The District of Squamish is again pursuing the idea of sponsorship for the Adventure Centre.
The district's standing committee on finance introduced the money-making idea to council during the District of Squamish council meeting Tuesday (June 16).
When the building was first proposed, the district's intention was to have corporate sponsorship to help fund the centre's operational costs. Squamish's former mayor, Ian Sutherland, repeatedly assured the public that sponsorship was almost secured, but it never materialized.
This week, the finance committee recommended that staff investigate sponsorship opportunities and that the idea be brought forward to a Committee of the Whole meeting for discussion and investigation.
Bit it raised alarm bells for Coun. Patricia Heintzman. She said a holistic conversation concerning the Adventure Centre has yet to take place.
"We don't know what direction we want to go with the Adventure Centre. I think this is putting the cart before the horse and maybe something we want to throw to the public at the town hall meeting next week.
Coun. Bryan Raiser said the naming of the Adventure Centre should be part of a larger conversation that has yet to happen.
"I want to know about the revenue potential of the inside of that building as well. This should be pat of a larger discussion," Raiser said. "At what point are we going to have that major discussion?"
Mayor Greg Gardner said he supported the motion because it is merely an investigation.
"I do think this could bring in a little additional revenue if we do this pre-2010 so I will be supporting the motion on that basis," Gardner said.
Council passed the motion regarding the Adventure Centre with Heintzman and Raiser opposed.
Council also asked staff to investigate ways to accommodate advertising in bus shelters and look into potential advertisers, following on recommendations by the finance committee to generate money for the district.
Duplex approved despite complaints
Council approved plans to build a 4,700 sq ft duplex despite opposition from some residents of Rhum & Eigg Drive.
At a public hearing last week, residents raised concerns about the project's large footprint, which some neighbours call out of step with the character of the neighbourhood.
Discussion surrounding the project has been ongoing. At the first public hearing last year, the proponent was asked to confer with neighbours and bring back a smaller footprint. The applicant originally proposed a 5,252 sq ft duplex to replace an older single-family dwelling.
Coun. Paul Lalli said the proponent met the requirements of the municipality by bringing back a smaller footprint. He said the present zoning actually allows for a larger home with a secondary suite.
"I will be supporting this recommendation. We did have people come before us in opposition and support of this application and I take those into account. The street does have a mix on it and finally I am supporting this because staff is recommending third reading," Lalli said.
Other councillors raised some concerns. Coun. Corinne Lonsdale said she would be voting in opposition to the motion because the neighbourhood has a good mix of duplexes and single-family residences already.
"I think we need to protect the integrity of our neighbourhoods to the best of our ability," Lonsdale said.
Coun. Doug Race also voiced his opposition to the rezoning allowing for the duplex. Race said the project represents a denser form of zoning in predominantly a single-family neighbourhood.
"Spot zoning raises an issue when we try and do it in a single family neighbourhood. To me those zoning lines are hard lines and with that in mind I am voting against the motion," Race said.
Council voted to approve the rezoning with Lonsdale and Race voting against it. Gardner did not vote due to a conflict of interest since he lives in the neighbourhood.
BIA requests council support
The Squamish Downtown Business Improvement Association (BIA) is asking council for support through the appointment of one council member to their board of directors.
In a letter to council, executive director Cinci Csere said most BIAs around the province have a councillor on their board.
"In our last operations committee meeting, one of the issues that came up was communication and process. We feel that having someone on our board will keep the lines of communications open and our process flowing," she wrote.
While council agreed that communication is important, they voted to assign a staff member to the BIA board rather than a councillor.
"My recommendation is that we leave this at the staff level because of our time, and because many of these decisions are operational level issues," Gardner said.
Lonsdale said council members come and go. She said the BIA deserves continuity and a staff member would be a good fit.
