Town of Oliver standing strong
“Everybody’s doing the best they can to stay open and generate some business,” says Oliver’s mayor
For the small, South Okanagan town of Oliver, the COVID-19 pandemic remains a challenge but has brought the community together in something of a common cause and mutual success.
“I think we’re doing the best (we can) under the circumstances . ... Everybody seems to be finding a way for this to be business as usual,” said Mayor Martin Johansen, describing his town six months into the crisis.
While acknowledging that revenues are down in many sectors of the local economy, Johansen said in a recent interview, “Everybody’s doing the best they can to stay open and generate some business.”
On the bright side, the mayor noted that recreation facilities in the town are open, including the swimming pool, tennis courts and baseball diamonds. The annual Big League Experience baseball camp went ahead this month, attracting young ball players and their families from around the province.
In the spring, the town eased late charges for property taxes into the fall and many residents and businesses are taking advantage of the break.
Alberto Veintimilla, a prominent businessman and former president of the local Chamber of Commerce, said in an interview that most sectors are busy, “But it’s a different (kind of) busy.”
Wineries are a major part of the local economy and they have had to adjust to distancing protocols, resulting in serving the same number of customers as before. but over twice as much time.
Tourist accommodations are doing a brisk business this summer, but with mainly B.C. and Alberta travellers rather than the usual influx of Americans. “There are no vacancies of any kind until the middle of September at hotels and B&Bs and not a single camping spot in the area at any price,” said Veintimilla.
Because locals are not travelling as normal, many are taking advantage of the opportunity for home improvement projects, leading to steady business in that sector, said Veintimilla, who owns a flooring company and an adjacent home decorating centre.
But, ironically, his flooring business is down about 50 per cent “because people don’t want you in their homes … for three or four days.”
He remains confident about the future, however: “We should be able to survive. I say that even though I am 50 per cent down. I’m not afraid of the situation for sure.”
A vital part of the Oliver and area economy is the fruit industry, and it has suffered considerably from the reduced number of farm workers as a result of the pandemic. Fewer pickers from the U.S. and Latin America have been allowed into the country and the traditional influx of Quebecois youth to the area has been curtailed.
“Pickers needed” and “U-Pick” signs dot the valley. In some cases, farmers have simply been unable to get their fruit off the trees and to market.
Orchardist Allan Patton said: “There are (farmers) people who couldn’t get enough workers and they just abandoned the crops. … Sometimes that happens anyway. (But) I think this was a particularly bad year for that.
“It’s hard to find people. People just aren’t leaving home, (and) we depend on travellers to help us pick.”
In the restaurant sector, Sid Ruhland, owner of Pappa’s Firehall Bistro, credits the loyalty of his local customer base and his ability to adapt to changing circumstances for allowing him to stay open and “pay the bills.”
“All things considered, we are appreciative that we are still standing (because of) the tremendous amount of support from our community,” he said.
When the lockdown occurred in the spring, the Firehall switched to an allhome-delivery business model and, “We were able to sell our inventory and keep the lights on,” said Ruhland.
Once the restaurant re-opened, he was able to expand outside seating and, with socially-distanced tables inside, return to almost full capacity.
He is concerned, however, about the onset of winter and the closure of patio seating. “If there’s no easing of restrictions, then our capacity shrinks from 50 people down to 15. At that point that’s not sustainable. … We would have to evolve and figure out new ways to pay the bills.
“Hopefully the government has a backup plan for restaurants if their capacity gets cut.”
Former town councillor Mo Doerr agreed with Ruhland’s take on the importance of community support.
“The restaurants are doing pretty well, only because the community really supported them with takeout when they were closed. … So that was huge. It really helped them,” she said.
Oliver has benefitted from its small size during the pandemic, Doerr believes. “People in the South Okanagan are lucky. We’re small and, until all the tourists came, we felt relatively safe to carry on with our day to day life at a distance,” she said.
“I think it has affected everybody,” said Doerr, “But I don’t see anyone who’s closing their business because of COVID.”
For one Main Street business, however, the pandemic has provided the final push to close up shop.
Sue Schaffrick owns Oliver Shoes and Fashion and says she will close in October, or sooner if she manages to sell off her inventory.
“If you look up and down Main Street, there’s not that much here to really draw people,” she said.
To make ends meet, Schaffrick has been working at the No Frills grocery store.
“I’m done working seven days a week, 12-hour days. … COVID made it easier to make the decision.”
Among the many examples of innovative approaches to the pandemic is the Oliver Theatre.
Early on, the theatre offered popcorn for sale for locals who wished to make an evening of staying home and watching a movie. As restrictions have eased, it has begun private screenings inside the theatre. (See sidebar story below.)