Thank you Morning Star editors for raising public awareness about the proposed repurposing of the Civic Arena March 15.
The Civic, if it can be brought up to code, offers a unique opportunity to support the groups looking for space and to address the recommendations of the 2004 recreation master plan related to the lack of indoor space.
At one point, a ray of hope for user groups emerged with the development of a community blueprint for a multi-facility recreation park (Kin Race Track draft proposal 2010). Sadly in the intervening years, as Vernonites patiently await the development of community sport and recreation facilities and parks similar to the ones that exist to the north and south, the united vision grows dim and fragmented.
As the region prepares to host another B.C. Winter Games in 2022, it should be noted that no gain in indoor space used for the Winter Games has been made since 2012, except for necessary upgrades to the aging ice sport facility. Likewise, there’s been no progress on correcting the funding imbalance that exists for gender-specific sport support (as local governments traditionally support hockey, a predominately male sport), an issue that has been successfully challenged in other jurisdictions.
The discussion on repurposing the Civic Arena presents an opportunity to capitalize on combined group synergies, community spirit and enthusiasm, to activate unity and concrete action on a lasting collective vision for community development.
Project leadership could conceivably come from a coalition that includes the North Okanagan Sports Society, a 2012 B.C. Winter Games legacy organization formed to bring partners together around sport infrastructure planning and implementation.
It’s important that residents have their say about the Civic and longer-range sport, culture and community development plans.
Pam Hargreaves
Vernon