RDNO checks regional appetite for annual funding for O’Keefe Ranch

Sep 24, 2021 | 1:00 PM

A proposal for the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) to provide annual funding to the Historic O’Keefe Ranch is being sent to its member municipalities and electoral areas for comment.

The RDNO board of directors has passed a motion to refer the draft O’Keefe Ranch Grant Service Establishment Bylaw to its various councils and electoral area director for consideration of joining the proposed service.

RDNO used to offer an annual subsidy to the historic attraction in Spallumcheen from 2005 to 2008.

At that time, Armstrong, Vernon, Coldstream and all five electoral areas were participants in the annual grant for planning, operation and maintenance of facilities and programs at the ranch.

“The maximum amount was not more than $109,230 or $0.0222 per $1,000 on the net taxable value of land and improvements within the service area. The bylaw was amended in 2007 by removing Electoral Areas “B” and “D” as participants; shortly after, the bylaw was repealed in March 2008 and the service dissolved,” stated an RDNO staff report to the board.

Water Shut Off Response

Fruit Growers Association call for plan to support farmers amid water shortage

38m ago

42-Unit Project

Fees waived for new supportive housing project in Vernon

1h ago

Investigation underway

One person deceased after fire at North Okanagan farm

4h ago

The financially-strapped ranch has been getting a grant from its owner, the City of Vernon, for a number of years including $125,000 this year.

Annual grant from the City of Vernon to the O’Keefe Ranch (Image credit:RDNO)

The maximum yearly grant amount under the RDNO bylaw is $130,000. The actual grant amount to the Ranch’s operating society would be set during budget deliberations.

Based on the 2021 assessment roll and if all of the member municipalities and electoral areas approved their participation within the service, the proportional split would be as follows:

(Image credit: RDNO)

If the service is supported, it would spread the funding around the region instead of just Vernon.

The Township of Spallumcheen, the community where the ranch is located, also provides a tax exemption to the site.

On a related matter, RDNO Electoral Area D is backing a grant service bylaw to provide up to $35,000 a year to the Lumby and District Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Centre.

by Pete McIntyre

View Comments