For Desert Park Exhibition Society, COVID-19 has actually been a helping hand for business as those who would normally go to the U.S. have stayed closer to home instead. According to the board members, revenues were up 50 per cent in 2020, and will continue to increase this year.
“We are going to be having a very busy year at Desert Park…we started welcoming horses in November of last year and will be having a full house from February to May,” said Rod Trites, vice-president of Desert Park in their meeting with the Osoyoos town council on Jan. 26.
Since their new board was elected in July 2020, Desert Park has managed to make some notable changes so far, and have an ambitious list of plans for this coming year.
In addition to the new board, Desert Park has also hired a new on-sight manager, and a new track manager. The location has now also been professionally landscaped.
Trites adds that they now have an official website and a Facebook page with all their current up to date information. They are hoping to channel more effort into a social media and branding strategy.
In terms of the barns, there’s been electronic inspections of them all, with repairs done as well. “It’s very important to us that everything is up to grade with electric, sewer and other things,” said Trites.
Looking ahead to the rest of 2021, Dorothy Paukste of Desert Park said the board will have their hands full.
“We are having the busiest winter we’ve ever had at Desert Park thanks to COVID. Out of 116 stalls we will be filling up 115 of those. There are a lot of things on our agenda to accomplish for 2021” said Paukste.
In this agenda, attending to issues with the sewer system is high on the list of priorities. Paukste explained that they’ve had issues with the sewer system below the RV sites since last spring.
They also want to make enhancements to some of their barns in order to accommodate more stable horses as they tend to stay for a longer period of time.
Another goal for the coming year is to start up business partnerships with local businesses in Osoyoos for tourism related events, as well as develop a corporate sponsorship plan. Paukste explained that these tourism events most likely won’t start this year, but the team is optimistic that they can start in 2022, and bring more tourists to Osoyoos and Desert Park.
“We have a commitment [from a local business] to donate some money to Desert Park, and our treasurer is going to be arranging for Desert Park to be a registered charity so that we can issue tax receipts for corporate donations,” Paukste adds.
Desert Park also is planning to Renew their occupation agreement with the Town of Osoyoos as their lease with the town ends in December 2021.
