By Lyonel Doherty
Like death and taxes, there’s no escaping the opposition surrounding the proposed hotel in Centennial RV Park.
That’s why the Town of Oliver has chosen a larger venue to host a public hearing on the property’s rezoning.
The hearing will be held on Monday, May 8 at 6 pm in the Oliver Elks Hall. A public question-and-answer session will take place prior to the hearing at 5:30 pm.
At Monday’s council meeting Mayor Ron Hovanes acknowledged the opposition, admitting that some people are not happy with losing the municipal RV park to a hotel. He also said many people support the proposal.
The Town recently sold two parcels of the property to Mundi Hotel Enterprises, which proposes to build a four-storey, 80-room hotel featuring a restaurant and pool.
Before this can happen, the Town has to amend the Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Bylaw. Specifically, council wants to amend the OCP designation from parks and open space to Town Centre, which would allow the development of a hotel.
Chris Garrish, the Town’s contract planner, noted that the OCP bylaw has long designated the RV park site for future commercial development.
But supporters of Centennial RV Park say the hotel should be located elsewhere because the trailer park is a big asset to the community.
A petition has been kick-started by local resident Joy Vangen, who has been working with Fern Gould to gather names.
Gould said she has collected approximately 390 signatures, adding there are three other people collecting names as well. She predicts they will have about 500 names on the petition, which she plans to send to hotel developer Ron Mundi.
She also plans to ask the hotelier if he really thinks he has a chance to run a successful business here.
“You want to go broke? Come on down. It’s just not feasible to put something like that in this town.”
But Mundi recently told the Chronicle that he doesn’t think it’s a risky investment, even at $10 million. The entrepreneur pointed out that people need a place to stay here, and those looking for a four-star hotel usually end up travelling to Penticton or Osoyoos because they can’t find one in Oliver.
Gould said Centennial RV Park is used extensively by parents and families who enrol their children in baseball and hockey programs, and by firefighters who attend the seminars in Oliver Community Park.
“The people that come for that type of thing can’t afford a (four-star) hotel,” she stated.
Gould pointed out there are better locations for a hotel, such as behind the NoFrills store or across the highway from Buy-Low Foods.
Despite the petition and despite the public hearing, Gould gets the feeling that council has already made up its mind.
She wonders if organizing a protest march or parking RVs at town hall would do any good.
“The only way I can see us having any clout is if we get a lawyer.”
On Monday, affordable housing advocate Helen Overnes addressed council with her concerns.
“This park was made to honour Canada’s 100th birthday and planted with trees from each province for our enjoyment,” she said. “We need to keep this green space beside our river. Once you build on it, it is lost forever.”
Overnes said there are suitable sites for a hotel on Main Street or Highway 97.
She also noted that council appears to be in a “big hurry” to complete the hotel deal.
But Councillor Jack Bennest said the issue will be coming back to council many times.
“There is no way the process allows it to be rushed.”
Councillor Larry Schwartzenberger said people will have their say at the public hearing on May 8.
