Will Jumbo wonders never cease

Sep 16, 2009

By K. Linda Kivi and Rowena Eloise, West Kootenay Coalition for Jumbo Wild
Letter to the Editor
Valley Echo
September 16, 2009

They've gone and done it again.

Those tricky politicians have once again successfully manoeuvered around us unsuspecting Jumbo Wild people by convincing a majority of one, the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) Directors, at their August 7, 2009 meeting, to turn what should be a local land use decision over to the Victoria Gang.

Can't you just envision the Jumbo Glacier Resort and Real Estate Development proponent, Oberto Oberti, clapping his hands and clicking his heels with an ear-to-ear grin?

The eight directors who voted to make this clever move (with the exception of the Radium Hot Springs director) are all from the southern reaches of the RDEK, home turf of long-standing Jumbo proposal supporter, Liberal MLA Bill Bennett.

And yet another amazing coincidence of this ongoing Jumbo saga is that since last May's election, Mr. Bennett happens to be Minister of Community and Rural Development, the ministry which will ultimately make the decision to rezone the Jumbo area into a resort municipality.

But let us not despair. The Heart of the Purcells have seen many first ascents - this is simply the next big challenge.

We'll start with exercising our "democratic writes." Take pen in hand or tickle your keyboard. Tell them clearly, one more time, JUMBO WILL BE WILD FOREVER!

MLA Bill Bennett, 100C Cranbrook Street N, Cranbrook BC V1C 3P9, bill.bennett.mla@leg.bc.ca

Premier Campbell, PO BOX 9041 STN PROV GOVT, Victoria BC V8W 9E1, premier@gov.bc.ca