The Comox Valley Curling Club asked the regional district board to consider raising $6.5 million through a referendum or alternate approval process to replace its building on Headquarters Road.
"It's a big decision we need to ponder in the future," board chair Edwin Grieve said Tuesday at committee of the whole.
The curling club consists of about 500 members ranging in age from six to the far side of 80. Next February it hosts the B.C. senior championships.
The facility was built in the 1950s. The club entered a mortgage when it encountered financial issues in the early-'70s. It is now under a lease agreement with the CVRD.
• • •
The Comox Valley Conservation Strategy Community Partnership says its proposed Comox Lake watershed sustainable use recreation area would save local governments at least $25 million on water filtration infrastructure and future operating costs.
Jack Minard and David Stapley presented the proposal to Courtenay council and the CVRD board. They note private forest companies own 65 per cent of watershed lands, which are open to the international market.
The proposal includes numerous recommendations for the Province and local governments.
"We're looking for some leadership," said Minard, who considers the CVRD the lead agency. "We're talking about a place of beauty for all time."
View the document at www.cvconservationstrategy.org.
• • •
The board received a request from the Lighthouse Country Marine Rescue Society for ongoing annual funding of $5,000 to support the marine search and rescue station at Deep Bay. The money would help replace equipment. The society serves the CVRD and the Regional District of Nanaimo. The latter turned down a similar request.
• • •
The board voted in favour of a staff recommendation to host a workshop with Valley municipalities and staff from Campbell River and the Strathcona Regional District to determine the interest and viability of hosting another B.C. Seniors Games.
The Comox Valley and Campbell River co-hosted the event in 2010.
Comox director Patti Fletcher, Cumberland director Gwyn Sproule and Area A director Bruce Jolliffe opposed the recommendation.
"It's not the time to have this conversation," said Fletcher, who feels it is far too soon to consider hosting another Games.
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com