Penticton

Keremeos Mayor Walter Despot spoke at Saturday’s Sustainable Similkameen Project panel meeting, describing the frustrations of local politicians regarding Federal and Provincial decisions which impact on local communities.

In Mayor Despot’s opinion, 95 percent of local politicians work towards sustainability, however, they are hampered by Federal or Provincial regulations which are difficult to implement and take time, money and resources.

“We’re at the bottom of the food chain and usually we’re dumped on and have very little say in what we have to do. Senior governments are going to break the taxpayer,” says Despot.

Increasing local politicians and residents input into policy making is one of the areas that the Sustainable Similkameen Project panel is looking into.

Volunteer panel members also discussed the huge importance of volunteers in the community. Without volunteers, safety, security and tourism would be affected.

“What happens to a community if there are no cultural events. It would hurt the cultural fabric of the community,” says Princeton resident and business owner, George Elliott.

Giving the example of grads helping with the Similkameen Sizzle, high school student panel members, Kelsey Colpitts and Satinder Lidher, explained that local youth volunteer in the community and would be prepared to help more.

Students need more information on what’s needed in the community and encouragement to participate.

Despite difficulties in moving towards sustainability, progress is being made.

There are several examples including the Organic Farming Institute which is up and running and is proving to be a success. The OFI is one of the Similkameen valley Planning Society’s projects.

The SVPS, a unique partnership that includes the municipalities of Keremeos and Princeton, the Lower Similkameen Indian Band, the Upper Similkameen Indian Band and Electoral Areas 'B', 'G' and 'H' of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen was formed in the spring of 2003.

According to Despot, among the many benefits of the SVPS is that its members have acquired a lot of understanding and respect for their neighbours.

Another example of progress is the Princeton Skills Centre.

Marilyn Harkness, Princeton Councillor, explained that the centre provides many valuable services including offering further education and skills applicable to jobs and starting businesses.

The panel identified what they considered were the main strengths and weaknesses of the valley.

These will be used in a strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats analysis, which will then be used to write the Similkameen’s sustainability strategy.

The sustainability strategy will be presented to Similkameen Valley residents for input on the evening of Saturday, March 20, at the Victory Hall in Keremeos.