Let’s welcome our ITU visitors

Dear Editor: After just watching Global News a few moments ago on Aug. 21, I saw the owner of Melt Spa complaining about the road closures and suggesting that her customers be provided with complimentary golf cart rides to her business venue.

Both Penticton’s CAO and an ITU representative did the right thing by saying that things need to be looked at so they can be done better next time.

However, it’s unbelievable that a restaurant business two or three doors away can be up three times in business and the proprietor there says it’s like an extended Ironman. Isn’t it nothing less than selfish that the lady that owns the spa is after golf carts to bring clients in paid for by the city or the ITU?

Do her clients have a piano tied to them? Can’t they walk a block or two? What kind of pampered life do businesses in Penticton expect?

When the event is done, everyone needs to look at things so they can be done better (i.e. differently) next time but the next best thing to tell her is to tell her to pound salt — give her my contact information if you want and I’ll have a word with her, for free, and no charge to the city, or the ITU, it’s part of my volunteer ethic.

The City has done everything it can based on the superficial inquiries I’ve made. I also think the ITU people are doing their job and issues like these should fall squarely on the event organizer’s shoulders, not the CAO and staff, which means indirectly me and every other citizen like me.

Wouldn’t all of our efforts be far better spent on welcoming people from around the world than dragging the City and the ITU event organizers into issues like the one this business owner raised? Wayne Llewellyn

Penticton