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(KIM ANDERSON / iNFOnews.ca)

Kamloops may give $1.2 million to neighbouring Tk'emlups parks and recreation projects.

The pitch comes from a nearly 30-year-old agreement where the two communities agreed the city would hold money in trust to help pay for individual on-reserve projects.

At this time there's no single parks project the money might be used for, instead it will be up to Tk'emlups to decide as it prioritizes its sidewalk projects, a youth centre, a potential ice rink and needed renovations, according to a city staff report.

In 1996, the city agreed to put some of its annual sewage fees into a trust fund for Tk'emlups te Secwepemc (then known as Kamloops Indian Band).

Much of the main portion of the reserve that neighbours the city, along with the Sun Rivers subdivision, is connected to the Kamloops sewage system. With those residents and business owners paying fees for Kamloops sewers, a portion of those funds have been set aside and periodically used for Tk'emlups projects.

In 2008, the city approved money from the trust fund to help fund the Tyee baseball park, according to the report. Another $50,000 from the fund was handed over in May 2022 for a Tk'emlups recreation plan.

It's not clear how many other times money was handed over from the fund, but this time staff are suggesting city council give the entire amount, $1.2 million, to the band so it can be spent as chief and council see fit.

The report also suggests all the money set aside for the band in future years simply be given to the First Nation instead of getting Kamloops council approval for projects as they come up.

Council will debate what to do with the trust fund at its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 23.

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