SUMMERLAND REVIEW THE VOICE OF OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1908
VOLUME
65
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ISSUE
NO.
34
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S U M M E R L A N D,
B.C.
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WWW.SUMMERLANDREVIEW.COM
T H U R S D AY,
AUGUST
23,
2012
Sister city celebration
PA G E S
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$1.15
INCLUDING
HST
Municipality and developers reach agreement on downtown project
A delegation from Summerland’s sister city of Toyokoro, Japan visited the community earlier this month.
by John Arendt
Page 10 Providing funding Two Summerland organizations are among five in the region which have been awarded gaming grants.
Page 5 Announcing candidates Three Summerlanders are vying for the chance to be party candidates in the next provincial election.
Page 6 Preparing for Ironman Eight Summerlanders will participate in the 2012 Subaru Ironman Canada triathlon on Sunday.
Page 16
It’s hard to make a comeback if you haven’t been anywhere.
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Wharton papers signed
WHAT’S INSIDE:
YOUR SMILE
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Fresh fruit
John Arendt Summerland Review
Bre Harker picks some apricots from a residential tree. Volunteers with the Summerland Asset Development Initiative’s Fruit Tree Project have been harvesting fruit for homeowners with trees on their property.
The documents have now been signed for a development on Wharton Street. On Thursday afternoon, developers and members of municipal council met to sign the paperwork. Mayor Janice Perrino said the multi-storey development will benefit the downtown area. “This is such good news for Summerland,” she said. “This is a real boost. It will help to revitalize our downtown.” Before construction can begin, the developers will need a development permit and a building permit. The development permit will go to the municipality’s design committee and then to council. The building permit is handled directly through the Developm e n t S e r v i c e s “This is such good news for d e p a r t - Summerland. This is a real ment. boost. It will help to revitalize Randy G i b s o n , our downtown.” Janice Perrino one of the developers, said the target for groundbreaking is February, 2013. The completion of the first building is expected for early 2014. By early September, a sign will go up to announce the project. Joe Mahovlich, one of the developers, said the project’s value will be between $90 and $120 million. Perrino said the development will help the downtown area. “This whole project is in the core,” she said. “It’s where we want to grow.” The developers have been working on this project for the past 18 months. In spring, they presented conceptual drawings of the project at a public open house. See PROJECT Page 3
Branding to assist in promotions Municipality and chamber will work together to define community by John Arendt A $10,000 community branding exercise is designed to assist the
municipality and the Summerland Chamber of Economic Development and Tourism in promoting the community. The municipality and the chamber will each contribute $5,000 for the exercise, which will be completed by the Tour-
ism Advisory Authority. Connie Denesiuk, a member of the chamber board, said the branding exercise is important for the community to market itself. “Who are we and what can we give to our visitors?” she asked.
While the chamber has worked on branding and marketing in the past, Denesiuk said this is the first time the chamber and the municipality are working together in this area. She added that the exercise by itself must also lead to action and change.
“It’s a huge waste of time for people to get involved in committees that don’t result in change,” she said. Mayor Janice Perrino said the branding exercise is an inexpensive way for the community to define itself. See NEED Page 5