Planned Vernon cultural centre will be ‘reassessed’ if funding goal not met

‘MORE THAN SUM OF ITS PARTS’

Jon Manchester – Nov 30, 2023 / 11:24 am | Story: 460057

CASTANET LINK: https://www.castanet.net/news/Vernon/460057/More-than-sum-of-its-parts

Photo: RDNO

If an “accelerated” fundraising campaign to build Vernon’s much-delayed cultural centre doesn’t bring in the hoped-for $13.9 million, the Regional District of North Okanagan will “reassess if the project will continue.”

RDNO director Amanda Shatzko says the proposed building, the design of which will be revealed Friday, “is more than the sum of its parts.”

However, she acknowledges that if the funding goal is not met by July 2024, “at that time, we will reassess if the project will continue based on the information collected up until that point.”

In a discussion on the Vernon & Area Political Discussion Forum, Shatzko says the project “is the outcome of arts and cultural groups working together to create a vibrant community. The design that will be unveiled has spaces that will help tenants generate more revenue and visitors than before.

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The announcement sparked debate online about separating the museum functions and even whether to continue at all with the project.

“While I was fully supportive of this project when I voted at the referendum, at this time I’m certainly unsure about whether this is the same facility I agreed to,” said community advocate Dawn Tucker.

Meanwhile, the current museum, which opened in 1967, was closed for the summer after mould was discovered during renovation work.