[ad_1]
Photo: City of Vernon
The City of Vernon has three new tourist information kiosks to tell tourists where to go.
At their regular council meeting Monday, civic leaders will get an update on the kiosks which were funded by the provincial Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program.
The kiosks feature timber construction and solar-powered back lighting and were developed to support Tourism Vernon’s Visitor Service strategy with more in-community information to help direct visitors to explore the area.
The kiosks are located at Marshall Field, 6891 Okanagan Landing Rd., the downtown BC Hydro Fast Charging Station/Transit Loop, 3001 31st Ave. and near the Flo Electric Charging Station in Civic Memorial Park, 3805 31st St.
Spring 2024 information panels were recently installed and provide information on nearby attractions and commercial centres, community maps and QR code links to the Tourism Vernon website.
The information panels are expected to be updated semi-annually by Tourism Vernon.
The Vernon Wellness Fair is coming.
The event features 76 booths, with free admission and will be held at the Vernon Rec Centre April 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and April 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“This is the 18th year of this literally life changing event,” said event spokesperson, Chris Madsen, in an email.
“The Vernon Wellness Fair is a group of people with the desire to help people live vibrant healthy lives and reduce suffering.”
The fair will feature many healing modalities, products, services, and alternative ways of restoring and maintaining health.
“The vision of the wellness fair is to have a weekend where the community can come and explore options that bring greater fullness to life. Each of the 76 vendors has unique offerings that are of benefit. We keep it free admission to encourage as many in the community to come as possible,” Marsden said.
“It is really important to do all we can to maintain our health. Particularly at this time with our medical system being pressed to the fullest with minimal walk-in clinics and such maintaining health is a smart idea. There are many facets and things we can do to restore and maintain a quality lifestyle. The fair is focused on blessing the community with greater access and options to living the best lives we can.
For more information on the fair, click here.
Photo: RDNO
Homes in the highlighted area will be without water for several hours Monday.
Residents are being advised Francis Street in the BX area of Vernon will be closed on Monday and water turned off for several hours while crews tie in to a water main in the area.
In a press release, the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) said a detour will be set up to use East Vernon Road and to accommodate a tie in to the water main, some customers will be without water on Monday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
It is suggested residents store a short-term water supply for your needs such as cooking and toilet use before the work begins.
Once water has been restored, residents may experience some cloudiness and/or air in the water and are being advised to run a cold water tap until the water has cleared. An outside tap is preferred.
For more information, click here.
Gwyn Evans – Apr 7, 2024 / 4:00 am | Story: 480681
Photo: Vernon Museum
A display of television at Vernon’s Hudson Bay Co. store circa 1960. This new technology was used by district horticulturalists to connect with Okanagan growers.
Television made its debut in the Okanagan in September 1957 with the launch of CHBC in Kelowna. At the onset, only 500 households owned television sets, but this figure surged to 10,000 by 1958.
Among those quick to embrace this innovation were the Valley’s district horticulturalists.
In April of 1958, Roy Chapman, general manager of CHBC, offered the horticultural branch 15 minutes of free airtime each week.
Mike Oswell, who was serving as the district horticulturalist for Vernon at the time, was assigned the responsibility of supervising the program. Initially, he hesitated to take on this task, since all television broadcasts were distributed live at the time, leaving little margin for error.
Nevertheless, within two weeks, Oswell devised a program to occupy the 6 p.m. weekly slot, titled “Okanagan Farm and Garden.”
The show aimed to share vital information on insect and disease control via a series of guest speakers. In its first episode, the discussion focused on fireblight, a destructive disease capable of decimating blossoms and shoots, leading to branch dieback in apple and pear trees.
Following the first three episodes, CHBC asked Oswell to expand the program to 30 minutes, which he willingly accepted. The ensuing discussions covered a wide array of topics including home vegetable gardening, lawn maintenance, sheep farming, the 4H program, and weed eradication. Some episodes even featured live animals.
The studio atmosphere was described as relaxed and amiable, with surprisingly few technical difficulties. Oswell hosted the program for a year before passing the baton to Bob Wilson, District Horticulturalist for Kelowna.
In 1963, the channel introduced another horticultural-themed show called Chesterfield Chautauqua (named after the Chautauqua meetings utilized by the horticultural branch as a vital extension activity), allowing growers to phone in queries and receive live responses.
By 1964, the program had been renamed Sunrise Chautauqua. CHBC continued airing horticultural programs until the 1970s, when airtime was no longer freely available.
Consequently, the branch could not sustain this initiative financially, but fortunately, other extension projects ensured that district horticulturalists remained available to assist both new and seasoned growers.
Gwyn Evans is the Head of Archives with the Museum and Archives of Vernon.
Photo: WorkSafeBC
Jealous Fruits Ltd. has been fined $7,181 after a worker died in a tractor roll-over on a Lavington cherry orchard, more than a year ago.
According to the WorkSafeBC investigation report, the fatal incident took place on Oct. 24, 2022. The report says no one witnessed the event, but investigators were able to determine the worker was thrown from a tractor they were driving.
“While the worker was likely attempting a U-turn, loose soil built up in front of the trailing tire implement that had been improperly chained to the back of the tractor,” reads the report.
“The trailing tire implement became embedded in the ground, which caused the tractor’s front end to lift and slide down the embankment. The tractor flipped 270 degrees, and the worker was thrown from the tractor.”
WorkSafeBC found contributing factors of the death were a seat belt and rollover protective structure being used, ineffective supervision, the lack of a working-alone program, lack of hazard identification and risk assessment.
The report says the worker set out sometime after 1 p.m., and a search was initiated around 11 p.m. that day.
Jealous Fruits is a grower with orchards throughout the Okanagan and employs about 1,300 full time and transient workers throughout the year.
The $7,181.51 penalty was imposed on Feb. 14, 2024.
Castanet has reached out to Jealous Fruits Ltd. for comment.
Photo: WorkSafeBC
Photo: City of Vernon
Vernon Fire Rescue Services has a much-needed new fire truck.
At their regular meeting Monday, city council will receive an update on the new rig that was approved for purchase in 2023.
“In completing the project, staff encountered several challenges some of which included supply shortages, unanticipated cost escalation and long build timelines,” the staff report says.
“On March 19, the city received the apparatus and it will be ‘pushed’ into service on April 15 after being fully equipped.”
It is tradition to hold a ‘push in’ ceremony to christen a new truck.
A push-in ceremony dates back to the days when fire equipment was pulled by horses. To get the equipment back into the fire hall, it was disconnected from the horses and pushed in, setting a tradition that has carried on to this date.
“This addition to the fleet is an important milestone for the city as it provides a Fire Underwriters Survey-recognized apparatus for each of the city’s three fire stations,” the report says.
Fire apparatus typically last for up to 15 years of front-line service, while it can can be extended for an additional five years in some cases. Often apparatus stay in service for longer periods to provide extra capacity within the fleet.
The fire engine being replaced was well past it due date, having served the community since 1986.
The new fire truck came with a price tag of $1.5 million.
Photo: Pixabay
The City of Vernon will once again be helping the North Okanagan go green.
Each year, the city offers a $25 voucher towards the purchase of a tree planted on private residential property.
This year, the program will open just prior to Earth Day on April 22.
“The City of Vernon is continuously working to promote a healthy, enjoyable and safe community by encouraging residents to plant trees. Trees can help offer energy cost savings by providing shade, reduce sound and dust pollution to your property, and reduce the impacts of stormwater on flood events – all while enhancing the value of your property,” says a post on the city website.
As part of the Tree Program, the voucher can go towards the purchase of a tree at Nicholas Alexander Home & Garden or Swan Lake Market & Garden.
Vouchers are limited to City of Vernon residents, and one per property.
Photo: Facebook
City of Vernon staff are recommending upgrades to the concessions in Kal Tire Place South.
At their regular meeting Monday, city council will receive a report outlining what needs to be done at the concession stands.
“With the aging infrastructure in two concessions and one liquor service area, upgrades are required to ensure current requirements are met through the Interior Health permitting process as well as increasing the standard of quality of the infrastructure in the spaces,” the report says.
There are currently three food concession areas: the Crease Concession; the Penalty Box and the Centre Ice Concession.
The Crossbar is the sole liquor service outlet at Kal Tire Place. The Crossbar and two of the concession spaces (The Crease and Penalty Box) are original to the 23-year-old building. The third concession space is located in Kal Tire Place North, built in 2018.
The Crease Concession needs $70,300 worth of upgrades, the Penalty Box Concession $55,700 and the Crossbar Liquor Service $12,000.
In addition to the upgrades needed for the aging infrastructure, staff is recommending upgrades so all concessions have full temperature control through the addition of ductless, split-heat pumps at a cost of $40,000.
Miscellaneous costs including electrical and plumbing work, permitting, freight, taxes, consulting and other repairs are estimated at $100,000.
Staff are recommending “council endorse the provision of providing additional funding of up to $278,000 to the Recreation Facility Major Maintenance Reserve, which has a current balance of $845,241, towards the upgrades to concessions at Kal Tire Place.”
To read the full report, click here.
Photo: Darren Handschuh
The largest shopping event so far this year is happening right now at the Vernon rec centre.
Shoparama is taking place today and Sunday in the rec centre auditorium and Dogwood Gym.
Organizer Ingrid Baron said the annual spring event has 87 vendors.
“We’ve got all kinds of preserves and toys, birdhouses, baking – all kinds of things,” Baron said. “Crystals are a big thing right now. We have a lot of crystals.”
There are also collectables such as Hot Wheel, sports memorabilia and more.
“We have a food truck this year which we haven’t had for quite a while,” Baron said. “And we have Fritz the Baker and kettle corn outside as well.”
Shoparama started more than 20 years ago as a fundraiser for the Vernon Girls Trumpet Band. When the band broke up, Shoparama continued with a focus on helping the Vernon Salvation Army Food Bank.
“We usually have the trumpet band do a pop-up performance, but they could not make it this year,” Baron said.
Shoparama is on until 6 p.m. today and then from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Photo: Pexels
The province is providing financial support to Vernon families struggling with school expenses.
NDP Vernon-Monashee MLA Harwinder Sandhu says the Vernon School District is receiving $260,000 from the province to help schools provide support directly to families.
The funding will help pay for student necessities, such as school supplies, school fees and class trips, as well as additional costs associated with joining a school sports team or music program.
The support comes from the Student and Family Affordability Fund, which is being replenished with an additional $20 million this spring. More than $60 million has been provided to school districts provided through this program over the past two years.
“When our kids are supported in the classroom, our community is strengthened,” said Sandhu. “I’m glad that our government is providing funding for schools to help pay for resources and extracurricular activities for students, so they can learn, play and grow and families can keep more money in their pockets.
“As a parent, I understand that extracurricular activities are important for children’s physical and mental well being, and help children to explore their hidden talents. However, we know that some parents cannot afford to pay to enrol their children in extracurricular activities, therefore our government is stepping in to support.”
The funding is on top of the largest investment in school food programs in the province’s history. The Feeding Futures Fund has dedicated $214 million over three years to create and expand local school food programs.
The Vernon School District received $1,079,115 from the province for food programs during this school year.
[ad_2]
Source link
