Priorities Blog #4

    I think something important to members of Coldstream is priding our self on being different from other towns, and although the easy thing to do when asked where we are from is to say Vernon (which is what I do) most people actually say Coldstream. My mom always says Coldstream and it actually just bugs me because then she has to explain where it is and that it is pretty much connected to Vernon...blah blah, but the point being that a lot of the members of the community are happy about being part of Coldstream and happy we are a separate community.


    As I mentioned in the last blog, a recreation or leisure centre would really benefit our community and help us become even more independent and this is something that is priority to people like my mom. The horse crap problem can probably be put on the back burner for the time being (if you didn't read my last blog you wont know what I'm talking about). I know almost all members of the community would be willing to contribute to building a rec centre or at least support the idea and i know this because Coldstream is a very active community. In the summer you can always see people going for jogs and training for their sport; come winter there is no more swimming in Kalamalka or Okanagan lake, rarely will you see people jogging and you for sure don't see any skateboarders or Rollerblades outside. With a rec centre containing a pool, skate park and indoor track it would solve these problems and like I said allow us to stay in our community and not have to go into Vernon.


I cant speak for everyone but I know my family as well as most of the other families would be willing to give financial aid for something like this to happen. Like I said most people value active lifestyles and community independence, which is why there would be no problem to get enough people behind the idea. Obviously everyone likes to enjoy the nice weather but I think the indoor rec centre is priority right now for the community of Coldstream and I know most have the same stand as me. (Below is a nice little sketch I did for what this rec centre should look like, well actually I obviously didn't sketch this but yeah you get the idea.)


As for other people involved besides people within our community I actually think Oprah or Bill Gates should just give us some of there pocket change to get this thing underway. Done deal, everyone happy.
   

BLOG #3 My Community Group

   The Community I chose to talk about in this blog is my home town, Coldstream BC. It is a community connected to Vernon in the Okanagan. Although most don't realize it, Coldstream is considered a complete separate town from Vernon, we have our own Mayor and are classified as our own municipality. It is a pretty cool community; besides the obvious nice weather and famous lakes, it is a place that is different from the average town. It is somewhat of a rural community with most residents having at least an acre of land and are able to have big gardens and animals of all sorts; often you will see people riding their horses down the roads.
  

    I am obviously not in Coldstream and didn't phone the mayor or anything to discuss this, but after talking to family and friends that are also part of Coldstream, I have gathered a couple ideas that we believe would better the Community. Possible opportunities include  more strict rules with people and there horses; often what happens is the horses take dumps on the road and it just sits there until it's washed away by rain, ran over by a car tire or stepped in by a jogger. If there was something passed saying that the horses have to have bags on their butts when walking or the owner has to clean it up after the horse it would make things much cleaner, residents much happier, and shoes much cleaner.


    The main thing that was brought up was the idea of an indoor leisure centre for all ages. The biggest reason for this is that residents of Coldstream have to go to Vernon for an indoor pool and indoor ice rink. If Coldstream was able to get a facility like this it would for sure help the community become more independent not having to rely on Vernon as much, in return I think would Develop Coldstream and its residents. If we could add other aspects to the indoor centre such as a skateboard park as well would also be beneficial to the community because this allows for the younger kids that are into stuff like skate boarding to have a year round facility to utilize. This would also decrease the issues such as smoking and drugs that go on in the outdoor skate parks.

    I think these things are two of the biggest opportunities to improve the community, the first idea would obviously clean things up and make people happier to be part of the Coldstream community, and the second idea would allow us to be more independent and in return allow for residents to become closer. I think there is always room for improvement in all communities and if Coldtream was to accomplish the two main things I mentioned it would be great for our development as a community.