Major Economic Development Conference coming to Osoyoos

Osoyoos has been chosen as the host community for the 2010 Annual General Meeting & Conference of the Economic Development Association of British Columbia (EDABC), the provincial organization for economic development officials from communities across the province.

"Destination Osoyoos made a bid and the selection marks the first time Osoyoos has had the opportunity to host this major event," Destination Osoyoos Chief Executive Officer Glenn Mandziuk says. "We are very pleased and honoured to be selected and expect that nearly 150 delegates and partners will be here for the April 25-27, 2010 conference," he says.

The group will hold their three-day event at the new convention facility that will open up later this year as part of the multi-million dollar Phase 2 development of the Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & Spa, in the NK'MIP Resort area on the east side of Osoyoos.

Mandziuk notes that Convention organizers are now discovering Osoyoos as an excellent place to host major events citing the Southern Interior Local Government Association's (SILGA) Annual General Meeting and Convention will be in the community from April 29-May 1, 2009 hosted at the Sonora Community Centre as an example. SILGA is made up of elected officials from cities, towns, villages and regional districts throughout south-central B.C.

"Attracting these types of conferences is a key part of our program to promote and diversify Osoyoos' tourism industry," Mandziuk says.

Tile Mural will honor Portuguese contribution to Town

This ceramic tile artwork honouring the Portuguese community's contribution to the development of Osoyoos will be erected this spring.

Louise Carvalho, one of the project's leaders, says the idea for a public monument came out of the salute to the town's Portuguese community during Arts & Culture Week in the spring of 2005. Many Portuguese immigrated to Osoyoos starting in 1955 and they became major players in the area's orchard fruit industry. The recognition project finally took shape last year when Destination Osoyoos was able to direct $15,000 from Osoyoos' share of provincial Resort Municipality Initiative funding, and the Town of Osoyoos and the local Portuguese Canadian Club also threw their support and some funding behind the project.

Carvalho says the decision was made to create a large, approximately 8-ft by 10-ft ceramic tile artwork, with a scene honouring the Portuguese influence on Osoyoos. Local ceramic artist Katie Foster and teacher George Mocci created the piece late last year, and plans are for it to be erected on the front of the Sonora Community Centre this spring, possibly as soon as March.

Destination Osoyoos CEO Glenn Mandziuk says support of this project is a key part of the Resort Strategy to develop exhibits of public art throughout Osoyoos. "We are all very proud to see that the first major public art to be supported by this program recognizes the Portuguese community, which has contributed so much to the life and the development of our town," Mandziuk says. "This is the first of many public artworks we will see in Osoyoos." 

D.O. attends Tourism & Investment-Attraction meetings

Staff from Destination Osoyoos were busy staying in touch with their tourism and economic development colleagues from across the province earlier this month when they attended a major tourism conference and an investment-attraction networking session - both held in Vancouver.

Staff - including Glenn Mandziuk, CEO; Jo Knight, Director of Tourism & Visitor Experience; Katherine Voigt, Director of Business & Community Development; and Millie Jarrett, Visitor Experience Counsellor - took part in the BC Tourism Industry Conference from Feb. 11-13. It brought together people in the many tourism-related sectors from across the province including accommodation, transportation, resorts, attractions, tourism associations, industry suppliers, and educators. The conference helps to unite the industry and update everyone on the latest developments. Tourism generates $10.2 billion annually for the provincial economy and directly employs 117,500 British Columbians - 266,000 when tourism-related employees are included.

Destination Osoyoos CEO Glenn Mandziuk, right, takes part in community investment meetings with trade and investor services officials.

Mandziuk says he was very pleased with the chance to meet officials representing potential investment from the United States, China, South Korea, Southeast Asia, India, Japan, the European Union and the provincial government. "This was a great opportunity to showcase our community and its wide range of business and investment possibilities," he says.

The officials were presented with the potential for Osoyoos-area investment in the value-added wood sector, the food and beverage industry, and tourism infrastructure - with specific ideas like investment in the Mt. Baldy Ski Area, the local wine sector, and the aerospace-related new industrial park being developed at the Osoyoos Airport.

"We are also looking strongly at the idea of developing a twinning or sister-city relationship with communities in Southeast Asia or India," Mandziuk says.

He says Destination Osoyoos is already getting excellent feedback and follow-up stemming from the investment-attraction session in Vancouver.

Downtown Revitalization 'Charrette' set for Osoyoos

A day-long visioning session - or "charrette" - will be held Feb. 27 to start the process of developing a strategic vision in Osoyoos for the resort community's downtown core.

Officials from Destination Osoyoos, the Town of Osoyoos, and the South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce will attend the 'Downtown Revitalization Charrette' and they will be joined by about 20 representatives of downtown property owners and business people invited by the Chamber. The session will have the goal of starting to build a collective vision for Main Street, particularly in terms of design. The discussions will be facilitated by consultants with experience in downtown revitalization projects, and a graphic artist will be on-hand to help participants visualize the ideas being discussed.

"We want a vision for the future of the downtown core directly from the people who own and work there," Destination Osoyoos CEO Glenn Mandziuk says. He adds Osoyoos hasn't had a new vision for its downtown core since the Spanish Development Society pursued the Spanish architectural theme in town in the early 1980s. "It's time to revisit this as we continue to evolve as a community."

The visioning charrette will consider issues such as the downtown retail infrastructure, traffic flow, parking capacity, the seasonal nature of local business, desired new types of businesses, entertainment opportunities, the downtown residential sector, and attracting investors.

"This will produce a preliminary vision with concepts on things like traffic circulation, types of businesses to attract, and how to manage and market downtown," Mandziuk says. "This is the first session, and as it evolves more people will have the opportunity to provide input."

Katherine Voigt, Destination Osoyoos' Director of Business & Community Development, says the Downtown Revitalization Charrette is the first of two area visioning sessions planned for the coming weeks. She says a charrette will be held in mid-March to produce a vision for the future of the Buena Vista Industrial Park, on the west side of Osoyoos across Highway 3 from the Osoyoos Airport.

The 2010 Olympic Countdown has started! 

For the Destination Osoyoos staff attending a conference in Vancouver earlier this month, it was hard not to catch Olympic fever, especially on Feb. 12. That day was exactly one year to go until the start of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler, and Premier Gordon Campbell used the occasion to start the outdoor "Olympic countdown clock ". Excitement will no doubt continue to grow around the province - including in Osoyoos, where the Olympic torch will pass in late-January 2010 en route to the west coast.

Glenn Mandziuk, Destination Osoyoos CEO, and Jo Knight, Director of Tourism & Visitor Experience, get a first-hand look at the Olympic torch from the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.	Osoyoos Visitor Experience Counsellor Millie Jarrett visits in Vancouver with the three 2010 Olympic mascots - from left: Quatchi the sasquatch, Miga the sea-bear, and Sumi the animal-spirit.

New Business Profile: breathe Studio

Kelsi Bissonnette recently opened 'breathe Studio', offering fitness, pilates, bosu, and yoga training to people in Osoyoos.

Osoyoos Football Star joins Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Luke Fritz

One of those others is Luke Fritz, a local boy who, despite the lack of a local football program, went on to become a hot property in the Canadian Football League. The Winnipeg Free Press reported Feb. 18 that Fritz has just been signed by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, to help beef up that club's offensive line.

Fritz - 30 years old, 6-ft-6-in and 314 lbs - was a free agent after having spent the past seven years with the Montreal Alouettes. He had been drafted by the Alouettes in the first round of the 2001 CFL draft. The Free Press reports Fritz has signed a two-year deal with the Blue Bombers.

He told the Montreal Gazette, "I'm excited to get to Winnipeg and at least get a legitimate shot to play and make a difference."

Tourism Trends

 If you've been watching television coverage of this year's 'Scotties Tournament of Hearts' Canadian women's curling championship from Victoria, have you caught a glimpse of "Osoyoos" yet? The games go until the final championship contest on March 1 - so take a look for "Osoyoos". We'll tell you more about it in the next eNews.

 U.S. President Barack Obama did more than just meet Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other politicians during his Feb. 19 visit to Ottawa. According to Kelowna Daily Courier business writer Steve MacNaull, Obama sipped some genuine Okanagan wine during his lunch with the PM. MacNaull says Tony Stewart, co-owner of Quails' Gate Winery in West Kelowna, was informed by the luncheon's wine co-ordinator that the Quails' Gate 2007 Chenin Blanc was served to the Prime Minister and President, and Obama did taste it. It was one of three wines served at the meal - the others were from Ontario and Quebec.

 Osoyoos will be featured in the next edition of the bi-monthly national publication, Grandparent Magazine. The magazine is including a special section with an article, photos and advertisements illustrating the many attractions that bring thousands of visitors to the community. Grandparent Magazine is aimed at age 40-plus. It has a readership of nearly 100,000 and is distributed across the country through Zellers stores, newsstands, medical centres, leading grocery stores, family recreational facilities, health service providers, and directly to subscribers.

Events around Osoyoos

 Feb. 28, One Tribe Music and Dance Festival, at the Osoyoos Legion Hall at 6:30 p.m. Belly dancers, Brazilian dancers, and African dancers will be featured, along with live music from the Barefoot Profits, a Middle-Eastern orchestra, and Harambee, an African drum group. Tickets $15 at Wine Kitz, Imperial Office Pro, and breathe Studio. For information call 250-485-3459 or email: azureevents@live.com.