Denis Walsh

(GLYNN BROTHEN / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS - After a confusing meeting back in December that left Coun. Denis Walsh frustrated by his own mistake, he plans on bringing the issue of saving the former Kamloops Daily News building back to council next week.

Walsh announced in a news release he once again plans to ask council to rescind his own motion so councillors can look at the options available for saving the building that was the focus of a performing arts centre referendum last year.

After the referendum failed, council discussed the possibility of demolishing the downtown building. In an effort to put off the demolition, Walsh asked council to table the decision and the majority of councillors agreed. The problem came when it was realized Walsh did not add any follow up action, which left the topic completely off the table for a year.

At that time Walsh tried to get the decision to table the motion rescinded, but was not supported. He followed up the meeting by confronting staff and Mayor Peter Milobar.

“All indications after the last council meeting were that a poor wording of a motion by myself resulted in an equally flawed procedural interpretation of my motion which was to 'table' the discussion regarding the demolition of the Daily News building for one year,” Walsh says in a release. 

After a month to cool off, Walsh is now trying to get his fellow councillors to support his idea to rescind his original motion so they can put one in place that will allow staff to offer other options for the building.

"We do not have a Plan B following the defeat of the proposed Performing Arts Centre. We not only need to have a Plan B before we begin to act, we also need to look at any possible Plan C or Plan D as well that might work as the best option,” Walsh says. "I would like to see more community input, to inspire more transparency and vision from council, and in this light I am hoping that the mayor and all councillors will support my upcoming motion to rescind."

Walsh will formally let council know of his intentions to bring the motions forward during council meeting today, Jan. 12, with the plan to discuss them at the next meeting, Jan. 19.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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