Anderson slams AAP

A Vernon city councillor says the alternative approval process for a new cultural centre in downtown Vernon is not telling "the whole truth."

Coun. Scott Anderson says he's neither for nor against the proposed facility.

What he is opposed to is the way it is moving forward.

"I'm neither for nor against the cultural centre, and in fact I voted for it in the last referendum. But, I am against the inherent bait and switch of the alternate approval process," Anderson wrote in a social media post on the Vernon Rant and Rave (uncensored) Facebook page.

"The citizens of Vernon voted for a $45-million combination museum and art gallery, if various grants came through.

"The project was stalled repeatedly and no grants came through, so the RDNO board made the decision to use the AAP to shove through a much-reduced $23-million building by means of a direct loan paid for by the taxpayers of Greater Vernon."

Anderson says inflation will mean any centre will be a shadow of what was initially proposed.

"So, what $23 million could have bought last year when this plan was conceived is not what $23 million now would cost."

The few images released to media and the public of the proposal show the initial rendering at the higher cost.

"That's an artist's rendering of a $45-million cultural centre in 2018 dollars, not even close to what we'll get for $23 million in 2022 dollars," argues Anderson.

"The argument that the citizens of Vernon voted for a cultural centre, so let's get on with it is not the whole truth," he says.

"We voted for a cultural centre under specific conditions, and this is proved by the very fact that the AAP is being used to promote a different set of conditions.

"If it were enough that the citizens of Vernon voted for a cultural centre, the AAP wouldn't be required at all."

Anderson says the public can oppose the project by submitting a signed elector response form to the RDNO by 4 p.m. May 2.

If 10 per cent (5,635) or more electors oppose, the district will not be able to proceed without going to another referendum.

The elector response forms can be found online or picked up at the RDNO office.

Anderson says the AAP "seems a way to get around what the citizens want. If this is the new plan, the citizens of Vernon deserve to vote for or against this new set of circumstances."