Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) Director Angelique Wood, along with RDOS Chief Administrative Officer, Bill Newell and Rural Projects Coordinator, Lindsay Bourque, were on hand at this weekend’s Pancake Breakfast in Hedley to answer questions regarding the proposed service for Area “G” residents that will help fund and maintain parks projects within Area “G”. We spoke with a number of residents who were interested in the options available and what would happen if the proposed bylaw does not pass.

Currently, the only Community Park within Area “G” is Woodlie Park in Hedley which the RDOS requisitions $4000 annually to help fund and maintain the park in partnership with the Woodlie Park Committee.

Woodlie Park is the only park within the RDOS to not have a dedicated budget and without this service established; the RDOS will not be able to continue to fund the park. This initiative is keeping with the RDOS’ mission to implement policies which preserve and enhance quality of life for residents in the Okanagan and Similkameen valleys in a fiscally responsible way. According to Bill Newell, “Given that it is our intent to fund [Woodlie Park] indefinitely into the future, we really should proceed with this establishment bylaw and get the authority to tax for it. It would give those people paying for it the chance to vote, whereas right now we’re taxing them to pay the grant-in-aid, but they’ve never had the opportunity to tell us if they want us to do that, or not.” To date, Woodlie Park has been funded through Grant-in-Aid which is issued only on a one-year term and there is no certainty that the Director for that Electoral Area will re-issue a grant in subsequent years, lending a certain amount of uncertainty to this much loved community asset.