Cost top of mind in community engagement on multipurpose facility

Revelstoke’s multipurpose facility survey RevySetGo, released in early March to help chart a path for recreation in the city, closed Tuesday, March 31 with roughly 1,500 responses, surpassing the sample size of at least 368 needed for Revelstoke’s population of 8,275. 

The Public Works Yard, located just across from the Revelstoke Forum emerged as the most popular location for a new build, with a focus on a central space that could grow in the future. Costs for relocation of the Public Works Yard were not included in the estimate.

While renovating the Revelstoke Forum is still a possibility, the RevySetGo survey was intended to give potential community direction if saving the forum is no longer feasible.

Regardless of demolition or renovation, keeping the project affordable for tax payers, including seeking private partnership to help fund the build, was a key theme of the survey results.

Darin Harding, principal architect of HCMA Architecture and Design, spoke to the eagerness of respondents to build something for future generations, while balancing concerns over cost. The sentiment was echoed by residents who attended the information session Wednesday, May 20. 

“I hope that city council and city hall realizes how expensive it is to live and play in this town and that we’ve got other projects,” local Mark McKee said.

Other community members at the information session agreed, pointing to a long list of priorities on the city’s agenda with high price tags, such as the current wastewater treatment plant updates and work on the Box Canyon log jam.

Still, over 80 per cent of survey respondents supported replacing the Revelstoke Forum, with 63 per cent supporting a new curling facility as well.

Filtering out non-local results

While residents voiced concerns that an online survey platform could allow input from outside of Revelstoke, Harding explained the survey program Othello tracks IP addresses, flagging incongruencies for staff review. While Othello staff have seen survey takers attempt to submit through multiple IP addresses, Harding said Revelstoke’s results showed little attempt to skew demographics.

“If somebody really wants to get past the system there are ways, but there is due diligence within the system to try and catch as many as possible through that process,” he said.

Of the roughly 1,500 completed surveys, 81 per cent of RevySetGo respondents listed themselves as residential owners and over 95 per cent classified themselves as year-round residents.