By Richard McGuire

It was Christmas in March last Friday as MLA Linda Larson announced more than $433,000 in funding for projects in communities across Boundary-Similkameen.

The announcement of grants under the province’s Rural Dividend Fund took place at Gyro Park in Osoyoos, where municipal representatives from Keremeos to Greenwood attended.

Larson said Oliver and District Heritage Society will receive $60,000 to create a multi-purpose space by converting the area surrounding Oliver Museum into a publicly accessible heritage garden that interprets the natural and cultural heritage of the Okanagan.

“I think that’s an amazing project. We have such a lovely museum and whatnot in Oliver. To finally do this is great.”

Larson also announced $66,000 to Osoyoos for further work on extending the pier at Gyro Park.

Councillor Carol Youngberg said the funding would cover consulting fees.

The B.C. Rural Dividend provides $25 million a year over four years to assist rural communities with a population of 25,000 or less to reinvigorate and diversify their local economies.

Other communities receiving money in Larson’s announcement were Greenwood, Keremeos, Midway, and Okanagan Falls.

Projects include downtown beautification in Keremeos, and money to Greenwood to develop the historic copper smelter ruins into a tourist attraction.

The province says the program was developed to recognize the contribution rural communities have made to B.C.’s economy and the unique challenges they face to diversify beyond natural resources.

Larson said the funding is part of the province’s rural economic development strategy.

Tossing aside most of her prepared notes, Larson spoke off the cuff about the importance of rural communities to B.C.’s economy.

“It’s so hard to get through to the people that live in the Lower Mainland that absolutely everything they touch every day came from where you guys live,” said Larson. “None of it came from where they live. So every computer, every vehicle, every piece of everything came from the ground. It did not come from down there. So we’re really trying to put that message out there that it’s forestry, agriculture, mining, oil and gas that really make the province run.”

Larson pointed to other funding under the rural economic development strategy including money for cattle tagging, tree planting and phasing out of sales tax on electricity for municipalities.

When the event ended, some of the municipal representatives called out: “Thank you Linda.”