New Mini-Mall for Penticton

[twobits]

^^^^^ penticton downtown is dead compared to what it was 20 years ago. The town lacks the vibrance it once had. Perhaps you haven't lived in Penticton for long but the town has gone down hill economically and culturally since I have grown up.

You conveniently evaded my previous question to you from an earlier post. Here it is for you in case you missed it.

So, all I can say is I am at a complete loss as to how you can believe an economy of the 70's to 90's is better than today.

Edit to add- Static, you have make it abundantly clear here in previous posts that the reason you left Penticton was because you could not earn a living here. You have also make it clear that your business and means of living is in finance and stock trading. Please do tell how a return to or continuance of cheap motels on the strip, campgrounds and transient tourists for three months would have facilitated your career here and made you stay?

It would seem to me that you are hanging onto a nostalgic period of your youth and a fond memory of party and easy tail rather than an objective evaluation of that economy vs. today's economy. If you were honest about that comparative evaluation static, you would see it was a no brainer.

[Static]

^^^^ when I was employed at a local accounting firm I had access to information and business people most do not have. Every single business person felt the same way, the only ones that saw an improvement were construction, which is starting to feel the pinch. Where do you see the improvement in the economy?

[twobits]

^^^^ when I was employed at a local accounting firm I had access to information and business people most do not have. Every single business person felt the same way, the only ones that saw an improvement were construction, which is starting to feel the pinch. Where do you see the improvement in the economy?

Diversification away from the strictly agrarian hoer's of land and 3 month sun and fruit tourist. And in many ways even these two industries have evolved both vertically and horizontally. Fruit to wine and spirits never really existed in those times nor did tourists that rode bikes or snowboards. Those past tourists came for 3 or 4 days and took fruit home to make preserves. The other tourists of that time came here to party for 3 or 4 days and just left us locals with their hangover.
We now have a retirement industry...and yes I said industry cuz that is what it is. And it is big and it pays damn good wages. We now have software firms locating here. Are you even aware that we have four electrical engineering firms here in the South Okanagan that employ hundreds of people? They do everything from building the electric motors for Bombardier trains to complete engineering and supply of E houses and switch gear for mines all over the world. The best talent in the world for that stuff is right here in the Okanagan because these professionals want to live here. I could go on but there is no point.
So yes, the economy here is far better off than when you where an accountant for the then 4 nightclubs and six campgrounds.

[Static]

I am well aware of the industries in Penticton. It still does not change the fact that downtown is hollowed out, malls have disappeared, young families are leaving, the industrial area is more storage than industry, andthe average wage is lower than the Canadian average, all the while the retirement, high tech and plane part manufacturers came rushing. sounds like things are much better.

[Bunnyhop]

I have to agree with twobits. There's a lot more to Penticton today than there was 20-30 years ago. And downtown is thriving. The parking lots are always at least 3/4 full and the stores are busy. Very few empty storefronts.

For all the gloom and doom we hear about a recession, there's a fair amount of construction going on in the city. That's a pretty good indication that someone's got some confidence in town. Personally, I think Penticton is a pretty good place to be in the coming years.