Don't be fooled by negative forces

Editor:rn As civic election day approaches, I would hope that the citizens of Osoyoos are not fooled by the negative forces running for Mayor and Council.
No special interest group has the right to attempt to stop progress.
If the town was gated many of those very same people would not be here now.
What does Osoyoos Now really stand for?
In a free and democratic society people have the freedom of movement and no group has the right to attempt to stop that.
Development will only take place if there is a demand for it, and market forces will control that.
Also elected councils do not set real estate prices as some people think.
Supply and demand will take care of that. It is strange that complaints by old original settlers in Osoyoos are few about the changes to the town.
It appears that most of the complaints come from recent arrivals, who are now are here and feel no-one else should be able to come here and purchase a home.
On election day please get out and vote for a positive Mayor and Council.
John Jelich Osoyoos

Editor:rnOsoyoos is now rewarded with growth due to a devoted team in the tourism and agrotourism industries.
Our B&B's, motels, golf courses, wineries, eatery's, fruit stands, campsites and rv parks, Destination Osoyoos, Osoyoos Chamber of Commerce and Osoyoos Indian Band played a big role in the success of this small desert town that is now being compared to Napa (of course mother nature has lot to do with it).
Osoyoos' teamwork has sparked people to discover Osoyoos, they are now moving here or investing here for retirement.
This is where we have a problem, some of you even very recent residents are quite opposed to growth.
Now that you're in a lock the gate and throw away the key attitude seems to be the order of the day. I for one support the growth and speaking as a neighbour and resident of Cottonwood Dr. I welcome all our new home owners.
Only a few years ago real estate sales were so bad some of the real estate offices almost went under but thanks to some luck and innovative investors things got moving and it has brought a flywheel effect to housing sales.
This has brought new life and stability to the community, stopping the wheel for two years would be a crime and shame.
The new condos bring cash to the city, cash we are going we need to to build the infrastructure to protect the lake that is the back bone of this town, and build recreational facilities to improve social life among the seniors and youth, these areas are sadly lacking at the moment.
In this election the ones with most to lose are the young, I hope young people show courage and take an active role in the future of their town.
Michael Oran

Town of Osoyoos Council:rnWe recently received a notice from OV Waste Systems Ltd. dated September 30, 2005 that the rate for Blue Bag Residential will be raised to $2 per condominium unit per month, effective October 1. (1 day's notice!!)rnAs condominium owners, all units pay property taxes like every other home owner in the town. However, we seem to be discriminated against for being condominium owners by having to pay extra for the removal of our waste and recyclables.
We are really forty-one residential homes rather than one large commercial establishment.
Consider also that it takes only one stop at our waste bin rather than forty-one stops at forty-one private homes. Simple math shows that it is actually more economical to serve condominiums!rnSo, why are we being penalized by the provider of the waste removal services?rnRob JenkinsrnThe Palms by the Lake

rnEditor:rnThe proposed 16 million dollar re-roading of traffic through east Osoyoos only, takes in carving up orchards and disturbing existing residential areas which many may consider a negative occurrance.
There must be an upside to it, however, or else it would not have been sought after by the triumvirate of the Mayor and Council, the Department of Highways and the Osoyoos Indian Band.
Bulldozing away the fruit trees, putting them through a chipper for roads and then casually subdivide the ALR into 50 ft. lots with a price tag of $150,000 a pop is bound to thrill a few. Houses will be built to accommodate the employees of a car assembly plant, a plywood/sawmill and a toilet bowl casting factory.
Of course such spin-off benefits will not happen in Osoyoos. A house built in Osoyoos is a one-time event. Osoyoos is growing fruit and tourism and so far a nice place to live. Anyone arriving from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton or Seattle surely cannot experience the traffic here as unbearable for the week or two that they are here or just passing through. For 80 or 85 per cent of the year the traffic is from minimal to ghost town like.
Any main artery in Vancouver supports vast volumes of traffic 12 months of the year.
The Vancouver West End, a forest of high rise buildings is built along streets a hundred years old servicing then 2 1/2 story homes. Now over 30,000 people are using those same roads. The ruse of the triumvirate should be set aside.
The citizens of Osoyoos should contemplate the uniqueness of the town.
It is a town where food is still grown within its boundaries. A walk, bike ride or a drive along an orchard generates a pleasant down to earth human experience which is good for the soul.
An ALR is also a greenspace and must remain so forever. It has immeasurable human value. It will counter balance the condo-syndrome. In the now great old cities a few had the vision to set aside green land not to be built on. Central Park in New York is more durable than concrete, Hyde Park in London will never be anything but that.
There are more cities so fortunate. Sadly, when developers are on the loose to build cities in the developing world green space is not on the program.
Luke KurversrnOsoyoos

Editor:rnOn Monday, November 14/05 there is to be another Public Hearing.
It is to be held at 7 p.m. in the Sonora Community Centre. This time it concerns the Gateway Marina property at 2418 Lakeshore Drive.
The rezoning is from Commercial Marina to Commercial Residential.
If the developer, Michael Mortimer, gets what he wants, he plans to build a four-storey, 10-unit luxury condo structure on this wee 0.17 hectare (0.42 acres) piece of lakeside land.
Already about six of those lovely shady trees have been cut down in anticipation of accommodating this proposed beachside construction.
Do you want to see a four storey building go up right along the lakeshore?rnDo you want to have the lovely lake view, that is presently available at that location, totally blocked by more luxury condos?rnDo you want to see Lakeshore Drive built up like the crammed-in, jammed-in, developments that have risen on Cottonwood Drive?rnIs this a development that Osoyoos needs on this site, at this time? Do you want yet another rezoning to occur before the new Official Community Plan is in place? So many questions. What could be the answers?
Gwen Monteith, Osoyoos

Editor:rnIt's interesting to hear the comments that John Slater and Tom Shields have been making recently. Apparently, they have decided they have not been doing a good job in listening to the people's concerns, wishes or suggestions in our town.
Surprisingly enough, they have noted in their press releases, on television and at the all-candidates meeting, that they are going to change and are now going to listen to and request input from the citizens on the OCP, making changes to bylaws, etc. They're going to make changes in how they handle development permits and also accept suggestions as to where development should be allowed.
Interestingly, Michael Ryan has been saying this long before they have.
Michael Ryan is the man who is responsible for the formation of the organization Osoyoos Now, and the first to have come forward to say something should be done to encourage citizen participation with respect to planning, development, bylaws, the OCP and other things.
In the years that Slater and Shields have been members of Council or Mayor, in my opinion, they have had plenty of time to have been in touch with the people in our community who badly want to have a say in all things pertaining to our town.
Slater and Shields are running for cover by using Michael Ryan's dream of getting the people of Osoyoos interested in and informed about what is taking place in our community. Mayor Slater and past Mayor Tom Shields have now decided that they want to follow Michael Ryan's vision of empowering the people of Osoyoos. I say it's too late for the old guard, let's make a change.
Charles E. (Chuck) Emery, Osoyoos