Traffic jam, so what?
It’s going to be a parking and traffic nightmare at the South Okanagan Events Centre on the weekend but looking on the bright side, busy is a good thing.
Tonight there’s the Fest-of-Ale at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, the Vees are playing a pivotal Game 5 at the South Okanagan Events Centre, and it will be the first Friday night for the new casino. Saturday is even more fun. It’s Day 2 of Fest-of-Ale (although it gets done early), the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra is playing next door at the Cleland Theatre, there’s the gun show at the Penticton Curling Club, Weezer is at the South Okanagan Events Centre and it’s the first Saturday night for the casino.
I can hear the bitching already but the alternative is an empty SOEC and convention centre. It’s great we have that many things going on and most of the events will attract out-of-town visitors.
The City of Penticton, casino and SOEC have been diligent about finding alternative parking solutions. You may have noticed several of the newspaper advertisements suggesting you to “plan your trip.” There’s even free shuttle bus service available which is great because not only do you avoid having to find a parking spot but you also don’t have to worry about drinking and driving (assuming you walk to your shuttle pick-up spot.)
With any new restaurant or entertainment complex, the first few weeks are chaotic. Everyone wants to be the first to check out the hot new place. On Wednesday, two hours before the casino opened its doors to the general public there was a line-up forming of people wanting to get in.
Realistically, it’s only going to be like this five or six weekends of the year.
This weekend is definitely going to be one of the craziest of the year and it’s unfortunate for the casino that their opening weekend fell at a time when there’s so much else going on.
I have twice walked my dog past the new casino — Wednesday evening and Thursday morning and there was all kinds of parking available in the lots beside the SOEC. On most days, it won’t be a problem provided you don’t mind a three or fourminute walk.
Compare this to the shopping mall on the final weekend before Christmas. Finding a parking spot is challenging due to the last-second shoppers.
This weekend will be a test and for the first several weeks it will be trial and error. Things will get better, I’m sure.
Enjoy the weekend and, one last point, please don’t get mad at the parking attendants at the SOEC. They’re nice people and they’re doing their best.
Parking will be bad a few weekends of each year