It is hard to believe that we are now into September and summer holidays are coming to a close.
We had such a wet spring with high water and then a dry summer with smoke it really drowned out and choked our typical summer season. Sometimes Mother Nature throws a monkey wrench into our plans, and this year we had several circumstances beyond our control.
We did have some busy moments, but it didn’t seem there was as many people on the beach, walkways, or cruising around town. Fortunately, we are somewhat of an event city which brings people to town regardless of the weather. Last weekend was the closing of the 10-day ITU (International Triathlon Union) Multisport World Championship Festival. It was a first for our community to hold such a large scale international sporting event. In terms of the athlete experience, the multisport championships hit all the marks and it was successful. We invested into hosting and supporting world championships to re-introduce people to Penticton as a premiere destination not only to relax, but to train, compete and do all things triathlon related. I met a lot of athletes that loved the event, the city and, most importantly, stated that would be coming back again.
We have 35 years of tradition hosting triathlon. Despite the legacy, we still have to acknowledge there is room for improvement and we have issues to sort through. It can be difficult when one’s normal routine is altered because of an event. Parking and road closures related to the scale of this event were the biggest issue that fueled frustrations. We have learned some significant lessons and those lessons will be integrated into future planning.
It is hard to find the balance between events and their impacts to our daily lives with the benefits economically, culturally, or enhancing the livability of the community. Some people could care less about a music festival, or a sporting event. However, hopefully most can see the benefit of injecting some diversity and activity into our community. In the 80s and 90s Penticton was the Fort Lauderdale of Canada — it was party central. I think having so many sport and family-friendly events is a good thing as the attendees have disposable money to spend and they typically don’t overburden police or other city resources. So we have the proper target demographic, we just need to reduce the impacts to locals when we host events.
Tourism is an investment into showcasing Penticton as a potential to invest in, move to or start a business. With the weather this season being what it was the ITU Multisport World Championships Festival did provide the economic boost that many of our businesses needed, given what they faced earlier this summer.
Next weekend will be busy with three major events taking place. The Pentastic Jazz Festival, Canucks Young Stars classic, and the Dragon Boat Festival will add energy and excitement. There is also a large show coming to town (I Love the 90s), new arts festival (artsrising.ca), and the start to the wine festival season. It should be an action packed September for those who want to get involved.
I know some of you are happy to see the event season is coming to a close and that’s fair, but please do remember that it is not every day that you get to cheer for your country winning gold and be part of an international event, hear extremely talented musicians, be dazzled by up-and-coming hockey phenoms, get inspired by Dragon Boat racers or take in some culture. However, these amazing happenings are right outside your front door. If you choose to get involved, I think that you will be amazed by the vibrancy and diversity that helps to make this community so special.
Andrew Jakubeit is the Mayor of Penticton and provides the Western News with a column twice a month. Contact him via email Andrew.Jakubeit@penticton.ca. Follow him on Twitter @AndrewJakubeit