Parking no biggie at arena

Photo: Vernon Recreation Services

The number of parking stalls required for Kal Tire Place and the planned arena beside has been slashed from 917 to 658 spaces.

Council approve the variance on Monday.

City staff compared Vernon to other centres' parking and seating capacity, including recreation/arena centres in Kamloops, Kelowna and Penticton.

The number of stalls to seating capacity would be 19.4 in Vernon, council was told, as compared to Kamloops at 3.3 and Kelowna at 6.1.

“The reduced parking at Kal Tire Place is not a concern,” said Mayor Akbal Mund. “When you take the bigger picture and know both of those communities have a larger segment of population, we don't, it doesn't concern me. That's still a lot of onsite parking.”

Work is expected to begin on the second sheet of ice at Kal Tire Place by mid April.

Staff are also looking at a possible third vehicle access to the arena from Old Kamloops Road.