Cultural Centre tops priority list for advisory committee

The proposed Greater Vernon Cultural Centre will one of the top priorities for local politicians over the coming year.

That’s the comment of Vernon councillor Akbal Mund who has been chosen to lead the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee (GVAC) for another year as chairperson.

Mund said the committee, an advisory panel to the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) board, will be working on getting the business plan and marketing in place for the $40 million centre slated for the former Coldstream Hotel site on 30th Street downtown.

“We want to get the strategies in place and the marketing, the impact study and business plan. We’ll be moving forward with that. There is lots of work to do there. That’s probably our top priority,” Mund told Vernon Matters.

Voters approved borrowing up to $25 million for the facility in a referendum in November 2018 but no construction will start until all the funding is in place.

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Mund said they are still waiting on a federal grant application for $23.5 million.

“I havent officially heard anything,” Mund said.

Fundraising would cover the remaining amount.

Mund, a former mayor of Vernon, said the committee will also be looking at plans for an active living centre, with input still being gathered on that.

Mund was unopposed for the one year term as chair.

“In my experience, everyone goes for two years. I was asked literally the day before if I would run again and I said ‘Sure I’ll run again,'” Mund said.

RDNO Electoral Area B director (BX-Swan Lake) Bob Fleming is back at GVAC’s vice chair.

The GVAC committee holds its regular meetings once a month, usually on the first Thursday of the month, and deals with parks, recreation, water and arts and culture issues.