OSOYOOS TIMES-February 3, 2010

By Laurena Weninger – Osoyoos Times

The Town of Osoyoos and the executive members of the South Interior Recreational Equine Centre (SIREC) are on their way to hammering out a long-term lease agreement for the running of Desert Park.
“Apparently it is going to be a long process,” said Allan Carswell, president of SIREC. “They want to have it completed before July of this year… We had hoped it would be faster as it puts another summer season at risk.”
Last fall, SIREC was chosen by the Town to run the park following a process where the Town asked for Expressions of Interest from organizations to operate the park.
Two groups came forward with proposals, and SIREC’s was chosen.
Since last spring, SIREC has been running the park on a month-to-month basis – an arrangement that has been extended until the long-term lease is finalized.
But the finalization process is going to take longer than Carswell had hoped.
July seems a long way off, in light of decisions the group must make regarding the park’s business, he said.
“We will be postponing significant capital projects until a long-term lease is in place,” Carswell said. “Given the fact that any capital improvement becomes the property of the Town it would be financially irresponsible to move ahead until that is in place.”
Osoyoos Mayor Stu Wells said he thinks the process is moving along at a good pace. There are a lot of details that have to be worked out, including how all the users – including those using the squash courts at the park – will be accommodated.
“We have to have everyone protected,” Wells said. “We want it done right.”
And while July 1 was picked as a target for having the agreement signed, it could come together sooner.
“I don’t see it taking until July at all,” said Wells.
But Carswell said until that long-term agreement is in place, the upcoming year will likely mean more of the same that has been going on so far at the park – but not a lot more.
“We will continue to repair and upgrade, but the (construction of the) indoor arena will be pushed back in time,” Carswell said. “In terms of events, we continue to receive lots of interest but it’s almost impossible to book anything major on a month-by-month lease. The organizers of events want the security of a date and party with whom they would be dealing with and at this time we cannot provide that for more than a month in advance.”
Desert Park is scheduled to open for the spring training season on Feb 1.
At this time there are 125 horses booked to stay at the park.
The first horses are currently scheduled to arrive on Feb. 8.
“If we get anything over 60 horses we will be very pleased and ahead of our projections,” Carswell said.
Currently, repair work on the park’s main barn is complete and the trailer park is open.
“Next on the list is the racetrack itself and we have been working on that for two weeks now,” said Carswell, adding resurfacing and rock removal are the top priorities for the track.
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