A war chest to fight city hall is growing, but more ammunition is needed.
The Okanagan Equestrian Society held its annual general meeting Sunday and it included selling debentures to fund its legal action against the City of Vernon over access to Kin Race Track.
“We haven’t reached our fundraising goal but we’re more than half way there. There is a lot of interest,” said Robyn Dalziel, society president.
Dalziel wouldn’t get into figures but says the money is needed to cover expenses for the upcoming court case in New Westminster, including travel for witnesses.
“We have to reach our financial goals to go to trial,” she said.
The dispute began in 2010 when the society was evicted from Kin Race Track.
The society immediately took the city and the Regional District of North Okanagan to court, claiming equestrian activities were guaranteed when most of the track was turned over for free to the city. The society has also claimed RDNO ignored an agreement for lease renewals.
The jurisdictions, though, have claimed the society hasn’t lived up to its terms of the agreement, including maintenance of the property and holding events.
The last races were in 2013 and a fire destroyed the grandstand in 2014.
Dalziel is confident that the required funds will come into support the legal challenge.
“I’m so beyond optimistic. We’re not going to lose the case,” she said.