The Sicamous Lions are backing out of the Lions Park project.
Lions president Betty Powell announced this week that the club has cancelled its plans to help transform the park into an active park, complete with handicapped accessible play equipment and workout stations for seniors. The main reason, says Powell, is that the club has not been able to get an agreement in principle from the District of Sicamous, which is needed to access grant funding.
“They have tabled it four times, this is the fifth I think, or the sixth… They want to talk to all the other groups, the seniors groups in town,” says Powell, somewhat frustrated with the process. “We feel we are not going to get approval soon and so, at this point in time, we just want to just cancel the whole project.”
Powell does not dismiss the possibility of the Lions Club pursuing the park project at a later date, but not in the coming year.
Ruth Cameron, a neighbour to the Martin Street park, is relieved the Lions plans are being put on hold. Since the Lions Club made their intentions know, Cameron has been a proponent of the park remaining in its current, passive state.
“I wanted them to back out, leave the park alone. If anybody has any money, put it into the equipment at the end of the park for the children, some equipment like they had there before, and leave the rest of it alone,” says Cameron.
Cameron notes she and others who live by the park received a survey on Lions Park. She says the majority of the respondents shared her view.
Powell says the Lions will be holding onto the money donated to date for the park project, which amounted to more than $6,000.
“Most people know the Lions will use that money within the community for a good project,” says Powell. “It could be for a piece of equipment at the school grounds for the disabled children. That’s one of the ideas that have come forward, there have been a whole bunch.
“We will let the public know where the money will be going to and see if they have approval for that at that time.”