By Pete McIntyre

Horse college proponents seek grants

Nov 12, 2019 | 5:20 AM

Five-point-five million dollars.

That’s how much a proposed North Okanagan horse college would cost.

Members of the Monashee Agri Park Society are applying for senior government grants to pay for it.

The group’s lawyers are negotiating a long term lease with the Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB), under the Harris Indian Band, to use 25 acres of land on Otter Lake Cross Road near the Tolko mill in Spallumcheen.

“We had a meeting with the OKIB on Oct. 7 and they were very receptive to our project. We gave them our business plan, and we asked them if they would like to partner on a horse racing track out there and they were looking into that,” said Malcolm Lynn, society president

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The non-profit group will be seeking letters of support from the local MLA and MP, and will meet with members Wednesday night (Nov. 13) at 7 p.m. at Squires Four Pub on Stickle Road.

“Greg Kyllo (Shuswap MLA) said he is going to try to attend because we’re starting with our grant applications with the province and federal governments. The MP (Mel Arnold), he declined [to attend the meeting], because he hasn’t been sworn in yet,” Lynn told Vernon Matters.

Lynn said they are hoping the local politicians can give them more information on where to seek to grants.

“We have a lady that’s doing our grant writing. She has done the application for the Work BC Job Creation partnership program, which is through the government, and hopefully we can get started doing the fencing out there.”

The group is proposing to offer certified blacksmith and veterinarian-assistant courses at the Monashee Equine College, with the revenue used to create horse-related facilities such as a race track, and a swimming pool for horses.

For more on the proposal, click here.

by Pete McIntyre

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