I grew up in Summerland in a large family. In 2005 I founded Grasslands Nursery. I previously co-owned Kettle Valley Dried Fruits, worked in corporate communications at Port Metro Vancouver, and was a technical writer for a company in Kelowna. I also teach various gardening and horticulture courses at Okanagan College. My column Growing Green appears on a recurring basis in newspapers. We, as a community, need to work on rebuilding trust and respect for one another. The so-called land swap has polarized our town. A new council with fresh eyes needs to re-examine the application put through to the ALC, make an informed decision and put this issue to rest. We can regain our former prosperity by utilizing our local resources and our other valuable assets such as arts and culture, entrepreneurship, innovation and tourism. This is our town. This is our time.