not opposed to upgrading recreation facilities, and is an avid user of several in the city.
鈥淚f we鈥檙e going to spend that kind of money let鈥檚 get two recreation centres for that because Vernon is getting one for $120 million. Let鈥檚 put one in Glenmore and have a pool.鈥�
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The city is also planning to spend $36 million for the Glenmore and Mission activity centres, $4.5 million for Rutland Recreation Park and $5 million for partnerships with UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College. The total cost for all projects, including PRC, is $287.5 million.
Del Colle goes out almost every day, mostly to the PRC, asking people if they are aware that the city wants to borrow $241 million.
She said more often than not the reaction is confusion and shock.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 feel like the public, in general, has had an opportunity to really engage with the city on a meaningful level like you would get during a referendum where everybody is talking about it.鈥�
She recently became aware of Concerned 麻豆精选 Residents for Financial Accountability (CKRFA), a group that has a website dedicated to informing residents about the AAP.
鈥淚 have information sheets that were written by Susan Ames, who is the leader of the group, and I hand those out to people and I hand out blank (AAP) ballots.鈥�
鈥淪ometimes people will sign on the spot if they want to. I鈥檝e had people take their ballots and then bring them back to me signed.鈥�
However, Del Colle said she now prints her own ballots as she is restricted to how many she can take.
鈥淭hey (PRC) started limiting it to 10 a day. So I called Ron Cannan (city councillor) and complained. The very next day they cut that to five,鈥� she said.
Cannan said the city manager is aware ballots are limited, but that residents can download them from the city鈥檚 website. Ballots are also available at city hall, PRC, and the Rutland and Gordon libraries. Cannan has also repeatedly called for a referendum to borrow the money.
鈥淚 understand there is a cost to that, but based on the almost quarter-of-a-billion dollars we鈥檙e borrowing, it鈥檚 a small cost for democracy.鈥�
According to city staff, a referendum could cost between $150,000-$250,000.
Cannan said another issue is whether or not there is enough information available about the process.
鈥淚 was told that this is the largest capital project and amount ever borrowed by the city, and they鈥檙e spending $2,500 on the AAP for advertising.鈥�
The AAP began on July 24, with a deadline for responses set for Sep. 15. The deadline has been extended, due to the impact of the Grouse Complex wildfires, to Oct. 13.
An emailed statement from the city states that two legislated ads were posted prior to the start of the AAP, along with two additional ads with the extension.
鈥淎 public information campaign was deployed to help ensure broad community awareness of the project, its benefits and impacts starting on July 27 and continuing today.鈥�
Paid media advertising, news releases and stories, information posted at city facilities and notifications through the city鈥檚 website and social media channels were also utilized.
As well, three information sessions were scheduled (Aug.-Sep.) to engage the public about the project and the AAP, with the last one taking place on Sep. 6.
Cannan said that city hall business is not top of mind for most residents during summer months.
鈥淜nowing very well that it鈥檚 virtually impossible to get 10 per cent, 12,000 people, to come out and express their opposition or concerns.鈥�
Cannan added he is fully in support of rebuilding PRC.
鈥淚 just don鈥檛 think it should be of this magnitude. Rutland is getting $4.5 million, it鈥檚 less than two per cent of the recreation funding and it鈥檚 about a third of the population of our city.鈥�
Del Colle has written to Municipal Affairs Minster Anne Kang, as well as the Inspector of Municipalities
Governance and Structure Branch, with her concerns about the AAP and the associated ballot.
More information about the Alternate Approval Process is available on the Province of British Columbia website.
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@GaryBarnes109
gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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