DEVELOPMENT IS TAKING A TOLL ON OSOYOOS

Editor:

The front page photo of the Mayor in the excavator is a reminder to me of divisions within the community between well-planned growth and condos, condos everywhere, at any cost.

My parents, Bert and Liza Graham and their contemporaries were hard working community minded people, building the community we knew as Osoyoos.

I used to be very proud of my home town. That pride has been eroded in recent years.

I grew up on the lakeshore near Willow Beach and have watched the changes there since 1957. Habitat restoration seems to me to be far more reasonable than housing development at that site.

Have you looked down from the Anarchist Lookout recently – Condos, Condos, Condos – will they stand the test of time – built during a time of skilled-labour shortage?

Indigo adds yet another high density project to that area – I would not want to be a paramedic or fireman in Osoyoos trying to access an emergency in that area during tourist season.

The citizens of Osoyoos and Area defeated a referendum several years ago that could have put the old packing-house property in the hands of the community and been a great park and community centre for all to enjoy. We no longer have a beautiful park and focal point at the foot of Main Street.

A new care facility for our seniors – next door to a pub and the intersection of two major highways – no peaceful gentle breezes through the windows there.

The real estate boom here, as in other areas, increases the taxes, but makes owning a home farther out of reach of young families and more difficult for local businesses to retain employees in the retail and hospitality industries when staff can't afford to live here. My family home has now been flipped enough times to be valued close to the asking price of the packing-house property at the time of the referendum.

What is done is done. I made my decision four years ago that I could no longer live in Osoyoos or Osoyoos rural. My only hope is that the powers that be put more thought in to the legacy for future generations, when the development proposals keep coming.

One more thing – every year when it is time to renew my Times subscription, I want to cancel so I don't have to see all the stuff. So far I continue to renew for the same reason some of my friends do – to read the obituaries.

Sandra B. Smith,rnOliver

OSOYOOS TIMES-April 23, 2008

OSOYOOS LAKE NEEDS YOUR HELP

Editor:

If you are interested or concerned about the quality of Osoyoos Lake, read on.

Is it the milfoil problem, too many geese, lakeshore development pressures, watershed management issues, toxic run-off, or sewers?

The lake affects everyone in the community, whether retailer, resident, fisherman, pleasure boater or simply if you take pleasure in its unique beauty. If you want to have a voice in what happens to its future, you can contact the Osoyoos Lake Water Quality Society (OLWQS) for information and advice.

The OLWQS consists of local volunteers whose goal is to monitor, protect, and educate – that is, to monitor and protect the waters of the lake and its environs and to educate the public about what can be done to improve lake conditions “ and in order for the Society to continue this work it needs the support of the community.

Since the Society was established in 1992 there have been some positive changes to the lake: phosphates and nitrates have been reduced and public awareness has increased.

However, with new problems arising such as lakeshore development, urban runoff, nitrates appearing in our aquifers and damage to fish habitat and spawning areas, our community needs to remain vigilant and engaged if we are to fulfill our role as stewards and wish to pass on a healthy lake to future generations.

The OLWQS is currently without a president, but is alive and well and continuing to function by way of an active board of directors. While a new leader is being sought, the group remains fully operational and is looking forward to a busy year, with ground water monitoring and weekly lake water testing for conditions such as clarity, temperature, ph content and oxygen content, which provides data for the Ministry of the Environment.

We encourage those interested or concerned to participate in improving the quality of the lake by making a tax-deductible donation, or by becoming a member for $10 a year.

If you are already a member, it is time to renew. Please send your tax-deductible donation to Box 1382, Osoyoos, B.C., V0H 1V0.

Have you considered volunteering? It's a lot of fun and there are many opportunities within the group.

Volunteers are needed to share boat crew duties and what nicer way to spend a few hours on a summer morning between May and September, or to bring other skills relating to promotion and management of the society.

The Annual General Meeting is coming up on May 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Osoyoos United Church, which will give both current members and the public an opportunity to ask questions and discover more about what makes Osoyoos Lake so special.

For more information please call 495-3134. Remember “ if you use it or enjoy it, it's your lake to look after!

Alicia Osland,rnOsoyoos Lake Water Quality Society

OSOYOOS TIMES-April 23, 2008

PESTICIDE USE IS ALSO A SERIOUS AIR-QUALITY CONCERN

Editor:

There are some air quality issues in the valley that do need to be resolved.

Just as orchard burnings have been a problem throughout the winter, we needrnto take a closer look at pesticides and their use in the spring time.

Research over the past years has shown clear links between the use of pesticides andrnincreased rates of cancer, brain disorders and Parkinson's disease.

Provincial governments are beginning to restrict the use of pesticides on lawns and parks in urban centers, but less attention has been paid to areas like the South Okanagan wherernresidential areas and orchards are closely intertwined.

At some point we all have been confronted with the problem.

From the beginning of April onward one regularly sees tractors spraying orchards with columnsrnof pesticide that can be 10 feet and higher.

The wind blows these columns not just across the orchards but also toward the homes of farmers and residents.

While people on the tractors are often protected by full body suits, children who play a short distance away often only wear T-shirts and pants.

Older people or sick people who are even more susceptible to the fumes often have to stay at home and keep their doors and windows shut because they do not know when the neighbouring farms will spray next.

Is it really necessary to use pesticides that require a full body suit when they are applied?

Are orchards not producing food that ends up on our tables?

Alternative models for controlling pests are available, but they cost money.

There are projects around the world in which farmers are beginning to experiment with different approaches.

In Europe many fruit-growing orchards near residential areas have either turned organic or have used a modified approach.

The differential cost is often covered by a hotel and tourist tax and the profits are shared equally among farmers and hotels.

In Germany, for example, agri-tourism has become a growing industry.

When the fruit trees are in bloom, busloads of tourists come to the fruit growing areas to admire apple and cherry blossoms. (They would be less inclined to come and admire tractors spraying pesticides and farmers in full body armour.)

The orchards get supported by the shared tax while tourism grows.

This is an arrangement in which all sides win.

The farmers get financial support for more sustainable farming methods, the hotels extend the tourist season into the shoulder seasons of spring and fall and the residents of the areas live in a healthier environment.

The cost of using pesticides is high. Why should we not at least consider something like the above model for Osoyoos?

For the health of our children and families this may be an important thing to do.

O. Lindner,rnOsoyoos

OSOYOOS TIMES-April 23, 2008