RDCK to review policy after controversial conference
By Regional District of Central Kootenay
The Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) will be reviewing its procedures for the booking and use of regional facilities for events. This action is being taken in response to concerns expressed by the public about a controversial speaker who headlined a recent event at the Pass Creek Exhibition Grounds. The RDCK owns the land, which is managed by the Pass Creek Regional Exhibition Society.
“For large events such as the recent Mighty Men’s Conference, the RDCK takes the lead on coordinating the booking process to make sure the proper event planning, insurance and licenses are in place, and to accept the damage deposit and booking fee,” said Stuart Horn, Chief Administrative Officer of the RDCK.
Organizations who wish to use the space for these types of larger, more complex events must sign a facility use agreement with the RDCK. The agreement requires the event organizers to abide by the laws of British Columbia, which encompasses laws regarding discrimination and human rights.
“Our responsibility is to ensure the opportunity is open and the process is fair to all organizations who wish to use the space,” continued Mr. Horn. “While it is not our role to anticipate or investigate the subject matter of these events, we are aware of the community’s concerns about the featured speaker at this particular event. We will review our existing agreement and process, and ensure that the expectations we set for event organizers are clear.”
For these types of large events, the Pass Creek Regional Exhibition Society is not involved in the booking process and does not decide who may use the property. Any concerns about the subject matter of the event should be directed to the organizers of the event, and concerns about the use of regional facilities should be directed to the RDCK.
Incorporated in 1965, the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) is a local government that serves 60,000 residents in 11 electoral areas and nine member municipalities. The RDCK provides more than 160 services, including community facilities, fire protection and emergency services, grants, planning and land use, regional parks, resource recovery and handling, transit, water services and much more. For more information about the RDCK, visit www.rdck.ca.
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