By Roy Wood, Special to the Times Chronicle
The aging Desert Park Recreation Facility has avoided the wrecker’s ball for the time being, but the longer term is cloudy as the town of Osoyoos develops a long-term parks and recreation master plan, which likely won’t include the multi-use building.
Council this week approved a request from community services director Gerald Davis for a new roof at a cost of $80,000, an exterior door replacement for $20,000 and squash court at $10,000.
Davis also sought approval for a four-year $650,000 capital plan covering such things as exterior stucco, flooring, soffit repairs, chain link fencing, electrical upgrades, security and fire alarm upgrades, shower upgrades, parking lot paving and other emergency repairs.
That request was not approved. Councillor Myers Bennett suggested the items be discussed during budget discussions where, “You can put them on your wish list.”
Councillor Johnny Cheong pointed out that the town is in the midst of creating a recreation master plan, including a survey of public opinion, which will be completed by October 11.
Cheong said one of the options put forward in the survey would see the senior centre moved to Desert Park along with a multi-cultural and multi-use facility at the site.
“I’m assuming the current building would be demolished and a new building built,” he said. Davis confirmed his assumption. Cheong added: “It would be prudent to wait for the results of the survey … and see what residents would like to prioritize … before we make a decision here.”
The councillor acknowledged the need to “focus on the high criticality … The roof is a key aspect, so the building can still be used safely while we develop a plan for potential building replacement, which is going to take time.”
Horse races have all but disappeared from the Okanagan landscape.
In the shorter term, Mayor Sue McKortoff asked whether it is necessary to replace the roof right now. Davis said that because of the recent windstorm, the roof is down to the bare wood in spots. “I would say at some point between now and Christmas, depending on the weather, we would probably have to close the facility.”
Activities currently slated for building include: A dog agility group, which goes from November to April and occupies the building for two hours on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday; An archery program offered by the Community Services Department, which runs two days a week from January until June; Pickleball, which goes on year-round and uses the facility up to 66 hours a week; and Squash courts, which operate on a drop-in basis and involves 12 to 15 users.
Davis’s report provided a bit of history of the Desert Park Recreation Facility.
The building opened in the 1980s, built for a provincial games event. I was the town’s prime recreation building, home to many programs and events. “Once the Sonora Community Center opened in 2004 Desert Park recreation building was going to be obsolete,” said the report. “However, with the anticipated return of horse racing and a new society operating Desert Park Racetrack, the building was kept open.”
For several years no capital improvements were made, but the facility was being used for special events, programs and private rentals.
Better days – Horses round the final bend in the sixth and final race at Desert Park in 2016. File photo
In 2013 there was a substantial flood that caused extensive damage. The town could have demolished the building but opted to pay the insurance deductible of $5,000 and repaired the building to the tune of $90,000.
There is a long history of horse racing at the adjacent track, going back several decades. However, the interior racing circuit declined through the early 2000s, including in Osoyoos.
Despite the town spending over $100,000 to repair the bleachers and building envelope, there hasn’t been racing in nearly a decade.
