Vernon councillor gives rationale for motion to stop spending from one reserve

Photo: Contributed

After Vernon council agreed to spend up to $825,000 from the Kin Race Track reserve for a new video score clock at Kal Tire Place, one city councillor is calling for the spending of one reserve to stop.

Coun. Brian Guy put forward a notice of motion at the March 10 council meeting, and has now submitted written rationale.

He says the city received funding from the Fortis legacy project sometime in about 2018, which the council-of-the-time earmarked to use on a single legacy project at the old Kin Race Track site.

“That council did not want the funds to be chipped away at, and used for a variety of other purposes,” wrote Guy.

Until recently, the current council planned to use the funds to build an athletic park at the site. That idea was re-imagined into a passive park following a staff report that the original plan would cost upwards of $50 million.

Guy writes the community park at the site is under development now. Council approved spending $100,000 to develop plans for that new vision.

“Informal communications suggest that implementing the plan could cost in the neighbourhood of $4 million,” wrote Guy.

“After Council approved the withdrawal of more than $800,000 for a project at a different site at the February 24, 2025 Council meeting, there is less than $4 million left in the reserve to create the planned legacy project at the site.”

He says it makes sense to preserve the remaining funds until council has received a plan and cost estimate for the Kin Race Track site.

The motion reads; “No further funding requests or approvals be made, utilizing the Kin Race Track Park Reserve as the funding source, until staff has provided Council with a plan and cost estimate for a Community Park to be located at the Kin Race Track site.”

Council will be able to debate the motion at the March 24 meeting.