Skip to content

Columbia Shuswap directors at odds with $700,000 cost for electoral area parks plans

'Will there be money in this year’s budget to support those that come to us asking for money?'
32966434_web1_230616-SAA-CSRD-swing-theft-white-lake_1
CSRD directors were at odds with allocating $700,000 in Community Works funding towards developing/updating Electoral Area Park Master Plans at the board's meeting of Jan. 16, 2025. (CSRD photo)

The idea is good but the cost is too high.

That was the message electoral area directors delivered at the Jan. 16 Columbia Shuswap Regional District board meeting in Salmon Arm.

Directors were asked to waive the CSRD policy with respect to the allocation of 2024 Community Works Funds and allocate $700,000 toward the development and updating of Electoral Area Park Master Plans.  
Area A director Karen Catchart agreed that a master plan is an important part of long-term planning for parks, but wanted to know how staff came up with a price tag of $700,000.

Deeming the costs to be high, particularly as there was no budget associated with the report prepared by community services manager Fiona Barton, Cathcart asked what budget allocation the funding was coming from.
She pointed out directors have non-profits come to them with funding requests that meet criteria the province has now outlined to access utilizing Community Works Funds.

"Will there be money in this year’s budget to support those that come to us asking for money?" she asked.
CAO John MacLean said the board already has policy that when gas tax funds are received from the province, some goes into a strategic fund and the remainder is separated out to different electoral areas.

"We're asking for the policy to be amended; because this is a large project a large sum would remain in the strategic area," he said, pointing out that under new rules Community Works funds must go through CSRD and not directly to third-party organizations as in the past.

Financial services general manager Jodi Pierce further explained that in 2024, the CSRD received $1.1 million with staff recommending the first $700,000 be allocated to the project and the remaining $400,000 be allocated in accordance with the policy.

"In 2025, the full amount will be allocated in accordance to the policy as it always has been, until the end of the agreement (with the province)" she said.

Derek Sutherland, community and protective services general manager, described the project as massive in scope compared to others CSRD has undertaken in the past, and noted the numbers are an estimate based on previous master plans.

"We are confident the master plan will be a critical document for the next 10 to 20 years of the CSRD parks program," said Sutherland. 

Area C director Marty Gibbons admitted he was struggling with the $700,000, with his allocation being almost a third of his entire annual parks budget.

"I was surprised it would be that expensive; we’re modernizing, not starting from scratch," he said, pointing out he would be speaking against the motion and urging other directors to follow suit. "I understand it’s important to revamp our parks plan but I don’t like the $700,000 cost. I would rather build parks, improve or plan for parks."

In response to Gibbons' question about why the project requires the hiring of a consultant rather than doing the work in-house, Sutherland noted the massive project will require resources that the CSRD does not have. As well, Community Works Funds cannot be spent on staff time.

Also surprised and at odds with the estimated cost, Area E director Rhona Martin asked why the regional district wouldn't put out feelers to see what interest there would be in bidding on the project rather than issuing requests for proposals.

MacLean reminded Martin the CSRD is not allowed to undertake projects that aren't in the financial plan and budgeted for.
"You can’t go out to a public bid process and then secure the funding after the fact," he said, noting it's a contract law issue and a challenge for all regional districts. "It is a large process to undertake and we want to make sure we have all of the elements covered. We feel it would be more harmful to  have to come back if the bids came in higher."

Sutherland added the project is not intended to be completed over one fiscal year.

Director David Brooks-Hill said he has several national parks in his rural Revelstoke area and that it "seems crazy" to be spending $100,000 on parks in Area B. He suggested it would make sense to spread the project over a few years, completing the plan for one or two electoral areas per year.

Martin then suggested that Barton attend an Electoral Area Directors meeting to explain her vision, giving directors a better understanding of the process.

Area D director Dean Trumbley took a different stance, noting that $100,000 per electoral area is not that big an expense considering what is included in the proposed plan.

"I think people are getting too hung up on the park component," he said, pointing out a lot of community services are not included in the document because they are community owned.

"So to have an overarching document that pulls those things in and allows for investment of community works funds into the areas, and just bringing them into the plan. assists communities massively," he said, noting consultation, several other components, including providing a path for Indigenous neighbours to participate in the planning process will be costly. "I'll support sending this back to staff, but I do want to say that the sticker value for what we’re getting and the length of term and the direction and how much it's going to benefit communities is not an expensive call."
 

MacLean said staff will go through the CSRD procurement model to identify and more clearly map out a path for directors to consider when the item is brought back to the board.

"At this point, we think it’s absolutely vital to undertake the recreation master plan," he said. "My request now is that the board defeat this resolution and direct it back to staff and we’ll come back with a more fulsome proposal that answers many of the questions that have been posed."
Directors responded positively and unanimously to MacLean's request.