Town park situation deplorable

Editor:rnThis is a letter to the Mayor and Councillors of Osoyoos.
The situation of the town park is deplorable.
The hippies from Quebec have taken over the park to the degree that I would not take my grandchildren there.
We have witnessed this group of lay-abouts with their dogs defying the bylaw, creating ugly scenes, using the foulest of language, literally polluting the park, and spreading into the town centre begging and blocking the sidewalks.
It is time for decisive action. Get some control over this mess before it becomes an epidemic. This year is worse than we have ever seen it.
We don't need these garbage mongering people polluting our park. Spend some money on a Beach Patrol. Don't just shake your heads, and allow it to continue. Do something.
If anyone thinks that this letter is too strong. Read the front page of the June 24th Penticton Herald stating Partiers (misspelled) Scaring Families Away From Public Beach…
In this article, our Mayor is quoted as saying, short of having somebody down there 24 hours a day, it's pretty hard to control.
I say, then get somebody down there 24 hours a day. That is what we pay taxes for.
Also, to respond to Don Moore, General Manager of South Okanagan Securities, who says I haven't had a problem with the French-Canadian fruit pickers. I have far more problems with the local teenagers in the park.
I didn't know that so many of our local teenagers could swear in French, and have so many dogs.
Let's face it, the control in the park is a joke, and no one is taking responsibility. It is unacceptable.
Ernest KerrrnOsoyoos

Editor:rnAt first I must address the Cherry Fiesta. It is an event we have attended for the past four years.
My grandchildren come up from the coast specifically for this. To their disappointment they were not able to participate in the cherry pie eating contest. They talked about this event for hours, they had strategies.
To the organizer of this event, what were you thinking? Only 16 pies to be distributed among children and adults. You did not have to deal with the crying children that were left out because of your lack of planning or should I say lack of imagination. You said you were not able to get the pie shells; what about just filling empty trays with filling and whip cream, the concept would still have been there.
As far as the adults were concerned, we know they are capable of handling disappointments better than children. Why didn't you let the children have these pies? What is a Cherry Fiesta with out a pie eating contest? Other than the cherry spit there is no other event that represents the cherry.
To all the other event organizers; you did a great job.
We were able to attend the Skateboard Competition and were disappointed by the lack of support given to these competitors.
Yes, there were supporters most of whom were involved in the competition itself. Our youths, have worked diligently to get a park, raising monies on their own. It would have been nice to see the community come and see what these participants were working for and why they worked so hard.
This new park will provide them a place to improve their skills. Unity, you did a great job! So when will this park materialize?
This park will be located in my neighborhood and I'll be proud to tell anyone that it was because of the hard work of our Young Community.
We will be looking forward to watching you.
Monica Reddemann
Wayne Knight, Osoyoos

Editor:rnThis is in response to Jan Ehlers letter published June 28,2005.
I attended the meeting of June 9 dealing with the development of the packing house property. While I am in favour of the development I am not in favour of a 12 storey building at that site. I was disappointed with some of the people in attendance who showed no class in booing those speakers who supported the proposal. Every one has the right to express a point of view without being yelled at and booed.
Jan Ehlers has stated that he will contribute $10,000 towards the purchase of the site for a park. Sounds great but it's all show. Where will the rest of the money come from, who will control it, who will set the standards for the site?
It's a ludicrous suggestion at best.
To use taxpayer monies to purchase the site would also be a poor use of our taxpayer dollars.The site has a value of about $5,000,000. Even if the site was worth $1,000,000 it would still be a poor use of our money. If purchased by the town it would be a very expensive bedroom for transients.
Develop the site as a convention centre with a building that does not exceed 4 stories on the road side and 6 stories on the lake side and increase the tax revenue to the town.
Ron LeighrnOsoyoos

Editor:rnThe recent confirmation of a second case of Mad Cow disease in our country shows that the United States has never had an adequate system in place to protect Americans from the disease. For years after the practice was banned in England, the U.S. continued to allow the feeding of cattle and sheep to other cattle and sheep even though this is known to spread the disease. It is still legal to feed the blood of cows to other cows, and to feed cow neural tissue to pigs and chickens and then feed these animals' neural tissue back to cows.
The problem is that the ranching industry, with the government's help, has consistently put cost-cutting measures ahead of the welfare of the animals. Cows were never meant to stand knee-deep in manure-soaked stockyards chewing the diseased brains of other animals.
Now it has come back to haunt us. If we learn nothing else from the second case of Mad Cow disease in the U.S., we should understand that mistreating animals does not benefit people. Please see GoVeg.com.
Kathy Guillermo
Senior WriterrnPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

Editor:rnIt was wonderful to see so many volunteers on Canada Day. Osoyoos wouldn't be the same if it were not for our terrific volunteers.
While our museum is currently blessed with twenty-seven volunteers, it may appear, that with fourteen shifts a week of three hours each shift, twenty seven would be ample. However, there is life after the Museum as our volunteers, like anyone else, entertain many relatives and friends during the summer months.
The museum reception desk is a wonderful place to volunteer as one meets people from all parts of the province, Canada and the world. It's a great opportunity to learn more of our local history and help to promote the wonderful Town of Osoyoos.
I have been a museum volunteer for four years and find it a most rewarding experience.
If you are able to volunteer, say three hours a week, please telephone our volunteer contact person, Mary Englesby at 495-3565 or the writer at 495-3337.
Don ChaddertonrnOsoyoos

Editor:rnAs usual Gwen Monteith's remarks in her letter re: the packing house property go straight to the issues without a lot of wasted verbiage.
Then last week, at the Town AGM she elicited the information that we the taxpayers pay for half of the infrastructure costs for these developments.
Did we all know this?rnHer suggestion in the letter that $1,200 from each taxpayer could purchase the packing house property, doesn't seem such a bad idea, except that many households couldn't afford it, and some wouldn't wish to.
Mr. and Mrs. Jan Ehlers have another good idea, and gene-rously donate $10,000 to start the ball rolling towards the community's active participation in the purchase of the property.
From the tone of the public meeting at the Sonora Centre, many Osoyoos residents might be happy to become involved.
I wonder how many other taxpayers are struck by the budgeted amount of $1,176,500 for Destination Osoyoos, and how much of that million-plus would go towards the purchase of the property, rather than on private plans for our town by unelected officials.
Again, judging by the public response to DO, it seems that things are kind of lopsided in this town.
When we had an opportunity to purchase that property a few years ago, we turned it down, many of us because it was too expensive. Today the price seems to have been fairly modest, and perhaps in retrospect many of us would realize that we couldn't afford NOT to purchase it, and would vote differently today than we did then.
Surely there is a reasonable solution for the use of that property, one that would be advantageous to the bill-paying taxpayers rather than to sharp nonresidents who will grab their profits and run, leaving us to deal with the aftermath.
It seems that leaving it in the hands of non-elected so-called town representatives is not going to produce satisfactory results.
Trudi SchofieldrnOsoyoos

Editor:rnI am writing to applaud Jan Ehlers Letter in the June 26/05 issue of the Osoyoos Times, regarding a plan to purchase the packinghouse property by the citizens of Osoyoos.
I truly hope the town council will look seriously at this proposal.
With council's support, the support of the local service clubs, and the support of the citizens, the community park can be restored to its former beauty, for the use of all the citizens of Osoyoos and our many visitors.
To follow up on the pledge by the Ehlers family, my husband and I also pledge $10,000 towards the purchase of the packinghouse property, in memory of all the good times our family enjoyed at this park over the years, when the park was used and cared for by the whole community.
So many people donated time and money to keep the park up-to-date and clean at that time, and I just know that if the people of Osoyoos get inspired about this project again, it can be done again!rnI also pledge to work with any committee on fundraising activities to go towards the purchase.
There are many areas to tap for funds for public facilities, including Foundations, Federal and Provincial governments, bequests, etc., that will reduce the cost to the local community.
The people of Osoyoos have done great things for their community in the past. Let's get together for the future.
Virginia CookrnOsoyoos

Editor:rnRe: submission to Zoning Bylaw to Comprehensive Development Zone (CD-3) Zoning Amendment Bylaw 1085.46-, 2005.
Although, I am not a citizen of the Town of Osoyoos, I feel obliged to comment on this, as the Town is actively pursuing to annex us with the same part truths as presented here.
Arnie Polischuk states that he is working for the Town of Osoyoos as well as for the surrounding area, which is the Regional District, together with 19 other volunteer Directors and a small staff. I am sure wondering who these are.
The 12 storey, (48 m or 157 ft.), 46 m elsewhere, Hotel and Convention facility is the vision from over 400 people involved in the focus group sessions and public meetings on the surrounding land uses, from the Sands condos to the Super Valu, or should we call it Safeway as per drawings?rnThis is more amazing as Tom Shields in the Times of June 15th declared that there were no other meetings than the preliminary ones.
The tremendous economic impact on the community and region sounds fantastic! But is it?rnHaving no airport, no trains, no helicopter pads, one expect all those important guests to come by the busloads! But wait, under parking review: bus parking is nil!! Bicycle parking and disabled person parking is 30 spaces. Other parking, a total of 303 spaces, all has to be accommodated off Park Place and the traffic lights at this famous corner.
Loading spaces are six and everyone knows that restaurants are serviced by semi-trailers on a regular basis. There is house keeping, etc., oh yes, there are also guests coming by the thousands.
All this will bring the Town at least $700,000 in tax revenue each year.
Has anyone from Destination Osoyoos checked what one fire truck with a bucket height capacity of 155 feet and a pumper capacity of two or more high capacity fire nozzles costs these days? Has anyone made a calculation as to how many additional pumper and support vehicles will be necessary?rnThe $700,000 tax revenue, even when it all comes, will be lost with the equipment purchases and the collapsed water mains in the wail of the siren.
With the annexation process continuing, we will hear a lot more of the glamourous hogwash to entice us to say: Oh Yes. But not for a long time!rnPeter NewportrnOsoyoos