Peachland View January 6, 2023

Dog license deadline looms

older to be licensed in the Central Okanagan. The regional district says all dog owners should keep their license up to date as there is zero tolerance and a hefty fine for unlicensed dogs.

Over 25,000 dogs were licensed in 2022.

Until the end of February, a license for a dog that’s spayed or neutered costs $20. If the dog isn’t spayed or neutered the fee is $60. On March 1 licenses return to the regular annual rates of $40 and $80.

Tow company waiting for safer conditions

JOANNE LAYH

PEACHLAND VIEW

It’s that time of year again for all Central Okanagan dog owners to renew or purchase a new dog license.

The Responsible Dog Ownership Bylaw requires all dogs three months and

RDCO communications and intergovernmental affairs officer Bruce Smith says a license makes it easy to return a dog to its owner if it gets away and also provides a one-time free ride home.

Dog owners who purchase a dog license or renew an existing one before Feb. 28 will save $20 off the regular annual license fees.

Here in Peachland you can buy or renew a license at the municipal hall or if you prefer to go online, license renewals or new license purchases can also be made at rdco.com/dogs.

For more information about dog licensing and responsible dog ownership in the Central Okanagan visit rdco.com/dogs.

A tow company is waiting until they believe it is safe enough to recover a vehicle that has been in Lake Okanagan since Dec. 27.

L ast week the male driver of a 2015 red Cadillac went into the lake on the south end of Peachland, along with three passengers.

According to RCMP media relations officer Cst. Mike Della-Paolera, t he driver may have fallen asleep and

there is no investigation beyond that.

“Thankfully there was no injuries,” said Della-Paolera.

There has been some speculation about why the vehicle remains in the lake a week later.

The tow company is waiting until they believe it’s safe enough to recover the vehicle, Della-Paolera told the View.

It’s believed the road might be slippery and the road surface will become i cy from the spray off of lake water at this time of year.

Reliable local news. In print and online. peachlandview.com

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that Council will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, January 10 at 5:00 pm in the Council Chambers at the Peachland Community Centre, 4450 – 6th Street, Peachland, BC to consider:

ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENT NO. 2366, 2022

Council will hear from persons who deem their interest in property to be affected by this bylaw amendment.

Subject Property: 5948 Highway 97S (Lilly Street), Peachland Legal Description: Lot B, District Lot 490, ODYD, Plan KAP21421

Purpose: Amend the Subject Property zone from “R-1 Single Detached Residential” to “RM-4 Multi-Unit Residential – Medium Density”.

PEACHLAND VIEW

Copies of the proposed Bylaw and related material can be reviewed at Municipal Hall, 5806 Beach Avenue, Peachland, BC from 8:00 to 3:30 pm Monday to Friday (excluding statutory holidays) between December 19, 2022 to January 10, 2023, or online anytime at peachland.ca/publichearings. Municipal Hall will be closed from Dec. 24 to Jan 2, reopening on Jan 3.

To be considered by Council, concerns must be expressed in writing or presented in person at the Public Hearing. Written submissions may be delivered to the District of Peachland Municipal Hall or emailed to the Corporate Officer at corporateservices@peachland.ca. All written and emailed submissions must be received by 4:00pm on January 9, 2023 and will become part of the public record.

NO REPRESENTATIONS WILL BE RECEIVED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING

PHOTO RDCO

Dog license tag.

Marty Edwards New Year’s Eve show a huge success

What a night!

Marty Edwards’ sold out New York New Year’s Eve concert at the 50 Plus Activity Centre kicked off with “The Power Of Music,” a salute to Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck, Michael Bublé, Johnny Mathis and others.

A fter a brief intermission, Marty Edwards a nd the Revival took the stage, with Edwards (above) joined by vocalist Betty Anne Northup (top right) and guitarist Craig Brown (right), who kept the dance floor busy for the rest of the evening.

PHOTOS DAVID MICHAEL NAGY

OPINION

Joanne Layh Publisher / Editor editor@peachlandview.com sales@peachlandview.com

Don Urquhart Contributing Reporter Melissa Morris Production designer@peachlandview.com

5878A Beach Avenue

Peachland, BC V0H 1X7 250 767 7771

published by Aberdeen Publishing Inc.

Robert W. Doull, pres rdoull@aberdeenpublishing.com

The Peachland View is a free community newspaper that is distributed each Friday to everyone in Peachland. Anyone who lives outside of the distribution area but within Canada can purchase a subscription at $70 per year + GST.

The Peachland View reserves the right to refuse publication of any advertising or editorial submission at its discretion. Material submitted by columnists does not reflect the opinions of the Peachland View or its employees.

The Peachland View retains complete and sole copyright of any content, including stories, photographs, and advertisements published in the Peachland View. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission or consent from the publisher is strictly prohibited.

Peachland’s snow removal is the best

Mr. Mayor Patrick, You just gotta, on behalf of all us residents, thank the guys and gals who clear our roads of snow every winter. I live up Princeton on Ehlers and I love to brag to my friends who have to survive on the unplowed streets of Kelowna, West Kelowna and Penticton about the great management job our Operations Department does!

Jim Statham, Peachland

Seniors housing project would include 15 subsidized units for very low income

Re: New council has cost concerns with seniors housing project

I was quite perplexed to read about city council’s concerns over the proposed Peachland Seniors’ Support Society housing development on 6th.

In particular, the comment from realtor and Councillor David Collins who asked, “Does it make sense to partner with BC Housing to provide more senior housing versus what the private sector might offer in terms of building 75 units and what that would look like stipulated as a rental building?”

To be clear, the difference between a project like this and what would be offered by the private sector is affordability. Under the Community Housing Fund program, 50 per cent of the 75 units in this building would be subsidized by the province to keep rent at 30 per cent of a person’s gross monthly income.

A certain portion of the units (15) would be specifically subsidized to the level that would make them affordable to individuals with very low incomes (under $21,946), such as those on a basic seniors’ pension. The remainder of units are at market rate, providing rental supply to middle income earners.

There is no chance that a market rental building would provide secured, subsidized units affordable to individuals in this income bracket, or this range of rental options in one unit.

It’s worth noting that the Regional District’s Housing Needs Assessment indicates there has been a significant increase in people seeking non-market housing in the area since 2012, as rents and housing prices escalate. This project is the exact way to address that issue.

Let’s hope council seeks to understand the project and the bigger picture before making short sighted decisions that seem to only take into dollars (via community amenity contributions) over the housing needs of citizens in the district.

Earl McLeod, Peachland

Peachland bats alive and well in 2022

bombs for the guerilla gardening segment of our program, in which seed bombs were tossed onto a hillside left bare of vegetation following a major water pipe installation near the Bat Interpretive Trail.

RACHEL TRUANT BEEPS

Each year, the Bat Education and Ecological P rotection Society (BEEPS) directors review and reflect: did we do our best to promote and protect bats in our community? We concluded that 2022 was successful for many reasons. All our fundraising efforts included information about the life cycle and the importance of bats in a healthy ecosystem, and we have introduced their benefit to agriculture as well. Our Bat Chats for schools and local groups reached approximately 400 people!

In 2022 we launched the inaugural Fiesta Fundraiser, which celebrated bats and tequila, and as a result of its popularity and success we will make it an annual event, highlighting the bats

that pollinate agave plants, which provide the main ingredient for tequila. With a delicious taco line-up and festive games, we were able to raise funds to update attic equipment and provide craft supplies for our Bat Chats. Watch for the next one coming in April 2023!

Our new partnership with bat-friendly Sun-Oka Farms allowed us to sell apples that were protected by insect-eating bats, thereby reducing the use of certain pesticides.

Early in 2022, with the help of local biologists, Peachland participated in a bat mortality study. The maternity colony in the Peachland Historic School attic has been monitored for a number of years, but now our contributed mortality data will form part of a province-wide study.

Every year, a small num-

ber of bats do not survive the summer season. By collecting, counting and recording age, our objective is to determine the number of deaths that occur naturally, and from bat pups falling into and becoming trapped in the fiberglass insulation. One of our major endeavours in 2023 will be the installation of additional plywood covering most of the attic floor to support our findings and provide a safer environment for the bats as well as the humans who maintain and service the monitoring equipment and clean out the guano.

As always, Going Batty in Peachland was one of the most popular and successful programs of the Meadowlark Nature Festival. Families learned about bats and habitat restoration as they formulated the seed

Our successful grant application for Canada Summer Jobs program funding provided two summer staff last season. They achieved Bat Ambassador status during a workshop held in June through the auspices of BC Community Bats and went on to eagerly share what they learned throughout Peachland during Bat Chats, Bat Counts, Bat Trail Walks, T-Shirt Tie Dyeing events and manning BEEPS booths at the Sunday Peachland Farmers’ and Crafters Markets and The Hub’s Groovy Tuesday night markets.

The day camp program for children and seniors welcomed participants from assisted living programs in Penticton and West Kelowna, plus a number of other visitors to Peachland.

For more information about BEEPS, please visit our website www.beepspeachland.com where you can also sign up for news and events.

BEEPS eagerly looks forward to exciting programming and projects in 2023, but new directors and volunteers are needed to help us! For more information, and to find out how you can impact your ecosystem and community, reach out to president@beepspeachland. com.

Summer staff Ethan Ernzer and Sierra Bromley at the Peachland Farmers’ and Crafters Market.

PHOTO RACHEL TRUANT

PHOTO DARLENE HARTFORD

PHOTO DARLENE HARTFORD

BEEPS staff, volunteers and friends in training to become Bat Ambassadors. Training was led by bat biologist Paula Rodriguez de la Vega.

Rachel Truant leads a Bat Chat to a group of Brownies.

LOCAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

THE PEACHLAND VARIETY SINGERS’ NEW SEASON will be starting on Monday, Jan 9 at 9:30 am in the 50 Plus Activity Centre. New singers are very welcome. Their spring concert will be held on April 16.

8TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS TREE CHIPPING FOR CHARITY takes place at the Peachland Community Centre on Jan 7 from 10 am - 2 pm, where there will be free hot chocolate and fire trucks on display. Peachland Fire and Rescue Service will be offering Christmas tree chipping and disposal by donation. In addition, for a minimum donation

of $5 the fire department will come to your home to pick up your tree for disposal. Contact the fire department at 250 767 2841 or email fireclerk@peachland.com All proceeds to Muscular Dystrophy Canada.

ARTISTS OF THE OKANAGAN opens at the Peachland Art Gallery on Saturday, Jan 7. The ever-popular exhibition returns for its eighth year featuring 36 artists presenting 78 works from photography to acrylics, mixed media, oils, watercolours, plaster, clay, encaustic, ink, alcohol ink, fibre art, glass, low fire clay and porcelain. The

MONDAYS

FITNESS ROOM

5 am - 10 pm

Peachland Community Centre

INDOOR WALKING

8 am - 9 am

Peachland Community Centre

50+ FITNESS

8 am - 9 am ($5 Drop In)

50 Plus Activity Centre

ADULT DAY SERVICE

9 am - 3 pm Residences on 6th

PICKLEBALL LEVEL 3.0-3.5 9:05 am - 11 am Peachland Community Centre

FITNESS FUSION 9:30 am - 10:45 am Peachland Community Centre

PICKLEBALL LEVEL 1.0-2.5 11 am - 1 pm Peachland Community Centre

PICKLEBALL LEVEL 1.0-2.5 1 pm - 3 pm Peachland Community Centre

BRIDGE

1 pm – 4 pm

50 Plus Activity Centre

BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE

ACRYLIC WORKSHOP

1 pm – 4 pm

Peachland Little Schoolhouse CHAIR YOGA 2 pm - 3 pm

50 Plus Activity Centre

SPIN, CORE & STRETCH

6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Peachland Community Centre

ZUMBA

6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Peachland Community Centre WOODCARVERS 7 pm

50 Plus Activity Centre

TUESDAYS

FITNESS ROOM

5 am - 10 pm

Peachland Community Centre YOGA 8:30 am - 9:30 am

50 Plus Activity Centre

FLOW YOGA 9 am - 10 am Peachland Community Centre CARPET BOWLING 10 am - 12 pm

50 Plus Activity Centre

THERAPEUTIC YOGA 10:30 am – 11:45 am Peachland Community Centre AA 12 pm

50 Plus Activity Centre

PICKLEBALL LEVEL 3.75+ 1 pm - 3 pm Peachland Community Centre PASSION 4 ART 1 pm - 4 pm

50 Plus Activity Centre MAH JONG 1 pm – 4 pm

50 Plus Activity Centre

MEN’S COFFEE & CARDS 1 pm PWC (downstairs)

YOGA FOR YOUR BACK

3:15pm - 4:30 pm

Peachland Community Centre

PEACHLAND HUB NIGHT MARKET

4 pm – 9 pm Cousins Park

LINE DANCING 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm

50 Plus Activity Centre POUND 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

50 Plus Activity Centre

COMPUTER LITERACY By Appointment Call 250 767 0141

Peachland Wellness Centre

WEDNESDAYS

FITNESS ROOM

5 am - 10 pm

Peachland Community Centre INDOOR WALKING 8 am - 9 am

Peachland Community Centre 50+ FITNESS 9 am - 10 am ($5 Drop In)

50 Plus Activity Centre

PICKLEBALL LEVEL 1.0-2.5 9:05 am - 11 am

Peachland Community Centre SPIN, SCULPT AND STRETCH 9:30 am - 10:45 am 1 pm - 3 pm

Peachland Community Centre PICKLEBALL - DROP-IN LEVEL 3.0 11 am - 1 pm

Peachland Community Centre

exhibition runs until Sunday, Jan 22. I

OPEN MIC CONCERT SERIES returns to the Peachland Art Gallery on Jan 19 at 7 pm. If you have a talent and would like to play an instrument, sing a song, read a poem or story, conjure up some magic, or entertain in some other fashion, contact Paula at peterpaula76@ gmail.com, or 250-767-7422. All ages are welcome!

HEARTS FESTIVAL takes place Feb 13-20 for a weeklong celebration of the arts. For more information visit peachlandarts.ca

BARGAIN BIN

12 pm - 3 pm

Peachland United Church

PICKLEBALL LEVEL 3.0-3.5

1 pm - 3 pm

Peachland Community Centre BRIDGE

1 pm – 4 pm

50 Plus Activity Centre

LEGION KARAOKE

3:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Royal Canadian Legion #69 MINI KICKERS SOCCER

5 pm - 6 pm

Peachland Community Centre HATHA YOGA

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Peachland Community Centre SPIN, CORE AND STRETCH 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Peachland Community Centre

CENTRAL OKANAGAN MODEL RAILWAY CO.

Train modellers + visitors meet 7 pm

Peachland Musum

THURSDAYS

FITNESS ROOM

5 am - 10 pm

Peachland Community Centre YOGA

8:30 am - 9:30 am

50 Plus Activity Centre YOGA FOR YOUR BACK 9:30 am - 10:45 am

Peachland Community Centre BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT  10 am-11:45 am

Peachland Wellness Centre

VALENTINE’S PARTY hosted by the Peachland Ambassadors at 4th Street Place. Call Linda 778 479 2843

FREE FAMILY DAY FILM & FUN is a NEW District of Peachland event that will take place Monday, Feb 20 from 1 pm - 3 pm at the community cenre and will feature a big screen movie, games, goodies, face painting and more. FREE!

PICKLEBALL LEVEL 3.5

10:30 am - 12:30 pm

Peachland Community Centre

IRON AND SILK FIT

11 am - 12 pm

50 Plus Activity Centre

BARGAIN BIN

12 pm - 3 pm

Peachland United Church

PICKLEBALL LEVEL 3.75+

1 pm - 3 pm

Peachland Community Centre

PASSION 4 ART

1 pm – 4 pm

50 Plus Activity Centre

BEGINNER UKULELE 230 pm - 330 pm

50 Plus Activity Centre

MEAT DRAW  3 pm-5 pm Royal Canadian Legion #69 BINGO 5:30 pm (EOW)

50 Plus Activity Centre

FRIDAYS

FITNESS ROOM

5 am - 10 pm

Peachland Community Centre

INDOOR WALKING

8 am - 9 am

Peachland Community Centre

FLOW YOGA 9 am - 10 am

Peachland Community Centre

50+ FITNESS 9 am - 10 am ($5 Drop In)

50 Plus Activity Centre

WE ART HERE 12 pm - 4 pm

50 Plus Activity Centre

BARGAIN BIN  12 pm - 3 pm

Peachland United Church THERAPEUTIC YOGA 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm Peachland Community Centre CANASTA 1 pm 50+ Activity Centre

PICKLEBALL LEVEL 3.0 -3.5 1 pm - 3 pm Peachland Community Centre

SATURDAYS

FITNESS ROOM

5 am - 10 pm

Peachland Community Centre

CARPET BOWLING 10 am - 12 pm 50 Plus Activity Centre

BARGAIN BIN  12 pm - 3 pm

Peachland United Church

MEAT DRAW  3 pm-5 pm

Royal Canadian Legion #69

SUNDAYS

FITNESS ROOM

5 am - 10 pm

Peachland Community Centre

PEACHLAND FARMERS & CRAFTERS MARKET 10 am - 2 pm Heritage Park

PICKLEBALL - LEVEL 2.5-3.5 12 pm - 2 pm Peachland Community Centre PICKLEBALL - LEVEL 3.75+ 2 pm - 4 pm Peachland Community Centre

The lines are open

DAN ALBAS MP

One of the tasks I undertake at the beginning of every new year is a review the various ways I interact with, communicate and receive comments and concerns from the many citizens within our region.

Over the years I have noticed that the communication preferences have changed.

As an example, requests for in person meetings have declined but telephone calls and emails have increased significantly.

More recently I have also noticed an increase in requests for online Zoom meetings.

My goal has always been to provide whatever tools are necessary for citizens to reach me and hold me accountable.

This is why I still have a 24/7, 365 day a year answering service to return your calls at times convenient to you.

Likewise, I have also made changes to better

accommodate for online Zoom meetings.

For 2023, my summer listening tour will continue (which has generated many private member’s bills and policy changes federally) and likewise I will also continue to write my weekly reports such as this one and provide an opportunity for input as I have long found this to be a very valuable exercise.

We also will send out printed materials to inform citizens, such as informing them on proposed boundary changes for federal ridings by the electoral boundary commission. The feedback we received was sent to the Commission and we will see how the Commission responds in its final report.

Having said all of that, I also like to receive feedback from local citizens on your preferred method of communication.

Would you like to see more community town halls or opportunities for one-onone meetings in person?

Likewise, do you prefer

online video conferences or does a phone call suffice?

More printed materials and if so, what kind?

Your input is important to me.

On a related note, I would also like to sincerely thank the many citizens who do make the effort to reach out and share comments and concerns.

I am often surprised on some issues where there may be a consensus on an issue but in other issues where it might appear like there should be a consensus but instead there is a wide diversity of views.

Ultimately your input and concerns are what I take back to Ottawa and, as the official opposition, can lead to opposing or working with the government on various bills and legislation.

My question this week: By what means do you most value to communicate directly with your elected officials?

I can be reached at Dan. Albas@parl.gc.ca or call toll free 800 665 8711.

Canada Dental Benefit now available for families

SEBASTIAN KANALLY

As of Dec. 1, eligible families earning less than $90,000 per year can apply for some financial relief for their children’s dental costs. The plan will support an estimated 500,000 children under the age of 12.

Bill C-31, the Cost of Living Relief Act, passed on Nov. 17, provides a tax-free payment of $260, $390, or $650 depending on your adjusted family income.

The payment is applied for and provided through the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The benefit is only available for two periods, and therefore there is a maximum of two payments per eligible child. The first benefit period is for children under 12 years of age as of Dec. 1, 2022 who receive dental care between Oct. 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.

This benefit comes as a result of heavy pressure from Jagmeet Singh, leader of the federal NDP, who threatened to pull support from the current coalition government,

which keeps the Trudeau Liberals in power until 2025, if a plan for dental care and pharmacare were not agreed on.

Singh released a statement saying, “I’m incredibly proud that the NDP used our power in parliament to deliver dental care for kids. But I’m celebrating by immediately focusing on the next step in the NDP’s plan - dental care coverage for seniors, people with disabilities and everyone under 18. We’re going to keep fighting to make sure it happens in 2023.”

This intended program the NDP are after would gradually extend benefits to children under 18, seniors and people with disabilities by the end of 2023, and apply to all members of eligible families by 2025. But this full Canada Dental program has yet to be agreed upon.

On June 16, earlier this year the Federal Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, published a budget plan for implementing such a dental care plan for all Canadians making under $90,000 by 2025.

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FOR SENIORS

Eyesight often isn’t fully appreciated until it begins to diminish. Starting in one’s thirties, if not earlier, a person’s vision may start to be less sharp. Items at a distance or up close may be more difficult to discern, and if prescription glasses or contacts are worn, that prescription may need to be adjusted more regularly. However, there are some eye conditions that are not entirely a result of aging. Glaucoma is one of them.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, glaucoma is a

tic nerve is damaged. Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness and usually occurs when an abnormality in the eye’s drainage system causes the aqueous humor fluid in the eye to build up, sometimes leading to excessive pressure that impacts the optic nerve. The optic nerve connects the retina with the brain, sending vision signals. Damage to the nerve can cause loss of eyesight. While pressure is largely to blame for glaucoma, glaucoma can occur even if eye pressure is normal.

Glaucoma is often a silent condition. The Mayo Clin

ic advises that many forms of glaucoma have no warning signs. With effects so gradual, no changes in vision may be noticed until the condition is in its later stages.

This underscores the importance of getting regular eye examinations that will include measurements of the pressure in both eyes, says the Glaucoma Research Foundation. Glaucoma caught early can be slowed down or even prevented before it becomes severe. Lifelong treatment and monitoring will be needed after diagnosis.

There are different types of glaucoma. The most common is open-angle glaucoma, which occurs after the clogged fluid does not drain properly. Angle-closure glaucoma, also called closed-angle glaucoma, happens when the iris is very close to the drainage angle in the eye and the iris blocks the drainage angle. This results in an acute glaucoma attack. Some people have normal tension glaucoma, in which eye pressure is in normal range but there are signs of glaucoma. These individuals’ optic nerves may be more sensitive to pressure than others’ and will have to be monitored.

Certain people are at a greater risk for developing glaucoma than others. Individuals over 40; those with a family history of glaucoma; people of African, Hispanic or Asian heritage; people with high eye pressure; those who have had an eye injury; and individuals who use long-term steroid medications are at increased risk. Other factors also affect glaucoma risk.

Glaucoma should be discussed at routine eye wellness visits to prevent lasting vision damage.