As I write this article we have just had an amazing stretch of weather during July but the rain has returned for the long weekend.
As I have mentioned before, summer is my favourite part of the year. I love seeing our lakefront parks and beaches filled with families using all the amenities. Whether it is the sailing or power boats on the lake, the busy water park, the picnics in the gazebo or the people on the docks or pier at Rotary Beach, the smiling faces never get old.
Summer programs continue to keep the kids busy with sailing lessons, tennis lessons, art programs and the ever popular day camps. With the August long weekend we will have just completed two major events that are not for the faint of heart. The Ultraman triathlon finished in Memorial Park, an event that includes a swim in Skaha lake, a bike to Princeton and a run to Summerland. Definitely not an event for your everyday athlete but my compliments to Steve Brown for all the work he does to make the event happen.
As many of you know, we just hosted the Ride the Giant longboarding event at Giant’s Head Park. This annual event brings riders from as far away as Costa Rica, Columbia and all over North America and has been filmed by the Discovery Channel.
Andrew Monaghan and his team have done an amazing job of hosting the over 200 competitors in the event.
My congratulations to Summerlander Randy Huber and his Pinnacles for winning the soccer championship this year. It seems like just yesterday that Randy’s dad Barry, Bob Leslie and I were coaching in mini soccer. Also congratulations to the women Pinnacles for winning the Provincials.
At the arena Greg Holst has returned with his Bulldogs Hockey Camp. Greg who used to play in the New York Rangers organization and coached for years in Austria has now been doing his camp for almost 20 years.
The Bulldog Camp will be followed by the Cyclone Taylor’s McGillivray Hockey Training Camp that has also been successful for a number of years.
For something a little different we have the annual Horseshoe Tournament at Memorial Park on Aug. 10 and 11 and for the adventuresome, Bull Riding at the Rodeo Grounds on Aug. 17.
Lots to do in this amazing summer paradise!
Dale MacDonald has been Summerland’s Director of Parks and Recreation for the last 22 years and in his sporting past has won provincial championships in four different sports.
