The Similkameen News Leader
Editorial
PETER PINE'S DAYS ARE NUMBERED
We're not sure why, but we're always on the lookout for a replacement for Peter Pine. We think that with the mountain pine beetle and all the damage resulting from a few thousand of those critters hopping from tree to tree that maybe the image of Peter Pine has become outdated.
Time for an extreme makeover...so to speak.
We think that if the Town of Princeton really needs a mascot of some kind to give us an identity, we should get into the current decade and promote something more up-to-date and hip to what's really going on in Princeton these days.
We honestly thought the idea of Marvin the Marmot was going to catch on and take on a life of it's own, but is he marketable?
The Economic Development Officer keeps telling us we have to 'brand' ourselves with a touchy-feely gimmick of some kind to attract tourists to our community.
What's more touchy-feely than a cute little marmot? We've been told that they really aren't as bad as believed and are likely safer to be around than we first thought.
So, why not retire Peter Pine? He's had a tough go of it what with the softwood lumber tariffs and fluctuating stumpage rates. He's due for a rest.
We can see it now, someone in town will grab the Marvin the Marmot idea and commission a design and mass produce stuffed marmots with 'I LIVE IN PRINCETON, WHY DON'T YOU?' embroidered across his back. They'll sell for $11.95 each and the stores won't be able to keep them in stock.
Someone will eventually get the wise idea to ship one to the next Canadian astronaut to take up to the international space station and have astronauts, cosmonauts and what-nauts from other countries pose with him for a postcard which would appear at a store near you before the peak of tourist season.
Marvin the Marmot could do this town a whole lot of good. Imagine the heat he could take when local politicians are looking for a simple dodge or excuse for something that either went wrong or didn't happen according to plan.
"Ever since that darned marmot went into space, we've been too busy to pay attention to your (fill in the blank). We're all so proud of Marvin and you should be, too!"
Yep, everyone needs a little touchy-feely once in a while and we think Marvin the Marmot is the quick fix we've all been looking for.
Or maybe we could get Compliance Coal to back an idea of a stuffed lump of coal we'd call 'Co-CO2' and fire off one of those little gems to NASA for a ride in the Space Shuttle.
On second thought, maybe the heat's starting to get to us.
