By Lyonel Doherty

About 200 people attended Tuesday’s public hearing at the community centre, where more than 40 people commented on the zoning amendment. (Photo by Lyonel Doherty)

After two hours of listening to more than 40 speakers on Tuesday, Oliver Town council unanimously approved rezoning the Centennial Park site to accommodate a new hotel.

“As a business owner, I need to have growth,” said Councillor Maureen Doerr. “If my store closes, six people are out of work,” she pointed out after most of the 200 people left the community centre where the public hearing was held.

Many people spoke in favour of rezoning two acres of the park to a commercial designation to allow an 80-room hotel being proposed by Mundi Hotel Enterprises. Many people spoke against the rezoning, but that didn’t sway council’s decision.

The first speaker in favour was Tony Munday from the Oliver Tourism Association. He said Oliver needs a mix of accommodation to have a vibrant tourism industry.

“We have a strong history of pushing tourists to Osoyoos . . . the Half Corked (Marathon) weekend fills Osoyoos,” Munday said, noting that Oliver needs these hotel rooms.

He pointed out the local region already has more than 500 RV sites to choose from.

But local resident Gail Blidook said the Community Charter of BC says if land is designated as park, a municipality can’t change that designation without approval from the electorate (via a referendum).

Blidook also questioned the risk of developing a hotel on a flood plain (in Centennial Park) and the value of the trees that would have to be removed.

But Chris Garrish, contract planner for the Town, said the park designation changed to commercial in 2003.

Joe Luckhurst, general manager of Road 13 Vineyards, said nine out of 10 people who participate in their shuttle events come from Osoyoos (where they stay in hotels).

“We absolutely need to have more people stay in our town,” he said to applause.

Bill Greer, another speaker, quoted singer Joni Mitchell by saying the Town is paving paradise and putting up a parking lot, and it won’t know what it’s got until Centennial Park is gone.

“Replacing it with a hotel doesn’t make a lot of logical sense,” Greer said.

But former Oliver mayor Pat Hampson said Oliver is basically a drive-through town to get to Osoyoos.

“If we don’t move forward we will slowly become a ghost town with little or no future for our children.”

But resident George Boychuk said he disagrees with taking a viable business out of commission, noting the RV park should be made into a year-round enterprise.

Local businesswoman Monica Nemes said Oliver needs a hotel as soon as possible because it is missing out on a large number of people looking for accommodation.

Nemes said there is a lot of emotional attachment to Centennial RV Park, but the fact is locals can’t really use it because it’s basically for out-of-towners.

Local soccer coach Lee Mounsey said the hotel would be great for sports moms on the road with their children. She noted Centennial Park is an ideal spot for a hotel because of the proximity to the arena and the baseball diamonds.

Tom Szalay, former Town manager, said Centennial Park was never a public park but a commercial enterprise, just like the new hotel will be, but with higher density.

“Take a look at downtown . . . it sucks! We should welcome a hotel development with open arms.”

Resident Lynn Friesen said the Town has sent developers away in the past, so she urged council not to send this one away.

“We have other campgrounds . . . I don’t know why the Town is in the RV business.”

Winemaker Sandra Oldfield from Tinhorn Creek said viable wineries can’t survive without the tourist base. “We need to invest in tourism,” she stated.

Local businessman Alberto Veintimilla clarified that Centennial Park was indeed declared a park back in 1985.

Resident Gloria Luypen said the community needs business because stores are struggling. But she doesn’t want to trade one business for another, so she suggested finding a new location for the RV park.

Donna Rickman, a camper in the RV park, said she buys fuel, insurance, eyeglasses and clothing while staying in Oliver.

“We were here for two weeks and spent $2,500 in town.”

She noted that if Centennial RV Park shuts down she won’t be coming back to Oliver.

Resident Cal Craik said the town is better off economically with a hotel, citing the benefits such as jobs during its construction.

Szalay pointed out that people staying in the hotel will spend a lot more per day than people staying in the park.

Oliver Fire Chief Bob Graham said the firefighters’ convention that the fire department hosts could certainly benefit from a new hotel in town.

He noted the fire department books the hotels for the suppliers and trainers who attend the convention, and most of these bookings go to Osoyoos.

Councillor Doerr said she appreciated people’s passion for the RV park, but said council was elected to make the town grow.

“All we heard (during that time) was we need a hotel.”

Doerr said if council says no to this opportunity, it may be a long time before they see another.

Councillor Larry Schwartzenberger said someone told him he would be selling his soul if he voted in favour of the rezoning. He didn’t agree because his soul is not for sale.

He noted that downtown revitalization has always been a priority in Oliver. In addition, he noted the hotel will be contributing about $800,000 in taxes for various services (such as education, policing, recreation, the library, the landfill and Frank Venables Theatre).

Councillor Jack Bennest said he’s not interested in the taxation, noting the hotel will facilitate great change in Oliver’s economy.

Bennest said all he heard from the opponents at the public hearing was emotional attachment to the park, which is primarily used by out-of-province visitors.

The councillor said people will say things that aren’t logical when they get it in their heads that something is bad.

“A decision has to be made and sometimes it’s a decision you won’t like.”

Fellow Councillor Petra Veintimilla said she understands that some people want to keep green space in the community.

“But I strongly feel that the positive attributes of a hotel outweigh the negatives of losing green space.”

Mayor Ron Hovanes said Oliver has been a land of missed opportunities in the past. He also noted there are eight RV parks in the area.

“We were elected to make quality decisions for the benefit of the broader community, not just for those who love the RV park.”