Position on amphitheatre

I would like to clarify the Okanagan College Board’s position on the Okanagan Summer Festival Society’s proposal for an amphitheatre on our Vernon Campus, a topic that has generated public and media interest in recent weeks. 

It should be noted that this is not a College-driven project. The Summer Festival Society is an independent community group that approached us with a concept that the Board felt was of sufficient interest to warrant further consideration. Therefore the Board asked that the Society identify, investigate and address all relevant issues, including possible impacts on the community, environment and the College itself. The Board signed an agreement to enable this important work to be done so that if the Society decides to present a full proposal at a future date, the Board will be better able to exercise its due diligence in making the best informed decision possible. 

Among other things, the Society has been holding meetings with residents to solicit their questions, concerns and suggestions. It is our expectation that the Society will address the points raised in these meetings before coming back to the Board.

To help ensure the that the process is as thorough as possible, I encourage all those who wish to provide input to contact the Society  at [email protected].

Connie Denesiuk
Chair