The Regional District of Nanaimo board has endorsed the financing option to advance phase one of the Ravensong Aquatic Centre expansion project.
But it could not decide on a proposed referendum that would ask ratepayers whether they would support a loan of $9,075,164 to finance phase one of the project, to be paid over a 20-year period. The recommendation was to include this question in the coming Oct. 15 municipal government elections along with the referendum for the amendment to Bylaw 899, which aims to include Electoral Area E (Nanoose Bay) in paying for the pool services.
Phase one of the Ravensong project features the creation of new changerooms, lobby, reception, public washrooms, staff support spaces, classroom and multi-purpose room.
The unresolved issue regarding Area E’s inclusion in the pool services is again the biggest stumbling block in advancing the Ravensong pool expansion project. Director Bob Rogers argued the referendum on Bylaw 899 should be restricted only to Area E voters and must exclude all the other participating areas.
READ MORE: Nanoose Bay residents to get a chance to speak, vote on taxes for Ravensong pool
“I think that is a very biased and unbalanced approach to this,” said Rogers. “It’s just another way of forcing Area E into a service which they don’t belong to.”
Rogers said it’s also contrary to the board’s decision in early June that “public engagement at the involve level” be held prior to the referendum on Bylaw 899 which is not included in the report.
“There’s nothing that references that at all,” said Rogers.
RDN Chief Administrative Officer Douglas Holmes said staff members are reviewing resolutions regarding Area E’s participation and the apportionment taxation method — one-third usage, population and assessment — and how they can be included in the referendum to be held in conjunction with the municipal elections. He said the addition of another question regarding the borrowing of money for the pool expansion makes the whole thing confusing and impossible to execute on the Oct. 15 date.
Parksville director Ed Mayne made a motion to defer the recommendation regarding referendum on the loan to pay for phase one of the pool project to be held concurrently with the referendum for the amendment to Bylaw 899 in the Oct. 15 elections.
“Without proper information, I just can’t see how we can expect to go to the electorate and say ‘we want you to vote on this but (Area) E can’t vote on this,’” said Mayne. “It just doesn’t make any sense to me in all of this. So I rather defer this until we get a clear, concise understanding of what we are voting for and the sequence of events that need to happen to make this work.”
Qualicum Beach director Brian Wiese said they’ve been working on this for years and is not happy it’s being delayed again.
“The public can’t believe that we’re still beating this around,” said Wiese. “And quite frankly I am frustrated beyond belief. Why can’t we get phase one moving with the five of us?”
The board eventually deferred the recommendation with only Area A (Cedar, South Wellington, Yellowpoint, Cassidy) director Keith Wilson opposed.