Tourism Centre hits a roadblock.

Apparently the Vernon City Council was in such a hurry to get going on the much opposed new tourist information booth that it decided to proceed while waiting for the zoning changes to be approved by the Province. Such approval is required because of the facility’s proximity to BC 97. We now face the possibility of seeing the approval request being denied or delayed as the Province does its due diligence on the possible disruption to traffic flow on an already congested Highway. Any changes in how traffic is managed always have ripple effects. So the Province’s caution is understandable. Rubber stamp approval should not have been anticipated by our city staff or Council.

The degree of opposition that Council received regarding the closing of the two existing centers should at least inspired a prudent second look at the plan. In fact it seemed to hurry them along. There is often a complaint that the wheels of government move slowly. But if the reason Governments are deliberate is to get all their ducks in a row if then slow action is commendable. In this case they seemed to be in a rush to spend the money.

A question that needs to be answered is this; what would you have to say if your contractor spent $300,000 on a project for you without making sure that the appropriate zoning was is place? That is what City council has done. No matter the final outcome it was not good governance. 

Cheers Shawn Lee a Vernon Taxpayer