The Cowichan Valley Regional District have taken another step towards implementing the new funding model for rec centres under their purview.
They’ve just established four new sub-commissions to provide governance over the nine arenas, community centres and pools that fall under the new usage-based funding system. They’re the Cowichan South, Cowichan North, Cowichan Core, and Cowichan Lake commissions.
Cowichan South will be responsible for Kerry Park and Shawnigan Lake Centres, Cowichan North will cover the Fuller Lake arena and Frank Jameson Community Centre. The Cowichan Core commission will cover the largest amount, with the Cowichan Community Centre, Cowichan Performing Arts Centre, the Cowichan Aquatic Centre, and the Cowichan Sportsplex, while the Cowichan Lake commission will only cover the Cowichan Lake arena.
This follows last year’s successful referendum to implement a usage-based funding model, as opposed to one more geographically based. The new model will survey those who use the facilities and then the facilities will each be funded based on the percentage of users from each local jurisdiction.
The committees are made up of mayors, councillors, and electoral area directors from local governments. They will begin to meet later this month and begin reviewing budgets next year.
