Kin Race Track Park Reserve fund
A motion to limit monies being used from the Kin Race Track reserve fund was passed at council.
The motion was initially brought forth by Coun. Brian Guy, as he did not want the funds in the reserve to be "chipped away at."
"When the city received the Fortis funding for a legacy project (around 2018), the council of the day created the Kin Race Track Park reserve with the intent that the reserve would be used for a single legacy project at the Kin Race Track site," he said. "After council approved the withdrawal of more than
$800,000 for a project at a different site at the Feb. 24, 2025 council meeting, there is less than $4 million left in the reserve to create the planned legacy project at the site."
The project had initially been for an active park on the site of the old Kin Race Track. However, that plan has now changed to a passive park design. Spending of up to $100,000 for the new park has been approved.
A new scoreclock, up to $825,000, for Kal Tire Place had been approved, with funds drawn from the Kin Race Track Reserve, which prompted the ire of Guy.
"The motion simply asks us to respect our own process and to let staff do what they are directed to do and, meanwhile, not dip into this reserve fund for other things until we see the plan for the park."
The motion was passed unanimously.
Overbudget projects
A few projects that went over budget in the city have had fund transfers approved by council.
The 2023 and 2024 UBCM FireSmart projects exceeded budget by $48,451. The overspend will be subsidized by the extreme wildfire reserve.
Addiitonally, Vernon Tourism exceeded its approves budget by $290,624 due to "marketing contracts." The funds will be subsidized by the hotel tax reserve, which leaves $477,739 left in the fund.
Supportive housing
After a lengthy discussion, a motion to consider an impact assessment on existing supporting housing projects in the Vernon downtown core was defeated at council.
Coun. Kari Gares introduced the motion to address "unintended consequences" such as increased public disorder, pressure on emergency services, and declining neighbourhood livability and property values within Vernon.
"This isn't an all-or-nothing proposition," Gares said. "We can support initiatives that provide essential services to those in need while acknowledging the challenges that neighbourhoods face."
Coun. Kelly Fehr said it would be "fiscally responsible" for councillors to vote no on the motion.
"I think it would be an unnecessary assessment, and we should demonstrate leadership by immediately working with administration to identify locations across the city for non-market housing, including supportive housing developments for seniors, youth and people with health complications and different abilities."
Coun. Brian Quiring added that he would never support a motion this broad.
"My problem with the motion is that there is everything in there from soup to nuts, but almost every one of these items that the motion is suggesting that we study is a study in itself," he said. "This is a multi-year process to try and catch all the things that should be studied, and we are begging BC Housing right now to give us the go-ahead on these projects, so for that reason alone, I can't support this motion."
Gares then pushed back a bit on criticism, saying that the issue is "complex."
"Many individuals living in that area have asked for help and I look at it as our responsibility to address their needs," Gares said. "The intent of the motion is to look at the impacts on a broader scale."
Mayor Victor Cumming also chimed in, clarifying that there was some confusion between "individuals who are involved in behaviours that are not community supported and linking that somehow to supportive housing."
"We have to be clear that there are behaviours, and we are aware they are taking place, but I find linking them back to supportive housing difficult," he said. "I don't think there is a great amount of evidence that says that these people are inside supportive housing. Lumping those two together doesn't work."
All councillors sans Gares voted against the motion, while Coun. Teresa Durning was not present.
