Penticton Indian Band to hold extensive consultation, referendum on ‘Adrenaline Super Park’

PENTICTON – Members of the Penticton Indian Band are going to have their say on how a proposed Adrenaline Super Park is built on reserve lands, according to the CEO of the band's development corporation.

Jonathan Baynes says the Penticton Indian Band Development Corporation is beginning extensive consultation with the First Nations community prior to a band referendum on the matter.

“We want the band to shape what the project is going to look like, what plants and wildlife considerations need to be built into the project, so it is representative of the band,” Baynes says today, Oct. 30, just days after an initial press release outlining the proposal.

The band is in the due diligence stages with Avion Developments to build a multi-featured adventure park incorporating nature trails, zippiness, a waterpark, rides, bike terrain, a motorsport facility, an RV park, shops and restaurants.

Baynes says the projects involves “quite a big piece of land,” although the exact size hasn’t been determined yet, and the park would be constructed on band land, as opposed to locatee land within the reserve.

He says once consultations are complete the band hopes to publish an outline of what the nature of the referendum is going to be like, to show band members what they will be voting for. He says the referendum, scheduled for Dec. 14, will be focussed on utilization of the land.

“This proposal doesn’t just involve leasing of the land, we’re looking at a long term partnership for multiple generations. It’s a different conversation to what has been transpiring on a lot of First Nations territories, and we’re going to go above and beyond to consult with the community as much as we can,” Baynes says.

He says there will be engagement with the city and other groups down the road.

“The band needs to first decide what’s going to happen,” he says.

The proposal partners the band with Avion Developments, company headed by Trevor Siebert. Siebert is also chief executive officer of Lake Excavating, the contractor that built the Area 27 Formula One racetrack on Osoyoos Indian Band land east of Oliver. Siebert’s LinkedIn profile describes Avion Developments as a real estate company with extensive experience in the acquisition and development of raw lands.

Baynes says Avion has “a good track record working with bands and has experience turning these things around.”

City of Penticton development services director Anthony Haddad said in an emailed statement it was great to see the proposal come forward. The band has not yet approached the city about the project, however the city’s economic development team are looking forward to working with the band to assist moving the project forward.

“It’s certainly an exciting time in the South Okanagan and working closely with the Penticton Indian Band on their initiatives is definitely a priority for us,” Haddad said.

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