Editor:
To all the great-hearted horse people of Osoyoos who instantly hitched up their trailers and headed to Kilpoola on learning of the BC Day wildfire there, we express our undying gratitude.
We so appreciate your generosity in offering to rescue anyone who needed evacuating.
Due to the heroic efforts of the ground, helicopter and bomber crews, most of us were able to keep our horses at home, but your gallantry moves us deeply.
Thank you for being such wonderful neighbours.
Maureen Parriott and fellow Kilpoola horse owners
OSOYOOS TIMES-August 4, 2010
MORE CONCERNS REGARDING SWIMMING AREAS
Editor:
I’m sending this letter in response to Mike Clancey’s letter about the absence of buoys in our lake along motel row.
I’d also like to thank Mr. Clancey and his concern about such an issue as I, too, have witnessed quite some interesting things this past Friday, July 30.
I have been living here for just over 10 years and never once did I think to write a letter to bring up an issue to the local community here in Osoyoos.
The attitude I get from many tourists, however, is the “we’re here on vacation so we don’t have to worry about following along with the rules” kind of attitude and it’s an attitude that drives me insane.
In the past, I have noticed that tourists don’t seem to bother with the buoys whatsoever and either motor by very closely to the buoy line (if any local goes down to the Lions’ Centennial Park to have a relaxing afternoon and watches such an event unfold, you’ll know what I mean) or as they return from a fun day on the lake and are headed back to their hotel/motel, they cut right over the line to anchor their boat right on the beach – and the absence of the buoy line is no exception in this case.
I think the issue here is that none of them are educated.
If you think about it, a lot of the tourists don’t seem to realize that what they’re doing is causing some uproar within the local community and none of the other families who come to visit dare say anything to the drivers of the boats and complain that they just “narrowly missed” their children.
I agree with Mr. Clancey’s view on this topic completely, that if nothing happens anytime soon then we will, sadly, have to read about the passing away of a completely innocent life, because some boaters are just plain careless, in our paper.
It’s bad enough that many accidents from careless and uneducated boaters have been printed or rumoured around town.
So what to do about this issue?
The Town of Osoyoos had better come up with a solution quickly, and also make sure that it is set in stone for next season, or maybe the hotels should install a policy to educate their visitors where they can park their boats – regardless, something has got to happen soon.
Colten Pighin,
Osoyoos
OSOYOOS TIMES-August 4, 2010
