COUNCIL GETTING ITS OWN MEDICINE
Editor:
I watched the Council meeting on the local TV and read the article in the Osoyoos Times (Council wants to hear from public on seniors facility) and was most amused by the indignant stance of a number of members on Council.
This is the same Council that rezoned a residential piece of property for assisted living with little or no regard for the citizens affected by the rezoning and with little or no communication with those individuals until it was a done deal. In spite of an overwhelming opposition, they rezoned it saying we want this facility and implying that they don't give a d”m what the people want.
Now the Interior Health Authority, whose heavy-handed insensitive approach is something that Council does not like, is treating Council in exactly the same way. Lack of communication, consultation, being pushed around are but a few of Council's dislikes. Interior Health is pushing this as a take it or leave it proposal. To try to begin to understand the IHA's agenda is a long and complicated process. I would suggest the Premier's office would be the first place to look for details as to the gutting of public facilities and the push to privatization.
What the public needs to consider is will this be a safe location for the people it is built to serve, namely seniors. Proximity to a pub, great idea but wrong age group. Next to a busy highway with a shopping store just across the street, great if you put in 5-minute safe crossing times. Next to a noisy highway, also great if you assume that all seniors have hearing difficulties anyway.
Jerome AlbornOsoyoos
— (OSOYOOS TIMES — September 20, 2006)
[b]SUPPORT URGED FOR MUSEUM[/b]
Editor:
The Osoyoos Credit Union has committed to grant $60,000 to one of the three worthy community projects which have been short-listed. The winning project will be the one which receives the most votes from Credit Union members who vote by September 30th.
I would urge you to vote if you are eligible as a member or as a signing officer for an organization which has an account at the Credit Union. And I would urge those voters to vote for the Osoyoos Museum Society proposal.
The Museum has preserved much of our heritage, and continues to add to the collection to truly serve as the keepers of our history and heritage for generations to come. To do this, the Museum needs a reliable and stable source of funds, in addition to fees from visitors, donations, membership fees, and the countless work and efforts from the many volunteers. Many available grants depend on what local funds are generated.
By winning this $60,000 award from the Credit Union, the Museum Society becomes immediately eligible for a direct matching grant from the B.C. Arts Renaissance Fund. This allows for the establishment of a perpetual $120,000 Endowment Fund, which can be increased by other donations. Though the endowment fund remains intact, the investment income from it will generate secure annual funds for the Museum Society which will help to ensure the future of this community museum. Please vote for the Museum Society proposal to make it possible to double the amount of the award.
Tony BrummetrnOsoyoos
— (OSOYOOS TIMES — September 20, 2006)
[b]SHORT RENTALS AT CASA DEL LAGO[/b]
Editor:
My husband and I just spent the month of August at the Casa del Lago resort in Osoyoos.
I was extremely surprised to see in your paper a quote from Peter King, (who is apparently the site manager at Casa del Lago) and who said he is not aware of any individual owners renting illegally at the present time. We talked to many people in the month we were there and a great portion of them were renting short term anywhere from one week to two weeks. rnOur rental agent told us we had to rent for a month as it was the law in Osoyoos now. You can imagine our surprise when the first people we talked to were renting for one week only. I was very disappointed to find there was no apparent monitoring from the strata council and for Peter King to make the above statement to your newspaper on July 26. I suggest he look into the real activities of the owners before making such an erroneous statement.
Margaret ParkerrnNanaimo, B.C.
[b]Peter King has offered the Times a clarification on this issue:[/b]rnAt the time of the original newspaper story, I made it clear that I was not aware of the situation. Should individual owners choose to go against strata council and Town bylaws, it is very difficult to police that.
— (OSOYOOS TIMES — September 20, 2006)
[b]SUPPORT URGED FOR DESERT CENTRE[/b]
Editor:
If you have your name on an account at the Osoyoos Credit Union, you have an important decision to make before the end of September.
You can vote for one of three community organizations to receive the Osoyoos Credit Union 60th Anniversary Community Award worth $60,000.
As a volunteer at the Osoyoos Desert Centre since their opening in 1999, I feel strongly that they are very deserving of this award.
If they receive this award, they will complete the installation of a solar power system which will facilitate the use of on-site lap top computers, videos, fans, heaters and the creation of a shaded outdoor classroom.
The Osoyoos Desert Centre could be open year round!rnWith only a generator and a propane fridge, modern technology on-site has been basic.
The office and CEO, Joanne Muirhead, are located in town and the centre is closed from mid-October to mid-April. (We will be challenged on Sept 20th and Sept 21st when a total of 180 Grade 6 students are visiting the site and we have limited shaded areas for orientation before our tours on the boardwalk. )rnDespite these limitations, the Desert Centre has provided quality guided and self-guided tours of our unique and highly endangered Antelope-brush ecosystem to tens of thousands of visitors and students, conducted research and restoration, and provided outreach services to help other organizations and individuals preserve our native plants and animals.
The opportunity to stress the importance of caring for our environment through showcasing the use of an alternative energy source (solar power) and the advantages of time saved and communication increased by having the CEO on-site, as well as increased capacity for education and research with a well-equipped classroom would greatly increase the Osoyoos Desert Society's mandate to provide education, conservation and restoration for our human and environmental community. Please vote.
Vivienne CalderrnOsoyoos
— (OSOYOOS TIMES — September 20, 2006)
