A8 Wednesday, January 20, 2010 - The Morning Star
www.vernonmorningstar.com
Opinion Water order requires answers
Karen Hill – Publisher Glenn Mitchell – Managing Editor
4407 - 25th Ave. Vernon, B.C. V1T 1P5
The North Okanagan’s Community Newspaper Published Sunday, Wednesday, Friday The Morning Star, founded in 1988 as an independent community newspaper, is published each Sunday, Wednesday and Friday morning. Submissions are welcome but we cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited material including manuscripts and pictures which should be accompanied by a stamped, selfaddressed envelope. ENTIRE CONTENTS © 1988 MORNING STAR PUBLICATIONS LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Switchboard: 545-3322 E-Mail: newsroom@vernonmorningstar.com Web site: www.vernonmorningstar.com Mailing Address: 4407-25th Ave., Vernon, B.C., V1T 1P5 Fax: 542-1510 Publisher Karen Hill 550-7906
Managing Editor
Glenn Mitchell 550-7920
Sales Manager Alan Tomiak 550-7927
Circulation Manager Tammy Stelmachowich 550-7901 Creative Co-ordinator Tanya Pattullo Accounts Manager Brenda Burgess Classified Supervisor Carol Williment 550-7900 Editorial Staff Cara Brady Graeme Corbett Kristin Froneman Roger Knox Kevin Mitchell Katherine Mortimer Brent Mutis Richard Rolke Lisa VanderVelde
550-7907 550-7903 550-7923 550-7922 550-7902 550-7924 550-7913 550-7921 550-7909
A class act
M
y first encounter with Neil Davidson is lost to the passage of time, but the second one is hard to forget. It was the spring of 1992 and I was driving to my brother’s graduation ceremony at the University of B.C. Finally giving into the hunger pains that had developed miles before, I pulled off the Trans-Canada and into the McDonalds in Langley. As I looked over the menu, I recognized a familiar face standing in front of me — Neil. I introduced myself and found out that he was heading back to Vernon from UBC, where he served on the senate. We had a brief chat and wished each other a safe journey. That could have been as far as our relationship Richard Rolke ever went, but as the years went on, my encounters with Neil, who died Saturday, became more numerous. Often I would see him sitting at Vernon Rotary Club meetings while I was covering a speaker. His eyes would sparkle and he would give me that boyish smile that frequently crossed his face. Even a room apart and with no words spoken, it was his way of saying, “Hello, good to see you.” And when we did come face-to-face, he inevitably started things off by saying, “How are you kid?” Being the former mayor that he was, the conversation quickly would shift to what was going on at city hall. He never lost his passion for politics or his love for Vernon, and he would try and get the latest information or insight out of me. It also wasn’t uncommon for me to pick up the phone and find Neil at the other end. Once again politics would be on his mind and he’d be wanting to discuss things. Or he would have a tip about someone he thought might make an interesting story. The relationship also took an interesting turn
BEYOND THE HEADLINES
as I was a reporter and he had called Vernon his home since he was a child in the 1920s. Whenever a prominent citizen died, I inevitably got a hold of Neil for a few comments for the story I was working on. His knowledge of people was vast and he was never afraid to share a story. But it was never lost on him as to why I was calling and once, as he heard my voice on the phone, I remember him saying, “Who died now?” The most difficult call came in December 1993 when Justice Peter Seaton died from a heart attack while skiing at Silver Star. They were longtime friends, former law partners and Neil was with him on the slopes when Seaton collapsed. His emotions overflowed as he spoke to me. It was obvious he had been crying and tears were likely still rolling down his face. At that moment it was difficult to be an impartial reporter. Here was an individual who had lost a close friend and he was hurting. Behind every interview and story is a person, and it’s a lesson I never forgot. I last saw Neil late last fall when I stopped by his residence for a visit. It had been a few years since he had seen me and I wasn’t sure if he would remember who I was. But as I sat down next to him and he looked up at me, there were those sparkling eyes and that broad smile. And Neil being Neil, we started talking about politics and he clearly had been following the papers and what had been going on at city hall. His wonderful sense of humour was also clearly evident as I started complaining about my workload and how it was taking a toll on my 41-year-old body. Sitting in a wheelchair and his years of skiing and track long behind him, 93-year-old Neil laughed and said, “Cry me a river.” His body had given up on him, but his mind was sharp. Over the last 20 years in the North Okanagan, I have had the pleasure of meeting a lot of great people but getting to know Neil was truly an honour and a privilege, and my life is better for it.
The ongoing Do Not Drink emergency in Lavington is a clear indication of how precious water is, and how disruptive life can get when the resource is cut off. Buying bottled water for drinking is easy to do, but thousands of people have been left wondering how to brush their teeth, bathe, wash dishes and cook. Two restaurants have been forced to close down, impacting the bottom line not only of their owners, but their employees. That’s why it is so critical that the North Okanagan Regional District and the Interior Health Authority determine howAntwerp Springs got contaminated. And while the actual source of the contamination is interesting information, the entire focus must be on greatly minimizing future emergencies like this. NORD has already taken a positive step by enlisting a contractor to look at the integrity of the ground wells and what infrastructure changes may be required. But if upgrades are needed, the reality is that a considerable infusion of cash may be required. And unlike what occurred with the Duteau Creek improvements, local taxpayers should not be left virtually on the entire hook. The provincial government should be willing to step forward with grants, particularly as it’s been a government agency, the Interior Health Authority, that has been dictating the terms of the Do Not Drink order. NORD, IHA, the District of Coldstream and other organizations have shown how they can pull together during an emergency. But let’s hope that such cooperation exists when the real work needs to be done and that is ensuring the integrity of the water supply.