Club Still Waiting For Word On Grant

The North Valley Gymnastics Society will have to wait a bit longer to find out if they’ll get financial support from local government.

The Greater Vernon Advisory Committee has sent the group’s request for $225,000 to its jurisdictions to consider.

The club, which has about 500 members, first made a presentation to GVAC February 8, and was directed to make a presentation to Vernon council which on April 23, supported the request in principal, contingent on getting support from its colleagues on GVAC, specifically Coldstream, and RDNO electoral areas B and C.

Paul Williamson, a director with the society, feels they are making progress — even if it’s slow.

“We now have to work with Areas B and C to get them on board. I believe Coldstream is on board. We also have to , of course, make sure their needs are met,” Williamson told the media after Thursday’s GVAC meeting.

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If the society gets the grant, it would be used for its new facility on 31st Street, an 8,500 square foot gymnasium in a former RV repair shop, which is expected to open later this month.

“I believe we will get the $225,000 we asked for, and Areas B and C, we just have to look closely at the big picture, so they are satisfied the funds are there,” adds Williamson.

The Regional District of North Okanagan no longer has a recreational function, meaning all requests for that have to go through the City of Vernon.

Coldstream and Areas B and C provide funding for recreational services through an annual grant, which this year is $1.1 million.

GVAC chair Juliette Cunningham is not sure if they will be able to accommodate the gymnastics grant in this year’s budget, saying it’s not viable to take it out of this year’s targeted funds.

“The grant to the City of Vernon to operate it, that money is all spoken for. That’s a pretty lean budget as it is, so that is not an option,” Cunningham told the media.

Cunningham says options such as borrowing may have to be looked at.