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City of Vernon reminds residents about snow and ice control

VERNON - The city is putting out some reminders after a day of heavy snowfall in Vernon. The city drew attention to several aspects of snow and ice control in a media release issued late this afternoon, Jan. 4. First off, the city says vehicles and recreational equipment parked on streets during snowfalls poses major...

City of Vernon gives its website a major facelift

VERNON - The City of Vernon has a new online look. It unveiled a new website today, Dec. 22, which has been over a year in the making. Vernon council approved a budget of $125,000 for the project in September 2014, and Upanup Design Studios from Victoria, B.C., was awarded the contract in July 2015....

Options of new welcome to Vernon signs ‘too bland’

VERNON - Vernon council trashed a series of design ideas for the city’s new welcome signs, calling for more playfulness and vibrancy. This week council was shown three options for the signs, which are being redone, but quickly sent staff back to the drawing board. The draft designs featured wood material, and a large white...

Vernon chamber evaluates city budget with report card

VERNON - The City of Vernon hasn’t received top marks from a local business association, but it’s not failing either. The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce, which represents over 500 business members, gave the city an overall ‘B’ grade for its financial plan, general manager Dan Rogers said in a statement. The grade was part...

Watch for whimsical pop up parks in Vernon

VERNON - A special surprise will be popping up in a Vernon park sometime this fall. It’s part of new city initiative to bring interest and excitement to underused spaces and will see a variety of temporary equipment — such as brightly painted Adirondack chairs, a piano, drums and a massive xylophone — installed in...

New officer takes the reins at Vernon RCMP detachment

VERNON - There’s a new top cop in the City of Vernon. Insp. Jim McNamara has been the acting superintendent of the Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP since Reg Burgess retired in March 2015, and on Wednesday, Oct. 14, he was officially promoted to the position. "On behalf of Council and the staff of the City of...

The cause of that foul odour at Vernon’s Polson Park

VERNON - It should smell like the fresh outdoors, but instead Polson Park in Vernon has been wrinkling noses lately. People are complaining about a foul, septic smell in the park, and Vernon city councillor Juliette Cunningham says she’s not only heard from community members about the problem, but experienced it firsthand. “I walk on...

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...

Have your say on the future of Vernon’s airport

VERNON - Vernon residents are invited to have a say on the future of the local airport. The city is reviewing plans for the airport over the next 20 years and wants to hear from residents and businesses at an upcoming open house Sept. 17. It’s all part of a project to develop a new...

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...

VOTE FOR STUART PARK! Downtown Kelowna feature named finalist in national contest

KELOWNA – Stuart Park in downtown Kelowna has been named a finalist for a national contest that highlights the best public places in Canada. With its winter skating rink, public promenade, 300 metres of waterfront, urban orchard and iconic 'Bear' statue, Stuart Park is one of 12 public spaces showcased by the 5th annual Great...

The cost of free parking in Vernon

VERNON - Easing up on paid parking downtown Vernon is leaving the city with a gap in revenue.  In the past year, city council approved a number of initiatives aimed at making the downtown area more customer friendly, and while it’s too early to see if they’re working, the changes are already revealing financial side-effects....

Province’s new Stickle Road proposal fails to impress Vernon officials

VERNON - Better, but not good enough is the message Vernon council sent to the Ministry of Transportation during a presentation about a new idea for improving the Stickle Road intersection. Plans for a right-in, right-out only access to and from Stickle Road on Highway 97 just north of the city were scrapped in May...

Pet pig flies in Vernon; councillor asks what’s next?

VERNON - It was an unusual case that some city councillors fear might not be so uncommon any more. A Vernon family desperate to keep their pet pig Felix pleaded with city council for an exception to a bylaw prohibiting swine on city property — unless on designated farm land — and got their wish...