It's official: on July 14 the board of the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) unanimously passed the necessary bylaws to establish a new recreation service and to borrow up to $19,338,000 to build and operate the new facilities.
In an atmosphere of mutual congratulations, the board voted to send letters of thanks to the organizations, government staff and individuals who worked to make the recreation referendum a success.
The vote also settled the lingering question of whether the Sechelt Indian Band (SIB) would participate in the new recreation service. The Sechelt Indian Government District is included in the list of participating areas, along with the District of Sechelt, the Town of Gibsons and the electoral areas of Roberts Creek, Elphinstone, West Howe Sound and Halfmoon Bay, excluding the islands. Immediately following the June 25 referendum which gave the SCRD the go-ahead to build the new rec centres, SIB Chief Stan Dixon said the band council had not decided whether to participate. But on July 14 Dixon voted with the other SCRD directors to go ahead, and there was no further discussion of the band opting out.
However, another debate cropped up over the dissolution of the old West Howe Sound recreation facilities assistance service. That service, funded by the Town of Gibsons, Elphinstone, West Howe Sound and Roberts Creek, is used to pay for the construction and operation of the Gibsons pool. It also includes a $33,000 debt for the construction of Shirley Macey Park.
SCRD administrator Doug Holmes proposed dissolving the old recreation facilities assistance service in the 2006 budget year, bringing both the Gibsons pool and the Sechelt arena into the new recreation service at the same time.
But Roberts Creek director Adrian Belshaw protested.
"I brought Roberts Creek into this process on the understanding there would be no further taxing for the West Howe Sound recreation service I feel shafted," he said.
Bernie Mulligan, director for Area F (West Howe Sound) responded, "Let's get this under control, or Area F will walk."
John Marian of Halfmoon Bay chimed in, "I had no intention of taking on West Howe Sound's debt for Shirley Macey."
The tiff ended with the directors agreeing to discuss the retirement of the West Howe Sound fund at a later meeting.
