Peachland July 1, 2011 Peachland, BC Volume 07 | Number 26
Replacement playground by old Primary School a no-go By Cindy Fortin A new playground was promised when the old one was demolished and $50,000 was set aside for it, but it was decided at Tuesday evening’s regular council meeting that a playground at Cousin’s Park will not happen. When the older playground, adjacent to the Primary School on Beach Avenue and across from Swim Bay, was removed in 2010 due to safety concerns, 2011 budget money was committed to reinstate it at Cousin’s Park site. The old location has since been paved over for parking spots. The playground was expected to be rebuilt somewhere at Cousin’s Park on the other side of the school. The two sites suggested were: Beside the 50+ Plus Activity Centre along the Beach Avenue fence, or beside the 50+ Plus Activity Centre along the 8th Street fence. According to a report presented to council by Cheryl Wiebe, director of community services, “Although these locations have been determined as the best, given the Cousins Park site, there is no guarantee that a ball will never enter the playground area. In fact, in discussions with the Adult Slo-pitch league, they have serious concerns about either location because, in their league, several members regularly hit the ball into these areas.” Temporary fencing or netting around the playground was considered as a potential solution to any injury risk, but it was thought the public may perceive the fencing as unsightly. In her report, Wiebe added the park is also used for other larger scale special events, such as World of Wheels and Dancin’ Barefoot in the Park. “World of Wheels does not feel a playground in the corner by the 50+ Centre will impact their event. However, Dancin’ Barefoot in the Park is concerned a playground at the site will lessen their event’s capacity and the proposed locations are where either vendors or port-a-potties are typically located.” Other options discussed include using the money to install two small neighbourhood parks in the hillside communities of Princeton, Ponderosa or Trepanier, or installing only one small neighbourhood park, and expanding the playground at Heritage Park. Wiebe’s recommendations were carried by Council, but a decision on an alternative playground or playgrounds has yet to be determined.
Back to work for Canada Post! Peachland Canada Post clerk Darlene Kneller scans a package Tuesday morning, as mail delivery resumed after the CUPW postal strike. Photo Cindy Fortin
By Cindy Fortin It’s back to work for Canada Post workers across the country, including in our small community of Peachland. After a marathon session in parliament last weekend, the Senate passed the Canada Post back-to-work legislation on Sunday. But it’s not as if Peachland postal workers haven’t been on the job all along. Passersby may have noticed their doors remained open for business throughout the strike, and there was no picketing. Peachland posties, as well as those at other small communities, are not of the same union as the larger metropolises. Cities, such as Toronto and Vancouver, belong to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, or CUPW, as do some larger more “urban” Okanagan municipalities, such as Kelowna and Penticton. While smaller town postal employees, such as our own, are
members of Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association, or CPAA. Peachland postal workers were at work throughout the strike, but were instructed by Canada Post not to receive letter mail or packages because the major centres where the mail is sorted and processed are located at the larger cities, which were at a standstill. “We couldn’t take in mail because it wouldn’t go anywhere. It would have just sat there until the strike was over,” explained Peachland Postmaster, Debbie Powell. Peachland residents have probably noticed by now that their bills, cheques, and junk mail are arriving once again in their mailboxes. Also being delivered are the HST referendum packages. The provincial government is considering extending the current deadline of July 22nd for returning your HST voting package, due to the postal strike.
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