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September 26, 2012
▼ OLD HIGHWAY 97
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Enter a name to be part of Lake Country history
John Yap, minister of advanced education, heralds the expansion of trades training facilities at Okanagan College. ...............................
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Enter the District of Lake Country’s contest to name the portion of Highway 97 that will be decommissioned when the Winfield-Oyama bypass is complete. The new Highway 97 construction between Winfield and Oyama is more than 50 per cent complete. When that project is done, the replaced section of Highway 97 will become a local road under the jurisdiction of the District of Lake Country. The B.C. Ministry of Transportation has advised the district that highway signage will show “Old Highway 97”
as the formal name unless a road name is provided. The district is asking for your help to find the perfect name for this special section of road through Lake Country. The name should be something that is memorable, relevant for tourism and help one and all find their way. Lake Country council will make the final decision on the road name in November. Road naming is a unique way of recognizing the natural attributes, flora and fauna, wildlife and historical influences of any community. It is important that the his-
torical significance and legacies of individuals and pioneers of the District of Lake Country be acknowledged. It is also important to recognize the tourism and wayfinding implications of road naming for this special section of local road. Additionally, the proposed names shall be referred to utility agencies, 911 Dispatch, the Regional District of Central Okanagan and neighbouring jurisdictions in order to avoid duplication and conflict— standard practice for all road naming in the Okanagan. Individuals and commun-
ity groups have already suggested names over the past few years and as it’s been brought forward in the process of updating the district’s road naming policy. If you would like to support one of the following previously suggested names: Thomas Wood Drive; Lake Country Drive; Lakeside Way; Waterfront Avenue; Kokanee Parkway, or suggest one of your own, vote in the poll at the bottom left of the district’s homepage (www.lakecountry. bc.ca). Or suggest another name of your own choosing and email
it to the district at admin@lakecountry.bc.ca. Remember to include your name and contact information and the reason why you think the name you’ve suggested should be used. There will be a prize draw from among all contributors who provide contact information. The district will publish notices about the naming contest in water utility invoices or check out details of the contest at www.lakecountry.bc.ca or www.okanaganway.ca. The deadline for contest entries is Oct. 15.
MLA’s promotion to cabinet criticized by Conservative ALISTAIR WATERS
Is it possible to forgive something that is unforgiveable, faith columnist Jim Taylor ponders. ...............................
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Flyers ■ Home Depot ■ JYSK ■ KMS Tools ■ Rona ■ Staples
The newly acclaimed B.C Conservative candidate for Kelowna-Lake Country wasted no time in firing his first verbal volley at the man he hopes to unseat in next May’s provincial election. Graeme James, who won the B.C. Conservative nomination last Thursday, blasted firstterm Liberal MLA Norm Letnick’s recent appointment as agriculture minister, saying the job should have gone to someone with experience in agriculture. And he added he feels the only reason Letnick got the job was because the Liberals are scared of losing the riding.
Graeme James The Central Okanagan, long seen as a stronghold for the B.C. Liberals, now has all three area MLAs in cabinet. Westside-Kelowna MLA Ben Stewart is the province’s citizens’ services minister and Steve Thomson is forest, lands and natural resource operations minister.
“But the Liberals don’t have the support of the electorate anymore,” said James. Letnick, like James, is a former Kelowna city councillor. Prior to his entry into local politics, Letnick worked as a business professor at Okanagan College’s School of Business and before that was a businessman and a municipal councillor in Banff. In 2008, he won the Kelowna-Lake Country riding with 52 per cent of the vote. Unlike Stewart and Thomson, Letnick was not appointed to cabinet under former Liberal premier Gordon Campbell. His successor, Christy
Clark—whom Letnick did not support for the Liberal leadership— tabbed him to lead the select standing committee on health to come up with a blueprint for the future of health care in this province. He had to give up that post earlier this month when he was named agriculture minister. James called Letnick’s elevation to cabinet a political appointment aimed at currying favour with local voters. “It speaks to the fact (the Liberals) are concerned about losing this riding,” said James. James, who has a trades and business background and who owns a 10-acre farm in
Routes Grill
North Glenmore, served on Kelowna city council for one term, from 2008 to 2011, before losing his seat as part of a massive change on council that saw the then incumbent mayor and five of her councillors replaced. James announced a short time later that he would seek the B.C. Conservative nomination in Kelowna-Lake Country and started selling party memberships. Following this weekend’s B.C. Conservative Party annual general meeting in Langley, James plans to start knocking on doors and talking to voters as he prepares for next spring’s election. “I already have my
election team in place,” he said. “We will hit the ground running.” James has also thrown his support solidly behind embattled B.C. Conservative leader John Cummins, who survived a challenge to her leadership from within the party ranks at last weekend’s party convention. Calling himself a “huge” supporter of Cummins, James credited Cummins for taking the B.C. Conservatives to 22 per cent in the polls from just two per cent a few years ago. When asked Friday for his rebuttal to James’ comments, Letnick simply shrugged off the criticism, adding no further comment.
Arrowleaf Cellars
4 Course Dinner Paired With Arrowleaf Wines Wednesday, October 10th Tickets $75 $5 from each ticket going to help build the new Lake Country Food Bank
To Book Your Tickets Call -- 10058 H Hwy. 97 97, S Suite it #4, #4 Winfield Wi fi ld 250 250-766-0777 766 0777 www.routesgrill.com t ill