Latest news with #OkanaganMilitaryTattoo
Global News
4 days ago
- Business
- Global News
City of Vernon vows to meet with non-profits after backlash over rent at civic facilities
More non-profit groups are denouncing what they call significant rental fee increases imposed by the City of Vernon at civic properties used for community events. 'It's hard,' said Ingrid Baron, chair of the Creative Chaos event. 'It's hard if we all go, 'Who is going to rent these facilities?'' Creative Chaos, Canada's largest craft fair, brings in thousands of people every year. The event is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and for the first time in its history, aside from the COVID-19 pandemic, will be operating at a loss. 'We tightened up on a few things,' Baron said. 'We were going to have a bit of a bigger celebration thing, so we've tightened up there. We tightened up on our performing arts, dipped into some savings.' Story continues below advertisement The cost-cutting measures, Baron said, were necessary as the non-profit society has to pay a lot more this year to rent the venue space at the Vernon Recreation Centre. 'We were shocked because it was a 32-per cent increase from the year before,' Baron said. The Vernon Farmers' Market is in a similar situation. It rents the parking lot at Kal Tire Place every Monday and Thursday and it too is now faced with much higher rental fees. 'It's significant, ' said Sarah Martel, president of the Vernon Farmers' Market Society. 'A big increase.' According to Martel, the rent hike has tripled in just two years going from around $3,000 to $14,000 a year. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'It's forced us to increase the price for vendors,' Martel said. 'As a result, we have seen a decrease in the amount of vendors that come. If they're making a loss every day, you know, where do they go from there?' Martel said the market has decreased by about half the size it was five years ago, with only about 80 vendors left. While part of that is blamed on the pandemic, more recently it's the rising fees that are contributing to the shrinking market. Story continues below advertisement 'It's really sad because all the money that's spent at the farmers' market, and even the money that's created and generated by these small businesses, it all stays in Vernon and it all goes to the Vernon local economy,' Martel said. 2:16 Okanagan Military Tattoo cancelled due to soaring rental fees The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce has been advocating for fairer fees for non-profit user groups since 2023 arguing it is in the community's best interest. 'Unfortunately, we haven't seen the results that we had hoped for,' said Dan Proulx, the chamber's general manager. 'So what we're seeing now is unfortunately the effects of those increases that we warned the city was going to happen.' Proulx referred to the long-running Okanagan Military Tattoo that earlier this year pulled the plug on the event and cited the rental fee hike as the final straw for the tough decision. Story continues below advertisement In an email to Global News, the city's chief administrative officer, Peter Weeber, stated he's aware of the concerns over the rental fees for city facilities and plans on addressing them. 'I will be meeting with these organizations in person, including the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce, in the coming weeks to better understand their specific concerns,' Weeber said. 'If there are challenges, I want to harness the knowledge and experience within the business community to help address them.' At the farmers' market on Thursday, some shoppers questioned why the city is putting up barriers at a time when buying local is top of mind for so many. 'The timing is absolutely inappropriate, atrocious and ridiculous,' said Vernon resident Rhonda Kohen. 'I don't understand it and where their heads are at because it hurts the city.' Last week, the city stated it had to strike balance between fees paid by the user and subsidization through taxation needs.
Global News
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
Concerns grow over loss of major Vernon event, economic benefits
A colourful and ceremonial military event in Vernon, B.C., has come to a rather unceremonious end. After 12 years, organizers of the Okanagan Military Tattoo have called it quits, pointing a lot of the blame at the city and its decision to jack up rents at city-owned facilities including Kal Tire Place, where the event was held for many of those years. 'It's a huge disappointment,' said Norm Crerar, the event's co-founder. Crerar said that putting on the event was becoming challenging, with hotel accommodations and the price of food going up significantly. He told Global News the rent increase was the last blow. According to Crerar, the rent fee has gone up by more than $10,000 in last few years and now exceeds $35,000 for five days. Story continues below advertisement 'That was the last straw,' Crerar said. 'That was almost an insult.' Crerar called it an insult because the event is put on by a non-profit group, and with some 3,000 spectators taking in the event, many from around the region, along with about 500 performers, the city, he said, benefitted in a big way. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'It is shortsighted,' Crerar told Global News. 'This generated about $2.5 million in economic activity in this area here.' 2:15 Kelowna welcomes Brier and economic boom it brings The Vernon Chamber of Commerce is also concerned. The organization has sent a letter to the city calling for immediate action, including a review of the fee structures for non-profit user groups. The letter urged the city to 'foster a culture that recognizes and supports the economic and social contributions of non-profits, rather than positioning them as a source to backfill City budget.' Story continues below advertisement In a statement to Global News, the city stated, 'While the City understands the value brought to the community by hosting private events, balance between fees paid by the user and subsidization through taxation needs to be sought as well.' Crerar said the event will not return to Vernon but added that a group in Abbotsford is expressing interest in taking it on in that city. He said if that becomes reality, Vernon's loss would be Abbotsford's gain. In the Chamber's letter to the city, the organization also expressed concern about other events coping with rising rent costs, including Creative Chaos Western, which it said will operate at a financial loss for the first time in its 50-year history due to a 30-per cent increase in rental fees. It also mentioned the 'Vernon Farmers' Market. According to the Chamber, the farmers' market has lost 30 per cent of its vendors during peak season after fees were increased by 300 per cent.
