I would like to comment on two things if I may.
1. Now that Vernon city council has practically thrown O’Keefe Ranch under the bus, I’d like to suggest that before they move the bus, they check with the Kamloops Wildlife Park to find out what they have had to do to survive so long.
In 1973, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District had the same idea with regards to the then struggling, money-losing operation on which very few people cared out.
If it wasn’t for two of the directors on the TNRD board, that park wouldn’t be what it is today. They had the foresight to see its potential and managed to convince the rest (some 12) of the directors that it was worth saving.
I’m sure Kamloops is quite proud to have this today, some 40 years later.
I’d like to suggest that Vernon city council get together with the 90-something high-priced help and discuss options. Surely with a group this size, a solution will be found.
There has to be at least 10 people who have the foresight to see the ranch’s potential and have the skills required to convince the rest to keep it.
2. While in Kamloops recently, I inquired as to why the price of gas was a good 10 cents a litre cheaper than here, and it has been for quite a while.
It seems that Costco has single-handily accomplished what the federal government, the provincial government or any government can’t do, force the oil companies to give us a break by putting in gas pumps. Our only hope here, folks, is for the Kelowna Costco to do the same or perhaps even build a store here and put in gas pumps, lots of them. Make some noise.
J.V. Methot
Coldstream
