The Similkameen News Leader
Editorial
SHOULD SOS FOLD THEIR TENT?
EDITORIAL - February 27, 2007
Conversation over the coffee machine in our downtown headquarters often swirls around subjects deeper than how much sugar to add to the day old swill we serve ourselves.
The other day we heard rumour (on a slow news week we may actually listen to rumours) that the SOS - that's Save Our Similkameen - group may close it's doors since their job is done.
Their job is done? It's only just started!
The group had a hand in the BC Liberals back pedaling on coal-fired power generation, regardless of what Barry Penner may be saying in public.
Surely there are other issues just ripe for SOS to harvest.
What about SOS lobbying Town Council to crack down on enforcing bylaws related to unsightly properties in and around our community? What about SOS standing up and making noise about Town Council forming a task force to ACTUALLY put together documentation on the kinds of industrial businesses that would be welcomed to our community?
Why isn't SOS making noise about other issues of concern for residents of our end of the Similkameen Valley?
We never viewed the group as a 'one trick pony' and envision it becoming so much more if the group would just jump out of the box it built itself into.
So there's no coal-fired power plants coming our way in the near future. Yippee!
Now SOS should move on to protect other interests.
Has anyone ever wondered when the old mine site would ever actually be reclaimed? That is to say - returned to a state other than a giant crater? If SOS really wants to continue it's existence, we think it's time the group shifted gears and moved into territory already being used - or misused - and start making noise.
We wouldn't mind SOS becoming a lobby group - or a committee endorsed by Town Council - to be the eyes and ears on the street level reporting to Town Hall on environmental threats and other such violations already going on around town.
If your neighbour changes his oil in the backyard, it's not a good thing. If you own and operate a non CSA-approved wood stove, it's not a good thing.
We need a group like SOS to clean things up where Town Council can't. We think SOS folding up their tent would be such a huge mistake. Maybe they won't need a storefront presence, but they need to keep a presence within our community.
Especially in two years when our Town Council will likely see some new faces.
We will need at least one group - representing the local environment - that remains to be a constant in the community while everything else continues to change.
