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Weird. Why is it this way? 

Sign Up for What You Believe: Updated Feb. 8th:

A number of families who are dead-set against the filling in and paving over of wetlands have created a lawn sign that you too can display.

Here is your chance to show where you stand on SmartCentres trying to destroy a sensitive environmental area. You don’t have to drive 120 km to get your sign either.

Here is the sign. Donation details and how to get a sign are below.

Details:

• Signs are $20.00
• All of the money donated (100%) goes to support WA:TER’s goal of protecting sensitive environmental areas of the floodplain
• Signs are 16” x 24” (40.6 cm x 61cm)
• You can also get a stake to put your sign up for one dollar.

How to get a sign:

There are four ways right now.

(1) Signs are available at Acorn Music … 118 Lakeshore (across from Askews).

(2) WA:TER has their  information display at the Piccadilly Mall Fridays and Saturdays (10 am to 4 pm). You can get a sign there as well as say hello.

(3) I’ll have signs  available on Saturday Feb. 13th (11 am to 1 pm) near the liquor store (by Askews)

and Sunday Feb. 14th (11 – 11:30 am) at Shuswap Middle School parking lot. These signs are very romantic

 (4) You can use Aim High’s contact form to arrange getting a sign. Please include your name and contact number (I’ll be the only one who sees it) and I’ll get back to you asap.

* Even more options to get a sign will be coming your way soon!

You can download a copy of the graphic yourself  – for free – by clicking here for the pdf version or here for the jpeg (low res .386 kb) version and then saving the file to your computer.  Click here for a  high resolution jpeg file (1.11 mb).

You can then print out your own poster to display on your front door, windows or wherever you want. You can use the logo to print on a t-shirt, coffee cup or whatever your heart desires. The idea is to show that you believe in protecting sensitive environmental areas and we’d love to see this message displayed everywhere.

Comments go below. If you have any questions or suggestions, use the contact form to reach me.

* Are you a group from another community facing similar land use issues? Feel free to use the graphic on your web site or as a download file.

“Salmon Arm’s Heritage Trail” by Garry Landers

The citizens of Salmon Arm have the makings of their very own ‘Heritage Trail’. This little known fact was identified for us by consultant Robert Hobson when he presented his ‘Heritage Strategy’ to the Salmon Arm City Council in January of 2009. In his report to the Council Robert suggested that we should seriously consider a long term commitment that, when completed, would see a trail link running between Haney Heritage Village on our eastern boundary to the Switzmalph Village on our western boundary. The purpose would be to create a physical as well as a symbolic link between the ‘Settlers’ historical site at Haney Heritage Park on the east side of Salmon Arm to the Neskonlith Band Switzmalph historic village on the west of our city. Since that January meeting many of our citizens have remarked on the wisdom and vision of his recommendation.

To grasp what I am talking about I will outline the easterly and westerly routes starting from the Peace Park/Wharf. If you head east from this point towards Haney Heritage Park you will find that a substantial portion of this section of the ‘Heritage Trail’ has already been established and is well used. From the wharf head south across the railway crossing to the Ministry of Children and Families building and follow the sidewalk on the east end of this building. This will take you up to Maguire Lake. Take the pathway around the south side of this pretty lake, cross the ‘hospital’ road and head on up to the south side of the J.L. Jackson campus. At this point walk through the highway underpass to the Podollan Inn. At this point you pick up the wonderful Turner Creek Trail. Following the signs past the Rec. Centre and Okanagan College as you parallel the natural water-course of Turner Creek (complete with waterfalls and ponds) you will reach the corner of Okanagan and 30^th Street. You are now opposite Shuswap Middle School. Head east on Okanagan to the tennis courts and you have now reached Little Mountain Park. Take the outer loop trail till you see the Jesperson Pond to the north and you will now be roughly a kilometer from Haney Park. This one kilometer ‘piece’ is the last stretch that has to be developed to complete the link to Haney Heritage Park on the eastern section of the ‘Heritage Trail’.

Now for the ‘West Bay’ section that will eventually lead to Switzmalph Village

Lost

Sometime during the night of Saturday Feb 6th four “Protect Wetlands” signs disappeared from our neighborhood in the N. Broadview area in Salmon Arm. The signs were taken from my yard and yards of other neighbors whose houses overlook our beautiful Salmon Arm bay and wetland area.

The houses that lost the signs are all in a row together and it was good to see this display of support from my neighbors. I can count the number of people who use the foreshore trail each day from my kitchen window and I can see by the numbers what a wonderful resource this wetland area is to our community. There is a steady stream of people walking, biking, and running along the trail all day, every day of the year.

When I bought my Protect Wetland sign my understanding was all of the money donated goes to support WA:TER’s goal of protecting sensitive environmental areas of the floodplain. I got a sign for my yard because this seems like a good idea to me for the long term health of our community. Judging by the number of people using the trail I can guess there are many others who would feel the same way about it.

If anyone “stumbles upon” the missing signs we would love to have them back.

If the signs aren’t returned that will be OK I guess – I can just buy another as the money goes to a good cause anyway.

Thank you.       D’Arcy McLeod

Photos February 2010

Photos in/of the Shuswap area or by Shuswap residents in their travels. If you have a great photo and would like to show it, use the Contact Form to notify Aim High Salmon Arm.

We can then make arrangements to transfer, attribute and post your work of art. It’s time to share!

Abandoned tractor at Demilles by Chris Gill

by Brad Calkins

by Leah Shaw

by Leah Shaw

LWT

Phil Boname – the President of Urbanics Passionately Calls for a Vibrant Downtown …

… in Prince George. In a September 2008 Youtube video “Downtown: Let’s Get Started Rally,  Boname (starts at 48 seconds in) ends with

What we are really here about is to create what we call place making. A day in and out where we have crowds like this coming downtown to visit the cinema, to visit the public market, to visit new specialty shops, to visit even some large new format stores that can be accommodated in downtown Prince George, and to visit new places of employment and first and foremost to relatives and friends that are actually living in the beautiful vibrant downtown of Prince George. Thank you and thank you very much.

From the intrepid eagle-eye who spotted this video:

“ What I find rather paradoxical (between Prince George and Salmon Arm) is the recommended plan. In PG, he acknowledges that a downtown community is vital and notes the core has been bypassed (and marginalized) due to suburban development. However, he notes that the core can be revived, due to its cultural and civic resources and access advantages. Given that the province, timing, economic outlook and primary industries are similar, it seems strange that the recommendations on location of development seem divergent.”

Check it out. Comments?

For a transcript of Boname’s video-ed speech click –

Unusual Dance Partners

On Feb. 10th, just before the start of the Olympics,  WalMart Canada is hosting the Green Business Summit in Vancouver. They have invited their key business partners and competitors as well as David Suzuki as a keynote speaker.

 

“For the good of the planet we must share sustainable business practices across all business sectors. We have a huge opportunity to drive environmental collaboration,” said David Cheesewright, President & CEO of Walmart Canada.

Walmart’s three general goals for sustainability are to be powered 100%  by renewable energy, produce zero waste and sell products that sustain people and the environment.

Leaving aside the broader question about the limits to growth and consumption, it sure would be nice to hear Walmart say that they don’t believe in paving over wetlands as well. Should we be cautiously optimistic or view it as corporate green-washing as far as the Salmon River floodplain is considered when Walmart says

“We have a huge opportunity to drive environmental collaboration.” ?

As a related item, here is a link to an August 6th 2009 interview by Suzuki with David Cheeseman, Walmart Canada’s CEO. The subject of limits to growth and rampant consumerism become a conversational chess game.

Note: This is a link to a longer CBC podcast. You may have to enable pop-ups in your browser to listen.

Entitlement

Louise Wallace Richmond, in a post entitled holding title on entitlement on her blog, The Blahgg Blog, reflects on how a misplaced sense of entitlement can affect the lot of us.

When I’m angry or frustrated with someone or something, I can almost always, chalk it up to an overblown sense of my own entitlement.

A good read set amidst our human nature and the development issue facing the town.

Rationality, Irritability, Objectivity and Majority

are all evident in another impressive edition (Feb 3rd 2010) of the Salmon Arm Observer.

Key local business owners address council and state that the SmartCentres’ development proposal should be postponed until the OCP review process is complete. “Finish OCP review before SmartCentres decision” by Martha Wickett.

“We understand that you may not want a total moratorium on OCP amendments during this review period, as you need to be able to deal with minor amendments that may need to be made to permit developments that would otherwise be in accordance with the intent of the plan. But significant amendments that will determine the future of Salmon Arm should be postponed until the OCP review is complete and the new official community plan is accepted.”

The very same article highlights council members’ prickliness over people talking about their handling of the whole process. I’ll have more to say on this in an upcoming post.

Coun. Ivan Idzan said he finds the timing of the presentation interesting in that the former JL Jackson site underwent a major official community plan amendment but there was no protest of it.

Coun. Kevin Flynn said he was glad he wasn’t the only one noticing some hypocrisy. He also referred to the new comprehensive development zone developed for the new Askew’s/Salmon Arm and Savings Credit Union site, saying that two of the same proponents came forward to speak in favour of the zone that would allow financial institutions out of the downtown for the first time.

The paper’s editorial Pay attention to who’s saying what urges us all to Listen Up to these local successful business people who have been key players in Salmon Arm’s development so far.

Members of this “group of individuals” are no slouches in the intelligence department either. All concerned are savvy, successful entrepreneurs who are deeply rooted in our city fabric.

And yet, there they were, appealing to our city leaders to respect the OCP review process before making a decision on the most massive departure from our current community planning principles in our history.

Thomas Welsh, chair of the Shuswap Pro-Development Association , in a letter to the editor titled Time to speak up on centre , trots out the time-worn crutch that the silent majority is fearful of speaking out about agreeing with the SmartCentres proposal.

The SPDA’s desperate claim to speak for the majority is debunked completely by Warren Bell’s Part Two column, Shopping for a centre: what’s on our mind?, on a WA:TER commissioned poll that dives into the responses of how citizen’s actually feel about developing sensitive environmental areas. Thomas, Marg and others: Turn around and look behind you. Your developer friends are there but the majority of residents are not marching with your company.

Readers: check out the column and graph for yourself. I await WA:TER’s third column next week in what is a smackdown of SmartCentres’ and the SPDA’s claims to represent us.

“In general, if there were a conflict in Salmon Arm between the protection of green spaces or wetlands on one hand and commercial development on the other… Would you support protection or development?” Faced with this direct conflict, 61 per cent voted to protect the environment and only 28 per cent voted to proceed with development.

Finally, there are other letters to the editor that are important reads as well.

Buy the paper and check things out for yourself. Your thoughts, as usual,  go below.

Totally Cool

 

In January, parts of Africa and Asia were able to see the annular solar eclipse. I came across this total solar eclipse image taken last July in the Marshall Islands. The photo itself is a composite of 31 digital images showing amazing details of both the corona and the moon itself. More detailed information and other photos here .

Smart growth = unaffordable housing? by Rick Shea

A recent study of 272 metropolitan areas from around the world concludes that urban consolidation policies (“smart” growth, compact development, and so on) make housing unaffordable. In fact, according to the methodology of this study, Canada’s “smart” growth capital – Vancouver – has the most unaffordable housing on the planet. The 57 page report comes from Demographia International, and can be found at http://www.demographia.com/dhi.pdf

Some of the other items of note in this report: greenhouse gas emissions are actually higher per capita in dense cities than in less dense urban areas, and energy consumption is higher per capita in apartment complexes than in less dense developments.

A research summary at Demographia’s website underscores these conclusions: http://www.demographia.com/db-dhi-econ.pdf

As I have noted elsewhere, dense urban development actually forces people to commute long distances, from more affordable locations, to work in these cities. And these cities are characterized by congested streets and air pollution.

Rather than solving environmental problems, these sorts of policies only seem to make things worse. “Smart” growth really isn’t.

Aim High Salmon Arm Continues to Grow

… thanks to readers like you!

While I don’t have access to in-depth drill-down statistics for the blog, the metrics that are available certainly show that more and more readers are participating on Aim High.

• For the past three months, page visits have averaged more than 1500 hits per week
• December and January saw 7000 plus page hits per month
• Overall, the number of comments is almost double the number of posts and that ratio is growing

More importantly, the blog has managed to retain a civility of discussion. This is due on the whole to self-moderation and effort by most commenters as well as a titch of moderation for acceptable language par moi. You can review Aim High’s expectations of commenting here or look at a previous post of some amazing Canadian six and seven year olds who can teach us all how to be helpful online!

Readers wouldn’t be returning without something worthwhile to read. I’d like to thank the contributing authors who have invested the time and energy to put forward their perspectives on a wide range of matters. Your posts get me pondering things whether I am following local issues, walking the dog or having a few minutes to contemplate life.

I’d also like to once again urge readers to submit your own perspectives on things. Aim High Salmon Arm is for your ideas … and  … they are needed to put a “community” flavour to this endeavour. Click here for more information and encouragement as to how you can participate as an Aim High author. Go for it!

There has been some criticism that the blog is one-sided and not representative of the community. It is fair to say that the SmartCentres development issue that has split the community has had an affect here on the blog as well. All contributions are welcome. The overall goal is that a wide range of citizens will have an opportunity to contribute their ideas and that all citizens can be a part of the dialogue.

Perhaps once the “biggie” is resolved, differing perspectives will become a true community asset rather than triggering an argument.

Finally, you likely have noticed the two widgets at the bottom of the blog’s right hand column. Clicking on them displays larger scale readership data (individual visitors can’t be identified) that I find interesting.

The ClustrMap indicates where site visitors are coming from geographically. There have been visitors from Alberta to Zagreb and even Thornhill Ontario (hello SmartCentres – the larger dot above Lake Ontario). The data is updated daily in the wee hours of the morning.

The Live Traffic Feed widget is like a credit roll at the end of a film.  Blog visitors are noted as they arrive at Aim High according to the city they are from. Some Salmon Arm residents may show up as being from Kamloops or even Calgary depending on their internet provider.

Thanks for your involvement.

“Clarification of Analysis of Land Use Study” by Ian Wickett

I received some thoughtful comments on my analysis of the Urbanic Constultants study that deserve some reflections. Incidentally, this is the sort of thing that makes for clearer thinking as having someone question your positions forces you to think them through and modify them, if necessary.

My correspondent pointed out that the consultant’s number concerning outflow shopping may have validity, given the definition of the trading area. If consumers are included in the trading area whose natural shopping pattern is at home or another larger, closer community, they will not shop in Salmon Arm and their purchases will be counted as outflow dollars. Of course, there will be little or no chance of capturing those dollars.

It was also pointed out to me that a portion of the higher average income throughout the province could be eaten up by higher housing costs in many areas. I had considered that, but I thought that may very well be offset by the fact that housing costs would consume a higher proportion of a lower income, leaving less to spend on other goods.

It is true that I may be more aware of trends in the retail industry than the general consumer, but that does not make my knowledge any less valuable. For various reasons including transportation costs, the internet, and the desire for a more intimate, personal shopping experience, there is a trend away from big box shopping. It behooves our elected leaders to be aware of various trends and to make decisions about our community based on where we are going rather that where we are now. I am firmly of the belief that the days of big box shopping are numbered and, unless we recognize that, we will be saddled with an out-dated, white-elephant retail infrastructure.

The argument is often raised that our existing commerically designated lands are fragmented. That is certainly true, but most parcels are large enough to be used effectively, if not in the large format big box model. Smaller parcels can be used for multi-storey development, with storefronts and concealed or enclosed parking, and utilized by quite large stores. Further, it is not the responsibility of the community to assemble land for development. That is the responsibility of the developer and many examples of that can be cited.

There is no question that there are retail purchases by residents of Salmon Arm and its surroundings that are being made elsewhere. There is also no question that providing more shopping in Salmon Arm with an increase in variety of goods and price ranges will result in more of those dollars being spent in Salmon Arm.

Where the report is flawed is in its overstating of the value of those sales, its overly optimistic assessment of the value of sales that could be captured, and in its insistence that the big box model is the only way to capture those sales. The sales could be captured as well by expansion of existing stores, by establishment of smaller scale specialty stores in areas in which we are underserved or not served, and by the establishment of large format stores in a configuration that meets the goals of our Official Community Plan.

There is a dangerous conflation of the big box store, the large format store, and the national retailer. The national retailer may have arguments against it, but from a land use planning viewpoint, it needs not be offensive in the least. For instance, a Starbucks on a downtown corner meets almost all of our OCP goals. It has a storefront of modest length, provides a destination, and promotes pedestrian traffic on a downtown street.

A large format store may occupy many square feet, but it can be attractively designed and can occupy several storeys. For instance, the Hudson’s Bay Company store in Victoria where I grew up had four or five storeys, frontage on three roads, with window displays all around and probably four or five entrances. There are countless examples.

On the other hand, the big box store offers nothing from a community planning point of view. It is automobile-orientated, possesses no architectural virtue, and is indifferent to its neighbours. It squats, utilitarian and unattractive, on its pad of asphalt, accessible only by the automobile, contributing nothing to its surroundings or the wider retail community. Where their development meets the OCP and zoning definitions, and where the design meets the Development Permit guidelines (if required), we should not be standing in their way, but we not be making changes to our planning documents to accommodate them.

“Environmental gem in jeopardy: assessment process flawed”

WA:TER
Wetland Alliance: The Ecological Response

Salmon Arm, BC

January 30, 2010

Environmental gem in jeopardy: assessment process flawed

There is grave concern about the proposed SmartCentres shopping centre in the Salmon River floodplain and wetlands. Concern centers around the way the true value of this environmental “hot spot” is being assessed.

On December 1, 2009, after receiving submissions and scientific data from WA:TER, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) commissioned an independent review of the Salmon River floodplain and wetland complex. The review has found SmartCentres’ mandatory Riparian Areas Regulation assessment to be deficient.  As a result, MOE has referred the matter back to SmartCentres to have their engineering firm address the deficiencies.

The findings of the independent consultant’s review were provided to SmartCentres on Tuesday January 19th and reported in the SA Observer on Wednesday January 27th.  These findings have not been released to the general public, nor to WA:TER.

WA:TER’s soils and vegetation specialist, Alex Inselberg, has requested a copy of MOE’s independent review.

“We’re pleased that the MOE commissioned this review, because errors and omissions in the SmartCentres report were rather obvious. The Ministry agrees that the SmartCentres’ QEP report was not sufficiently rigorous, although it was initially accepted”, said WA:TER president Warren Bell. “But we’re astonished, under these circumstances, that the MOE has handed back to SmartCentres the chance to revamp its own report.  This latest effort would be the third attempt by SmartCentres to submit a report that meets their obligations to protect the floodplain and fish habitat. Why not have the independent consultant complete the review he had started?”

This long and arduous development process began over 4 years ago. It has divided the community and ignored First Nations concerns. It threatens river and lake habitat, endangered species, and water quality for the City of Salmon Arm. Consequently, WA:TER has said, and continues to say: NOT AT THIS LOCATION: WE CAN HAVE BOTH (environmental protection and shopping).

Contacts: Warren Bell (President, WA:TER) 250-833-7615

Alex Inselberg (Vice-President, WA:TER) 250-838-2141

King Campbell (Regional Agrologist, WA:TER)  250-803-2503

 

Wetland Alliance:  The Ecological Response

Box 1322, Salmon Arm, BC  V1E 4P5

www.wa-ter.ca

We are a volunteer-run non-profit organization. Donations can be mailed or deposited directly into WA:TER’s  Salmon Arm Savings & Credit Union account.

Your support is greatly appreciated.

* submitted by WA:TER

Delivery Service

Gary Clement’s Week in Review Jan 24 –30 2010 (National Post Jan 30th 2010) does indeed deliver the goods.

Peace All Over The World

Previously, I have posted a few clips from  Playing for Change , a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world through music.

The foundation builds music and art schools for children and their communities around the world.

Here is another favourite.

Peace All Over The World

We met Robert Bradley while shooting our first film, “Playing for Change: A Cinematic Discovery of Street Music.” Robert is originally from Detroit, Michigan, but we filmed this song in Los Angeles in front of a Playing For Change graffiti wall painted by a local artist. We had just finished a take of Robert singing “Playing For Change Blues,” a song we created while filming across America, and were beginning to interview him. All of a sudden he started speaking the lyrics to this song… We immediately grabbed another mic for his guitar, plugged it directly into the camera and asked him to perform it for us.  Enjoy!

Check out their web site for more wonderful music and information. You can also do a search here on Aim High for previous clips.

Red Planet Sighting

From NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day (more info. clinking this link).

 Mars is at opposition tonight, opposite the Sun in planet Earth’s sky. Of course, it will be easy to spot because Mars appears close to tonight’s Full Moon, also opposite the Sun in Earth’s night sky in the constellation Cancer.

Snowballing Thresholds

Scientific American has an article titled What Would Failure to Combat Climate Change Quickly Mean? (Jan. 12, 2010) that calls for more specific shorter term CO2 mitigation goals. The article states that key options for achieving longer term policy targets will be unavailable if interim mid-century benchmarks aren’t set and met.

Carbon Dioxide concentrations (ppm):

Pre-Industrial	287
Today	387 (approx.)
Goal	350*
Current projection	550

* research is unclear as to tipping points (350-450 ppm)

The article notes that there are costs to what we do or don’t do and argues that there is a cost and a value to preserving the range of options available to us.

Gary Yohe, an economist at Wesleyan University, said the paper is notable for showing that climate policy has tipping points that work much the same way such thresholds work in various Earth systems. Tip an ecosystem or planetary process – such as the atmospheren – too far in one direction, and it may suddenly and irreversibly “flip” into an altered state that precludes any notion of going back to the unaltered version.

These feasibility frontiers work similarly. Fail to make specific targets by mid-century, O’Neill said, and no amount of effort will bring long-term goals in range.

As usual, the comments section reflects the range of opinion and vitriol now associated with this issue.

Salmon River Estuary/Wetlands Display

WA:TER, for the second weekend in a row, is hosting an informative display on the jewel of Salmon Arm, the Salmon River Estuary / Wetlands.

FRIDAY, January 29th

&

SATURDAY, January 30th

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Piccadilly Mall

 

Visitors will learn more about the compelling evidence WA:TER volunteers have gathered to influence decision makers to say “No, not at this location” to SmartCentres’ proposed 25 hectare development on the Salmon River Estuary / Wetlands.

WA:TER’s position is: “We can have both!” – save and enhance the Salmon River Wetlands and responsible development in Salmon Arm, based on the vision and intent of the Official Community Plan.

WA:TER invites you and your friends to visit the display, say hello, and share your ideas, concerns and questions.

Others Do It but …

… I see little indication that our OCP review is starting from a stated community vision of sustainability. 

The Township of Langley, like many other municipalities, has adopted a Sustainability Charter to “ … inspire all residents to think, make decisions, and act with an eye to the future as they go about their daily lives.” From their charter:

Sustainability Principles

• Leadership:  Council will provide leadership for a sustainable future.
• Long Term Commitment:  Council will focus on enhancing the quality of life of the current generation and leaving a sustainable legacy for future generations.
• Community Involvement:  Council believes that open, inclusive, and consultative community involvement is vital to effective decision making.
• Regular Reporting:  Council will implement a plan for the Sustainability Charter as part of its annual budget process and will report the progress in achieving the Sustainability Goals on an annual basis.

The District of North Vancouver, which also seems to be in the OCP review process, has put out a discussion paper on the OCP review process itself.

… we identified the need for a clear sustainability orientation in the new Official Community Plan. In attempting to draw up this list of proposed sustainable community principles, we have reviewed sustainable community principles from many sources including those from other community plans throughout British Columbia as well as from other parts of Canada and around the world. We were not surprised to find considerable consistency in the documents.

Your thoughts to sustain us all?

Still a Priority but Dropping

Concerns about Global Warming have dropped notably among US adults since a previous fall 2008 study Yale Environment 360 reports in Concern About Global Warming Continues to Drop in the U.S., Poll Shows (Jan 27 2010).

“Despite growing scientific evidence that global warming will have serious impacts worldwide, public opinion is moving in the opposite direction,” …

One of the released questions from the poll Climate Change in the American Mind: Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs and Attitudes in January 2010 :

Q47. Recently, you may have noticed that global warming has been getting some attention in the news. Global warming refers to the idea that the world’s average temperature has been increasing over the past 150 years, may be increasing more in the future, and that the world’s climate may change as a result. What do you think? Do you think that global warming is happening?

Year                2010               2008*

Yes                       57                    71
No                        20                    10
Don’t Know       23                    19

Ever Mindful

The Salmon Arm Observer scores a SmartCentre’s reporting trifecta this week by publishing part one of a three part series on the independent poll WA:TER commissioned about the developer’s floodplain proposal.

Part One, What’s on Salmon Arm’s mind? , looks at some of the overall findings of that formal opinion poll about Salmon Arm residents’ thoughts on shopping in general, Wal-Mart, First Nations and environmental stances.

Just as their efforts for an independent environmental assessment challenged the developer’s incomplete and self-serving “science”, WA:TER’s poll is the only published independent sampling of Salmon Arm public opinion.

Unlike previous reports of public opinion, which have been clearly subject to bias, this poll was carried out by a professional polling agency called Oraclepoll Research Ltd., using a randomly-selected sample of 450 people in this area, using standard industry techniques.

An important read for the general observations with more specifics promised for the remainder of the series.

"Paradise Lost—Kelowna Then and Now" by Tim Murray

The fate of Westbank resident Jorden Martz did not surprise me. I have seen it coming for five decades. Martz was the young man who was cut down by a hit-and-run driver at 3am in mid January while he was riding his bike to work at a Tim Horton’s outlet. As he staggered for help suffering the agony of fractured ribs and a broken leg, not one of the half dozen cars he tried to flag down stopped to assist him. Not one driver even bothered to roll down his window an inch to ask if there was a problem. Martz’s sister, reflecting upon his experience, confessed that her perception of the city and its people was henceforth changed. She had once thought of Kelowna as the home of friendly people with a strong sense of community, but that particular incident indicated otherwise. Kelowna had arrived. It was now an urban paradise. The city that developers, businessmen and politicians across Canada aim for. A growing, “vibrant” , “community” with an array of amenities that human beings allegedly can’t live without. Fine restaurants, expansive malls, sports complexes, big box stores and a college. The drugs, the gangs, the violent and petty crime, well , those are the expected growing pains along the road to greatness. A little “planning” will take care of that

Salmon Arm Helps Haiti in Many Ways

and here is another one that has come to my attention.

Hi Tim;

This is to let you and others know that a small group of 4 medical professionals are on their way to Santiago,Dominican Republic to help with Haiti relief. We leave Jan.20th returning on the 28th.Others from Shuswap Lake Hospital are planning a second trip to follow. We leave with open minds and the desire to help,and look forward to returning to Canada.

Sincerely, Pagent McEachern

Castanet Media from Kelowna has a small piece of video on the group at http://www.castanet.net/

Look for the video clip “A team of medics from BC has arrived at the Haitian border” as well as “Castanet’s Kelly Hayes with an update on the Haiti crisis“  in the top right-hand side of the web page.

SmartCentres’ Environmental Report “Wasn’t Rigorous” Enough

according to the MOE as reported by the Salmon Arm Observer’s Martha Wickett in SmartCentres has setback (Jan. 26, 2010).

What we know right now is the one-in-10 year flood level of the Salmon River overtops its banks near the area of the development.

In a related article in the same edition Are the regulations effective?, Wickett reports on the whole process and how this relates to protection of the environment. Her one big question is:

Would effects of development on the Salmon River floodplain have been given adequate consideration if citizens had not commissioned their own environmental assessment?

Two important articles for all to read and consider closely.

Environmental decisions based on proper scrutiny using independent science should always trump incomplete developer-bought agendas. Ensuring proper scrutiny is being diligent … and that is not being arrogant.

As usual, more to come. Your thoughts?

Askew’s Uptown Proposal Goes to City Council

The public hearing on the Askew’s development proposal is scheduled for tomorrow evening (Jan. 25 at 7 p.m.) at city hall.

The project is widely supported by most, including myself with one proviso.

This area (both sides of the highway including the OC,  rec centre and ice rink complexes) is being confirmed as a second hub of Salmon Arm with this particular development being a good example of Smart Growth principles. It is also important to ensure that there is a safe infrastructure for walking, cycling and transit, in addition to driving … another key Smart Growth principle.

It is this traffic mitigation aspect that I feel is most often left out of our projects or is only implemented years later because it hasn’t been a priority or initially budgeted for. I trust that the city will ensure a safe pedestrian infrastructure for the neighbourhood right from the start.

Major Rumour Abounds Around Town

… that Wal-Mart may be (is) recalibrating its partnership in the proposed development that will destroy Salmon Arm wetlands. Is the anchor partner tenant about to prorogue SmartCentres’ agenda?

Wishful thinking, true or false?  Time will tell!

All ears are to the ground in the meanwhile.

Update: (4:40 pm):  I suppose I should have included the same proviso that I sent out in an email. I am not in the habit of jumpimg on speculation. It is just that this particular rumour has a different set of “legs” to it and it appears to be everywhere around town. The efforts to protect wetlands are as critical as ever.

Smoke and Mirrors = Bad Government

Today’s Globe and Mail has the list of the 36 bills (including stage of reading and the time spent on debate) that bit the dust when PM Harper prorogued parliament at The 36 bills that died . The vast amount of government hours involved leading up to these stages is not counted.

It is a head-scratcher seeing how many in the list are Harper’s very own legacy issues.

Social Media Use Takes Off

Mashable has a post titled 5 Ways Small Businesses Can Avoid Social Media Panic which has a few entry-level tips for entrepreneurs to promote themselves and track progress in the social media world.

“Social media is much more about building lifetime relationships with customers.”

Social media is no soon-to-be-passing fad. Mashable also reports on the skyrocketing use of social networking sites in Facebook and Twitter Lead the Pack as Social Media Usage Skyrockets [STATS]

As the article concludes, “Social networking is a force to reckoned with.”

Automobiles and People Compete for Grain

The Earth Policy Institute, in a Jan 21st 2010 press release titled Data Highlights: U.S. Feeds One Quarter of its Grain to Cars While Hunger is on the Rise , notes how US subsidies for ethanol production contribute to rising food bills at home and around the world.

With a quarter of the 2009 US grain production priming the biofuel pump, global food supplies are being affected more and more.

The amount of grain needed to fill the tank of an SUV with ethanol just once can feed one person for an entire year.

Short term market forces and subsidies are saying “feed the cars”.