Proud To Be In Westbank, NOT Kelowna

Once again I come across a news item about Kelowna's Westside. Now, being from Westbank, the town of Westbank, with it's own fire department, community police station and a vast assortment of stores and fast food outlets, I am not sure where Kelowna's Westside starts or for that matter, ends.

I am not sure how anyone else feels about being called Kelowna's Westside but I find it very derogatory. Westbank, Glenrosa, and Lakeview Heights has been around for a very long time. My grandmother lived in Westbank for most of her 98 years. Many people have lived in Glenrosa for over a 100 years, worked on farms, when there were farms and orchards, and paid mortgages and raised their children. Why would you take away our heritage?

It is very offensive that CHBC can not say Westbank when there is a news item about Westbank. We never refer to Kelowna as Westbank's Eastside, or Peachland as Summerland's other half. Give the citizen's of Westbank, Lakeview Heights and Glenrosa the respect they deserve.

We are tax payers just like the residents of Kelowna. We live in Westbank because that is where our home is. If we wanted to be considered under the umbrella of Kelowna we would have a vote and change the name. I know we don't have a mayor but, sometimes that is a good thing.

We are more than a stopping point on the way to Vancouver. We have a parade every year. We treat our elderly with respect and we show our children that being from a small town is a good thing. Give us the respect we deserve.

We are the citizens of Westbank. We are a community and we are proud of that. Just as Kelowna citizen's are proud of their town. Please in future reference, whenever talking about Westbank, Glenrosa, Lakeview Heights, Rosevalley or the Westside. Use our names. We are not Kelowna's Westside. We are a community that has to strive to be recognized as such. Give us that recognition.

SD Chatten-Burke