Three local citizens who call themselves The Three Amigos helped organize the inaugural Music in the Park concert series this past summer in Osoyoos. The group got good news Monday as Town of Osoyoos council approved giving the group more than $6,000 to organize next year’s concert series at Gyro Park. Members of the group include (from left) Rusty Copeland, Janis St. Louis and Alan Bleiken. (Richard McGuire file photo)
A new music concert series that attracted enthusiastic crowds of music fans to Gyro Park last summer will return for the summer of 2016.
The Music in the Park program was organized by local residents Janis St. Louis, Rusty Copeland and Alan Bleiken and featured nine concerts held mainly on Friday nights over several weeks at the band shell in Gyro Park.
The group called themselves The Three Amigos.
St. Louis and Copeland were in council chambers Monday to hear the good news that council will increase funding to allow the Music in the Park Program to continue next summer.
Last year, council provided organizers with just under $4,000 in funding from the Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) funds to assist with delivering the music concerts in Gyro Park.
The Three Amigos had requested $6,225 in RMI funds to deliver the 2016 Music in the Park concert series for 2016.
The RMI program allows 30 per cent of RMI to be spent annually to develop special events that would enhance visitor experiences and attract new tourists to town, said Barry Romanko, the town’s chief administrative officer during a presentation to council Monday.
In 2015, council approved an RMI budget of $15,000 for this type or programming, but only $8,000 was spent and $15,000 has been identified in the RMI strategic plan for 2016, he said.
Mayor Sue McKortoff said she’s very pleased the summer concert series will continue next year.
“I attended several of the concerts … and they were very well attended and very well organized,” she said.
The organizers spent a great deal of time and put in a lot of effort organizing the concerts without knowing if there would be strong support from the community and it was encouraging to see so many people show up to most of the concerts, she said.
Coun. Mike Campol said he strongly supports any venture that promotes the arts and culture in this community and the Music in the Park concert series was an unqualified success in its inaugural year last summer.
Coun. C. J. Rhodes said he also attended several of the concerts last summer and thought the quality of bands and performers was outstanding as was the community support.
Music is a great way to bring people together to enjoy themselves and he is confident this concert series will continue to grow and succeed next summer and for many years to come, said Rhodes.
Coun. Carol Youngberg said her residence is within walking distance of Gyro Park and she spent several nights with friends enjoying the great music while sitting on her patio.
She credited St. Louis, Copeland and Bleiken for doing an outstanding job in organizing the concert series and is also confident next year’s series will be even better and will attract larger audiences.
Nine concerts are planned for 2016.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
