Powell River Regional District Board is taking a wait and see approach before renewing the lease for Paradise Exhibition Park.
The matter of the lease came up at the regional district’s committee of the whole meeting on May 14.
What the directors are waiting for is a clear explanation of how one of the park’s users, Powell River Archery Club, was evicted this spring. Patrick Brabazon, board chair and Electoral Area A director, raised the issue at the meeting after speaking with Bill Whyard, one of the club’s longtime organizers, and looking at the lease and sublease agreements for the park.
The main lease for the public park is between the regional district and Paradise Exhibition Park Society (PEPS), a board comprised of representatives from the park’s major users. PEPS then subleases parts of the park to groups which include Powell River and District Agricultural Association, Powell River Therapeutic Riding Association and Powell River Trail Riders. These groups also send a representative to sit on the PEPS board.
“I don’t believe PEPS or the agricultural society have any right to evict anyone under the terms of this lease,” said Brabazon during the meeting.
Stan Gisborne, Electoral Area B director, disagreed with Brabazon’s assessment.
“PEPS manages the site under the lease from the regional district and PEPS has the authority to sublease,” said Gisborne. “The regional district does not sublease.”
Brabazon then referenced the regional district’s lease for the park.
“We are supposed to be thoroughly aware of everything that goes on at that piece of property,” said Brabazon. “Obviously we are not aware. We have not be made aware that a tenant, a user of that area, has been evicted. Locks on the building have been changed. Property has been transferred—that we don’t know about.”
The archery club’s lease for use of the quonset hut was not renewed by the agricultural association after PEPS president Allan Rebane investigated the club’s insurance coverage and believed it did not comply with the requirements of the sublease, Gisborne said.
But that is a claim which the archery club denies, saying that it has kept its insurance through the BC Archery Association.
“I do not believe we should escape any responsibility for this,” Brabazon added explaining that he would like a staff report so as to gain a more objective view of what has happened there. “If they are going to evict somebody who’s there without telling us, then they have violated the terms of their lease.”
Russell Brewer, City of Powell River councillor and director on the regional district board, said he would appreciate regional district staff putting together a report on the situation before any decision is made on renewing PEPS’ lease for the park.
