Kamloops council approved funding for a sign similar to this Nanaimo marquee sign in 2023, expecting it to be built in time for the Memorial Cup tournament. A year later, staff couldn't finalize a design or a location.
Image Credit: CITY OF KAMLOOPS
February 12, 2024 - 8:45 AM
Almost a year after approving a marquee Kamloops sign that was supposed to be built in time for the 2023 Memorial Cup, City staff said they need to go back to the drawing board.
The $90,000 of approved funding will go toward something else, with neither a location nor a final design chosen.
"This is a really disappointing one to me. As we are looking at we're trying to achieve, our goals, we are thinking too hard," Coun. Katie Neustaeter said.
City staff consulted with Tourism Kamloops and Tk'emlups after getting the approval in 2023, planning for a marquee sign to be built in the park. The idea was compared to signs in other cities like Nanaimo and Toronto, which have white lettering to spell the city's name.
"Being told if you vote for this, it'll be in before Memorial Cup. A year later we're sending it back to no-where-land... that is really frustrating for the public and, frankly, for council" Neustaeter said.
Staff "re-conceived" the design after consulting with Tk'emlups, which will likely include both "Kamloops" and "Tk'emlups" together, City staffer Sarah Candido said. The concept design was not revealed in a Feb. 8 committee meeting.
"I think this project has got legs really quickly, and I think a lot of work has been done behind the scenes to bring it to fruition," deputy Chief Administrative Officer Byron McCorkell said.
McCorkell said the original location chosen for the sign couldn't be used anymore because of the upcoming outdoor rink, which was another project staff redesigned.
The parks department reneged on $100,000 of initially-approved construction without telling council until this month, backing out of plans to prepare for an outdoor rink atop the rebuilt spray park.
After staff failed to settle on a design, let alone build it in time for the 2023 Memorial Cup tournament, the project is going back to early concept designs.
"The only thing I got from the presentation is you don't think it'll be done for another three or four years," Coun. Dale Bass. "I'm questioning the value of it."
Previously approved funding is going back into City reserves, with the sign project potentially returning some day in the future.
Coun. Bill Sarai said "we were really excited" to have the sign up for the Memorial Cup, but praised staff for their "cautious approach."
Council took "a beating" from the public after approving the sign last year. They're "just nice white signs" for people to take photos of.
"I don't want to see it go through 20 more rounds of committee. It's not that complicated," she said.
Staff will consult with Tk'emlups and groups like Tourism Kamloops, with plans to eventually bring it back for council approval.
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