The board of directors of the South Interior Recreational Equestrian Centre (SIREC) signed a lease with the Town of Osoyoos for Desert Park on May 7.
Eike Scheffler, SIREC’s president, signed the lease with Mayor Stu Wells at Desert Park with about 20 people, including Town staff, councillors and SIREC shareholders, looking on.
The lease is a month-by-month contract for a period of six months, said Barry Romanko, the Town’s chief administrative officer.
Romanko said the terms of the lease put the maintenance of the track and equestrian buildings at Desert Park under SIREC’s responsibility.
He said the Town will have priority when it comes to pre-booked events and that both parties will work to avoid scheduling conflicts for any other events that are booked through SIREC.
Wells and Scheffler said they’re relieved to have this part of the agreement solidified.
“It’s been a really long road,” Wells said. Scheffler said he’s been working toward this for six years.
“It’s finally come together,” he said. “We’ll turn this into the Stanley Park of the South Okanagan.”
But Romanko said this is not a permanent solution for the management of Desert Park.
“Between now and the next six months we’re going to be exploring our options,” he said. “Our commitment to SIREC is only for six months.”
After the lease is up, the Town will be free to make an invitation for proposal Romanko said.
If SIREC wants to re-sign its lease in six months, they’ll have to work just as hard to get it as any other company interested in running the park would.
“They would have to provide the best proposal to us,” Romanko said.
But for now, there are horses on the grounds, as well as a manager and assistant manager.
Coun. C.J. Rhodes said that will do for now.
“It just feels good to have some activity up here,” Rhodes said.
By Karen Knelsen
Osoyoos Times
