TheNaramataBench: Canada’sNapavalley

There should not be any more construction allowed on Naramata Bench. It is a unique rural area of agricultural lands and wildlife habitat. The green mountain with the three famous benches is the iconic tourist attraction and an important home to food and drink producers and related businesses that make Penticton famous.

It is a green gem that makes the Penticton tourism brand. It made our city what it is: the Canadian Napa Valley. More construction will ruin this iconic neighbourhood.

The only way to keep our own Napa Valley intact is to assign a protection status to the whole area and ban any new construction projects. This protected land should be left untouched with permanent protection status.

Tourism is a major contributor to this city budget. How many motels, hotels, restaurants, stores, shops, bike-athlete-servicing tour businesses operate here?

How many sport-cultural events, shows and conventions happen in Penticton — all relying on regular influxes of tourists in this city? Tourists don’t travel to see houses.

By building on the Bench we will kill not only the environment but also what attracts a lot of people here.

If the Canadian Horizons project is approved now, we all know what happens next: another construction project on Naramata Bench will be approved. Then another one, and another one. Opening the door to more construction will be the end of Naramata Bench. Kelowna has just rejected a similar aggressive development project, why cannot we do the same?

Penticton does not have to build around Spiller Road. Currently there are at least three other spots to build more homes, outlined, on the opposite end of the city. Let’s build away from the Bench.

Why was the Napa Valley successful in fending off developer appetites and protecting itself? Why do we here need to succumb to someone’s purely financial agenda?

I’s time for the council to recognize that the plan to develop Spiller Road/Naramata Bench is a mistake. It is time to hear what the affected neighbourhoods, businesses and residents are saying:

We won’t want any more construction on the Bench.

We moved here to enjoy the green, not to see out nature destroyed.

We want to preserve the Bench.

There are not many pristine and stunning places like the Bench left that are still available for everyone to come and enjoy. Let’s keep the Bench green!

Olga Magyar Penticton