Dogs vs baseball
The final battle between dogs and baseball reached its anticlimactic conclusion at council on Monday, June 26.
The city approved a revised fencing plan for Marshall Field, in an effort to separate the off-leash dog park from the baseball diamonds.
Coun. Akbal Mund brought forth a reconsideration motion of the resolution passed on June 12, which saw the approval of a $45,000 fence to be erected at Marshall Field with Vernon Minor Baseball contributing $10,000.
Mund’s new proposal will still see a fence erected, but with the exception that on the west side of the west ball diamond, the fence will run 12 metres away parallel from the current ball fields fencing, to alleviate the interaction between dogs in the off leash park and public spectator areas of the ball field.
“This has been an issue for years,” Mund said. “It’s a compromise, we try to do what’s best for everyone, but parents are concerns and a permanent fence is the only option.”
Several members of the public were in the gallery during the meeting, eager to comment on the matter. However, no public input was permitted, which drew frustrated groans from the gallery.
Mund said that he was at the fields this weekend with minor baseball and was “disgusted” with what he saw.
“These baseball teams had to deal with minor landmines [presumably dog poop], I hope it doesn’t happen in the future.”
The new fencing proposal was passed by council, with Coun. Kari Gares opposed.
New grant
Council was informed that they were approved for an $850,000 grant to implement a gun and gang prevention strategy with the city of Vernon.
The commencement of the grant would be immediate. The monies come from a Canadian government fund that was established in March of 2022 entitled: Building Safer Communities Fund. The funding is dedicated towards preventing gun and gang violence.
UBCM
Members of council will be attending the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention on Sept. 18-22 in Vancouver. Additionally, council requested a meeting with Premier David Eby during the conference, with regards to the Duteau Creek Watershed assessment.
The assessment looks at the water quality levels in Duteau, which is located on Crown Land. Council is unsure on the provincial responsibility, so is inquiring into meeting with Eby.
Rezoning defeated
A bylaw to rezone a property on 3501 11th St., to subdivide the property into two lots, has been defeated. Mayor Victor Cumming stated that this rezoning would make the properties too close together.
More information on the council meeting can be found at vernon.ca/government-services/mayor-council.
READ MORE: Dogs vs baseball: Council to revisit fencing plan at Vernon park
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@B0B0Assman
bowen.assman@vernonmorningstar.com
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