City of Cranbrook council April 29 approved entering into a Letter of Intent with Kootenay East Youth Soccer Association (KEYSA) on the siting of an indoor sports facility at Balment Park.

Council Monday voted to rescind its motion from the regular meeting of March 25, which would allow for the placement of the sports facility, known as Option 5 after further review of all the potential locations provided by staff.

It then approved the city providing a conditional Letter of Intent to enter into a License of Occupation with the KEYSA to construct the facility in Balment Park in the area identified as Option 6, with Mayor Lee Pratt the lone vote against.

Council made the off-agenda switch during the mayor and council reports at the end of the meeting.

Coun. Ron Popoff noted that on April 8 Mayor Pratt asked for reconsideration of the chosen option. Popoff said as a result of that, he was asking for Option 5 to be removed and Option six be accepted.

There have been “other extenuating circumstances,” since the previous motion, Popoff said. “We are at a stage where we have almost all the information.”

Noting he’s in favour, Coun. Wes Graham cautioned he’d like some assurances that taxpayers won’t be left holding a bill.

“I am hoping that now we can move forward,” said Coun. Norma Blissett.

Mayor Lee Pratt said he “still has a bit of a problem if Balment is going to displace other users. I think we a duty to the corporation to make sure we uphold a fair and equitable solution. I still feel with this decision that some users are going be displaced” and would be voting against the motion.

“I still think we have some responsibility to all the user groups that use Balment.”

Coun. Wayne Price asked city staff if current users would be displaced with Option 6?

City director of leisure services Chris New said there would be “a lot of moving of dirt” for the BMX site, but otherwise no.

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