Peachland Has a Hard Heart

[damama55]

You know, you see flowers at sites where people have been killed, and I have not heard anyone complain to the point that a council takes action, or a city worker removes chalk memorials. Look at all the flowers that were put down for Lady Di, or the young soldiers that were killed by a madman. Just saw a news story about a young man killed in Vancouver, and noticed all the flowers that were placed in honor of him.
Flowers are a way for us to enjoy the beauty God allows us to see, and for someone to have such a cold heart to complain because a Mom, or anyone else, wants to remember her daughter, is just so VERY sad and disheartening.
I am sure Peachland has heard about this thread, and I can only hope they realize how this makes the council look. I just hope the citizens of this beautiful little town by the lake get behind this Mom and tell the members to smarten up and leave her alone.

[Pat-Taporter]

gotcha.

Thanks.

So, Castanet and Peachland, is the "other bench" connected to Ashlee Hyatt at all?

[Pat-Taporter]

Research tuned up a local media article reporting that this whole thing included a hard hearted business related conspiracy, (Sept 8, 2016).

[Pat-Taporter]

Drilling down from a link in the above report.

DISTRICT OF PEACHLAND REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA Council Chambers – Community Centre 4450-6th Street Peachland Tuesday, September 20, 2016 at 7:00 P.M.
file:///C:/Users/Lan/Desktop/untitled.pdf

MEMORIAL BENCHES (pg.23)

Director of Community Services, Cheryl Wiebe presented a report in respect to feasibility of adding flower holders to the memorial benches that are gifted to the District. It was noted that families who wish a further demonstration of inmemorium may purchase a self -watering planter to be installed beside the benches. Families can choose to plant the seasonal planter or choose to have the District plant it.

Discussion ensued relative to the maintenance issues created by drilling screws into the powder coated benches. Further discussion ensued relative to the pros and cons of the current policy and bylaw that does not permit extra items being placed on or fasten to public property, in order to preserve public spaces for the enjoyment of all.


MOVED by Councillor Cunningham, SECONDED by Mayor Fortin:

RC-06/09/16-017 THAT there be two memorial options of a planter or flower sconces for a memorial bench to be provided for families who purchase streetscapes DEFEATED. Councillor Vucinovic OPPOSED Councillor Condon OPPOSED Councillor Thom OPPOSED Councillor Schierbeck OPPOSED

[Pat-Taporter]

Apparently the family received an offer to supply one of the planters at a discount from 600 to 300 dollars, but they considered that idea an unnecessary expense and too detached, (taken from the above local media article, Sept 8, 2016).

Then as in the minutes, council rejected the whole flowers idea proposal anyway.

[Pat-Taporter]

Still intermittently pecking away at this on other local media.

So the significance of this final vote is the Mayor is expected to be in attendance to nullify any possibility of a defeat by stalemate this time, and it’s all go or no go for flowers on the Ashlee Hyatt Memorial Bench.

MEMORIAL BENCHES A Notice of Motion was made to add a motion to the Oct. 11, 2016 Council Agenda that permits flowers on Ashlee Hyatt’s Memorial Bench. Council approved the flowers being left on Ashlee Hyatt’s Bench until Council’s decision is made at the Oct. 11, 2016 Council Meeting.
http://www.peachland.ca/events/attachme ... 284-50.pdf

Um, it doesn't look like this is about all benches.

[damama55]

$600 for a sconce to hold flowers?? Is it made of gold? I see them on line for about $24 up to $190 or so. Why do they have to be so expensive for families that want to remember their loved ones? Why can't they buy the less expensive ones, and have the families buy one to put on a bench? $600 for a sconce?? Why??

[Pat-Taporter]

Nope, for a planter beside the bench, as a proposal that others could buy them and place them as well.

Ah, and it looks like this campaign for permission hasn't been about gaining permission for everyone to place flowers on benches. As a solution, I read where one counsellor suggested that a separate cemetery plot could be offered to the family for free to make a memorial there.

[damama55]

OMG! ! She doesn't want or need a cemetery plot, I'm sure. All anyone wants to do is remember their loved one with a few flowers at a bench by the beautiful beach by the lake in Peachland.
I hope the council will smarten up and offer people a sincere apology after this fiasco is over. How about them offering a planter or a sconce for free to help heal the wound on this Mom's heart?? I think that would be nice of them, and, people may smile again, when they speak of Peachland.

[Pat-Taporter]

Uh, n looking back it appears what was proposed was a self-watering planter that could be tended by the family or the City. Just let the flowers stay as they are.

[Pat-Taporter]

Charrie Fictcher can be my last word until the results of the council vote are in.

From that other local media article, Oct. 16, 2016.

My name is now charrie fichter, ashlee hyatt is my daughter that was murdered in peachland at the age of 16.we have been celebrating her beautiful life at her bench for over 5 years since the bench was installed in feb 2011. We have celebrate birthdays,had bbqued with her,and have had one little bunch of flowers in each corner that has been maintain and beautiful. Then one woman had her own agenda to get ashlees flowers pulled from the bench so they could sell hideous flower pots to the community to remember their loved ones they are impersonable and they maintain them who would want that? Money and policies are what! I can only hope that we can keep her flowers on the bench ashlee deserves the flowers it lets her know shes loved! That will always be ashlees bench they cant take that from us!

Best of luck!

[Dr O]

Not sure if this has been suggested already? but one compromise would be to attach a metal vase to the side of the bench so that it looks nice and would be a place for this grieving Mom to place flowers when ever she want's to. She in turn could be asked to be responsible for keeping it looking nice.

The main thing is that she should be able to put flowers there in honour of her child. Make it happen I say.

[mhumber]

I understand everyone want to be caring to this family. The issue is where does it stop. If this new vote carries then anyone can place any item on parkbenches, or for that matter anywhere on public land.
You cannot make an exception for just one family. I know this sounds hard but most families have or will lose someone over their lifetime.
The cemetary or ones home is the usual place to keep memories alive.
Just my thoughts.

[Fancy]

If the site is well maintained and cared for - no problem. The second it isn't, remove and no re-occurrences. Certainly something could be put into writing into the by-laws for this scenario.

[midfielder]

I think Charrie Fichter should be allowed to place flowers on the memorial bench for her young daughter. From what I have read there has been only one complaint about this in the 5 years she has been doing this and the specifics of that complaint didn't even concern Ms Fichter's daughter's memorial bench. I also understand that Peachland Parks said she could continue placing flowers there if she bought from them two plant holders that would be attached to the bench. She declined and so here we are. So the issue really isn't that if approved, this would become a widespread practice, because in the last 5 years it hasn't. And the issue isn't that flowers under no circumstances cannot be placed there because Parks provided an option. So why didn't someone simply say we will fund the two holders on the end of the bench for you under the extenuating circumstances? That would have been a win win for everybody. Charrie could continue placing flowers there, Peachland would have had a mechanism to control flowers being placed on benches and that would have been the end of it.

Instead we have the issue now escalated to regional, provincial and national news articles and commentary which are embarrassing to Peachland. This should have been better managed with more concern about doing what is right rather than worrying about setting an unlikely precedent.

Before moving to Peachland I had the good fortune of being the president of the second largest youth soccer club in Vancouver for 6 years. There were many instances there, as there are in most organizations and in life itself, where we put a higher priority on doing the right thing over worrying about setting a precedent. We were in a fairly affluent area but nevertheless there were each year about 20 personal requests from families on limited incomes to have their children's soccer fees waived. We did it without question. It was the right thing to do. Similarly there was a young 7 year old boy who because he had mild autism his parents had enrolled him one year later in public school. The boy and his parents naturally wanted him to play with his classmates but as anyone who is involved in youth soccer knows there are strict age guidelines that say children must play in their own age group. I went to Vancouver Youth Soccer and got their approval and then went to BC Soccer and got their approval that the boy could play a year down with his classmates. BC soccer sent a representative out first to see the boy in practice to confirm that he wasn't 5 inches taller and 50 pounds heavier than anyone else and after confirming that said it was okay and thanked us for going the extra mile to keep the boy in the game. Simply put, it was the right thing to do. And that boy continued playing youth soccer with his classmates for many years after that.

In a similar vein the right thing to do here is clearly to allow Charrie Fichter to continue putting flowers for her young daughter on her memorial bench. Hiding behind the fear of precedence is no excuse. Peachland is better than this and we expect better than this. I am hoping that council will reconsider, do the right thing and continue to allow this mom to discreetly put flowers on the memorial bench she has paid for for her young daughter.