SUMMERLAND REVIEW THE VOICE OF OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1908
VOLUME
66
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ISSUE
WHAT’S INSIDE:
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42
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S U M M E R L A N D,
WWW.SUMMERLANDREVIEW.COM
B.C.
• T H U R S D AY,
OC TOBER
17,
2013
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16
PA G E S
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$1.15
A proposed lakeside pathway which began as a Summerland initiative has gained support from communities and organ-
izations throughout the Okanagan Valley. The pathway was originally presented as a route to connect the lakeside area of Summerland with Trout Creek.
The concept has grown as the project, now called the Trail of the Okanagans, would connect communities throughout the valley. Don Gemmell, who
presented the initial pathway proposal, said Kelowna’s city manager, Peachland’s administrator, a newly re-elected Penticton councillor and others have added their
Cartoon work
An aspiring Summerland cartoonist hopes to have his work in syndication.
Page 8
Examining growth
An open house last week presented details of the community’s proposed growth strategy.
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Entrepreneurs
As Small Business Week approaches, the Summerland Chamber of Commerce is focussing on the value of entrepreneurs.
Page 7
From Japan
A Summerlander living in Toyokoro, Japan notices numerous cultural differences.
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Running
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YOUR SMILE Trust me. I haven’t done this before and it didn’t work then either.
GST
Pathway gains support by John Arendt
A total of 99 runners took part in a recent cross-country run in Summerland.
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Orchard work
Carla McLeod Special to the Summerland Review
The apple harvest is well under way in Summerland as Omar Christian, left, assists Summerland orchardist Ramesh Lekhi. Because of the difficulty in finding local help, Lekhi sponsors six Jamaican employees, housing them from June until November. He speaks highly of the workers, saying they are a big help to him. Christian said “it is a very good experience and I have learned a lot. We have nothing like this in Jamaica.”
Wine earns top honours by John Arendt
A Summerland wine has received international accolades with gold recognition at a recent awards ceremony. The 2008 Steller’s Jay Brut, a sparkling wine, was announced as a gold winner at the 2013 InterVin International Wine Awards. Steller’s Jay Brut was part of the Sumac Ridge Estate Wineries brand in the past, but this year
it became a stand-alone brand, although still produced through Sumac Ridge. The wine was one of two gold medal winners in a category of nearly 50 entries. Winemaker Jason Jay said the award is a high honour, since the best wines from around the world were included in the competition. “It’s always an honour to get that type of recognition,” he said. Craftsmanship has helped to
produce a good wine, he added. “We always try to make a really clean wine,” he said. “We haven’t changed the winemaking strategy. It’s still the traditional method. He said the harvest is done early in the season. A blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot blanc grapes are used. In 2008, between 6,000 and 6,500 cases of the wine were produced.
support to the proposal. A steering group is already in place. It consists of representatives from the Summerland Chamber of Commerce, the Summerland Trans Canada Trail Society, the Summerland Rotary Club, the municipality, the Penticton Rotary Club, Penticton Economic Development, Penticton Tourism, the Okanagan Similkameen Parks Society and the Trout Creek Residents’ Association. Connie Denesiuk, chair of the steering committee, said the support for the initiative has ben impressive. The municipality of Summerland recently committed $20,000 to fund the engineered drawings for the first segment of the project. Other communities in the Okanagan have also joined in the efforts to create the pathway. “It’s been communitywide and inter-community,” Denesiuk said. “It’s surprising how quickly things are moving forward.” Because of the scope of the pathway project, representatives from around the Okanagan will be involved. “No one community can do this on their own,” Denesiuk said. The proposed pathway would be three metres wide wherever possible, allowing use by cyclists and pedestrians. It would follow the lakeshore, linking communities in the region. “It’s not just a sidewalk,” Gemmell said. “It’s a project about enhancing the enjoyment of the lakeshore and providing an environmentally responsible way of joining our communities.” He added that the trail could be a tourism driver for the region, but making it a reality will involve the cooperation of numerous organizations. “We have to think outside our silos,” he said. “It’s about selling the bigger picture.”