PH-Letter to the Editor-Settle Skaha Park

Recently when Penticton Council sued the Lakeside Resort over an electrical dispute it was settled out of court. Why is the Skaha Park lawsuit not settled?  

Though the City has failed to come to terms with the people of Penticton over the Skaha Waterslide debacle; they have begun Parks and Recreation consultations.

Why would Council think the citizenry believes they would honor our wishes when they failed so abysmally with Skaha?

Does this council understand that citizen participation in consultations is an unspoken two-part contract: Trust by the citizenry that Council will honor and respect the wishes of taxpayers’?

The local school boards also are a good example of abuse of trust. They could have saved parents a lot of time by telling them they weren’t interested in input. Trout Creek worked hard and spent thousands of hours researching and presenting a well-thought-out case only to have it spurned.

Can we believe the results from the Parks consultations or are we facing future bafflegab from Penticton council?

Penticton council and the school board have abused our trust. Once abused; trust can only be regained when earned. Settlement of the Skaha lawsuit would be a positive first step to restoring that trust.

Why has the Skaha Park lawsuit not been settled when the electrical lawsuit was swiftly settled? Months have passed and apparently the City’s lawyers have still to respond to the Skaha group. If the City is dragging its feet and not interested in proceeding with this case then what is holding it up? 

Has this become a grudge match between two intractable parties? Is neither party willing to meet with the other? Has someone lost sight of the goal posts because they are focusing on grinding axes? Is someone abusing the mantle of power we gave them at our expense? That is the problem with secrecy and lack of communication.

For too long city council has conducted too much city business behind closed doors. But is the Skaha group any better? It is hard to fault the City on this when the Skaha group has been so uncommunicative.

Is lack of settlement the fault of the City or the Save Skaha Park group?

Give your heads a shake. The tourist season is here. People are fed up with this. It is time to move forward. Get this case settled. This impasse has carried on far too long.  

Elvena Slump

Penticton

PH-Letter to the editor- RESTAURANT is not listed as one of the PERMITTED USES for Skaha Park

Penticton Herald – Letter to the editor

Dear Editor

Penticton residents should go onto the City website and obtain a copy of Bylaw No. 2002-42 and 2011-23 to follow this flow of Skaha Park information.

Bylaw No. 2002-42, within this Bylaw # 2 – “That the following herein described property is dedicated for Public Park Land”. Schedule “G” lists Skaha Park/Beach as dedicated Public Park Land. I believe, this can only be changed by a Public Referendum.

Zoning Bylaw No. 2011-23 – Chapter 4 – Definitions: 4.2 ACCESSORY USE means a use which is – as the permitted use.

Chapter 4 – Page 4-18- PERMITTED USE  means the main or primary use of lands, buildings or structures and o others, which is provided for in the list of permitted uses in the zones of this Bylaw.

Chapter 4 – Page 4-19,  RESTAURANT means a location where food and beverage are offered for sale to the public.

Chapter 8- Specific Use Regulations – Page 8-1 Application for Specific Use. 8.1.1 – The specific use regulations shall apply to all zones unless otherwise exempted in this Chapter.

Page 13-2. 13.2 P2 Parks and Recreation – PURPOSE:

This zone provides for parks, recreation and open space.

13.2.1 – PERMITTED USES:

The permitted uses in this zone are:

1-carnival 2-community garden 3-government services 4-indoor recreation 5-marina 6-outdoor amusement, entertainment and recreation 7-outdoor market 8-public parking lot 7-accessory use, building or structure.

RESTAURANT is not listed as one of the PERMITTED USES for Skaha Park under these Bylaws and therefore cannot be located within the marina building or on Skaha Park Land.

Nelson Meikle – Penticton

Study finds organic crops boost local economies

New Study: A Penn State study found that organic crops boost local economies, reducing poverty and increasing family incomes in rural America in areas where organics are grown. It’s just too bad that our government hasn’t seen the light and continues to subsidize GMO agriculture that enslaves farmers with expensive seed contracts, technology fees and toxic chemicals. GMO crops: Bad for the economy, bad for the planet, bad for our health.

WASHINGTON — The production of organic foods helps lower poverty and increase household incomes in rural America, according to a Penn State University study released Wednesday.

The study by agricultural economist Ted Jaenicke found that organic hot spots — counties with high levels of organic agricultural activity whose neighboring counties also have high organic activity — increased median household incomes by an average of $2,000 and reduced poverty levels by an average of 1.3 percentage points.

In Iowa, there were six counties highlighted as organic hot spots: Allamakee, Clayton, Dubuque, Howard, Johnson and Fayette. Nationwide, 225 counties were identified ashot spots, or about 7 percent of all U.S. counties. 

OTA

Organic Hotspots

“I’m pretty optimistic that it might provide a new way of thinking about organic agriculture,” Jaenicke said.

He started researching organic because he was curious about the effect it had on local economies. The “strong and robust” impact of organic was much larger than he thought, Jaenicke said.

Jaenicke tabulated the results by identifying the quantity of organic farms and economic activity in the area. He then removed other factors influencing the local economy to gauge organic’s impact. He did not receive funding from the industry for his research.

While his study did not assess why organic benefited area economies, he speculated the reasons it does include the need for more labor and use of locally sourced inputs. Organic crops also typically command a significant premium compared to traditional crops, often paying the producer several times as much.

Laura Batcha, executive director of the Organic Trade Association, said the group was hopeful the data would spur policymakers, including state officials and lawmakers in Washington working on the next farm bill, to invest more in organic agriculture. She acknowledged organic isn’t the only solution to helping area economies.

We hope policymakers “will understand the role that organic can play in a portfolio,” Batcha said. “There is a useful role for organic agriculture in rural development but we’ve never to date yet had a real comprehensive look at (it).”

Organic food sales have risen by double digits annually as the public consumes more fruits, vegetables, pastas, dairy and meats raised and grown without synthetic pesticides, genetic modification or antibiotics, among other stringent requirements.

Last week, the trade group said sales of organic food hit a record of nearly $40 billion, up 11 percent from the previous year. Overall, all food sales rose 3 percent.

Contact Christopher Doering at cdoering@gannett.com or reach him at Twitter: @cdoering
READ: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/agriculture/2016/05/25/study-finds-organic-crops-boost-local-economies/84811864/

#GMO #organic #agriculture #food #healthy#poverty #PennState #RuralAmerica#gmofreecanada #gmofreeusa

Millennials distrustful of Canada’s food system, survey finds

ANN HUI

The Globe and Mail

Published Tuesday, May 31, 2016 7:00AM EDT

Last updated Tuesday, May 31, 2016 7:00AM EDT

Millennials are less trusting of the food system in this country, according to a new study.

On Tuesday, the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity – a research group funded by the food industry – released results of a survey on public trust and food. The study reveals a shifting landscape regarding who Canadians view as trustworthy on food issues: away from traditional authorities such as government agencies and food associations, and towards family, friends and the Internet.

In general, the study found that millennials, compared to other demographics, have a lower level of trust in most of the groups who make up the food system – including farmers, grocery retailers, food companies, environmentalists and government.

For example, only 66 per cent of millennials rated farmers as “believable” when it comes to the environment – compared to 70 per cent on average. And only 48 per cent of millennials rated David Suzuki as believable – 8 per cent lower than the average.

Crystal Mackay, CEO of Farm & Food Care Canada, said the trends could be linked: that millennials’ reliance on the Internet for information could also be fuelling their distrust when it comes to food.

“Where people are going for their information: online and Google … The food associations and the government are not coming up in the top three [search result] pages,” she said.

Of the respondents, 15 per cent said their No. 1 source of information on food is the Internet, and websites. Twelve per cent said “Google.” The same number said their friends or family are their main sources.

The Canadian study is in line with survey results in the United States conducted by the Britain-based market research firm Mintel last year. That study found that 43 per cent of those between the age of 21 and 38 do not trust large food manufacturers. And 74 per cent said they wish companies were more transparent about how they manufacture food.

Over 2,100 participated in the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity survey, conducted in February and March of this year by Ipsos. The organization is the research arm of Farm & Food Care Canada, which aims to boost public trust in the food industry. The study was funded in part by Tim Hortons and the Egg Farmers of Ontario.

This was the first Centre for Food Integrity conducted in Canada, though the American chapter of the organization has done similar studies in years past.

The results revealed mixed feelings when it comes to how Canadians in general feel about their food.

Just 30 per cent of respondents said they feel that the country’s food system is heading in “the right direction.” Of the remaining respondents, 50 per cent said they were “unsure,” and 21 per cent responded by saying the system is on the “wrong track.”

One common concern cited by respondents was the use of hormones and pesticides in growing food. Over 40 per cent said they are “personally concerned” about the use of such products.

Fewer than half of respondents said they view groups such as grocery retailers, government scientists, animal-welfare groups or government scientists, in a favourable light. In fact, less than a quarter, 23 per cent, of respondents said that they trust that the government food-inspection system ensures the safety of their food.

But that skepticism does not seem to extend to the agriculture industry itself. Sixty-nine per cent view farmers favourably, and 61 per cent have a “very or somewhat positive” impression of Canadian agriculture.

Despite all of this, an overwhelming majority – 93 per cent – acknowledge that they know “little, very little or nothing” about farming practices.

read more

Osoyoos Secondary School will NOT close

 

Osoyoos Secondary School will NOT close

 

MAY 30, 2016, 7:27 PM

An announcement from the BC Government will be made tomorrow.

Stop the transition, stop the extra bus driver ads, NOT necessary.

NO independent school needed

I was told some time ago this was the best educational decision to be made – to close the school (SD# 53 staff) – but that is gone.

An announcement from the BC Government will be made Tuesday.

It seems the government has been persuaded that in every rural area where only one high school or one elementary school exists – IT SHOULD NOT CLOSE.

Smart – politically

Dumb – maybe

This is an election year.

(No court cases, no more protests)

Maybe the government will admit – “We listen”

ODN contacted Mayor Suzan McKortoff: “I am happy, I have nothing to add. I am busy at the moment.”

read more