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Indoor sports facility location debate ongoing

KEYSA declines Moir Park offer, says it isn’t a financially viable location
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A soccer organization hoping to operate an indoor sports facility has declined to sign a letter of intent with the City of Cranbrook offering a location in Moir Park due to concerns of financial uncertainty.

The Kootenay East Youth Soccer Association (KEYSA) says it cannot enter into a license of occupation for a location at Moir Park because amy financial losses would be on the shoulders of KEYSA board volunteers.

KEYSA estimates that a Moir Park location would mean a $40,000 annual loss to their projected budgeting for operation costs and expected revenues.

“As a non-profit organization, we cannot afford to lose $40,000 annually and expect to be able to provide this facility for the community while also maintaining our objectives of providing sporting opportunity to hundreds of children in our area,” reads a press release issued by KEYSA on Wednesday.

KEYSA Press Release 20181010 by Trevor Crawley on Scribd

KEYSA stresses that as a non-profit society, it is tasked with running a break-even budget and that if operations fail, the society will have to fold.

The organization said it conducted additional research into the proposed Moir Park location around accessability, snow removal, recreation and financial planning, public input and existing land use.

The facility is a proposed 2,600 square metres space of indoor heated floors on artificial turf that can cater to a number of different sports besides soccer, such as baseball, lacrosse and football.

Led by Mike Robinson, roughly $1.3 million has been raised for the indoor sports facility that has come from local organizations, individual businesses and government grants.

Finding a location is the last hurdle to getting project construction underway.

KEYSA says its financial information was brought to council during a in-camera meeting in May, however, the data was not accepted before an intial vote to offer the location at Moir Park.

The city hosted a open house in June that limited options to Moir Park and Balment Park, with 90 per cent of feedback favouring the latter, according to KEYSA’s statement.

Following council’s decision to offer a License of Occupation at Moir Park, KEYSA says it tried to appear as a delegation before council in June and July, but both requests were declined.

KEYSA says it attempted to appear before council on Oct. 1 to present the additional research collected over the summer, but was denied again.

“At this time, KEYSA is requesting for City Council to identify a process to establish serious and meaningful dialogue on the location of this project that includes adequate public input, sustainable planning, and is respectful of all citizens.”

A Facebook page has been set up by KEYSA to promote respectful discussion on the indoor sports facility.



Trevor Crawley

About the Author: Trevor Crawley

Trevor Crawley has been a reporter with the Cranbrook Townsman and Black Press in various roles since 2011.
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