More information needed before fate of city facilities in Penticton decided
PENTICTON – More research needs to be done before the city decides what the future holds for the Penticton Art Gallery, the Penticton Library and Museum complex, the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, City Hall and the Memorial Arena.
The city needs to move forward with a business case regarding options available to meet the demands of annual spending on its aging civic facilities, expected to exceed between $2.7 and $3.5 million over the next 10 years.
Penticton facilities manager Bregje Kozak says $30 million in facilities capital expenditures is needed over the next 10 years based on findings coming out of phase one of the city’s Facilities Master Plan.
Kozak recommended to council earlier this week to have city staff proceed with phase two of the plan in order to gather information needed to decide what should be done with the city’s buildings, some of which need extensive maintenance or renovations.
Phase two is expected to focus on city facilities requiring high capital expenditures, those showing financial loss, as well as facilities not being efficiently utilized and ones that could be combined to achieve higher efficiencies.
Buildings identified as being in the above criteria include the Memorial Arena, the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, City Hall, the Penticton Library and Museum and the Art Gallery.
Kozak noted the city currently experiences convention centre loses of around $200,000 annually, while the library and museum complex has an identified $3 million in upgrades needed over the next 10 years. City Hall needs $3.5 million in upgrades over the next decade while the art gallery requires $500,000 in upgrades. The Adidas Sportsplex needs a new roof and a new heating systems and Memorial Arena needs further structural review.
Kozak says community consultation will begin early in phase two and is expected to be completed by December 31.
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