LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
- January 15, 2008
To The Editor:
Princeton Projects 2008...what do you think?
1. Let's start with the new park and NO I have not seen a plan yet on how it's supposed to look like - but I hope you keep the old trees standing beside the Legion - we need them for shade and beauty.
2. Hospital should be bigger - NOT smaller (Mr. Lali can help?)
3. Highway between Princeton and Manning Park must be redone and widened (Mr. Lali can help?)
4. Classy looking low income homes are needed (Mr. Lali, Town and investors).
5. We need that community centre with a pool. This was on top of the OCP list (pre-sell season tickets to possibly earn a financial head start).
6. Repaint and tidy up the whole town - especially downtown. This has to be a community effort!
7. Remove yellow car from the Similkameen River and all the junk laying around everywhere (community effort).
8. Removal of the ugly things I mentioned over the past few weeks.
9. Topsoil, then seed (grass) the Princeton welcome sign location near the hospital.
10. Refurbish the older Princeton town sign before the Pub. It could be used for town events to be posted on and advertised.
11. Knock down every house and structure that is falling apart or burned down.
12. Pave the walkway all along the Tulameen River in the same manner as the Trans Canada Trail and tidy up the river edge.
13. Build a nice pedestrian bridge across the Tulameen River about 100m west of the brown bridge and maybe a second one behind the InfoCentre. I hear the Mayor has similar ideas already.
14. Those bridges have to be an attraction on their own - no concrete stuff.
15. The brown bridge needs refurbishing - it's one of our few last great attractions.
16. Move wrecker and wood producing place. Rezone that beautiful area - build 80 nice homes along the river that visitors will be able to see when driving down the hill. We'll need houses when the mine opens and when others fall in love with this town.
17. And maybe more nice apartments behind it. Everyone knows we need rentals - that is the area maybe to get started on that problem.
18. New Overwaitea - Save On - Coopers.
19. New Hotel-Bar where old Overwaitea is.
20. A community place for playing pool and ping pong, etc. in downtown area is needed.
21. We need nice homes for doctors close to the hospital - no basement suites.
22. Nurses are people, too. They can't live in motels - motels are for tourists.
23. The airport needs more use in the summer - what about a flight training school? Or scenic flights could be an attraction as well.
24. We need something trendy on Bridge Street - like, Tim Hortons or Starbucks.
25. We need a big highway sign east (Allison family) and west (Hope area) to advertise things going on in this town during the year.
26. We need at least ONE Bullet proof tourist attraction that makes people drive hundreds of kilometres to see it or experience it. What about a suspension bridge high above the Tulameen River like the Capilano Bridge in Vancouver?
27. The Legion building should have some windows and some covered outdoor seating.
28. Sooner or later get rid of all the old trailers - build smaller, nice homes instead.
29. Reopen the small ski hill at China Creek and/or on Amber Mountain (golf course). Nothing fancy (not sure if that is an option).
30. The Town owned 101-107 Vermilion needs redesigned second floor, fake or real.
31. The Leisure Inn needs to be redesigned plus a second floor to get the Western town look.
32. Princeton sign across from Billy's needs to be refurbished - get rid of the blue.
33. The ore car across from Billy's needs ore like copper or coal or gold-coloured stone.
34. We place 50 to 70 new, nicely designed benches in and around town. All the same colour like the Husky or The Hut ones or the new Princeton sign below Husky.
35. We should place another 30 or so tables all over town along the rivers.
36. We need lots of flowers and plants all over town.
37. We need a Christmas Tree in town 30-feet high - not 7-feet high and lights need to be placed symmetrically - NOT like someone threw them at the tree from 20 feet away. I think the three beside the InfoCentre should have lights. It's a nice, big tree.
38. We should build the biggest snowman in BC next winter and have it between Chevron and the Roundhouse.
39. I bought an older Princeton Video the other day, which has lots of potential - we can produce low cost DVDs in the future to advertise this town and use them as giveaways.
40. The 'zig zag' needs redesigning - I am talking San Francisco Lombard Street-style.
41. I like the idea of an outdoor skating rink - and in spring, summer and fall that rink could be used on weekends as a small flea market...on top of the great garage sales we have already going on here every weekend.
42. Merritt has some nice bike trails beside their skateboard park - we could do that as well.
43. You think I am joking? I haven't even started yet. Send your comments to the Editor or e-mail
abetterprinceton@hotmail.com.
44. P. S. It's nice to get a great response from lots of people from all ages almost daily! Some say they have lived here a long time and not too much has changed in the last 30+ years. But we can all make the difference if we believe in it and if we become part of it. Not all of it can be done in a year no doubt, but most ideas don't cost much and bigger ideas can then be tackled once we have it all done in two years.
- Stefan Dietz, Princeton
To The Editor;
I attended the January 9th meeting of the Okanagan Similkameen Board of Education on the issue of the future of Hedley Elementary School on behalf of CUPE 523, which represents school staff in the district.
Parents, staff and teachers as well as others in the community were very clear at that meeting that the Board needs to find creative ways to keep the school open.
We realize that contemplating a school closure is a most difficult process for the Board and one that is not taken lightly by any of the trustees.
The school is a critical part of this community in transition. And once we lose a school like Hedley, the chances of getting it back are slim to none.
This is particularly important given that there will be economic development in the region and potentially increased demand for elementary education in the not-too-distant future.
Perhaps that is why the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen directors voted unanimously on January 10th to support efforts to preserve the school.
We know that schools in small towns and villages like Hedley encounter challenges serving the needs of children, but school closures threaten the viability of rural communities, themselves.
Since 2002, more than 130 schools have closed in British Columbia, striking at the heart of dozens of communities. A very large number of schools have been shut down in rural districts.
For the students themselves, we are very concerned about the negative impacts of the long bus ride. In our presentation to the Board on January 9th, we presented clear research on the negative educational impact of long bus rides on students' learning experience and outcomes. We also offered a good deal of information on the benefits of small classrooms and schools.
The trustees face a tough decision, but the community that they serve is clear about what the right decision is. I strongly encourage parents and others to send a message to the Okanagan Similkameen trustees that Hedley should stay open and to make their voices heard at the January 23rd meeting where a decision is going to be made.
- Zoe Magnus
President, CUPE 523
To The Editor;
I would just like to commend R. Brown for coming to the aid and rescue of those rabbits that had been left by their owners while they went away for 17 days.
I am absolutely horrified to think that anyone would care so little about defenseless, innocent animals, especially when setting an example for children.
I would also like to commend R. Brown for writing about it and the News Leader for printing it; making us aware of what kinds of things are happening in our town. It is bad enough when pet owners don't spay or neuter their pets but abandoning helpless animals in such condition is blatant cruelty and I agree that the person or people responsible should be prosecuted. And let's hope the SPCA reads this, too!
- S. Cooper, Princeton
(Editor's Note: All News Leader letters to The Editor are posted on our website the week following publication for the world to see!).
To The Editor;
As many people know, Diane Smith passed away December 28, 2007 in the Princeton Hospital.
She touched many lives, but was equally touched. While fighting her battle with cancer there were benefits held at the ChuChuWayHa Hall, the Chevron and the Legion Hall. Also made were many donations to help out the family and support Diane in her fight.
A big thank you goes out to the girls who put on the benefit at the ChuChuWayHa Hall, all co-workers of Diane and employees at the Chevron who put on the benefit there, the group of people who organized the benefit at the Legion Hall and last, but not least, the people who attended the benefits and donated to Diane and our family.
After Diane's passing many, many condolence cards were sent out to the family. Many, many condolences were personally made. The list is too long to name everyone, but you know who you are and thank you very much. Your cards, words and hugs were greatly appreciated.
Again, a big thank you to all those who helped and were involved in the benefits; all who attended them; all people who donated to the family. To all those who visited Diane while she was sick; all those who sent and gave their condolences.....THANK YOU!
- The Smiths (Jerry, Lori, Bob, Shane, Justin, Jason, Heather, Jordyn, Jarod, Haily, Hanna, Stran and Andrew).
