Skip to content

Stage debate in Okanagan Lake Park returns, user groups divided

The polarizing topic of adding a stage as a permanent fixture in the Penticton park has resurfaced
16071542_web1_170301-PWN-peachfest-park
A jam packed Okanagan Lake Park during the 2017 Penticton Peach Festival. The festival, like others that utilize the park, currently has to rent a stage to use during the festivities. The debate of whether or not to add a permanent stage to the park has once again surfaced. Photo courtesy of David Secor

The polarizing debate on whether to erect a permanent stage in the Okanagan Lake Park has surfaced again thanks to a notice of motion by Penticton Mayor John Vassilaki.

Vassilaki included researching the feasibility of constructing a stage in the park as part of a larger notice of motion he and Coun. Jake Kimberley put forward on March 5 at the regular council meeting. Since that time, the portion of the motion regarding the stage has been dropped.

“During my election campaign, I promised the taxpayers of Penticton that they’ll have a voice during my four years in office. When I brought this forward, I misjudged what the community wants in their parks,” said Vassilaki. “We saw what happened with Skaha Lake Park and that’s the last thing I want to happen during my four years (as mayor). I got many, many, many phone calls from all aspects of our society in Penticton.

“Parks are holy to the citizens of Penticton. The taxpayers want them to be a wide-open space that they can go take advantage of, so I misread that. The stage would have taken up a small footprint of the park. But I decided to just cool it and let sleeping dogs lie.”

READ ALSO: Penticton city council working on respective election platform projects

According to Don Kendall, president of the annual Peach Festival that utilizes the Okanagan Lake Park for the majority of its activities, the debate about adding a permanent stage to the venue has been ongoing for years. He said the festival used to be hosted in Gyro Park and moved to the Okanagan Lake Park 12 years ago “with the promise that within two years, a stage would be built in the park.”

“As soon as the people in the condos across the park heard that a stage was going to be built, they got up in arms and council backed down,” said Kendall. “So since that time, about 10 to 12 years, there’s been no appetite on council to tackle the stage issue in the park. I’ve been president of Peach Fest for 10 years now and it’s come up probably every two years.”

Kendall said it costs the festival approximately $20,000 per year to rent a stage to use in the park. He said the festival doesn’t want to take one side or another when it comes to adding a stage to the park, but would like to see proper change rooms or green rooms put in for performers at the festival (and other user groups) to utilize.

“It’s a real disadvantage for us to not have any facilities there for entertainers. The park could be rented out for weddings or special events, anybody who would want to use the park including Elvis Festival and Ribfest, and we could benefit from proper dressing rooms in the park,” said Kendall.

The original notice of motion put forward by Vassilaki and Kimberley included researching the feasibility of a green room or change rooms in Okanagan Lake Park, but this item was also dropped at the next council meeting. The motion, which is now solely backed by Kimberley, is for the parks and recreation advisory committee to review the suitability and costs of adding motion lights and outdoor fitness equipment in Gyro Park.

READ ALSO: ‘Incredible’ show to close out 2019 Penticton Peach Festival

Penticton Ribfest, which is organized by the Penticton Rotary Club, also utilizes the Okanagan Lake Park for its annual event. According to Sandra Krauer, co-chair of Penticton Ribfest, “the leadership team would love to see a permanent stage and green room” in the park.

“The thousands of dollars we have spent hiring a stage and green room over the last five years would have been better donated to projects like Rotary Discovery Park, the Rotary Pavilion, the Shatford Learning Kitchen or the Foundry Penticton and youth centre,” said Krauer. “A permanent stage could be used for symphony and theatre in the park events as well as existing festivals.”

Krauer said Ribfest organizers would prefer to see a “sealable” stage facing the north in the park, to avoid musicians and performers facing into the sun like they currently do when temporary stages are erected facing the west. She added that “this will also make sound less invasive to those living in and staying in the north-end homes and hotels.”

For now, Vassilaki said he does not plan on bringing the topic of a stage to council again anytime soon. He said this would not prevent other members on council from pursuing this subject but he believes more discussions need to take place between the city and the park’s key user groups.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

<>

Jordyn Thomson | Reporter
JordynThomson 
Send Jordyn Thomson an email.
Like the Western News on Facebook.
Follow us on Twitter.