I’m gonna make a claim here that I know people are going to be a little touchy about. I think we need to change what we, people from Revy, call ourselves.
I know a lot of people here would tell me that I’m not a Revelstoke local and I’ve heard it all before. I remember when I first moved to town people said “you’re not a Revelstoke local unless your family’s been here for three generations” which is an outlandish claim. My family hasn’t even been Canadian that long.
Or the other one I appreciated was “you’re not a Revy local unless you were born in the Save On meat aisle,” referring to the fact that the old hospital stood where I now get my ramen and frozen pizzas, I mean fresh veggies and super foods.
So maybe I’m not that local, but I’m local enough to walk down Mackenzie Avenue in mid July and tell the difference between residents and tourists. I’m local enough to have a ‘regular order’ at multiple establishments. I’m local enough to know that dressing up to go out means putting on your nicest puffy. And finally, perhaps most importantly, I’m local enough that I get mad at new people coming to town despite the fact that I was in that very position four years ago.
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Now that I’ve stated my claim to locality, it’s time to get to the point. I don’t like the word Revelstokian it’s chunky and it just doesn’t roll of the tongue. But what’s the alternative? Revelstokites sounds like a disease, Revelstokers makes me feel uncomfortable and Revelstokese rhymes with too many bad things.
But worry not fellow locals because I have the solution. From now on and with your approval I think we should be called Revelfolk.
Let me use it for you in a sentence you’ll understand.
“There’s’ too many tourists in town these days, what happened to all the Revelfolk?”
It’s the perfect solutions it’s clever, it’s unique and most importantly it’s easy to say.
Aside from the fact that everyone in town is a “clean tidy, non partying, outdoorsy and respectful person who mountain bikes” — according to everybody’s post on the Revy Rentals page — we’re a unique group of people and we deserve our own unique title.
So next time you find yourself describing people from Revekstoke give it a try. Eradicate Revelstokian from your vocabulary.
If I can gift this town one thing, it would be the eradication mountain biking, but i know when a battle is lost so instead I give to you Revelstoke, a word.
We are Revelfolk.
READ MORE: Tim talks: Bikes are for town, not for mountains
@timvdk2tim.vanderkrogt@revelstokereview.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
