FILE PHOTO - A conceptual design of the inside of Vernon's proposed Active Living Centre.

Image Credit: City of Vernon

The Mayor of Coldstream along with politicians at the Regional District of North Okanagan won't cough up any cash and are pulling out of Vernon's proposed Active Living Centre.

Mayor of Coldstream Jim Garlick, along with regional district directors for areas B and C, Bob Fleming and Amanda Shatzko, announced today, April 6, they have "declined to participate" in the Active Living Centre in a statement to the media.

"The City of Vernon asked the District of Coldstream, Electoral Area B and Electoral Area C to consider participating in the proposed Active Living Centre project. After careful consideration, we have respectfully declined to participate at this time in the Active Living Centre project as proposed," the statement says.

READ MORE: Vernon's former race track could become activity centre, park and housing

The politicians say they are not opposed to this project in principle and agree there is a legitimate community need for a new pool and additional recreational spaces. 

"However, we do not have the confidence to move forward at this time based on the information that has been provided," the statement says.

"Our decision to decline participation is not based on a single aspect, such as timing, market volatility, accuracy of costing, contractual obligations, ownership structure, or lack of detailed information, but rather is based on the totality of unknowns given the magnitude of the risk exposure. Given these unknowns, it is not prudent for our jurisdictions to participate at this time," the statement continues.

"Our communities are already working on many complex, large-scale capital projects and do not wish to simultaneously work on a project of this magnitude. The budgets and timelines of our projects have been impacted by construction material shortages, supply chain issues, and inflation.

"Partnering to construct a facility with a projected cost of over $120 million within this volatile market, and based upon the limited amount of background and due diligence that we are aware of leads to a risk far beyond the level that we are willing to accept for our communities."

Vernon's proposed Active Living Centre is still in its very early stages as an idea and is slated for the home of the former Kin race track.

The District of Coldstream along with the regional district area directors encourage the City of Vernon to hold a referendum "if they are satisfied that they have enough confidence to move forward with the project."

The question of how this will affect the Active Living Centre moving forward is not answered in the statement.

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