Hockeyville cash up in lights

[Tero]

A SIGN? AN ELECTRONIC SIGN THAT WILL BE AN EYESORE?

Oh my goodness! Hockeyville should recind that $$ and give it to a community that wants to put it to GOOD use!

Who in God's name thinks this is a good idea???

[1Westside]

It's incredible that council has chosen to use the funds from Kraft's Hockeyville promotion towards an electronic billboard. I'm not opposed to the billboard in the least go ahead build it but not with that money. If I remember correctly the advertising during the promotion said the money's were to go towards ARENA improvements. Jim LInd could sorely use the money as could Royal Lepage, Royal Lepage's greatest need in my opinion is an improved kitchen. They have the concert floor now but likely they can't attract any acts with the equipment they have now.

Anyway back to the task at hand here. This latest move by council seems to be one that repeats itself, anyone recall the ice cream truck noise debacle in the summer, hmmm hmmm. My point is write council and the Mayor, make as much as noise as possible.

Looks like this time instead of ice cream on their faces they have just ice, from an ARENA!

[hot4words]

like someone elses post earlier..i wwould not have spent all that time voting had i known this..

[hotrocket]

VOTE VOTE VOTE...BOOOOM now increase tax to give us an additional 100K to cover the cost of the sign. Must be some sign, didnt the "West Kelowna" welcome signs cost 100K? Maybe this one will actually be lit after dark so people can see it though!
Keep it onsite at the arena council...you have supported enough idiotic ideas for one year!

[cstick99]

Congrats to the Hockeyville committee for the untold thousands of hours getting the DWK and our local hockey front and centre with the nation. And to all that supported their efforts, and Council for standing by them, good show.

Now, how about everyone tossing their two bits here just relax, instead of Think maybe those good people who served and continue to serve on the Hockeyville committee might know a thing or two about what the rinks need, or for that matter the whole community centre. Last I heard, it was their recommendation to Council, not Council deciding about a sign. And folks, we have no sign yet, all we have is a partial payment, $$$ put into a reserve, until such time as the community budget allows us to have the rest of needed funds, whatever they may be, to pay for the project - at which time Council will have to approve as it will be a DWK asset.

As for the validity of a free standing marque sign, bet more than a few of the critics in this post have not spend untold hours at the Mt. Boo Centre, have not heard for decades untold complaints of how difficult it is to find the darn thing, as signage on the highway "sucks" - not my words, just dozens of parents I have heard, and agreed with over almost 30 years. Personally don't like having to resort to telling people just aim for the big scar on Mt. Boo and you will find the rinks/school/DWK offices right below.

And if you've been keeping up with DWK and Council, you may have heard, JLA is about to get a major - $1.4 million - upgrade, about a decade past due, with new floor, boards, glass and several aesthetic improvements that will extend its lifespan several more decades and only add to the greatest asset on our books, the Mount Boucherie Community Centre. JLA facility does not need another $25,000 at this time, its in good hands with the upcoming upgrades.

Now just so you all know this is no talking head, I spent a thousand+ hours in the rinks with the kids, and working for improvements at JLA, the latter through the whole long, arduous process with RDCO Parks trying to get a new rink built, that we all now know loving as RLP. A marque sign for the Community Centre was in many of the early plans, and we all - comittee members, RDCO Parks staff, our then elected officials, all agreed, signage to the Centre was severely lacking, a nice marque sign directing visitors (and untold hundreds of new citizen arrivals each month), how to find the rink(s), the high school, the community centre - was needed. Alas it could not be done then, but it would be needed some day, and sooner the better.

Marque signs done properly are great landmarks/reference points in a community. Heard nothing but positives for the new DWK signs announcing the community, letting visitors, passers by, friends from Kelowna know where they are, in "beautiful West Kelowna". Done right, fitting the lay of the land, they look great, and for such a busy place as Mt. Boucherie Community Centre, where traffic each day is in the thousands, they are a great way to keep the traffic flowing smoothly, helping to make sure are guests and newcomer community members find the busiest spot in the City. A scrolling message board, much like that found at the Lions Centre in Westbank would serve us even more. And those groups that want to use it can help pay for it, nothing wrong with that concept at all. Marque signs are a revenue source. If we do go ahead with the project, the corner at Boundary/Highway 97 - PetroCan/Bylands - on the parcel of land TD Canada Trust helped fund with a makeover, would be perfect. Now that we have safe, dedicated left hand turn lights at the intersection, its perfect.

Don't expect this will change the minds of those who see fit to jump to conclusions, but before you do, maybe wait to hear the whole story, see what it is we may get, if and when we can afford to pay for it. Again Hockeyville Committee members, job well done, and Council, thank for supporting and continuing to see forward for Mount Boucherie Community Centre.

Now if we only would start planning on getting the City offices out of Mt. Boucherie Community Centre, getting our Community Hall, meeting rooms back for much needed community groups, weddings, community event use, etc.

And would we all not like to know when DWK and SD23 will put together an energy deal and take advantage of the Geo-thermal heat wells put into place at under RLP, designed to be tied in, and help reduce Mt. Boucherie Secondary heating budget, which all taxpayers pay for. The heat dumped into the RLP wells were designed to supply enough heat for not only RLP, but JLA, future expansions at Mt. Boucherie Community Centre, and Mt. Boucherie Secondary right next door. Enough energy savings here for the school, and revenue for DWK I would bet, to maybe even pay for an marque sign.

Go Warriors, little guys and gals in minor hockey and our boys of the BCHL.

[janalta]

Cstick....I've been a hockey parent/hockey billet for many years and am well aware of what it takes to run hockey programs and upkeep arenas. And I'm sure everyone appreciates all of the work the committee put into the hockeyville campaign....but....don't forget that none of it would have happened if not for the thousands of people who voted...and voted, and kept voting in order to make it happen.
WE were all under the impression that this money was being given to assist communities with their arenas in order to benefit minor hockey/junior hockey in OUR community.

A sign on the highway directing visitors to the arena, high school and community centre is NOT an arena upgrade. Period.

90% of the viewers who took the poll on the main page are opposed to those funds being used for a sign.
A sign is not an arena upgrade that benefits young hockey players.
The funds are NOT being used for the purpose they were intended...no matter how many out of town visitors may complain about directions.
Pretty darned sure a community funded sign could be put up on the highway for a few hundred dollars...seriously.

[westbankkid]

I don't think West Kelowna can use the money for a sign legally. They are breaking the Hockeyville rules. The money is to go to the improvement of their arenas according to this release from CBC on the contest. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/sto ... inner.html

[janalta]

I don't think West Kelowna can use the money for a sign legally. They are breaking the Hockeyville rules. The money is to go to the improvement of their arenas according to this release from CBC on the contest. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/sto ... inner.html

That's exactly why people are unimpressed.....the contest was clearly for money to go towards improvements to local arenas....period.
A community billboard/sign is not an arena improvement by any stretch of the imagination.

[oneh2obabe]

I don't think West Kelowna can use the money for a sign legally. They are breaking the Hockeyville rules. The money is to go to the improvement of their arenas according to this release from CBC on the contest. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/sto ... inner.html

You think a little thing like "contest rules and regulations" will stop Findlater and the Hockeyville group from doing what they want?

Time to send another e-mail to the mayor and council.

[dorito]

I find it somewhat suspicious that one of the 2 co chairs of the Hockeyville committee works for the West Kelowna Warriors....and this potential highway sign would do a lot to benefit the Warriors. Advertise home games, etc. It would do NOTHING for minor hockey at all.

This rediculous sign idea is a huge insult to all the thousands of West Kelowna citizens who spent countless hours organizing events, participating in events, promoting and voting for West Kelowna to win Hockeyville.

With all the years I've spent with kids in Westside Minor Hockey, never once have I heard a visiting parent say they couldn't find the arena. It's actually quite easy. And for the most part, I find the community events hosted by DWK, The Warriors, etc to be quite well attended, with no rediculous highway sign advertising it.

There's enough ugly signs littering the highway in West Kelowna, the district and the $25,000 from Hockeyville sure doesn't need to waste $125,000 to add another one!

[Steve-O]

Cstik - Thank you for the informative post. At first I was unimpressed with the sign idea but after the information you have provided it begins to make more sense. A recent article in the Capnews or the Westside Weekly mentioned that the sign was just one of several ideas so if people have a real opposition to it, maybe take the time to contact a member of the council or the Mayor himself.

If 1.4 mil has already been budgeted towards improving JLA, than 25g is just a drop in the bucket so exploring other avenues to use it on is a good idea.

As for the sign idea, if it can help people find the areanas - great! If the Warriors chose to advertise on it, I am sure they would have to pay for that and that would help pay for upkeep, etc and the Warriors give back to the community so if attendance increases seems like it would be a win - win to me. I'm going to have to see if I can dig up what some of the other suggestions were.

[watchkat]

Does anyone know about the new technology that was on TV the other day about helmet impact monitors?
They are being used by several teams now and I think they said about $150. per helmet for the technology.

The technology records the impact and transmits it to central monitoring equipment. It shows the degree of impact and danger of concussion, etc. Even if the player might say they are okay, this equipment will tell otherwise.

With all the head/neck injuries in football and hockey (Sidney Crosbey for example), why not use the $25,000 to make it perhaps a safer sport for minor hockey, etc. What a great opportunity to use the money for benefit of all if not required for the actual arena now.

This is Dec 3, 2012 article:
http://cbc.sh/qfBjHEb

Athletes' brains reflect stages of degenerative disorder


This is the equipment being tested....I know there is a recent article of just a week or so ago.......but you get the idea

Helmet sensors to monitor hockey concussions
CBC News
Posted: Aug 31, 2011 4:14 PM ET
Last Updated: Aug 31, 2011 7:58 PM ET
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/201 ... ensor.html

What an opportunity!