The proposed drawing of what the centre may look like.
Image Credit: FACEBOOK: Vernon Public Art Gallery
May 04, 2022 - 5:13 PM
The Regional District of North Okanagan can now move ahead with the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre after a vote on its future saw little opposition.
The Regional District had required more than 5,500 votes against borrowing $28 million to build the centre but only received 388 by the May 2 deadline.
The lack of opposition means the Regional District can now move ahead with borrowing to build the Cultural Centre.
The issue of the financing came about when the Regional District failed to get $15 million of provincial and federal government grants to build what was to be a $40-million centre.
The public had been promised the Cultural Centre wouldn't go ahead without the grants so the Regional District no longer had the authority to borrow the $25 million without the public's approval.
It then used an alternative approval process, meaning unless 10 per cent of the electorate took the time to oppose the project, the politicians had the authority to borrow the money.
The 388 votes against are less than one per cent of the electorate.
Passed by referendum in 2018, the original Greater Vernon Cultural Centre was to cost $40 million and see a 39,000-square-foot building host a 200-seat performance space, room for travelling exhibits as well as being the new home for the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives and the Vernon Public Art Gallery.
The new scaled-down plan is for it to be a roughly 25,000 square foot building and house the Vernon Public Art Gallery and the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives, although the physical archives will remain where they are. A performance space will also be part of the Cultural Centre.
The Centre is slated for almost the entire block of 32 Avenue and 29 Street in Vernon's downtown.
The cost to taxpayers was said to be $48 per household based on an assessed value of $430,000.
READ MORE: Politicians break promise, will borrow $28M for Greater Vernon Cultural Centre
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