The three local citizens who call themselves The Three Amigos helped organize the Music in the Park concert series the past two summers in Osoyoos. The group got good news Monday as Town of Osoyoos council approved giving the group almost $9,000 to organize next year’s concert series at Gyro Park. Members of the group include Rusty Copeland (pictured with guitar), Janis St. Louis and Alan Bleiken. (Richard McGuire file photo)
The popular Music in the Park summer concert series in Osoyoos will return after Town of Osoyoos council approved giving organizers almost $9,000 to organize and operate the concerts for 2017.
For the last two years, a trio of dedicated music lovers who call themselves The Three Amigos – Rusty Copeland, Janis St. Louis and Alan Bleiken – has organized a series of concerts at the band shell in Gyro Park.
The concert series was well received in 2015, but took off and attracted large audiences to every concert this past summer.
Town council approved $3,925 in funding for the concert series in 2015 from the Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) funds it receives from the provincial government and that increased to $6,225 in 2016.
On Monday, council approved a request for $8,865 to deliver the concert series in 2017.
St. Louis and Copeland were in attendance for the announcement on Monday and were all smiles when council approved the funding request.
The RMI program allows 30 per cent of provincial funding to be spent annually to develop special events that will enhance the visitor experience and attract visitors to town, said Barry Romanko, the town’s chief administrative officer.
“The financial request provides a rational that supports the request for increased funding,” he said. “There are increasing costs relating to insurance, hiring performers and activities relating to the Piano in the Park program.”
Mayor Sue McKortoff thanked St. Louis and Copeland for turning the Music in the Park program into a huge success, while noting she attends many of the concerts and has enjoyed them all.
McKortoff said she believes attendance for most of the concerts in 2016 almost doubled from the previous year and she expects this trend to continue.
Coun. Mike Campol said the concert series would continue to grow and prosper with this increase in funding from the town.
“This is a very easy recommendation” to approve the funding request, he said.
Coun. C. J. Rhodes said he was overwhelmed at the response to the concert series from tourists who visited Osoyoos this past summer.
“I think the No. 1 comment I heard from visitors was about the Music in the Park concerts,” he said.
With this funding announcement, it’s expected St. Louis and Copeland will start booking bands and performers for the 2017 Music in the Park concert series.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
