The Regional District of Nanaimo board has deferred giving the District 69 Arena, which houses the Parksville Curling Club, a high priority in the recreation services plan.
The board, in its regular meeting on Tuesday night, Oct. 4, also held off making a decision on a recommendation to direct staff to determine if there is a need for a multi-purpose, all-weather turf field in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area.
The RDN is currently developing its Recreation Services Master Plan for District 69. The arena in Parksville’s Community Park is one of four specific areas to be addressed within the plan.
The RDN has a draft a report of the study of District 69 recreation that provides the research findings in the areas of facility inventory, recreation programming, operation and utilization of key facilities and programs, financial plan summaries, usage and participation by geographic area, accomplishments, trends and finally a summary with key findings.
The report is to be presented to the District 69 Recreation Commission and the Recreation Services Master Plan Advisory Committee for information and comment, prior to inclusion in the Master Plan as a reference document. It is also going to be presented to stakeholders and communities in the regional district through public open houses this coming month for feedback and comment.
Parksville Mayor and Director Marc Lefebvre was concerned about the board approving any projects on the arena prior to the feedback sessions planned for the Recreation Services Master Plan for District 69. He also indicated Parksville is currently developing its own Community Park Master Plan, which will be presented to the public this Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Community and Conference Centre from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. He pointed out one of the recommendations coming out of the draft park plan is a long-term project that the curling club be moved. Any decision the RDN makes must “coincide” with the Parksville plan, said Lefebvre.
The District 69 Arena building is owned by the RDN and the land is owned by the City of Parksville. The Parksville Curling Club Society leases the building, and the lease is scheduled to be renewed in March of 2018. The society has plans to make improvemens and upgrades to the facility.
Lefebvre, along with Qualicum Beach Mayor and Director Teunis Westbroek and Electoral Area E Director Bob Rogers, agreed that the RDN should not be making any decisions at this time until the Recreation Services Master Plan for District 69 and also the Parksville Community Master Plan have been finalized.
The board agreed to defer any plans on District 69 recreation at this time.
Story tips: michael.briones@pqbnews.com
