Agenda Package - City of Vernon

THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF VERNON
2008 Annual Report
RECREATION
The Recreation Division is responsible for the operation of the Vernon Recreation Centre and for the
planning, promot¡on and operation of recreation programs and the supply of recreation services to the
public in the Greater Vernon area. The Recreation Division supplies these services to the North
Okanagan Regional D¡str¡ct v¡a a contract through the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee. The
Recreation Division takes a leadership role in the promotion of active healthy lifestyles for the
community. Through the programs and services we offer, the Recreation Division plays an ¡mportant
role in improving and maintaining the quality of life that the public associates w¡th l¡v¡ng in Vernon.
Last year in an effort to assist all citizens of Vernon to become more active and to reduce barriers to
recreation we partnered with the Social Planning Council and created the 75% Disability Discount for
person's with Disabilities, Person's with Persistent and Mult¡ple Barriers and those on Canada Pension
Disabilities. This year, due to the success of that program, we have expanded to include individuals that
are financially disadvantaged including tncome Assistance recipients. lndividuals in this provincially
recognized program are now eligible to receive a75% discount on certa¡n programs and services. The
result has been extremely positive and has allowed over two hundred individuals to get active that
would have othenrise been left on the sidelines. ln 2009 we will be adding individuals receiving the
Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors.
Phase two of renovat¡ons at the Recreation Centre Auditorium continued with the removal of the
concrete tiers that had been a fixture in the building since 1966. By removing the tiers and lying in a
new flat floor throughout the Auditorium the accessibility and versatility of the room have been
ingeased significantly. ln addition to the work on the floor, a new overhead door was installed
improving access for renters to load in and load out of the building before and after events like the BC
Snowmobile Federation Snow Show held in November.
other events held at the Recreation centre included the civic complex Referendum' Queen silver star &
Winter Carnival Events, Women's World Curling Championships Opening & Closing Banquets and Keith's
patch, BC Hobby Expo, Fund Raisers for the Canadian Cancer Society and Hospice, BC Home Shows,
Vernon's Outdoors Show, Oktoberfest and both the Federal and Municipal Elections, just to name a few.
Rll of the events listed above helped to attract a conservatively estimated 100,000 visitors to the
Auditorium and Curling Rink. Coupled with the 188,000 public user visits to the Aquatic Centre and the
133,OOO user visits to registered programs the Vernon Recreation Centre boasts over 421,000 user visits
per year making the Centre one of the busiest and most active facilities in the community.
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