-Group plans to start bringing horses into park this week-

OSOYOOS TIMES-March 11, 2009-

By Paul EverestrnOsoyoos Times

The sound of horses could once again be echoing through the spaces of Desert Park in the next few weeks.
The Town of Osoyoos and the Southern Interior Recreational Equestrian Centre (SIREC) group signed a memorandum of understanding on March 6 giving the group immediate access to the park so its members could begin preparing the facility for events and equestrian-related activities for the spring and summer.
The agreement allows the group to begin operating within the 16-hectare park even while it continues to work out a short-term lease of up to six months with the Town.
The Town has put out a notice indicating it intends to lease the 40-year-old park to SIREC for a one month term with the option to renew on a month to month basis (to a maximum of six such renewals), for a monthly fee of $1,000.00 plus five per cent of gross monthly income.rnAccording to a Town media release, the group will be able to begin improvements on the park's racetrack, horse barns, RV facilities and the grounds.
The park's grandstand and recreational buildings, however, are not included in the terms of the agreement.
A group made up of local investors, SIREC first presented a rough plan for revitalizing the park to Osoyoos town council on Jan. 19.
Along with plans to host equestrian activities, including at least one horse race, the group hopes to hold events such as music festivals, antique car shows, agricultural events and archery competitions this year.
The group has said it also wants to make the park accessible for RVs while expanding the facility's campground.
Anarchist Mountain resident Eike Scheffler serves as SIREC's president and is a director for the group's board along with Allan Carswell, Bob Knight, Dr. Gordon McKenzie, Granny Quintal and Elaine Edwards.
He said Brian Starkey, a local rancher, will be the group's operations manager for the park.
The first step in preparing the park for the season will be cleaning the grounds and bringing in horses, possibly as soon as this week, Scheffler said.
He added that the group intends to run the park as a business and all event bookings will go through SIREC, with the exception of events previously booked through the Town.
The group intends to put $50,000 into revitalizing the park through the sale of $1,000 shares.
So far, Scheffler said, 35 shares have been sold.
An umbrella insurance policy has been taken out by the group for the park, Scheffler added, but individual horse people will need their own insurance.
And if someone wanted to stage races, they would have to bring their own insurance, he said.
Scheffler also said the group has negotiated with the developers of the Watermark Beach Resort to take over a modular building originally offered to the Town for use at the Osoyoos Airport.
Osoyoos town council turned down the offer earlier this year.
The building will be used for promotions and board meetings, Scheffler said, and the only cost to SIREC will be moving fees.
Down the road, the group hopes to build an Olympic-size multiplex building at the park so that events can be held indoors during the spring, winter and fall, Scheffler said.
Beyond that, the group will be seeking a long-term lease at the park.
Richard Tessier, chair and president of the Friends of Desert Park Society, said he sees the agreement as a step forward for Osoyoos and the people who are trying to save the park.rnAlthough no official agreement has been made between SIREC and the society, Tessier said he believed the group would look to society members as a volunteer labour pool for bringing the park back to life.
That's up to the volunteers whether they'll participate, he said.
The society's main concern for the park, Tessier added, is safety, especially when it comes to preparing the facility's racetrack for the reintroduction of horses.
The society could vote as soon as their next meeting on March 19 on whether or not to endorse the agreement between the Town and SIREC, Tessier said, adding that he doubts any society members would be against SIREC's plans.
I don't see objections within the group.rnDesert Park has been more or less unused for the past 15 years aside from some sporting and special events such as the annual bluegrass festival and the Relay for Life.
Three years ago, the Rocky Mountain Turf Club, a company based in Alberta, proposed to develop the park for horse racing and other eventsrnSlot machines, a lounge and simulcast horse-race betting were also considered for the facility.
Council supported the idea and roughly one-quarter of all Osoyoos residents voted 88 per cent in favour of developing a racino during a 2006 plebiscite.
In the spring of 2007, however, the British Columbia Lottery Corporation denied the Town a gaming licence for the park.
In the media release, Mayor Stu Wells said council intends to put together a request for proposals to seek ideas for longer-term use of the park from any interested group.
The proposals that come forward will be considered for the future of the facility after this year's use of the park by SIREC.
[email protected]