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November 05, 2023 - 1:00 PM
Summerland residents voted ‘no’ to the proposal for a $50 million aquatic centre.
The district held a referendum vote to decide whether it would take a $50 million loan to build a new pool, the loan would be paid off by taxpayers for the next 30 years.
Turnout for the vote was high, out of 11,000 residents 4,625 cast votes. 2,682 residents voted ‘no’ and 1943 voted ‘yes’.
READ MORE: Summerland's $50 million rec centre goes to a vote but not without controversy
Joni Pigot is a Summerland resident who was outspoken about her opposition to the new pool.
“About 46% of approximately 10,000 eligible voters. Considering the District did not allow anything but in-person voting, that’s a great turnout. Our community has a good number of non-resident property owners and snow birds, who may not have been able to vote as they could not attend in person,” Pigot said.
Pigot says this voter turnout was a better representation of Summerland residents than the surveys conducted by the district to get feedback about the proposal.
“A fair representation of what this community wants and needs. Not the 620 2021 survey respondents,” she said.
Since residents have voted against a new pool, the district will be making plans to renovate the existing pool.
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