City to build PAC, multiplex

UPDATE: 12:15 p.m.

The City of Kamloops has been given the green light to move ahead with its plan to borrow $275 million to build a performing arts centre and a multi-sheet ice rink.

Nearly 100 people gathered Monday on the steps of city hall to hear the results of a counter-petition aimed at forcing a referendum on the borrowing ask. The city received 4,025 forms expressing opposition to borrowing for the arena and 5,802 opposed to borrowing for the performing arts centre — both well short of the threshold required to force a referendum.

“Over the last 40 days, we have seen democracy at work. We have seen picketers, we have seen social media campaigns, we have seen coffee shop talks, dinner talks, we’ve seen tables set up at businesses around the city raising awareness," Coun. Mike O’Reilly, who chairs the city’s Build Kamloops committee, said in announcing the results of the counter-petition.

“That’s democracy. This AAP was democracy in action."

Residents opposed to the city’s borrowing plan had a little more than a month to submit forms to city hall. If more than 8,713 forms were returned, representing 10 per cent of the city’s electorate, the borrowing ask would have gone to referendum.

'A positive step forward'

The results will make a long-awaited performing arts centre a reality. Plans for such a facility were shelved in 2015 after a previous borrowing ask failed in a close referendum. A second planned referendum in 2020 was scuttled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This is such a positive step forward for Kamloops, and now we can come together as a community and raise the funds to support these exciting projects," said Brenda Aynsley, chair of the Kamloops Centre for the Arts Society.

Henry Pejril, president of the Kamloops Sports Council, is equally thrilled.

"We are so excited to be moving forward with this much needed next phase of the evolution of our city," he said. "Now that we have certainty in our direction, we can get our Build Kamloops capital campaign up and firing on all cylinders."

O’Reilly acknowledged that thousands of Kamloops residents were opposed to the borrowing, and he pledged to “do better” in terms of communication as Build Kamloops moves forward.

“We need to ensure that the new facilities will be used by the most Kamloopsians possible," he said.

O'Reilly said the performing arts centre project will break ground at Seymour Street and Fourth Avenue next year, with construction of the arena multiplex expected to get underway in 2026.

Throughout the process, the city has said it is in a good position to take on the debt.

ORIGINAL STORY: 9:17 a.m.

The City of Kamloops is expected to unveil the results Monday of a counter-petition effort that sought to force a referendum on borrowing $275 million for a new performing arts centre and multi-sheet ice rink.

The city has called a news conference at noon at city hall.

“Please join council for a special media event regarding the next steps for the Build Kamloops program,” the invite reads.

The city said no further information will be made public prior to the start of the event.

Residents opposed to the city's plan to borrow $275 million to build a performing arts centre and an arena multiplex, and to fund some design work for future projects, had more than a month to fill out forms and submit them to city hall.

If more than 10 per cent of the city's electorate submits a form in opposition, the borrowing ask would be forced to go to referendum. According to the city, the threshold has been calculated to be 8,713.

Castanet Kamloops will have a reporter at the event and this story will be updated when more becomes known.