On Sept. 17, 2016 the residents of West Kelowna will have a chance to support the building of a city hall and civic centre or maintain the status quo.
Every product or convenience that we have today , is due to someone having a vision of changes that would benefit others. This is why we enjoy the conveniences of various means of travel and types of personal communication and electronic devices. Someone had a vision and made that vision a reality. At the same time, there would be many naysayers who would say, “what we have is good enough.”
Our first prime minister had a vision of a national railway which led to the formation of Canada. He heard from many naysayers, but turned his vision into reality.
In the early 1950s, W.A.C. Bennett had a vision of the first bridge to join Westbank and Kelowna and this opened up the whole Okanagan Valley to growth and prosperity. The naysayers were wringing their hands over the cost and couldn’t see the benefits.
Our leaders had visions of the benefits of Expo 86 and the 2010 Olympics. They saw the benefits of showcasing our beautiful province to the world while the naysayers worried about noise and congestion.
People with a vision are community builders.
The naysayers are complainers with no positive suggestions.
On Sept.17, you are being asked to be a community builder and vote YES for our city hall and civic centre.
You have probably noticed that those who favour a NO vote consistently criticize what our elected members of government propose but never offer anything positive. They love words like “no, we don’t need it, it’s good enough and it’s too costly.” They say that there is no need to give the residents of West Kelowna back their Mount Boucherie Recreation Complex that was used by various community clubs and organizations. They say that city employees don’t need an efficient building that meets the standards of municipal structures. They say cramped work spaces and portables are suitable working conditions.
Our city is portrayed this way through the eyes of future employees and those wishing to invest here after visiting our current facilities. This is not the image of a vibrant growing community.
We are a city and it is time to think like a city, act like a city and look like a city. Every city requires a city hall. A city hall makes a statement about its community image and stature. We are a growing community, having grown 20 per cent in the last seven years. Our population is now greater than our neighbour to the south, Penticton.
Please be a community builder for our current citizens, our children and their children. Vote YES.
Curt Tingley, West Kelowna