Armstrong’s mayor hopes 2012’s Year of the Dragon in the Chinese horoscope brings good building fortune.
In looking over the Regional District of North Okanagan’s building inspections statistical report for December 2011, Chris Pieper pointed out that 2011 followed in the footsteps of not-so-great years in 2009 and ‘10.
“In Armstrong, the year to date housing units total was 15. The previous year it was 114 but 76 of those were at Heaton Place (new seniors centre),” said Pieper.
“So we went from 38 to 15. That’s a signifcant drop for 2011.”
The report, which includes Armstrong, Enderby, Lumby, Spallumcheen and the five electoral areas, saw the region drop to 79 units for a value of nearly $34 million in 2011 from 233 and a value of $68.1 million in 2010.
“That’s more than a 50 per cent drop in construction values,” said Pieper.
“I hope the Year of the Dragon improves things and we get back to a normal situation.”
School buskers
The City of Armstrong has given unanimous approval for Pleasant Valley Secondary School music students to do some fundraising busking.
Students from PVSS music director Brenden Majerech’s four different secondary ensembles will busk in front of local businesses from February to May to help raise money for a trip May 3 to 6 to the Cantando Music Festival in Whistler.
“Our band students will either have name tags with our school name on them, or our PVSS band shirts,” said Majerech.
“We will also have small banners informing the public as to what we are up to for that venue/day.”
The Cantando Music Festival is a three-day non-competitive celebration of music for young musicians.
PVSS music students also plan to do a large bottle drive through the community on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
They will also do mini-performances during breakfast busking from 8:30 a.m. to noon Feb. 18.
