Editorial

It appears that a decision as to whether the proposal for a national park in the South Okanagan - Similkameen is to proceed or not will be made soon.

Whether you agree with all the reasons for a national park or not, anyone with some familiarity with the issues surrounding the debate would likely agree that this area deserves protection from development.

The issue appears to about the degree of protection required.

Still relatively empty, the land under scrutiny has historical uses that local groups are adamant should continue. The problem is, in order for that to happen, the security of the land may not be there in a decade or two.

Consideration needs to be given to a related side issue, over a growing concern about water availability in existing developments in this region. All of the small surface lakes on this plateau appear to be drying up. Further development, if allowed to occur, may result in more serious and costly issues at some point down the line.

Parks Canada seems to have grasped the realities of creating a national park in a populated environment, a welcome change from its initial presentation to the region, which came across by many as arrogant and overbearing. The challenge for them now is to find a way to meet local stakeholders concerns with the respect they deserve, in a way that doesn’t destroy the institution’s mandate.

It seems that the park proposal represents a crossroads in southern valley development. From the singular aspect of preservation of recreational land, could the rejection of a national park ultimately affect even those current stakeholders who stand to lose the most, should one be created?

That possibility can’t be denied - and deserves serious consideration by everyone involved.