WANTED: Fresh ideas to make Penticton even better

[Thinktank]

Get rid of the retirees?

Why?

Penticton is already one of the nicest places in Canada because of it's advantageous location between two lakes.
Would it be better if there was a city of 5 million ( like San Francisco) within 50 miles? No. Would it be better
if we had 125,000 people like Keowna? No. Would it be better if we had more industry like Grande Prairie, Alberta?
No. Would it be better if the downtown actually ahd something? Yes. A nice medium sized grocery store, and some
better restuarants.

Penticton is not bad as it is.

[Whyme2]

(attack removed - fluffy)

[sale4u]

I spoke with one of our elder councilors who has lived here a long time (remain nameless;)). I asked him why, if camping here is such a great thing (being affordable for families mostly) why doesn't the city purchase these campgrounds to ensure they stay around. He told me that the city can't do that. Is this true. It makes sense to me to preserve the great things this city has to offer. Instead they let developers rip down tourist attractions and then they never build. Just my $.02

[Thinktank]

I heard most of the downtown businesses are just barely surviving.
It would make Penticton and all other Canadian cities better if small businesses
could prosper.

[Static]

I still think discouraging seniors from flocking to Penticton or not allow them to vote in municipal elections would do wonders for the town. Or, perhaps the seniors could spend more in the community to help make the town prosper. Penticton prospered when the young were allowed to come and party, not as a wine and snooze community.

[southy]

I heard most of the downtown businesses are just barely surviving

Yup, and Thintank I heard the sky is falling!! I know from firsthand experience that downtown businesses are doing just fine. Sure there has been a slowdown compared to afew years ago, but most are holding their own. Before you start tossing negatives about our downtown businesses perhaps you can get some facts. Downtown Penticton Association, Chamber of Commerce, City Hall, talk to a cross section of businesses downtown, they'll tell you whats going on. Please, the last think this town needs is more fear mungering on how bad things are when they aren't!

[southy]

*try again, without the personal attacks/Jo*

[Thinktank]

Victoria is another city with an older population and it's the second best city in
BC after Penticton. I think Prince George is one of the youngest cities in BC ( has more young people)
and I wouldn't want to live in Prince George if someone paid me.

[canuck500]

Work on attracting other groups besides seniors to move here, if you cater to one demographic only things will stagnant. This town needs industry to attract growth. You can't make a city grow from seasonal things like tourism and limited market potential like anything geared to one demographic like all the senior oriented stuff is.

[Static]

Work on attracting other groups besides seniors to move here, if you cater to one demographic only things will stagnant. This town needs industry to attract growth. You can't make a city grow from seasonal things like tourism and limited market potential like anything geared to one demographic like all the senior oriented stuff is.

Exactly.

[canuck500]

By the same token marketing to the partiers isn't a great idea either because I highly doubt they drop enough money to make up for the cost of babysitting and cleaning up after them.

[Static]

By the same token marketing to the partiers isn't a great idea either because I highly doubt they drop enough money to make up for the cost of babysitting and cleaning up after them.

You are kidding right?

[canuck500]

No I'm not actually, with something like Center of Gravity for example are the increased costs for emergency services really worth it?

[Static]

No I'm not actually, with something like Center of Gravity for example are the increased costs for emergency services really worth it?

Yes. Young people have no problem paying $250 a night at the Ramada or Lakeside. They have no problem spending a minimum $100 a night a restaurants and bars. They have no problem buying new clothes when their shirts get stained by beer. They have no problem paying cabs. Ask ANY long term business owner in town and they will agree with me.

How long have you been a resident of Penticton?

[fluffy]

It's still a tough sell though Static. It may come eventually, but people have long memories when it comes to the past, and the PHA, whose membership stand to gain the most from attracting the party crowd, is not exactly scoring a lot of points with the public.