Powell River Regional District rural electoral area directors have warned that establishing a regional recreation service will not happen without vigorous debate.
On Thursday, January 26, the regional district board passed a committee recommendation to refer the recent Expanded Regional Recreation Initiative Study to a March community government meeting, known as C3, that the board will have with City of Powell River and Tla’amin Nation.
The regional recreation study, prepared by city staff and released last November, recommends the three local governments collaborate to establish a regional recreation service to the benefit of all residents of the regional district, excluding Lasqueti Island.
At the January 26 meeting, Electoral Area C director Colin Palmer told the board there are numbers contained in the report that he does not agree with. He questioned whether the board should wait for the March C3 meeting before raising the issue or ask city parks, recreation and culture director Ray Boogaards to appear before the board to answer questions before then.
“I remember some discussion at the committee of the whole that we were going to have a vigorous discussion,” Palmer told the board. “Apart from that, how are we going to handle the fact that some of us don’t agree with the numbers?”
Electoral Area A director and board chair Patrick Brabazon said he thought the debate over the numbers would have to happen at C3 and that it would be inappropriate to ask Boogaards to make a presentation to the board if the board passed the current motion to refer the matter to the March meeting.
“I expect that will be a part of the vigorous discussion,” said Brabazon, responding to Palmer. “You’re going to walk in with reservations. I’m going to walk in with reservations. [Electoral Area D] director [Sandy] McCormick has been loud and clear in her reservations. That will be where it has to be done, with all three governments.”
Regional district municipal director CaroleAnn Leishman said, given the tenor of discussion, the issue may warrant establishing an intergovernmental workshop to work out the details of the initiative.
Even if a deal to create a regional service can be hammered out, McCormick told the board that Texada residents will not participate.
“We’ll seek to opt out of an initiative,” said McCormick, “even if it’s created.”
The C3 meeting is a forum for community discussion and does not have authority to make regional decisions.
