Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming announcing his re-election bid in August, 2022. (Liam Verster/Vernon Matters Staff)

By Liam Verster

Year In Review

Mayor reflects on Vernon’s accomplishments and projects in 2022

Dec 28, 2022 | 6:00 AM

Vernon’s mayor says a lot was accomplished in 2022, particularly with projects and community amenities.

“The city’s main activities is maintaining infrastructure: roads, sidewalks, drinking water, waste water management, storm water infrastructure,” Victor Cumming told Vernon Matters.

“It was a big year on that, those who are in the downtown core seeing streets dug up and utilities replaced and roads rebuilt. A significant amount of the city’s resources go into maintaining and obviously replacing aging infrastructure, some of it up to 100 years old.”

Cumming added he was pleased to see progress made on several projects including the revitalization of the Lakeview “Peanut” Pool, the new SilverStar multi-use pathway, the Girouard Park expansion, Civic Memorial Park, the Jumpstart playground built, and the two new daycare centres.

“Looks like the [new daycare centres] will open in January, adding about 200 new spaces, which is very important for those that have young kids and need day care,” Cumming said.

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Cumming also stated he was happy some projects could be green lit this past year.

“Greater Vernon Cultural Centre has hired an architect and detailed planning is underway, as well as detailed engineering [is underway] for the water filtration plant on Mission Hill,” Cumming said.

“And as we know, the Active Living Centre referendum passed so there will be planning in 2023 for the new Active Living Centre.”

Cumming also said there was progress made on the Climate Action Plan this year with the launch of the curbside organics and the e-scooter programs.

Vernon’s mayor added the local tourism sector also had a bounce-back year and exceeded pre-pandemic levels, noting the data shows Vernon on track for setting a new accommodation record in terms of people visiting and staying in Vernon.

Cumming said while there were a lot of positives in the past year, staff recruitment was a challenge for many local businesses.

“This tight skilled labour supply affects all businesses I think, and definitely affects those who are providing social services, like the city,” Cumming told Vernon Matters.

Cumming also said he wished the new supportive housing project that opened Dec. 22, The Crossings on 35th Street, could have been finished and operational earlier in the year, adding there were discussions involving creating another supportive housing project locally but that has not moved forward and no plans have been formulated.

“I think what we’ve seen is projects that would make a significant difference to individuals that has just been a little bit slower than we would like, and mainly that is because of a shortage of skilled labour right across the system,” Cumming said.

“I know a number of those in the development community wished their approvals had gone faster, and the city is upgrading the systems but we too have had challenges in 2021 and 2022 finding enough skilled staff.”

Despite these labour shortages, Cumming said he believed Vernon “fared better than most” economically.

“We’ve had record construction again in 2022 after a very significant success in building permits in 2021 which results in construction in 2022, so I think that sector had significant growth. [Data] indicated the tourism sector had a record year this year as well. Those are two really key things for the community,” Cumming remarked.

“The increase in interest rates, I think, will begin to have an impact on the city starting mainly in 2023 and, yes, that will be a concern for many in terms of those who are trying to reset mortgages or pay higher rents relative to increases in mortgage rates. So that’s going to be something of a concern for lots on that side, but in general, I think Vernon has done extremely well and that’s why we have growing enterprises and growing facilities that are in demand for more good, skilled labourers.”

The city’s mayor, who is a regional economist by profession, added he is pleased the city stayed within the target with the endorsed tax increase of 4.79 per cent, which includes the final year of the 1.9 per cent infrastructure levy.

Cumming was re-elected as mayor in October, beating out former councillor Scott Anderson and challenger Erik Oleson.

Brian Guy was the sole newcomer elected to council, along with incumbents Akbal Mund, Kari Gares, Kelly Fehr, Brian Quiring and Teresa Durning.

“I just really want to thank Scott Anderson for his two terms on council,” Cumming said.

Vernon’s CAO, Will Pearce, also stepped down and retired after 10 years of service to the city in December. He has been replaced by Patti Bridal, a former city manager, who comes out of retirement to serve in the position for two years.

Cumming added Vernon was fortunate to have a wet spring to offset the hot summer and create a light wildfire season in 2022.