Agenda will focus on next steps after ALC decision

Okanagan College Media Release

Okanagan College and its partners are considering their options after receiving news that the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) will not approve an application to reclassify 10 acres of the Vernon campus for a non-conforming use to allow development of a multi-use sports facility.

The application for reclassification would have moved the College, Regional District of the North Okanagan and the District of Coldstream one step closer toward their goal of developing a $7.8-million multi-use sports facility that would have included an Olympic size rubberized track, artificial playing field and field house, all for use by a variety of community groups. The partners applied to the commission earlier this year after several years of cooperative planning and significant support from potential user groups.

The Regional District of the North Okanagan and Okanagan College entered into a lease agreement in December giving the Regional District the ability to affordably lease the land from the College in order to build and operate the facility.

“Obviously we had hoped for a different outcome,” explained North Okanagan Regional Dean John Lent. “We have to respect the mandate and responsibilities of the ALC. At this point we will be consulting with all involved parties including the College’s Board of Governors.”

In its letter to Okanagan College, the ALC concluded the proposed 10 acre piece of land is suitable for agricultural use and that if moved out of the ALR the potential of the property for agricultural development would be negatively impacted.