On Sept. 13, I became a father for the second time. My new son Finley has me excited about the future that I want to build for him and his big brother Grant.
As local small business owners, my wife Kaitlyn and I have watched the community develop and provide us with an incredible environment to raise our family. I am hopeful that I will be able to contribute to the region in a meaningful way and help to create a prosperous, safe, and happy community.
Currently, I am the president of the Similkameen Trails Society and have been working with our members and stakeholders to help develop local trail infrastructure. I recently joined the Similkameen Recreation Commission and hope to continue to use my many years of experience working in this sector to support the commission and help foster recreation opportunities in the community. I am an electrician by trade but an aspiring farmer in practice.
I look forward to the coming years as I encourage my children’s development, struggle to help my fruit trees thrive, and, with the help of area B residents, work to ensure that we are building the kind of community that supports them.
Area B and the surrounding region have the oldest population demographic in the Okanagan. To ensure the long-term prosperity of the region, families and younger residents must be encouraged to remain or move to the community.
This means developing a strong and relevant recreational infrastructure, creating opportunities for healthy business growth, and supporting social programs.
Many of the residents of Area B appreciate the freedom that the lack of zoning provides, however, in recent years the unchecked growth without any form of long-term planning has become an area of concern for many residents. Developing a community plan is key to protecting the values of the region, while ensuring that unique character of the community remains intact.
As the primary contributor to the local economy, area residents must acknowledge the needs of local farmers and do what they can to ensure that our community continues to be a leader in the region’s agricultural sector.