Dear Editor:

I read with interest the recent editorial in the Osoyoos Times lauding the mayor and town council for the position of not providing any taxpayer dollars towards the development of our airport.
While I am quite content to accept that position if that is what the majority of taxpayers want, then so be it.
However, I would like to cover a few salient points that should be considered in the process of taking that position towards a very important asset that the airport represents to this community.
Having served on the board of Destination Osoyoos (DO) for some 10 years, I think I am reasonably qualified to make some observations regarding where we have been and where we are now when it comes to the wellbeing of our community.
I mean that from both an economic and health and wellness point of view.
First of all, the development that Osoyoos enjoyed over the past years did not happen by itself. DO was proactive not only from the board’s perspective but as well with a highly-qualified fulltime professional who went to all the construction conferences and took advantage of every forum to promote and encourage location and investing in our community.
When the town severed that phase of the relationship, that activity went away.
The town then hired a capable professional to become a sort of community relations manager, which in itself is fine, but it did not replace the role that DO was providing.
As a consequence, during the particular period, there was very little development activity, which we, in the majority, chalked up to the economic downturn taking place across the country and around the world.
However, if you look at other communities in this province you will see that many major investments in projects were made during that period.
Economic development has an effect on other important areas in our community, including health and education.
I was directly involved in past years in the recruitment of doctors to our community, some whom are still looking after our residents and contributing to our economy in many ways.
Economic development means jobs and jobs mean families with school-aged children settling in our town. Without that activity, it is inevitable that our high school will close and students will have to be bused to Oliver.
As a side note, why do you think that after the catastrophic fire at the high school in Oliver last year that several levels of government have invested in the rebuild?
With the new jail going in on the Osoyoos Indian Band land, families will be moving to Oliver as a result. Yes Osoyoos may gain a few families, but not in sufficient numbers to justify keeping our high school open.
How does this affect our wellbeing?
Try recruiting doctors with school-age children who have to be bused to Oliver and back five days a week where special arrangements for after-school activities have to be made for transportation.
I know from firsthand knowledge that prior to DO being taken out of the economic development function, there were some excellent prospective companies that were interested in relocating to our airport.
In one instance, a company would have brought with them as many as 50 high-paying jobs and the accompanying families. The jobs were not only skilled, but were environmentally responsible.
Other communities have attracted jobs by creating special tax incentive zones and reduced development charges that are more than offset by the expansion of the tax base, business for local merchants and families with school-age children.
Some see the airport as a white elephant, but others see it as an opportunity for our town to improve prospects for the future.
I guess it all depends on one’s point of view on this matter.

Derek Noske
Osoyoos, B.C.