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Updates:
Feb 22, 2024
Greater Vernon Cultural Centre to move to detailed designs
Local politicians have given the green light to move forward with the next phase of the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre.
At a special meeting on Feb. 21, members of the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee (GVAC) unanimously agreed to proceed to detailed designs for the proposed facility which requires a committment of $1 million. GVAC’s recommendation was approved by the Regional District of North Okanagan board of directors later that day.
Dec 28, 2023
GVAC budget: push to begin in new year for funding of new Vernon cultural centre.
The Greater Vernon Advisory Committee’s cultural services budget includes $60,000 for continuation of “project fund development” for the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre.
And it will have a long way to go to reel in the additional $13.9 million needed to build the facility since it was first approved in 2018.
The new design for the much-delayed project was unveiled Dec. 1.
December 12, 2022
Projected cultural centre cost overruns causing consternation in Vernon arts community
Construction of a new cultural centre in Vernon, B.C., is a year and a half away but there are concerns that plans for the multi-million-dollar facility may offer some challenges, city officials say.
The 31,000-square-foot cultural centre is slated to be built in downtown Vernon at the former site of the Coldstream Motor Inn and by all accounts it’s an impressive build.
“You know what, it feels amazing to be able to see the design,” Amanda Shatzko, a director with the Regional District of the North Okanagan, said.
“It’s done by a world-class and renowned architect Revery, and they actually specialize in cultural buildings, and the public seems to be quite excited about it.”
December 8, 2022
‘World renowned’ architecture firm signs on to Vernon cultural centre project
A big-name Vancouver architecture firm has signed on to work on the design of the planned Greater Vernon Cultural Centre.
Revery Architecture hopes to transform the site, a downtown Vernon, B.C. parking lot, into a community meeting place at the city’s heart.
Picking a design company is a big step forward for the long-planned project that had previously stalled.
“Revery Architecture is an amazing architectural firm that we are very excited [to have] them here because they are world-renowned,” said Amanda Shatzko, vice-chair of the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) board.
November 15, 2022
Much-delayed Vernon cultural centre focus of in-camera GVAC meeting
Regional political leaders will discuss Vernon’s much-delayed cultural centre at a special meeting this afternoon.
While the agenda of the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee meeting does not go into detail, Castanet has learned that the sole subject of the meeting is the cultural centre.
The in-camera meeting is closed to the public, however sources say multiple GVAC members are pushing for the matter to go public.
The Greater Vernon Cultural Centre was approved in a 2018 referendum.
March 23, 2022
RDNO Takes Important Next Step in Funding Greater Vernon Cultural Centre Project
The Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) is taking an important next step in the process of building the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre. In 2016, the RDNO completed a Cultural Plan to articulate a long-term vision for cultural vitality in Greater Vernon. The research phase of creating the plan was extensive and sought to understand the needs, wants, and ideas of the community through multiple public input opportunities, Greater Vernon Advisory Committee workshops, and an analysis of existing documents like Official Community Plans and the Strategic Plans of local culture organizations.
May 4, 2022
Greater Vernon Multi-Purpose Cultural Facility Loan Authorization Bylaw – Alternative Approval Process Results
The Alternative Approval Process (AAP) for the Greater Vernon Multi-Purpose Cultural Facility Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 2910, 2021 officially closed on Monday, May 2, 2022, at 4:00 pm.
The Regional District of North Okanagan estimated that the total number of qualified electors in the service area is 56,352 and that the receipt of elector response forms submitted by ten percent (10%) of that number, or 5,635 qualified electors, would be required to defeat the bylaw without an assent vote (referendum) being held.
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October 21, 2018
Voters approve Vernon cultural centre in referendum
On election night, voters in greater Vernon passed a referendum to borrow $25 million for a new multi-purpose cultural facility in downtown Vernon.
It means the plan to build the new center that would house both the Vernon museum and the art gallery took another step towards reality.
The referendum results were 7,850 in favour, and 5,357 against.
The total project is expected to cost $40-million. The rest of the funds will come from infrastructure grants, donations and partnerships with other governments or corporations.
Dec 19, 2019
Cultural centre awarded Beach Radio Community Airtime Award
The Greater Vernon Cultural Centre has been chosen as the latest recipient of the Beach Radio Community Airtime Award.
The award is granted semi-annually in partnership with Lake City Casino and Hytec, a Kohler company, to a non-profit group or charitable organization with an advertising grant of $35,000 to be used over a six month period.
Bryan Ford, general sales manager of Beach Radio, says it helps groups get the word out about their programs, or to launch fundraising campaigns.
“Non-profit groups are some of the hardest working people in the world, and unfortunately most groups don’t have the funding to get the word out, or to launch a fundraising campaign, as almost all funds go to operating costs,” said Ford. “They are just like most other businesses; they have goals and aspirations for their organization, and our hope is that the Community Airtime Award will help these organizations take things to the next level.”
