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qathet Regional District (qRD) directors want future contributions to its subregional recreation contribution service bylaw to be discussed after the regional district’s service review for the recreation service.
The subregional recreation contribution for Powell River Recreation Complex was initiated following a referendum by the regional district. The agreement expired in 2023, but qRD has continued to make contributions for the recreation complex in 2024 and the regional board will decide on a contribution for 2025. The regional district has just begun a review of the recreation service.
At the February 11 regional board meeting, directors considered a motion that the board respectfully decline the recreation funding request from City of Powell River mayor Ron Woznow, as this matter will not be resolved until the subregional recreation contribution service establishment bylaw service review has been completed and the expired recreation complex funding services agreement is renegotiated.
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said that when the regional district starts going through the service review, he believes the regional board can invite, if it so chooses, the municipality to participate in the review.
“The way the motion is worded, the City of Powell River is asked to wait until after the regional district finishes the service review,” said Gisborne. “I would much rather have it say while we are going through the service review, we might invite you guys in to be part of this process, as opposed to them sitting and waiting while we do the service review internally.”
Gisborne said he was wondering if the motion was sending the wrong signal, or if there was another way to express the board’s will.
Electoral Area C director and board chair Clay Brander said it was hard to put together a motion for something that may potentially happen.
“I don’t think this motion precludes us from inviting council to sit in on discussions,” said Brander. “It at least gives a response to the mayor.”
Electoral Area A director Jason Lennox asked if the motion precluded inviting the city to participate in the service review.
Electoral Area E director Andrew Fall said the motion states that the matter will not be resolved until after the service review is completed.
“Even if the service review group agrees on something, it won’t be resolved until it comes back to the board and the board votes on it,” said Fall. “The negotiation of that group, and the process that group will initiate, will be worked out by that group and that may or may not include the city. This motion makes sense.”
The motion carried unanimously.
The regional district’s finance committee had recommended on February 11 that the board vote on contributing $238,244 to the operation of the City of Powell River Recreation Complex in 2025. qRD general manager of financial administration Linda Greenan, following a question from the Peak, stated that the motion to decline was for subregional recreation funding for Powell River Recreation Complex beyond 2025. In his correspondence to qRD, Woznow requested a maximum contribution for recreation services for the years 2025 to 2029 inclusive.
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