Desert Park’s aging grandstands and adjoined building which houses squash courts have received a failing grade in a preliminary structural engineering assessment. But the engineer behind the report has asked the Town to spend another $10,000 to determine if the structure can be saved. Photo by Paul Everest
OSOYOOS TIMES-July 15, 2009
By Paul Everest – Osoyoos Times
At its July 6 meeting, Osoyoos town council gave Town staff the go-ahead to transfer $10,000 which had been budgeted for upgrades to the Desert Park equestrian facility towards the completion of an engineering study of the park’s grandstands.
The Town had originally budgeted $5,000 for the structural engineering study.
But Wayne Rodgers, the engineer hired to do the assessment, said another $10,000 would be needed for the structural review of the stands and the adjacent building as well any corrections needed for structural problems that may be found.
As part of its agreement with the South Interior Recreational Equine Centre (SIREC), a local group of investors who have signed a six-month lease with the Town to run the park, the Town is responsible for having a structural engineering report completed.
Rodgers undertook a preliminary assessment of the site on June 8 with representatives from the Town and SIREC and concluded the structure was unsound.
He told the Town, however, that he did not want to make a final call regarding the facility’s integrity until he could see inside the structure.
Coun. C.J. Rhodes voted against providing additional cash for the study, saying the Town is “creating a money pit” at the park.
He said the money would be better allocated to other needs in the community and added that a great deal of cash could be spent on the grandstands and adjoining building and the Town could still be left with a building that can’t be used.
Rhodes said the building is “a mess inside” and he is in favour of tearing it down.
Coun. Ted Cronmiller said spending $15,000 may lead to the conclusion that the building needs to come down but an extra $20,000 may be enough to bring the building back to life.
Coun. Michael Ryan said he wasn’t prepared to tear down the stands and building without a structural review.
In the end, council voted 4-1 to transfer the cash needed for the study.
Allan Carswell, SIREC’s president, said the delay in the completion of the study does not affect his organization’s plans for the park.
He added that the assessment needs to be completed before the Town puts out a request for proposals for a group to run the park on a long-term basis.
“No matter who comes in long-term, they will want to know the state of that building,” he said.
Carswell said he’d like to see the stands brought back to life, but if they aren’t salvageable, he wants to know if the adjoined building, which houses squash courts, and the Osoyoos Portuguese Canadian Cultural Society’s clubhouse are still usable.
The Town intends to begin an “Expression of Interest” process next month for parties interested in running the park on a long-term basis.
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