I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who felt sickened and saddened and even angry at the news of the out-of-control idiots who vandalized Headwaters Park (near Peachland).
Besides leaving mounds of garbage and shooting off weapons, they took aim at innocent songbirds and killed a beaver as a target for some very crude taxidermy.
A few days later I was horrified to see another, more acceptable but insidious form of wildlife slaughter right here in Penticton, on the field where the Boonstock party is slated to take place. The field has been home to several pairs of meadowlarks, kingbirds, hummingbirds, sparrows, magpies and many other species for the past few months. Meadowlarks had started nesting weeks ago.
As a wildlife photographer, I have been watching the progress of these bird species. After the long weekend, right in the middle of nesting season, bulldozers went in and burned the field, removed the hedgerow and cut down trees and shrubs. That means a lot of dead baby birds left behind. All so we can invite more yahoos to town.
What I saw in this field near the airport was evidence of some pretty careless and thoughtless land conversion. These party prep activities most likely contravened laws protecting wildlife and birds, by destroying nests. The damage is now done, but perhaps those who plan to gain financially from this poorly planned habitat destruction could make a donation to a local nature organization that helps protect species such as meadowlarks.
L.W. Neish
Penticton
*****
SS Sicamous says thanks
The terrific public turnout for Monday’s unveiling of the postage stamp commemorating the centennial of the S.S. Sicamous was most gratifying.
Our thanks go out to the Penticton Stamp Club, artist Randy Manuel, former postmaster Bob Otway and MP Dan Albas for making this honour to the ship a reality.
Our thanks also go out to Peter Ord who did such a marvellous job demonstrating the replica rock oven (and produced some tasty samples!) and Cal Reid with his display of beautiful hand-built steam models.
It’s great to see the local community come out to support these precious mementos of our past and the pioneers who created it.
Don Wright
Manager, S.S. Sicamous Heritage Park
*****
Graffiti disgusting
I am so disgusted with the amount of graffiti in Penticton and I cannot believe my eyes how bad it has gotten the past year here. I think it takes a real lack of brain power to deface so many downtown buildings and it is not even art, just scribbles, complete nonsense.
Something more drastic needs to be done by the City of Penticton and stricter laws put in place to stop this complete madness as many businesses do not care to remove as a cost they do not want to take on or cannot be bothered to. Installing more security cameras is a start in the right direction with stricter penalties as mentioned. And seems as though the police are just being tricked or maybe just turning a blind eye themselves to not interrupt that one more coffee break at Tim Hortons as not important enough?
Please reach out by writing the City you reside in and voicing your concern to get this problem solved once and for all.
Nol Preen
Kelowna
*****
Province using scare tactics
I have a pile of student writing that I should be editing and marking tonight, however, because of the lock out order, I cannot mark in the evening.
Instead, I thought I’d wonder about some numbers.
B.C. government negotiator, Peter Cameron declared teachers’ demands would cost every B.C. citizen $1,100. I surmise this calculation is based on the fallacy that every dollar the B.C. government collects is out of your pocket and mine. B.C.’s total revenue (according to their website) is $43.95 billion (2013/14). B.C.’s population is 4.4 million. Doing division, taught to me by my primary teachers in public school, I arrive at a figure of $9,988.51 per person.
Since I have a family of four = $39,954.04
But my family, with 2 incomes (both incredibly overpaid teachers), does not pay $40 thousand in taxes to all levels of government combined.
I’ve never seen one of those fancy signs advertising a government project listing how much my taxes would be increasing to pay for that project. So the government is trying to scare you into thinking your taxes will skyrocket if you pay teachers fairly.
Kevin J. Epp
Penticton
*****
Comments not representative
Recent articles contain comments from the D PAC chair that state an opinion that seems to reflect the whole school community. Please note this person did not contact any of the schools for their feelings nor did he put motions forward to make comments as a representative.
Not all feel the way that representative stated in regards to the recent teachers job actions and to allow a blanket statement to run like that is a huge injustice to all the parents in the school system.
The statements should have been run as a parent perspective that is also the D PAC representative.
That the views stated might not reflect the broader opinion of all the school PAC’s in the district.
It surly does not reflect the views of two that I sit on as an elected representative.
Lynn Gibb
Penticton
*****
Cut union dues
Students and parents of British Columbia that may be affected financially by the teachers strike should sue the union for their losses. The teachers say it’s about the students but let’s get real! It’s always about the money. If the union cut their dues by 15 per cent it would be like a pay raise for the real teachers.
The teachers union leader must want a pay raise.
George Meeks
Penticton
*****
Kind hospital staff
Back in January I had cancer surgery at the Penticton Regional Hospital.
While no time in hospital is ever very pleasant, I can’t say enough about the way I was treated by nurses and staff. They were courteous, friendly and at no time was I ever neglected my needs. So I just want to say thanks.
And also a special thanks to Dr. Mark Savatzky and to my family physician Dr. Wendy Richardson who came to visit me often while my stay in hospital. Thank you all and keep up the good work.
Gordon Weiland
Summerland