News Leader News for June 17, 2008
SVPS RELEASES VALLEY SURVEY RESULTS - Part 1
Results of a homeowner survey conducted by the Similkameen Valley Planning Society are ready for public release.
Two thousand six hundred randomly selected homes received surveys across the South Okanagan and Similkameen. In the Similkameen, 229 of 700 mailed survey forms were returned. The newly released report focuses on the Similkameen because Okanagan Directors at the Regional District refused twice to fund the project.
The main purpose of the survey was the determine the role in-migrants play in the economy, social life and environmental stewardship of the Valley.
Of particular interest are a group called 'Amenity Migrants.' These are people who have the economic freedom to live anywhere they choose and who base that decision on the quality of natural amenities and a perception of rural and small town charm. Amenity migrants have made large impacts on western communities across the US and Canada.
According to the survey, if you were born here, then you are a rare breed. Only 9% of Similkameen residents were born here and lived their whole lives here. Another 5% were born here, left, and later returned. The remaining 86% moved here. Sixty percent of residents are amenity migrants, 20% are economic migrants and 6% came here for other reasons.
The pace of in-migration is important, because a rapid pace can be disruptive.
In-migration to the Similkameen has been slow and steady, about keeping pace with population growth in the Thompson-Okanagan Development Region. Amenity-led migration has increased since 1995 and more so since 2000. The pace of economic-led migration - people moving to employment - has slowed with only 25% moving here since 1995. Almost half of in-migrants have been here for more than twelve years.
These results tell us that the Similkameen is attracting people motivated by lifestyle issues at an increasing rate. Since a boom between 1980 and 1995, people seeking employment or starting a business has declined. The even pace of in-migration back to the 70s means the population growth has not been highly visible.
Many 'new comers' have been here for decades and have been assimilated into the Similkameen culture.
SVPS Economic Development Officer Michael McLauchlin speculates that the modest pace of in-migration is not disruptive and may contribute to social and cultural cohesion in the Valley. Next Week: we find out how Similkameen amenity migrants break stereotypes and learn about 'urban cottages.'
PXA KEPPS BUILDING FOR FUTURE
Princeton Exhibition Association (PXA) members are still working on upgrades to the fairgrounds, racetrack and rodeo facilities. A lot of work has been done this spring, and there is more to do.
DVD's of Princeton's 2007 rodeo and horse races are available at Image Emporium. These will be used for promoting the events and make interesting gift items and souvenirs.
The ATVBC Poker Run takes place this weekend. Look for a parade of ATVs late Friday afternoon. The Poker Run headquarters is at the fairgrounds, and is for registered members only.
The annual horse racing meet takes place on Friday, June 27, starting with the Klootchman Race at 2:00 PM. This is a traditional race of the Similkameen native people. This is the first running of the race in more than 100 years, and John Bey, President of Princeton Racing Days Association, reports there is a lot of interest in this race. Entry is for women only.
Bey told PXA members at the June 10 meeting that race sponsorships are not coming in the way they did in past years. Local race sponsors contribute to purse money, which attracts race horse owners.
The sponsorships are essential. Without good purses to attract horse registration, and the horse races in turn attract people to Princeton and boost the economy. When horse racing in Princeton was revived in 1965, it was for the purpose of boosting the local economy and it was local business owners who initiated Princeton Racing Days.
NEWS LEADER BLOGS IT'S WAY INTO THE INTERNET
In the world of the internet one of the most interesting communication tools available is the Blog.
By definition a blog - or web log - is an online journal or diary which is updated frequently and is often hosted by a third party.
A search online will reveal that blogs exist on every possible subject matter. Some are very personal in content while others are more business-oriented.
Similkameen News Leader Owner/Publisher George Elliott has a handful of blogs currently online and has been seeing results in the past four months.
"I tried to develop targeted blogs using specific subject matter and so far it seems to be working," Elliott says.
"I'm seeing traffic figures at about 100 unique visits per day at any of my blogs, so I'm happy with that at this point."
What are the News Leader blogs about?
"One of my favourite ones is called Front Page News. It can be found online at
www.princetonbcnews.info. The idea behind it is each week I post the current front page from the News Leader and explain how the photo for that page was chosen. It's a simple concept, but people have visited it enough to tell me there's an interest in how we make the front page photo decision."
Elliott has many more blogs.
"There's one that is written by our dog Eddie the Dalmatian. It's located at www.frameyourpets.com and basically Eddie describes what was going on in a photo of him or the rest of our pets. The interesting thing about this blog is it's all written in Eddie's point of view. You learn in a hurry that he doesn't really like the cat he lives with and that the humans in his life play a supporting role."
There's another pet-related blog, www.frameyourpets.info, which contains pet tips and articles of interest to pet owners.
"I've even provided some of my own contributions to that blog."
Small business and home-based business owners may find some helpful advice at the blog located at
bengelonlinestore.blogspot.com.
"We have sort of a buyer beware focus at our Consumer News Blog (myconsumernews.blogspot.com) and our Leisure News Blog focuses on lifestyle-related entertainment ideas and trends."
That blog is located at myleisurenews.blogspot.com.
The News Leader has three more blogs, again specifically targeted to address a particular interest or demographic.
"Our Health and Safety News Blog is about health and safety issues, our Generation 50 News Blog is about issues and concerns of interest to seniors and our Home and Garden Blog deals with matters related to home improvement, gardening and those sorts of subjects."
Elliott has also aligned himself with affiliate advertising sites that offer online sales of products that would be of interest to viewers of each blog site.
"For example, if you visit the pet-related sites, you'll find advertising from online businesses that sell pet items. If you visit the Home and Garden blog you'll find advertising for businesses that cater to that market."
Of the nine blogs he currently manages Elliott has a couple favourites.
"I would have to say there's three I like spending most of my time online at and they would be the two pet ones and the front page one. I really have a lot of fun
'pretending' to be Eddie the Dalmatian at his blog and it's actually received attention from other bloggers with pet blogs, but I think that's a thing about pet owners and as far as I can tell, Eddie is the only Dalmatian with his own blog, but I may be wrong. He just registered his blog at an online site specifically for dogs with blogs and out of the over 900 registered there he was the only Dalmatian."
So if you want to see any of the News Leader Blogs the full site addresses are listed below:
- Front Page News
www.princetonbcnews.info - Eddie the Dalmatian's Blog
www.frameyourpets.com - Pet Information Blog
www.frameyourpets.info - Consumer News Blog
myconsumernews.blogspot.com - Leisure News Blog
myleisurenews.blogspot.com - Health & Safety Blog
myhealthsafetynews.blogspot.com - Generation 50 Blog
mygeneration50news.blogspot.com - Home & Garden Blog
myhomeandgardennews.blogspot.com - Home-Based Business Blog
bengelonlinestore.blogspot.com
COUNCIL GOES TO TONASKET
Mayor Randy McLean and Councillor Jim Manion attended Founder's Day celebrations in Tonasket on May 31.
This occasion is one of the visits made annually by Princeton people to recognize the ongoing "Sister City" relationship between Princeton and Tonasket. Tonasket has been invited to Racing Days and will be invited to the Traditional Music Festival in August.
Mayor McLean and Councillor Manion commented on what a great celebration Tonasket held this year, along with a good parade, doubly good when Princeton's old fire truck took second place.
Council thanked Kim Macahonic and the Youth Ambassador candidates for going to Tonasket, and Stan Thompson for once again transporting the fire truck.
