It appears there is little Powell River Regional District can do to resolve a dispute involving the Powell River Archery Club.
At a special regional district meeting late June, called to finalize a sublease with Paradise Exhibition Park Society (PEPS), the board also discussed the archery club’s tenancy at the park. The archery club was evicted earlier this year after concerns about insurance coverage.
At the special meeting, Al Radke, the regional district’s chief administrative officer, said the point seemed to be that the archery club could not show satisfactory evidence of insurance. He said it is also not known if the club has fixed its canopies to the regional district’s liking, based on a risk assessment report by the Municipal Insurance Association.
“If not, it’s pretty much spelled out that if the Powell River Archery Club cannot provide evidence of sufficient insurance, or the fact they have practices, policies and procedures for the safety of the general public, then I think by default they are excluding themselves from any opportunity to negotiate a sub-sublease with PEPS,” he said.
Stan Gisborne, Electoral Area B director, said it is up to PEPS to resolve the matter because they have the authority to sign the sub-sublease.
Colin Palmer, Electoral Area C director, said he thought the best course of action was sitting down with PEPS board and determining what the problem is with the archery club.
“I have theories as to what the problem is, other people have different ideas, and we have a lawyer who has decided there is another idea out there.”
City Director CaroleAnn Leishman said that under the regional district’s proposed new sublease with PEPS, it was not the regional board’s right or role to get involved with the archery club.
“I know the board is receiving correspondence from the archery club but I think they should be told that PEPS is controlling the sub-sublease,” Leishman said. “I don’t think there is anything wrong with a couple of board representatives and perhaps the chair going to a discussion between PEPS and the archery club but I don’t think creating a select committee is our business.”
Patrick Brabazon, board chair and Electoral Area A director, said the board understands that it can’t force anyone to talk but it could ask the two parties to sit down in the same room and talk.
“I’m willing to do that,” he said. “However, if they don’t want to come they don’t want to come.”
