Welcome to Your Kamloops!

Regional Climate Change Forum

Yesterday, I attended a full day forum on adapting to climate change, entitled "If we Snooze, Do we Lose?". And for speaker after speaker, from provincial government officials to academics to municipal planners, the answer to that question is yes - we will lose, if we snooze.

Moreover, all the speakers who spoke, professional practitioners, maintained that human activity is adversely impacting the planet. That is a key point to make, because there are some influential people who believe global warming is a natural phenomena, that has been happening again and again in cycles since the birth of our planet. Well, these people are definitely the minority.

Yesterday's forum was particularly useful because it addressed the impacts of global warming on a regional level. We often talk about the issue from a global point of view, but what are the impacts on Kamloops, on the interior of BC.  I learnt a lot yesterday, too much to process in just one day, but here are some interesting factoids:

• Kamloops and region might actually get colder in the next few years, but in the long term, the trend is definitely one of warming.
• Average temperatures in Kamloops have already increased 1 to 2 degrees in the past 60 or so years.
• Water issues are critical. Much like the ice caps covering the poles, our regional snowpacks are also starting to diminish. River levels could be affected. A recently completed water study in the South Okanagan factored in the effects of climate change, and demonstrated the need for decision makers to move much faster to avert water shortage crises that could occur.

An Open letter to the Bank of Montreal

Dear Bank of Montreal,

Now, I imagine your must have some very seasoned professionals in your real estate department, but I think they may have made a huge blunder in Kamloops over the past months. Your decision to leave our downtown without a Bank of Montreal branch mystifies me. I know the dollar and cents, bottom line data -they add up. You may not have many customers downtown, for example. The big high rise you currently anchor might have become too large to moor in the harbour of profitability.

What was not factored into your move was the feelings of many passionate Kamloopsians who believe downtown is the only place for a main branch, who believe that downtown is the signature area of our city. When you leave downtown, you hurt these people.

Of course, the level of hurt is relative. And your forthcoming move will hurt you much more, in my view. Downtown is thriving right now. People will find other banks to patronize that do have downtown branches - even people who live and work in the South West Sector of the city, the very area to which you are moving.

And a renowned local developer has now bought your high rise. If anybody can succeed with the building, where you struggled, it is going to be Jim Thompson with his team at Plainsman construction.

Bank of Montreal, I am trying to advise you in your own  best interest, reconsider a branch downtown.

very best
Arjun Singh

Ambassador Patrol Downtown Survey

Each summer, the Kamloops Central BIA (KCBIA) sponsors a team of university students who act as downtown ambassadors and patrollers. This year, the central ambassador patrol conducted a survey of people living, working, and visiting downtown. The survey happened the week of August 9th to 15th. 72 females and 74 males were surveyed.

Here are some highlights from the survey:

• Restaurants and pubs are the most patronized businesses downtown
• 34% of the people surveyed said they would be willing to walk 3 to 5 blocks from their parking spot to their downtown destination. 40% said they would walk from anywhere downtown.
• 79% of the people surveyed feel safe or very safe when they come downtown.

For full survey results, you can contact me or the KCBIA office (372-3242).

Your Thoughts on Tourism Kamloops' new brand?

So, last Thursday, I attended the launch event for the new Tourism Kamloops "brand".

Ahhh....brand development....

If there was ever a process so fraught with difficulty, I have never heard of it.

Balancing all the interests and attributes of our very diverse community.

So after an extensive, indepth process which included consultation with tourism operators and working with a proven brand identification framework, the logo and tagline show above were unveiled on Thursday. It will be seen on marketing materials, in ads, and on billboards.

The process, which also produced research of standalone value, cost $50 000.

The Mayor loves it. The former Mayor, now newspaper pundit, loves it. A respected group of Kamloopsians on the Tourism Kamloops board love it.

What do you think?

The full press release here...

The Mayor's Frustration with Crime...City needs more involvement.

Over the past few weeks, your Council has dealt with a number of different issues related to crime in Kamloops.  Part of the motivation here has been a growing concentration of "street" activity on and around a city owned vacant lot on Royal Avenue - across the road from 7-11 in the Tranquille Rd business district.

Council approved fencing the vacant lot. And we also voted to remove payphones in 2 problematic corners.

Late August, Mayor Terry Lake, went on a bit of a rant in a Council meeting. He called for stronger judicial decisions. He called for more funding from the provincial government to help deal with crime. He advocated immediate short term strategies,  as well as long term solutions. He was clearly frustrated...

After the meeting, members of the media criticized the Mayor for supposedly taking a "hang em high", "band aid" attitude. I don't think this is actually the case. I think the Mayor has a great appreciation for the social dimensions of the crime problem.  He has attended meetings on social housing, he has advocated workshop presentations on local addiction counselling processes. 

I will, however, continue to raise the following point with the Mayor and with all members of Council: I believe the City of Kamloops itself needs to do more to address social problems. Yes, provincial and federal governments usually possess the funding and hold the primary mandate to focus on social problems. But, as a Council, we should facilitate discussion on improving the situation. We should lobby for greater funding for local social agencies and initiatives (Nancy Bepple, a 2005 candidate for City Council, mentioned this a lot). And yes, we should increase our own funding and bulk up our own social projects.

Some argue that, if Council fills in some of the gaps left by other orders of government, that those governments will stop considering ever filling those gaps. I take a different stance: if we show strength in certain areas, won't other governments stumble over themselves to share part of the success.

Last October, I wrote a post talking about my thoughts on approaching crime.

A Bad Time to be Building...

As a community, we were pretty lucky that the Tournament Capital buildng program largely took place before building costs really took off. Over the past year, prices have rocketed - concrete, piping, labour have all become much much more expensive.

Last week, Council voted to cover a 3 million dollar overrun on the new public works yard. We will borrow the money, on your behalf.  I was prepared to support a lesser figure but, in the end, voted against the borrowing. The vote was 8 to 1.

I guess what concerns me the most is that we may not be out of this situation in wild price increases. And I thought it better to be very conservative.