Sports Council request for seat still not given: Rec. 5 commission
By Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A Nelson Regional Sports Council request from 2022 for a permanent seat at the Nelson and District Recreation Commission No. 5 table still has not been fulfilled.
In early 2022 the Nelson Regional Sports Council (NRSC) had asked for a seat on the commission — which includes three elected representatives from the City and two directors from the regional district — to allow the sport user groups in the region a voice in shaping policy that directly affects each group’s members.
Over the last year the commission put forth a pilot program which extended courtesy provision of freedom of the floor to NRSC representatives. Although the program “improved dialogue, communication and understanding between the groups,” in a meeting in late May the commission ruled that a seat will still not be given.
“With consideration given to the commission’s limited scope of governance, it is agreed that the best course of action will be to continue extending the courtesy of freedom of the floor to representatives who attend Rec. 5 meetings,” noted the minutes of the May 29 meeting.
The commission decided that, considering the primary interest of the NRSC was to have the opportunity to speak on behalf of user groups and remain included in discussion points as a non-voting participant, a freedom of the floor provision fulfilled that mandate.
Two years ago NRSC co-chair Dave McCulloch pointed to a task force that was set up in 2018 by the recreation commission — paid for by the RDCK and the municipal governments of Nelson and Castlegar — that was attended by the region’s recreation user groups, as a bright spot in assisting with shaping policy.
Many of the task force’s recommendations were brought forth at the time, McCulloch noted, but to-date none have been implemented. He felt an NRSC representative on the commission would reduce the amount of dispute between the city and the regional district officials.
“During many on camera meetings within RDCK and municipalities the question as to how is this to be funded comes up frequently, and referendums suggested as an outcome causing delays and inaction,” he said. “The access to facilities and fees incurred along with subsidy policies were part of the task force recommendations.”
Rec. 5 chair Keith Page said in April 2022 in a letter to Nelson City council that someone from the NRSC must attend a few public commission meetings before a seat is considered — but an NRSC representative had yet to attend a commission meeting over the last few years, nor provide public comment on the business before the commission.
“The commission strongly believes that any user group advocating for a permanent seat on the commission should first take the opportunity to attend public commission meetings,” Page wrote. “This allows user group representatives to understand the work being undertaken and to ask questions during the public time.”
McCulloch said the reasons given for the stalled or delayed task force recommendations was due to COVID-19, was the current explanation — and the timing of the decisions would go to referendum based on upcoming regional elections.
“That said, two (recommendations) that I am aware of are (Castlegar and District Community Complex) upgrades put out to a referendum and voted down by one small group based on the wording of the referendum,” he said. “And a solid master plan for the Cadastre Legal parcel adjacent to Mount Sentinel school, I believe, … which also went out for a referendum with no word as to the outcome as of yet.”
McCulloch said the NRSC had hoped to foster “collaboration between the RDCK and municipalities and offer insight and balance from the user groups” with a permanent seat on the commission.
“The main two recommendations currently identified were to ensure transparency as to how the user fees were established, and (how) space allocations were designated to allow these provincial and national organizations to implement programs that are affordable in our region,” he said.
