Dear Editor:

Just recently, my wife and I slipped away from our home town of Agassiz to visit your town specifically for cycling and wine tasting. It was a most enjoyable time.

At one coffee stop my wife picked up a copy of the Osoyoos Times.

I was very interested in an article written by Richard McGuire under the headline, ‘Plan sets parks and trails agenda for next 20 years.’

We live in the District of Kent  – which takes in Agassiz – and has just gone through the same process and come up with a similar document except it covers a 25-year period.

Both plans set out improvements to existing parks and trails, identifies where new parks are needed and makes recommendations for linking fragmented bits and pieces of trails and parks.

It is interesting to note that as Osoyoos is so often tied to Oliver, just as Agassiz is so often tied to Harrison Hot Springs.

In both cases, linkages must be made to improve the quality of life of citizens in both communities.

The importance and impact of this initiative is reflected in your newspaper.

I counted no less than six articles that are tied in some way to this plan.

They include the Town of Osoyoos Parks and Trails Master Plan, the Half Corked Marathon, Letters to the Editor featuring comments on the Master Plan, one Letter to Editor about  the Pioneer Walkway, Gyro Park upgrades, and the Terry Fox Run.

This reporting identifies the major role recreation plays in the lives of citizens in your community, therefore, community plans should be developed to reflect this interest.

As was written in the weekly editorial,  “Of course many of the ideas will require money.”

These same principles and need for funding apply here in Agassiz and I took this as an opportunity to participate in our program.

I applied and was accepted to the Parks and Recreation Sub-Committee, which is an advisory body with the purpose of providing input and ideas related to developing, establishing and ongoing maintenance of trails and related amenities.

Four local citizens have input into how and when money will be spent on those capital expenditures.

So if you have the time get involved, talk to fellow citizens and visitors to find out what specific things need to be addressed and pass this information on. One final thing. I absolutely love the Irrigation Canal Trail in Osoyoos. You are so fortunate to have it.

John Coles

Agassiz, BC