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City Of Vernon
Disagreement over use of Vernon dog park has council at end of leash
VERNON - City officials continue to spar over the use of a green space near Marshall Fields as an off-leash dog park. Residents have been using the area, which runs alongside Marshall Fields by the Lakers Clubhouse, to let their dogs run off leash for years, but now the City of Vernon is now tightening...
Water main break closes downtown Vernon road
VERNON - A water main break forced the closure of a Vernon roadway Wednesday afternoon. The break happened on 37 Avenue between 30 and 31 Streets, in front of the Civic Arena, today, Sept. 9. City crews are working to repair the break and expect to finish later Wednesday afternoon, or on Thursday, Sept. 10. ...
Performance audit looks at City of Vernon purchasing practices
VERNON - B.C.’s auditor general has pulled back a curtain on the City of Vernon’s purchasing activities. Acting auditor Arn van Iersel took a look at the city’s purchasing practices over a two-year audit period, from 2010 to 2012, and released the findings this week in a report. The performance audit reviewed whether the city...
One important issue behind Vernon’s insistence downed trees weren’t used by herons
"WE ALL HAVE PHONES, I'M SURE IF THERE WERE ANY NESTS COMING DOWN PEOPLE WOULD BE TAKING PICTURES OF IT AND RAISING MORE COMPLAINTS": MAYOR VERNON - The City of Vernon insists an at-risk bird won’t be impacted by recent tree removal work in Vernon because they have no record of them being observed there....
Vernon council decides town hall meetings aren’t needed
VERNON - Elected representatives believe Vernon residents have all the opportunities they need to raise issues with the city. That’s why council has opted against hosting periodic town hall meetings in which citizens can bring up any topic they wish to discuss. Councillors voted 5-2 at a meeting Monday, Aug. 10, to keep things status...
Why Vernon won’t have fireworks at this year’s Canada Day celebration
CITY DOESN'T PUT ON THE SHOW, BUT IT MANAGED TO PUT IT OUT VERNON - A time-honoured tradition won’t be on the lineup of events for Canada Day in Vernon this year due to a shift in the event’s organizational structure. Normally, Vernon resident Terry Schmauder would lead preparations for the Canada Day fireworks show,...
$1.3 million facelift ready to begin at Vernon Rec Centre
VERNON – Renovations to give the City of Vernon’s aging Recreation Centre a fresh, new look will take up to a year-and-a-half to complete. The over $1.3 million dollar facelift will begin on Monday, May 25 and city staff promise the facilities will stay open during all phases of the construction. The Rec Centre gets...
Construction just around the corner for Vernon’s new Tim Hortons
VERNON - Construction on Vernon’s latest Tim Hortons is expected to start soon across from Beairtso Elementary School. Southborough Vernon Investments Ltd. director David Longpré says the company plans to break ground within the next month and complete the drive-through Tim Hortons and CO-OP Gas Bar by the end of the year. “There’s anticipations it...
Falling loonie could impact Vernon’s plan to buy new fire truck
VERNON – City council had promised Vernon Fire Rescue a new water tender for firefighters at the Okanagan Landing fire hall, but the falling value of the Canadian dollar is impacting the price tag. Council approved the purchase of the new fire truck last fall, but since then, the loonie has taken a beating on...
Water service interruption scheduled this week
VERNON - Water service will be interrupted Tuesday and Wednesday in areas of Vernon while the city conducts repairs. The city is replacing mainline valves and some customers will be without water from 8 a.m. Tues., March 17 to 4 p.m. Wed., March 18, according to a media release. The areas affected include: 621 to...
City of Vernon buys another high-priced lakeshore property
VERNON - It’s all part of the big picture. Over the last two decades, the City of Vernon has been buying lakeshore property on Okanagan Lake as it pieces together enough land for a public waterfront park. The latest is the property at 2602 Lakeshore Road for $707,500. A pretty good price considering councillors have...
Big money spent on big snowfalls in January
VERNON - The bean counters at city hall totalled up the taxpayer dollars spent to deal with the huge snowfalls in Vernon in January and it wasn’t cheap. According to a report to city council, it cost $631,000 to plow the roads and sidewalks, and then haul the piles of snow away. The bill also...
New signs point to parking in Vernon
VERNON - Big, bold colours will signal tourists and residents alike about where parking, the library, the art gallery or Polson Park can be found. Vernon city council approved a plan to spend $48,000 on new signage downtown at their meeting this afternoon, Monday, Feb. 23. “I think we need to refreshen downtown,” mayor Akbal...
It’s not all always about the money in municipal election campaigns
VERNON – Akbal Mund spent less than half the money his closest competitors did in his successful bid to win the November 2014 civic election. According to campaign contributions released by Elections B.C. today, Feb. 23, Mund spent just over $8,500 on his campaign in November 2014 and grabbed 3,714 votes. Compare that to the...
Vernon’s top cop stepping into retirement
VERNON - Vernon’s top cop is retiring. Supt. Reg Burgess made the announcement in front of Vernon City Council Tuesday afternoon. “I think he did really well. In recent years, we were doing better than the national average in terms of addressing crime,” Coun. Juliette Cunningham says. “It was great working with him.” Burgess...
Vernon’s future takes shape during special city meeting
VERNON - The shape of the City of Vernon over the next four years was discussed by the mayor, councillors and city directors as they evaluated and set strategic priorities during a planning session February 2, 2015. Mayor Akbal Mund and councillors started the planning session by reviewing their election platforms and employing something called...
Park downtown Vernon for free on the following days
VERNON - There are several opportunities to park downtown Vernon without plugging the meter over the next few months. At the request of the Downtown Vernon Association, council approved free parking on Saturday, Feb. 14 from 12-3 p.m. for the Winter Carnival Chili Cook-Off event. The association also requested free parking on Feb. 21, May...
Increased fines would better protect animal welfare says Vernon SPCA
VERNON - The Vernon SPCA wants local governing bodies to look at ways of improving animal welfare through the use of bylaws and fines. Branch manager Chelsea Taylor came before Vernon council Monday, Jan. 26, to highlight some of the things the city, and the North Okanagan Regional District, could do for animals in the...
City will fund Sundays at the Vernon Library after near cancellation
VERNON - Sundays at the Vernon Library are here to stay. The Okanagan Regional Library dodged having to cancel Sundays at the Vernon branch Friday, Jan. 16, after appealing to Vernon council for financial support in the amount of $21,000. Without the funding, executive director Stephanie Hall said the branch could be shutting down its...
Equipment break down delays Vernon snow removal
VERNON - Machinery issues have set back snow removal efforts in Vernon. Snow clearing on 27 Street was delayed Wednesday due to mechanical difficulties with the city’s large snow blower, communications coordinator Tanya Laing Gahr said in a media release. The blower was repaired late Wednesday and snow removal in the downtown core picked up...
What Vernon can expect from city plows Wednesday
VERNON - City of Vernon road crews expect to have all residential roads and cul-de-sacs plowed by mid-morning Wednesday. After that, they will begin plowing and sanding all areas of the city, communications coordinator Tanya Laing Gahr said in a release. Snow removal will continue on 27 Street until noon Wednesday. Late Tuesday night, crews...
Vernon maintenance crews move onto side streets
VERNON - City of Vernon crews are finally moving onto residential streets after more than 24 hours of continuous snowfall. According to city communications coordinator Tanya Laing Gahr crews have plowed and sanded all main roads and are now shifting to side streets. The snowstorm dumped over 35 cm of snow on roadways. Starting late...
Free grit for you to spread around
VERNON – Vernon city workers have started setting up big, yellow boxes around town as part of a do-it-yourself sidewalk and road-sanding project. Instead of city crews spreading what they call winter grit on sidewalk in key locations, the one-year pilot program is asking residents to spread their own around. The Municipal Insurance Association is...
The high cost of waiting to replace Vernon’s aging water system
VERNON - Costs of aging water pipes are beginning to pile up in the City of Vernon with 86 water main breaks in just the last three years—four of them this month. And the costs are not just in dollars and cents. Breaks on Nov. 25 left over 100 residents without water. Earlier in the year,...