Concept image of the new Active Living Centre. (submitted photo/City of Vernon)

By Liam Verster

ALC Staffing, Budget Plan

UPDATE: City investing $4.9M to offset ALC’s projected initial revenue losses

Oct 27, 2025 | 11:49 AM

The city of Vernon is investing more into the Active Living Centre (ALC) project to help offset some projected losses.

The ALC is on track to be completed and ready for use next fall, though the city will be staffing it and offering programs at the new facility through a phased approach.

The lack of full services initially, means the ALC’s revenue for the first year is not expected to be as high as it could have been.

To offset the projected loss Vernon City Council agreed to allocate $4.9-million from the Prior Year Unexpended Uncommitted Reserve towards the project.

This will also take the pressure off the taxpayers for the following years.

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The ALC is expected to have an annual operational cost of $8-million, though it is also expected to generate $3.8-million in revenue each year through programs, memberships, rentals, sponsorships, and other sources.

The difference between the operations and revenues will be covered through taxation. A city staff report said the tax support would be phased in between 2027 and 2029, though noted the average annual tax impact is expected to be less that 1.5 per cent.

The ALC will be phased in with training, testing and preparations done in the fall of 2026. There will then be a grand opening the following January where the ALC will begin fully offering its services to residents and visitors. The operations will be monitored through the first year and then modified as needed to ensure the users’ needs are being realized.

The staff report also noted more people will need to be hired to run the ALC.

The Vernon Recreation Centre currently employs 36 full time equivalent workers (FTE), though that will need to be increased to 66 to fully run the new facility. Mayor Victor Cumming said some of those positions include jobs like lifeguards, who may not work full time in those roles, so the city could be looking to hire another 30 to 60 people to fill those positions.