Dear Editor:

This letter is written in response to Town of Osoyoos Coun. Mike Campol’s recent comments about marketing and promoting Osoyoos as a great place to live and raise a family.

When I read Campol’s comment, “We have to market this place as a great place to live and raise a family and not just visit during the summer”, I thought he was right on the mark.

I moved from Victoria about 18 months ago to get away from the ‘ant hill’ Victoria has become.  It was a bit of a culture shock I must admit.

It didn’t take long, however, to realize that Osoyoos is geared to tourists and not the people who live here year round.

Everything bustles during the summer months and then in the fall it feels like all of the sidewalks have been rolled up for the winter.

There are some shops that even close after the summer season.

We have a limited range of shopping opportunities here in Osoyoos and the residents who live here are at the mercy of the local store owners’ and have to pay the prices they select.

There is one store where you can find a bit of everything at a healthy price, but if you want to walk a mall or shop at bigger stores that have better prices, or just want more options, you have to travel to Penticton or further or go south.

In the meantime most of our shopping dollars go elsewhere and don’t help the community we live in.

Some healthy competition would do wonders. For example, if the gas stations here in town know that people go to Oroville to fill up their cars because it’s cheaper, why don’t they lower their pricing?

If I want to get a pair of knee high socks, I have to drive to Penticton to get them.

I must also say that it is no cheaper living here than living in Victoria and that surprised me a lot.

Whether here or there, people are still always looking for the best deal.

If we want to get a community swimming pool or other facilities that can run year round, we need a bigger tax base.

There is a penitentiary being built near Oliver. The community of Osoyoos should already be looking and planning ways to get people coming here to live.

However, we have to have things to offer and that includes affordable housing, year round activities and better shopping.

I buy most of my office supplies through Staples because they will deliver for free.

I’ve also just ordered some merchandise from Walmart because they have free delivery, so I don’t have to drive up there to get it.

My money still leaves Osoyoos.

I know that there are probably people here that don’t like change and want everything to stay the same, but as history has shown, things never stand still.  We are putting all of our eggs in one basket when we only look at tourism as our financial base.

We all would like to see good things happen for the town I would hope.   What happens if and when people stop coming here because after a few times because there’s not enough to keep them occupied?

At my part time job, I have talked to a lot of people who in the summer have asked are there any ‘tent’ campgrounds around here?

Even during the summer, there is not much here to offer them.

This past winter I have met many people from around Canada that have come here for the winter and I would hazard a guess it’s because of the costs of our lower dollar in the U.S., which is where they usually go to winter.

What about these people?

Yes, Osoyoos, there are people here year round and if we also want to become a winter destination we have to see the bigger picture.

Perhaps now that we have some new councillors, we may see some good changes for our town.  I wholeheartedly agree with you Mr. Campol.

Trish Moore

Osoyoos, B.C.