National park good for economy
Anational park in the South Okanagan would be an incredible economic boom and as such should be created as soon as possible, according to the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce.
While Kelowna is at least an hour drive north of where the park is proposed from the Canada-U.S. border to west of Okanagan Falls and east of Cawston, the Kelowna chamber wanted to make its support known.
“National parks represent important economic drivers, creating increased employment, a boost in tourism and opportunities for First Nations economic participation,” said chamber past-president Tom Dyas.
“The potential impact in 2011 dollars is $37 million in gross domestic product, $25 million in annual labour income and $49 million in visitor spending.”
Dyas, as past-president, is the spokesman because he was chamber president in 2017 when the group tabled policy at the B.C. Chamber of Commerce annual general meeting urging multi-level government support for a national park.
Dollars are quoted in 2011 value because that’s when the last economic impact study was done.
Discussions about a national park in the South Okanagan started in 2002, but have been repeatedly stalled by concerns from community, ranchers, business and recreational users and lack of support from the province.
The federal government has indicated it will bear most of the cost of creating and running a national park in the South Okanagan.
Most of the land now is B.C. Parks and protected areas.
The province also wants to make sure any national park would continue to allow existing tenures and business uses.
That could clear up opposition from ranchers who graze their cattle in the area, a helicopter training school that uses the area and recreational users such as hunters.
Parks Canada has brought in conservation biologist Sarah Boyle to negotiate with anyone concerned to come up with solutions so formation of the park can go ahead.
Boyle most recently worked on the creation of the Rouge National Urban Park in Scarborough, Markham and Pickering, Ont.
It was a non-traditional assembly of land, indicating there may be a non-traditional model for the South Okanagan to include uses not normally allowed in national parks.
What exactly would be allowed in a national park in the South Okanagan is still to be determined.
Generally, national parks restrict activities to protect and preserve special natural regions.
The proposed South Okanagan national park covers a unique biosphere of desert, grasslands, forest and lakes, so some of the low-impact activities could include camping, non-motorized use of lakes, birdwatching and wildlife spotting, hiking and maybe some cycling or cross-country skiing. the cool activities Okanagan Adventures did – from boat, jetski, bike, kayak and stand up paddleboard rentals to jetboat rides, ziplining, flyboarding and whitewater rafting.
“We wanted to broaden our offers as well to add gift cards, which never expire,” said GiftGator owner Ayn Lexi.
“All our gift cards can be personalized and we can either mail out a card, or the giftor can send an electronic gift voucher. This is perfect for the person who has someone in their life who is very hard to buy for.”
GiftGator creates the gift cards in-house in a matter of minutes and has the ability to add personalized messages and co-branding for businesses that want to reward employees or spiff clients.
“The gift recipient can then go onto the site and redeem the card for whatever they want,” said Lexi.
“This way, they’re sure to be happy and the memories they create are now linked to the person who gave the experience. It’s so much better than thinking your present will never be used, or returned, or regifted.”
To celebrate the creation of GiftGator, the company is giving away a pair of wine tour tickets never week through Sept. 10.
And then on Sept. 15 there will be a wine party tour for all the winners.
Enter at GiftGator.ca. former Sticky’s Candy location in Kelowna’s Dilworth Shopping Centre.
That makes store No. 3 in So Sweet’s fledgling empire.
The business was started by Rene Carloni of Penticton, who’s main job is owning and operating the chain of 12 payday-loan Venue Financial centres across B.C., including locations in Penticton and Kelowna.
The first So Sweet opened in downtown Penticton at 366 Main St.
The second is at 287 Bernard Ave. in downtown Kelowna.
While it certainly has all the bulk and packaged candy you’d expect at such a store, it also has sodas and novelties ranging from signs and mugs to retro lunch boxes and colourful socks.
Yes, socks and hundreds of different pairs of them with everything from cute designs to suggestive sayings.