Forget the official calendar or even the relentless rain destined to pour down over the next few weeks—we have proof spring has officially sprung.
Tez announced tonight our tulips are poking through the ground about an inch or two. Living proof winter is nearly toast.
There is hope after all!
Of course, the arrival of spring means a number of key, important realities and rituals. First, the arrival of spring demands a whole bunch of ‘early spring’ yard cleanup and maintenance must be done in ‘preparation’ for more ‘late spring’ and ‘early summer’ yard work.
All of which clearly coincides and conflicts, (disrespectfully so), with the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Mother Nature is clearly not a hockey fan or she would have planned spring for late June. If one is both a hockey fan and gardening nut, the calendar clash creates a real conundrum.
Either that or Mother Nature is a Toronto Maple Leaf supporter and recognizes that she can have her cake and eat it too.
She can watch hockey all winter but never have to worry about her Leafs playing in the spring because they never make the playoffs.
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Music fans take note: If you are a Cruzeros fan, there is some exciting news on the horizon.
The popular country/roots band out of Kelowna will probably be returning to the stage (after nearly a two-year hiatus) on Nov. 10 at the eighth annual Night of the Arts concert.
Music fans will once again get to hear Barry Mathers, Curtis Tulman, Gary Smyth and other members of the band crank out a number of their top tunes, which garnered tremendous success provincially, nationally and internationally.
Rumour has it that the band may also have a reunion gig on May 5 in downtown Kelowna as part of a fundraiser, something to do with motorcycles and the Metro Central, the wonderful facility that assists homeless and street folks in our community.
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I am pleased to see city council moved forward with the previous council’s initiative to create a public marina and pier on the downtown waterfront at the end of Queensway.
I’m sure returning councillors Robert Hobson, Luke Stack and Andre Blanleil had a lot to do with driving it forward, as did city staff who previously bought into the concept.
Westcorp Properties Inc., of Edmonton, will create the privately funded $3.2 million, 120-metre long public pier/breakwater and marina moorage for 45 boats and seven tourist commercial vessels. Key to the facility will also be a fuelling station.
Westcorp will apparently build and operate the facility in exchange for a 15-year lease (with a five-year option), collect the revenues, and receive $200,000 from the city.
Westcorp owns the property adjacent to the pier site.
I was also amused by Coun. Colin Basaran’s suggestion that such an idea is long overdue. “It’s hard to believe that a city by the lake doesn’t have a facility like this already,” he was quoted as saying.
I can remember saying the same thing six years ago during the civic election campaign.
Ironically, part of the answer to Coun. Basran’s query resides in a scenario that involved the Westcorp folks back during the controversial CD-21 plan.
That lengthy and divisive debate included a number of good initiatives, one of which was the pier possibility. However, the issue was locked up in limbo by the provincial ministry of transportation for over a year before finally signing off on the proposal, which was ultimately rejected by the last council.
For the record Colin, I am also glad the pier plan is finally happening as well. You are right—it is long overdue.
