As we head into yet another Christmas holiday season, there is so very much to be thankful for here in Osoyoos.
Not only do we live in one of the most beautiful small towns anywhere in Canada, but we’re blessed with endless amounts of sunshine and warm weather.
For the first time in a very long time, we didn’t have a spectacular summer in 2016 and we endured all kinds of rain in June and the first two weeks of July weren’t exactly blessed with the traditional steaming hot weather we’ve become accustomed to.
And this cold spell over the past two to three weeks has dragged on longer than normal and had many of us cursing at the screaming wind and cold temperatures.
However, we still have it much better than most places in Canada and there’s little doubt the traditional long and hot summers and short and mild winter weather will return soon.
We are all blessed that Osoyoos Secondary School has remained open after all that took place in the first six months of 2016.
Members of this community fought tooth and nail for several months to keep this school open and were the main reason the provincial government came up with the Rural Enhancement Education Fund and the $500,000 needed to keep OSS open.
The Province insists it intends to increase funding for rural schools like OSS in the future, but we shall see what happens following next May’s provincial election.
The opening of the new Okanagan Correctional Centre has provided the economic boost everyone predicted when it was announced B.C.’s newest jail would be opening on Osoyoos Indian Band land near Oliver in 2016.
The new correctional centre is only days away from receiving its first inmates and the more than 240 correctional officers and senior administration who have been hired are in place and ready to roll.
Dozens of employees at the new jail have purchased homes in Oliver and Osoyoos and the direct and indirect economic impact has been overwhelmingly positive.
Dozens of new students have also enrolled in elementary and secondary schools in Oliver and Osoyoos and this has resulted in a budget surplus for School District 53 for the first time in a very long time.
Meanwhile, the Osoyoos Coyotes continue to roll and sport the best record in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League heading into the Christmas holidays.
Head coach and general manager Ken Law and his players are hoping to stop the recent jinx of having great regular season teams that fail in the playoffs and have set their sight on reaching the KIJHL championship series once again.
Town of Osoyoos council has approved several new housing developments and earlier this week approved a new affordable housing authority for the town made up of councillors, senior town administration and members of the public at large.
With the future of OSS looking good, enrolment at Osoyoos Elementary School near capacity, the new correctional facility in place and helping the local economy for generations to come and new housing being built, the future looks very bright indeed.
With the Christmas holidays only days away and New Year’s Eve celebrations following quickly thereafter, we urge everyone to use extreme caution on the busy highways and roadways as they travel to visit friends and family.
Even though it’s repeated over and over again, we must continue to urge driveres of all ages to not consume alcohol and get behind the wheel of their motor vehicle during the holiday season.
While you should never drink and drive, it’s a message worth driving home this time of year as there are more people on the road and RCMP officers are looking out to catch impaired drivers.
We wish all of our regular readers and advertisers a safe and very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
It has been another wonderful year and we’re hoping for much more of the same in 2017.
