WANTED: Fresh ideas to make Penticton even better

[nepal]

The retired population of Penticton are a steady source of revenue, one that fluctuates very little. Unfortunately, we are all getting older.
The Summer tourists are not enough to keep our sleepy little town afloat through the year, although they are a great boost in PR and income for short bursts.
I would like to see our community support Post-Secondary Education and Trades programs to off-set the Winter lull. The young people here with student loans and support from family, increase the employment base with part-time work. They also fill the motels during off season and some even stay to live which increases rental base for those with rental properties.
It is also an untapped ideas market. Young people have great ideas and visions for their future, this is an ideal place to let them explore those ideas and our city would benefit from them.
This would also inject a new tourist base with family coming to visit. We could potentially offer festivities, workshops, groups and organizations based on college programs. For example, our financial institutions could offer a workshop while sponsoring a Money Savers night at the Parrot or Cinema.
I thought this thread was for ideas? It seems to be for arguing about seniors vs. tourists.
Penticton, the place to live and learn.

Dawnland, agreed again. I too support expanding post-secondary studies in Penticton. Just look at the hundreds of millions spent up the valley and the hundreds of very good university and tech institute jobs created. Penticton would benefit from expanding upon our college further: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=36640&p=1255974&hilit=Penticton%3A+Penticton%3A+university#p1255974

[Dawnland]

Thanks for bringing that topic back up again Nepal. I supported the programming then as I do now. I believe that although the programming exists, it may not have the capacity for consistent start dates and possibly half-full classes. I do like the idea of expanding into technical training as well. We could expand to include Justice training for the prison down south, that was a fabulous idea from the previous thread.
What would be necessary for this 'college' town, would be for the city to promote itself as such. I don't see student price discount signs, college nights, reading break hotel rentals or student union activities taking over the town at all. During the summer months at the Farmers market, the local colleges and trades programs could be recruiting a future student base.
The city could arrange dedicated housing for rental properties, providing a small tax break as an incentive to keep rates reasonable...(Just an idea)
Then there would be a market for coffee shops and book stores to stay open later. We would have young adults congregating at the library after class to host a coffee house.
I just seems like this is the right time to take that step.

[Static]

I agree that Pen would make a good college town but there is too much competition already and that demographic is going to shrink if it is not already.

[Dawnland]

Static;
Although there is competition for university study, I am referring to a whole different kettle of fish.
Students are graduating high school at 17 with some students entering post-secondary even before they turn 18. We also have high school students entering the trades field even before they complete high school studies (some don't even complete because they are in their practicums, internships or apprenticeships). It is those students who are on their own for the first time and may not be comfortable in a city setting. Some Universities don't offer certificate and diploma programs, they only offer degree programs and students get lost in the commotion and swept up into long drawn out programs when they could come here and find dedicated studies for those technical and trades routes.
With technical, career and research specializations we would have students come back to Penticton after UBCO or undergrad studies else where.

[nepal]

I agree that Pen would make a good college town but there is too much competition already and that demographic is going to shrink if it is not already.

Students normally go off to other parts of the country, or other cities, to go to university or trade school. Penticton is a great city to come to for studies. It's often a young person's first time in a different city on their own and part of growing up. I wouldn't expect too many students to actually come from Penticton.
Most students will come from other parts of the province and Canada. The world population just past seven-billion, up from four-billion in 1975. Projections are ten-billion for 2050. Canada is young, under-populated, and growing (see graph below). Immigration of young families is a big part of the growth. There will be no shortage of students who desire to study in nice places, like Penticton.

[Static]

The population is ageing in the western world. Families are becoming smaller with every generation. If it was not for immigration North America and Europe would have a declining population. There are more schools today fighting for less students. Furthermore, where would all the apprenticeship positions come from in Pen when there is zero industry?

[nepal]

The population is ageing in the western world. Families are becoming smaller with every generation. If it was not for immigration North America and Europe would have a declining population. There are more schools today fighting for less students. Furthermore, where would all the apprenticeship positions come from in Pen when there is zero industry?

The freshly minted graduates would depart the Penticton (Educationville) training institution and head for Jobsville, such as up north. Education towns are nothing new.

[Static]

So it's cool to have 2000 students to come and party for a few years but not during summer long weekends?

[fluffy]

With technical, career and research specializations we would have students come back to Penticton after UBCO or undergrad studies else where.

I wonder how one would go about targeting this particular sector ? Do we have anything uniquely attractive to them ?

[Static]

Tech/ research education and enterprise tend to stay in urban areas.

[fluffy]

It's got a growing presence in Kelowna, and Penticton has everything Kelowna has to offer with a fraction of the downside of urban living. I wonder what brought them to Kelowna ?

[matai]

I suspect proximity to the airport

[fluffy]

I suspect proximity to the airport

Could there be more to it than that? With itellectual properties geographical issues are virtually nonexistent. Some of what I've read suggests that the "Silicon Vineyard" in part owes its existence to local entrepreneurs.

[GordonH]

It's got a growing presence in Kelowna, and Penticton has everything Kelowna has to offer with a fraction of the downside of urban living. I wonder what brought them to Kelowna ?

I could be wrong, I remember reading an article could even have been a TV show were Eaton's Canada expected Vernon to be largest centre in Okanagan.
Of course that did not happen and Eaton's faded away as well.

[fluffy]

Penticton also has some geographical constraints not shared by Kelowna or Vernon in that the "bottom land" is not in huge supply. Some serious thought as to what direction we want the city to move in is in order before we fill up what little vacant land there is.