To the Editor:
First I am disgusted with Pine Park, after living here for nine years I got myself a dog and went to Pine Park on Sunday (along with doggy pickup bag and bag to stow the poop in). The fact that no pathway had been cleared to get from the parking area to the dyke walkway was bad enough, but why do people with large dogs allow them to poop and not pick it up is unthinkable to me.
There are a lot of seniors like myself who are looking for a place to walk their pets without falling on ice or plowing through snow. So why hasn’t the Village of Keremeos plowed a couple of pathways through Pine Park and along the dyke walkway, even just a mile in either direction would be nice.
Today to my surprise I see Hedley has just made the smartest investment of our time, they have come up with “Hedley Inn and Hostel”, I read the pamphlet and wonder why the mayor and council haven’t had the foresight to come up with something like this for Keremeos – check out their website: www.hedleyinn.ca. It’s a real eye opener, the type of place that would appeal to the European hikers and cyclists. We have as much to offer this type of person as any of the small places in the Okanagan Similkameen Valley, we are 30 minutes away from Apex, we have Cathedral Lakes Park, the columns, climb up to the top of “K” Mountain, Similkameen River to canoe or kayak on, horse riding, etc.
Let’s be honest the business failure in this village is unrealistic, the tax base must be almost nil now, during the time since I moved here we have lost the vet clinic, bakery with the coffee shop, hair dressers, variety store, several businesses started and left. If the village, mayor and council don’t get a move on and do something quickly Keremeos will be a ghost town within the next 10 years.
We have several buildings empty and with the potential of being a nice “Keremeos Inn and Hostel”. Properly marketed in the right area in European arena this little village could turn a profit within five years. Keremeos could go one better think of what we have here the so called “Fruit Stand Capital” put this to use in the fall for seniors in the Lower Mainland a weekend at the Keremeos Inn and Hostel and go home with your fruit, squash etc.
Also remember the history of Keremeos and promote it fully, and for heaven’s sake make the parade in Keremeos worth coming to - where are native Indian people and the newer residence members of the East Indian cmmunity – these two groups have a long history of colorful costumes and traditions, why do they seem to be invisible?
Keremeos, time to wake up and smell success.
M. Maxwell, Keremeos