City of Vernon staff would like to see partners in the Greater Vernon Recreation Facilities and Programming Agreement pitch in for pop-up spray parks in 2023.
Council will hear a staff proposal at its regular meeting Monday, March 13, to replace the Lakeview Park Wading Pool in 2023 with pop-up spray parks.
The historic and popular ‘Peanut Pool’ at Lakeview Park is under reconstruction but will not be ready to open and operate this year.
As per the agreement, staff suggests alerting the District of Coldstream and Regional District North Okanagan Electoral Areas B and C regarding options for the Lakeview Park Wading Pool and spray park budgeted funds.
“As was done last year, one option is to use a portion of the Lakeview Park Wading Pool and Spray Park budget for funding the pop-up spray parks,” said recreation services director Doug Ross in his report to council. “And that any surplus funds be transferred to the Recreation Operational Reserve.”
Ross said budgeted funds could be used to reduce the overall funding contribution for the city and the participants.
The net operating budget is $80,751. That includes $90,971 in spending, and project revenue of $10,220. The city share is 68.4 per cent or $62,224. The participants’ share is 31.6 per cent or $28,747.
“Administration’s preference would be to utilize the budgeted funds to pay for the pop-up spray parks, and to transfer any surplus funds to reserve,” said Ross. “This will also help maintain the continuity of the overall funding contributions in the service.”
The agreement says any decision must be unanimous among the city and its participants.
Staff recommends council notify Coldstream and the electoral areas of the budget options, and recommends the district and electoral areas agree to utilize their collective share of $28,747 each in the 2023 operating budget to help fund the pop-up spray parks.
READ MORE: Vernon’s Peanut Pool will not open in 2023
READ MORE: Vernon’s 64-year-old peanut pool revamped with spray park
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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