What to do with Kin Track

It was at the centre of much debate, discussion and finally a drawn-out legal battle, but in the end, a judge ruled in favour of the City of Vernon which now has control of the decades-old Kin Race Track.

Sitting next to Kal Tire Place at the corner of 43rd Avenue and Old Kamloops Road, the site was once Mecca for horserace fans.

However, the track fell on hard times with fewer races being held until it got to the point where no races were held.

It is now a decaying remnant of its former self.

The shine of the glory days are long past, but while the race track is no more, the prime piece of real estate will still be used to bring people in the community together.

Vernon Mayor Akbal Mund said the land will be used for recreational purposes, but he could not yet say what that would look like.

“We are in the process of doing a master recreation plan and there was no inclusion of the race track area in that plan because it was still in litigation,” said Mund, adding it will be up to the next council to decide what the land will be used for.

“There's lots of potential. Those lands will be used for some form of recreation which is what the Kinsmen wanted those lands to be used for,” said Mund. “In the original agreement, those lands were to be used for recreational purposes. I can't see housing going there.”

The Okanagan Equestrian Society has 30 days to appeal the court decision, but have not said if they are planning to do so.