Okanagan Regional Library

Kelowna leisure takes a breather with holiday schedule

KELOWNA - The winter break is a great time to swim, workout or visit the library as a family, but before you head out the door make sure you know what the holiday hours are. Parkinson Recrecation Centre runs altered hours from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 21 to 23, closing early at 4...

Okanagan Regional Library approves budget increase

KELOWNA – Half of the Okanagan Regional Library budget increase for 2016 is wage increases for staff at branches up and down the valley. The board of directors has approved a spending plan worth over $18.2 million, which reflects a 1.98 per cent increase from 2015. The increase amounts to an extra $351,818 tax dollars....

Changing trends force Okanagan libraries to seek two per cent increase in budget

KELOWNA – The board of directors for the Okanagan Regional Library have approved a draft of next year’s budget that calls for a 1.98 per cent increase. Half of the extra money would go towards wage increases for staff while the remainder would be used to offset higher rents and utilities, higher book and eResource...

Spring break ideas to keep the kids busy in Vernon

VERNON – There is no shortage of things to do with the children over the two-week spring break in Kelowna. Spring break kicks off Monday, March 16 before wrapping up on Friday, March 27 with all kinds of activities and day camps planned by various organizations around town. The best advice is to pre-register for...

Find the kids something to do for spring break

KELOWNA – There are no shortage of things to do with the kids, or places to send the kids, over the two-week spring break in Kelowna. Spring break kicks off Monday, March 16 before wrapping up on Friday, March 27 with all kinds of activities and day camps planned by various organizations around town. The...

How the city is going to try to make it easier for tourists in downtown Kelowna this summer

KELOWNA - Summer in downtown in Kelowna is going to be all about construction, traffic congestion and scarce parking as the city deals with an unusual number of big, building projects. “The biggest concern is construction during the summer when the volumes are highest and parking stalls are used the most,” Purvez Irani says. He's...

HELSTON: Our libraries are worth the money

As the Okanagan Regional Library looks for places to snip and save costs, one municipality has stepped up as a champion for its local branch. In the last few months, we’ve heard about cuts to staff positions and reductions in business hours as part of a process to improve equity at the regional library’s 29...

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...

Okanagan Regional Library eyes staff and service cuts

OKANAGAN - The union representing Okanagan Regional Library workers is sounding the alarm over proposed staff and service cuts at branches throughout the valley. Deb Dolman, vice president of CUPE Local 1123, says an alarming 375 staff hours at 19 branches are on the chopping block as part of the regional library’s plan to improve...