The Town of Osoyoos will be getting new outdoor pickleball courts and events like the popular Music in the Park concert series, Cactus Jalopies custom car show and medieval jousting event at Desert Park are sure to thrive in 2017 after town council approved funding requests on Monday.

However, not everyone will be happy as councillors couldn’t say yes to every funding request presented during a recent public open meeting.

As a result, council voted down requests such as upgrading roadwork and infrastructure along Harbour Key Drive and denying, for the time being, major upgrades to the Osoyoos Child Care Centre.

On Jan. 16, council listened to a number of submissions during a public open meeting as a dozen community groups and organizations requested more than $130,000 in funding requests.

On Monday, council discussed all of the requests and approved most, but denied a few.

Local pickleball enthusiasts will be pleased to know council has approved their request to increase funding from $15,000 to $20,000 to build four outdoor pickleball courts near the town’s tennis courts near Osoyoos Secondary School.

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen has agreed to provide $10,000 in funding.

With $30,000 in place, construction on the outdoor pickleball facility is expected to begin as soon as the cold winter weather disappears.

The three ladies who started the Osoyoos Gift Cupboard – Brenda Dorosz, Jen Shiels and Gaye Horn – had requested $100 per month in funding or $1,200 annually from council to assist them with keeping items available in the gift cupboard.

Mayor Sue McKortoff said this project has been a resounding success in large part because members of the community have taken ownership and have generously donated items for the gift cupboard.

She thought the program should continue as it has the past several months and would be more than willing to review further funding requests a year from now.

Councillors C. J. Rhodes and Mike Campol felt the program was helping so many people that they couldn’t turn down the funding request.

At the end of the discussion, councillors Carol Youngberg and Jim King supported McKortoff’s motion to reject the funding request and review it in the future.

Council unanimously supported a request from the Osoyoos Lake Water Quality Society to provide $2,000 to assist the organization with updating their website and printed promotional materials.

The Osoyoos Airport Development Society had requested $48,000 from council to assist with a myriad of improvements to the airport.

This group is waiting to complete an Airport Master Plan, runway markings, perimeter fencing and site cleanup, apron improvements and possible runway extension to the south. The total pricetag of these projects is $330,000 with potential grant funding of $250,000 being sought.

OADS members have also pledged $16,000 as has Destination Osoyoos.

Providing $48,000 in taxpayer funding would result in more than a two per cent tax increase in the 2017 budget and he couldn’t support this request, especially with the status of numerous grant applications unknown, said Rhodes.

McKortoff and other members of council agreed and turned down the funding request.

Council also rejected a request from neighbours in the Harbour Key area to move a projected $750,000 infrastructure improvement plan for that area to the top of the list for 2017.

While work is badly needed in that area, there are other roads in worse shape, which has clearly been identified in the town’s five-year financial plan, said Rhodes.

The Harbour Key reconstruction project is set to be completed in 2021.

Management with the Osoyoos Child Care Centre has asked for $4,500 for playground equipment, $27,820 to upgrade interior flooring and $19,200 for installation of solar panels.

The local non-profit group Spirit of the Game stepped up recently to provide the $4,500 for the playground.

Council voted against supporting the $37,000 for flooring and solar panels as part of the 2017 budget.

Council requested a “cost benefit analysis” relating to the solar panels and at least two competitive quotes be provided relating to the flooring funding request before they would be willing to consider these in the future.

Members of council also agreed to take a tour of the Osoyoos Child Care Centre to see the status of the building and the good work being done by staff.

Council unanimously voted to support numerous smaller funding requests, including:

– $5,500 to Cactus Jalopies custom car show to pay for the professional motorcycle stunt team that will perform at the 2017 event in early June.

– $3,400 on top of the annual $6,000 provided to the Osoyoos Festival Society to pay for additional costs related to Canada’s 150th birthday celebration.

– $5,000 to assist with the second annual medieval jousting event at Desert Park, set for the May long weekend.

– $5,000  for Osoyoos Elementary School to assist with the development of a new playground in the lower level of the school.

– $8,000 in 2017 and $10,000 in 2018 to organizers of the Music in the Park concert series, which has grown rapidly in size and popularity over the past two years.

The 2017 budget process is expected to wrap up within the next few weeks.

KEITH LACEY

Osoyoos Times