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Gymnastics home sought

The North Valley Gymnastics Society was back before the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee Thursday
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The North Valley Gymnastics Society is seeking a permanent home.

A gymnastics club continues to seek a home.

The North Valley Gymnastics Society was back before the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee Thursday making the case for a facility.

“We are the only non-profit gymnastics club,” said Pam Hargreaves, spokesperson.

There were 458 participants in the spring session, and the fall program has 529 participants.

“There is a constant waitlist of 100 kids wanting to get in,” said Hargreaves.

“Parents are frustrated we’re booked within a couple of hours.”

Currently, the club rents an industrial building which doesn’t have sufficient space.

“We can’t fit another person in,” said Hargreaves.

The club wants GVAC to identify a site where an 8,000-square-foot building could be developed.

The goal would be to seek grants and repay the municipal loan needed for construction.

“I hope we can come to a resolution so we can provide them some direction,” said Juliette Cunningham, GVAC chairperson.

“It (gymnastics) is an activity that’s affordable for families.”

In other matters, GVAC is considering whether it should take over responsibility for the Okanagan Science Centre building as part of the cultural inventory.

“It’s an old building and there are issues associated with it,” said director Bob Fleming.

“We don’t have a good enough handle on it to decide if we’re taking this on.”

Staff will discuss the issue with the City of Vernon, which owns the building.

“We want to understand the liability and costs,” said director Doug Dirk.

If GVAC does decide to take on responsibility of the building, that doesn’t mean the Okanagan Science Centre is necessarily receiving an operating grant for its programs.