Lee McFadyen, president of the Osoyoos Desert Society, along with other volunteers, was busy in April cleaning up mould and mouse feces in the old trailer building, which leaked over the winter. The work allowed the centre to open a few weeks late this season, but McFadyen said this trailer is at the end of its life and two other aging trailers will be replaced at the same time. The total cost is around $100,000. (Richard McGuire file photo)

(This story is updated to show that council followed through on Monday with the earlier vote and will be providing $40,000 in Resort Municipality Initiative funds to the Desert Centre.)

The Osoyoos Desert Centre is getting some town assistance for replacement of its aging trailer buildings.

Town council has approved providing $40,000 of Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) funds.

Council approved the used of RMI funds at a closed-door meeting in April, and that approval was carried forward to Monday’s regular council meeting without debate.

The two April motions were only made public when Monday’s agenda was released last week.

Mayor Sue McKortoff said the matter was first discussed in camera because the Desert Centre had applied to other agencies for assistance.

The Desert Centre’s trailer building at its entrance was damaged by water over the winter and mice have also done considerable damage.

The building damage meant the Desert Centre’s opening was delayed this year to mid-May from the usual opening at the end of April.

The Desert Centre plans to replace its three aging trailers with a new one, but it needs to order it soon.

The total cost is expected to be around $100,000 to purchase and install the new trailer and the Osoyoos Desert Society will be doing other fundraising.

Volunteers worked to restore the badly damaged entrance trailer, but the work was seen as only a temporary fix to get the building through this season.

In the closed-door April meeting, a motion to have administration take steps to include the project in the RMI strategy was approved, but with opposition from Councillor C.J. Rhodes.

A second motion, to approve $40,000 in RMI funds for the Desert Society to purchase the trailer was also approved, but with opposition from both Rhodes and Councillor Mike Campol.

Neither councillor spoke to the issue on Monday.

While council may pass motions behind closed doors, they need to be brought forward to an open meeting before they can be implemented.

RMI funds are administered through the province and are provided to 14 resort municipalities in B.C., including Osoyoos, for tourism-related projects.

RICHARD McGUIRE

Osoyoos Times