qathet Regional District’s board of directors will consider a recommendation to seek elector assent using the alternative approval process to borrow up to $1.1 million for the Lund Community Centre upgrade project.
At the August 13 committee of the whole meeting, directors considered a recommendation to apply to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program for 73.33 per cent funding from federal and provincial governments, leaving a local expenditure for the proposed project of up to $1.6 million. The regional district will have an estimated $574,000 in reserve funds by the end of 2021 that could be allocated to the project.
Electoral Area D director and committee chair Sandy McCormick asked if the cost for this proposed project would be borne by electors in Electoral Area A. Chief administrative officer Al Radke said that was correct. Electoral Area A director Patrick Brabazon said it would only be Area A residents within the northside recreation service area that would potentially be voting on the upgrade.
City director George Doubt said he thought it was worthwhile to discuss the alternative approval process.
“It if goes ahead it will have a significant effect on taxpayers within the regional recreation service in Area A,” said Doubt. “There is going to be an alternative arrangement, an alternative approval process, I believe, where people will have an opportunity to say they object to this.”
Doubt asked if Radke could update the committee regarding the alternative approval process so people will know what might be coming.
Radke said the alternative approval process is basically a reverse vote.
“If you object to it, you let us know,” said Radke. “There is a legislated threshold of how many electors have to participate in voting, and that would determine if that process moves forward or not.
“Let’s say they do reach that threshold and above, and the alternative approval process is now defeated, then the board has a second opportunity to go back to a regular referendum.”
Doubt said the decision is in the hands of the people who will be paying the taxes, to which Radke agreed.
The committee voted to send the matter to the regional board.
According to a staff report, a feasibility study for the expansion of Lund Community Centre was prepared by an architectural firm in late 2019. The study supported the proposal to update the current space of 3,965 square feet and expand the floor area by 6,920 square feet. The additional space would provide a half-court gym/community hall, theatre, additional washrooms and change area. It would also include additional office and storage space.
Estimate of cost in the feasibility study is between $4 and $5.7 million to complete the project. If the federal/provincial grant was successful, cost to the regional district would be between $1.1 and $1.6 million. If electors gave approval, debt payments would be proposed for 30 years.
