FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

Q.         Is the Kootenay-Columbia Discovery Centre Society (KCDCS) the same organization as the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Authority (CVWMA)?

A.         No.  While they both have long names, they are two different organizations.  KCDCS is a non-profit, registered charity, established in 2015 to build a new wetland education centre and provide environmental education and awareness programs. The CVWMA no longer provides such environmental programs however it continues to manage the wetlands in accordance with its legislative authority.

 

Q.         What happened to the old “Interpretive Centre”?

A.          The old “Interpretive Centre was deemed unsafe for public use in 2017, closed that year and was demolished in 2020.

 

Q.         Is environmental education continuing at the CVWMA while the new Discovery Centre is being built?

A.         Yes.  In 2018, a small, temporary facility was placed in the parking lot of the old Centre so that    environmental education programs could continue in the interim.  For more information about current programs, click here.

 

Q.         Where will the new Discovery Centre be built?

A.          It will be built in approximately the same location as the old one, subject to geotechnical feasibility and regulatory approvals.

 

Q.          When will the new Discovery Centre be built?

A.          The process of getting a new Centre built is complex.  A dedicated Board of volunteers is working hard to ensure the process moves forward.  KCDCS has an estimated timeline of 3-5 years to complete the project.  To stay up to date on progress, please click here.

 

Q.         How big will the Discovery Centre be?

A.         The Discovery Centre will be built to accommodate present and future programs along with new exhibits and displays.  The former Interpretive Centre was 5,700 sq. ft.  If new technologies are integrated into the design of the new one, less space may be required.

 

Q.         What will a new Discovery Centre cost?

A.         Depends.  One architectural estimate is $425/sq. foot, excluding outdoor improvements. We need to refine our spatial needs and obtain more estimates to give a reasonably accurate estimate.  KCDCS is presently seeking funding to assist with that process.

 

Q.         Will the costs add to the tax burden of people in the Creston Valley?

A.         Our objective is to raise funds primarily from private institutions, e.g. foundations who support environmental education initiatives (the Columbia Basin Trust, for example) is already our largest financial supporter).  Our research shows that every similar project in Canada has had at least a portion of funding from the Province and/or the Federal Government and we will ask for their support, also.  For many years, RDCK and the Town of Creston have provided grants in small amounts that support our educational programs.  Those grants do not impact local taxation as far as we know and we do not anticipate any change in that regard.