— Acquatic Centre study delays Splash Park idea —

(OSOYOOS TIMES — March 14, 2007) —

By Julie TurnerrnOsoyoos Times

News that the Town has put its decision for a splash park on hold until it determines the feasibility and public support for an indoor aquatic centre has thrown the Osoyoos Splash Park Committee a curve ball.
Splash Park Committee spokesper-son Leah Schulting told the Osoyoos Times she can't understand why the project has been put on hold, especially after the Town supported its Osoyoos Credit Union (OCU) $60,000 grant application last year.
In addition to the $60,000, the Splash Park Committee went on to raise another $5,000 in donations from the community.
It met with Council in January to discuss concerns about costs, water supply, and location “ and expected a decision to proceed or not proceed with the project at Town Council's March 5 meeting.
We won the (Credit Union) money in October, but the decision has still not been made, Schulting says, adding the Committee feels the splash park is feasible “ with a drain-away system for the water “ at a cost of $250,000.
However, Town engi-neer Terry Underwood has advised that the Splash Park should have a water quality management system (WQMS) “ which will treat and re-circulate the water to deal with water supply concerns “ at a total project cost approaching $500,000.
Complicating the matter further are tighter restrictions on splash parks and a yet-to-be developed policy by Interior Health health engineers to deal with future parks.
The Town's Chief Administrative Officer, Helen Koning, says the Splash Park Committee's estimate of $250,000 only covered the cost and installation of the equipment and did not provide details for any other related costs to the development of a splash park such as a recirculation system, site preparation (including geotechnical engineering), inspection costs and other site amenities such as fencing.
Koning says following the Committee's presentation to Council last year, the Town asked staff to look into the details of a splash park, including water usage, health requirements, costs and location.
Schulting insists the Committee's mandate from the beginning has been to get a splash park, and feels it will be used by the entire community “ from infants to grandmothers.
She's hopeful the project will still be built, but says when the Splash Park Committee met with Council in January, the mayor expressed concerns about the park's cost.
When we mentioned the Town's contribution would be $150,000, the mayor stated that a one per cent increase in taxes equals $15,000, and having a splash park in Osoyoos could potentially increase everyone's taxes by 10 per cent.
We find it very strange that he is now pushing for an aquatic centre, which is approximately 50 times more costly than a splash park. Also, a splash park has zero maintenance costs on a drain-away system, so once it is installed it would cost nothing in yearly operating expenses.
She adds the Splash Park Committee is still advocating for Kinsmen Park and for a drain-away system, saying it conducted a detailed study on four parks in town and detremined Kinsmen is clearly the best location for a splash park.
The Kinsmen Park location was also endorsed by the Parks and Recreation Commission in October. Schulting says the Committee has concerns about vandalism if a splash park were located at Gyro Beach, which has been suggested as the best site by Town staff.
As for water supply fears, Schulting says the park's water use could be limited during peak times and operate fewer hours in the day. She argues there is enough water for the large condo developments going into east Osoyoos.
Koning says the Town's Parks and Trails Committee expressed summer parking concerns and increased traffic at Kinsmen Park, which is across the street from the Rattlesnake Canyon amusement park, as reasons to find an alternate location for the Splash Park.
Koning adds another concern surfaced about Kinsmen Park, as the site was previously a dumping area for steel and concrete. It is thought that excavation and the need for proper fill at the site would likely be required, thereby adding costs to the project.
Schulting says the Committee's hands are tied until the Town finishes its investigation of an aquatic centre.
We're pretty much done. We want this to happen but it's up to the town now. We were told by the Town to stop fundraising and not to apply for grants until the project was approved. We're concerned the deadline [to use the OCU funding] is 2008.rnKoning explains several of the grants the Committee wants to try for require the applications be made by a municipality or registered non-profit group, and most need a Council resolution including budget details, system design and location information.
OCU Manager Bill Collins says he doesn't see Council's decision to look into the possibility of an aquatic centre affecting the position of the Osoyoos Credit Union and its awarding of the $60,000.
The award was made for the purpose of helping with the establishment of a splash park. If the Town does not get the support for the aquatic centre they need, they would then commit to building a splash park for the spring of 2008. At this time we are in a wait and see mode, he says.
The Town plans to do a survey to gauge public interest in an indoor aquatic centre, hire a consultant to carry out a feasibility study this summer and then hold a formal referendum later this year, possibly in October.