Open house for Kamloops performing arts centre as referendum nears

KAMLOOPS – With a referendum only two and a half weeks away, Kamloops residents will get the opportunity to have all their performing arts centre questions answered by city staff.

An open house will take place Wednesday, Nov. 4, at the Sandman Centre’s Parkside Lounge. Mayor Peter Milobar says the 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. time slots allow for residents to attend on their lunch break or after work.

“We’ve heard there are questions about the performing arts centre and parkade referendum. We want to provide the opportunity for residents to come out and get clarification on the project so they can make an informed vote,” Milobar says.

Milobar has said previously that himself and city councillors support the building of a centre. Recently, members of local businesses and associations, including the Kamloops Arts Gallery and Kamloops Film Society, created the ‘YES’ campaign to help further lobby for support.

A referendum will take place Nov. 7 asking residents it they are in favour of incurring $45 million worth of debt to build a performing arts centre. Advance polling dates are scheduled for Oct. 28 and Nov. 2 at Heritage House.

The referendum itself is expected to cost $160,000.

The centre is proposed to be built on Seymour Street on the site of the former Kamloops Daily News at a total cost of $90 million, with $25 million of that slated for a parkade.

It will be funded with a two per cent tax hike over the course of two years, which translates to roughly $40 per household per year for 20 years.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Dana Reynolds at dreynolds@infonews.ca or call 250-819-6089. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.