News Leader News
ARTS COUNCIL WELCOMES NEW HOME
Princeton Community Arts Council welcomed news that negotiations between the School Board and Regional District regarding the former Riverside School will be completed soon. At the September 21 meeting of Arts Council members, held in the museum basement, President Dawn Johnson told member groups to start planning their winter programs with the new premises in mind.
Although no date has been set for occupation of the school, members look forward to occupying a new space for art shows, quilt shows, musical performances, and any other activities they can put together. Tentative plans were made to move belongings into the new space as soon as it is available.
The Arts Council will sponsor a show of work done by the two students from Princeton Secondary School who shared the 2005 arts bursary.
Mary Bedford will make the arrangements with the students and the date will be advertised.
Treasurer Nick Mills requested all reports and applications for grants be submitted by September 26. The local Arts Council reports annually to the BC Arts Council for grants to be given to local member groups.
Maggie Desbiens said she would be interested in reviving the yoga group if she can find enough people to form a solid weekly group.
There was some discussion of having more communications between member groups through a central telephone, bulletin board or news letter.
Vermilion Artists are trying to organize art classes for the winter. As soon as a class schedule can be drawn up, classes will be advertised.
The next meeting is at the call of the chair when it can be determined where the meeting can be held.
SOCIETY SHARES ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Close to thirty people attended the second Princeton area public meeting of the Similkameen Valley Planning Society (SVPS) last Wednesday night at the Skills Centre.Although the meeting at times resembled a pep rally in support of Economic Development Officer Michael McLaughlin and his work within the valley, the evidence was tough to argue against.
Since the hiring of the EDO, a number of projects had either started or been completed, and the list was impressive.
Mayor Keith Olsen chaired the meeting where he explained the purpose of the group.
"The main driver in the SVPS is to promote the whole valley and work together."
The final point was repeated in each individual director's report along with emphasis on the projects not being possible either in a financial position or political position without all parties working together on the common goals.
Area H Director Gerri Logan spoke highly of the group and it's EDO.
"I've noticed a lot of things are heating up in our valley since the formation of the SVPS."
She pointed to the Arena expansion program, ArtsNow grants, the Community Wellness Centre and soon to be announced addition of broadband high-speed internet in the Coalmont/Tulameen areas as projects possible through the SVPS.
"If we didn't have this committee, I don't know if any of this would happen."
Area B Director for Cawston, George Hanson, spoke about a project he has been working on in his end of the Similkameen.
"The Organic Farming Institute is now incorporated as a society and we plan to develop three courses in the next six months."
Hanson says a variety of educational institutes have expressed interest in the programs.
"We're all really quite excited about this."
An image is being created with a website and online components would not be possible if the broadband system had not been installed in the Keremeos/Cawston area.
"We're all small fish in a large valley and unless we all work together we won't succeed," Hanson pointed out.
"There's a lot of synergy and power in this group."
Keremeos Mayor Walter Despot explained the importance of the Similkameen Valley having it's own identity.
"If we're tied in with the Okanagan Valley, we don't count."
The recently erected Similkameen Valley highway signs helped identify the valley.
"This is one thing we did as a group. Singularly we wouldn't have gotten anywhere with the Ministry of Highways."
Despot also pointed to tourism potential available by marketing together within the valley.
"The wine industry is just starting to come on with five cottage wineries, six by next year in the Keremeos area."
Winery tours, circle tours and other such activities will bring visitors to our valley, Despot says.
"We're going down a road we didn't build properly. It's got a lot of potholes with economic development but we're going the right way."
Upper Similkameen Indian Band Manager Phillippe Batini knew the importance of the valley long before the SVPS was formed.
Elders in his Band explained to him, "We belong to the Okanagan Nation, but we are Similkameens first." He carried that message into the origins of the Similkameen Valley Committee, formed over ten years ago.
"We shared a dream, to put our Valley back together."
Batini pointed out division existing today in the valley including Forestry, School Districts, Police services and Medical services.
"Although we have been thrown into the Okanagan-Similkameen group, we are not like the Okanagan."
As for the hiring of an EDO, Batini probably said it best.
"The Valley deserves the full time attention of an EDO."
Working together was another key element in what Batini saw as success within the group dynamic, rather amazing when you consider the SVPS is made up of representatives from seven governing bodies - two town councils, three regional districts and two indian bands.
"The most important thing to me is that the word Similkameen will be recognized."
