Local politician says report of cultural centre on hold is ‘unfounded’

Jul 16, 2020 | 3:02 PM

The chair of the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee (GVAC) denies a report the proposed cultural centre has been put on hold due to higher than expected operational costs.

Akbal Mund calls that unfounded.

“If were basing everything on what the consultant’s report says — every report could be different — you could get three different consultants and all the reports are not going to be the same. So to defer the project because it said the operating costs will be higher than expected is unfounded. We don’t know what the operating costs are going to be,” Mund told Vernon Matters.

Mund said the costs could be higher or lower.

“We don’t know, so let’s not speculate that the cultural centre is being put on hold because one consultant’s report says a few things,” he said.

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Mund said rather than putting the project on hold, GVAC recently formed a working group of local political reps to keep the project moving forward.

“It was formed so the cultural centre project would not stall and there would be some direction given by the four members to keep moving this project forward working with staff from RDNO and the City of Vernon,” the former mayor said.

Greater Vernon voters approved borrowing up to $25 million for a $40 million facility to house an art gallery and museum in November 2018.

The proposed site is on the former Coldstream Hotel site in downtown Vernon.

A media report suggested RDNO staff are proposing alternatives including reducing the size of the building, leaving the museum and art gallery at their current sites or putting the project on hold.

by Pete McIntyre

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