Penticton Western News, July 04, 2014

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NEWS PENTICTON WESTERN

www.pentictonwesternnews.com

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news

Local drivers welcome higher speed limits

VOL. 48 ISSUE 53

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FRIDAY, July 4, 2014

entertainment Saturday marks return of Scottish Festival

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sports

Steve Kidd

Western News Staff

Mark Brett/Western News

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Organizers of the Boonstock Music and Arts Festival say the show will go on, despite an announcement by International Crowd Management this week they had terminated their service contract with the festival. According to the ICM press release, Boonstock Productions informed the security company last week it would not be requiring several safety services, including first aid/paramedical services, lifeguards and rescue boats. “In addition there were significant cuts to the security deployment, as well as an order to refrain from communicating directly with the RCMP and B.C. Liquor Branch,” reads the release, which is signed by ICM president Brent Pollock and notes the termination was effective June 27. Pollock confirmed Thursday that ICM has not reopened discussions with Boonstock. In an unsigned notice posted to both Boonstock and the Western News Facebook page, festival organizers said “the festival is not under threat of being cancelled because of ICM’s withdrawal.” The notice goes on to say that the festival is in talks with other security management companies and are confident they will find a provider to meet the needs of attendees, the RCMP and the community. Boonstock organizers have not responded to a number of phone calls placed since ICM made its announcement Wednesday, but the Western News questioned festival operations director Barb Haynes Monday about Boonstock’s relationship with ICM. Haynes said then that negotiations were continuing with ICM to develop a security plan for the upcoming music festival, though

she refused to comment further on the security situation at that time, saying she will only talk about “the fun stuff,” when it comes to the event, which is planned for Aug. 1 to 3 on Penticton Indian Band lands. “If it’s fun stuff, I am all there,” said Haynes. “There is just so much misinformation out there because everyone is telling all kinds of stories.” Haynes also maintained Monday that Boonstock was “good to go” and “doing what we need to do.” Penticton city Coun. Katie Robinson, liaison to the city’s protective services committee, raised concerns last week about the festival’s security planning. Robinson said she was choosing her words carefully, but now that ICM has pulled out, the time has come to be blunt. “I believe this event is a disaster looking for somewhere to happen,” said Robinson, who is concerned that the same problems with violence, drugs and trash that led to Boonstock being banned from their original home in Gibson, Alta., last year would follow it to Penticton. “It is shocking to me that more people are not concerned,” said Robinson. Mayor Garry Litke pointed out that since Boonstock is taking place outside of the city on Penticton Indian Band lands, city council has no jurisdiction, though he does have concerns. “We just want to make sure our community and the people who come here as tourists are safe and that there is adequate security, that has been my position since day one,” said Litke. “Now it is quite disturbing to see that a company which could have provided that level of security and that comfort level is not willing to participate in Boonstock.” See SECURITY on page 3

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CANADA DAY SMILES — B.C. Ambassador team member Camelia Vokey of Penticton holds Theodore, a miniature labradoodle, belonging to pet groomer Pauline Paquet who did him up for the Canada Day celebrations Wednesday at Gyro Park. For more Canada Day photos see Page 14.

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NEWS PENTICTON WESTERN

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