Options ready for SOSS

Architects have now completed drawings showing three possible options for the renovation or replacement of Southern Okanagan Secondary School (SOSS), and they were presented to the school board, Town and Area C officials, and the public, at a school board meeting on June 28.

"This is a presentation only," said chair June Harrington. "We will not be debating anything in this presentation tonight."

In April, 2004, the Ministry of Education announced support for major renovation or replacement of the 1948 portion of SOSS, and gave the go-ahead for the district to undertake a feasibility study.

"They are supporting the project only in principle," said Mitch Van Aller, manager of operations for the district.

The study is a two-phase study, and began in May, 2004, when a building committee was formed. It included trustees June Harrington, Trish Soare, Michael Petersen, secretary-treasurer Terry Killough, Superintendent Vern Berg, principal Marty Lewis, and Van Aller. They advertised for architects, and in July 2005, they selected Killick Metz Bowen and Rose Architects Planners Inc/Bevanda Architecture Inc. as the architectural firm to complete the feasibility study.

All three options were based on enrollment projections that predicted the school needs until 2015.

"We’re down as small as 525 (students) in 2015," Van Aller said. Based on those numbers, the architects went to work.

"Numerous options were provided by the architectural firms that had various configurations of new and old designs," he said. The building committee then selected three options for costing: Option A, which is renovation of the existing portion; Option B, which is renovation of the existing and the addition of some new; and Option C, a brand new building. Spiegel, Skillen and Associates were retained in May, 2006, to complete a cost comparison of each option.

Option A is renovation, and it costs an estimated $25.5 million, architect Nick Bevanda explained to the board.

"In this option, the renovation would be substantial," he said. It includes stripping the building down to its frame, upgrading the systems, and rebuilding.

Each of the options requires phasing in – as to not excessively disrupt the students – and this option has a long phasing period, with the use of 12 portables. It expands the library, adds a single, full-sized gymnasium, and turns the east gym into a multipurpose facility.

The building character would be re-constructed, the existing footprint is maintained, as are the existing shops and music building.

However, this option only partly solves some of the building issues. The circulation would only be partly improved by the renovation, and inefficient operating costs would still be an issue. There could be potential problems marrying the old and new construction, and an added cost with upgrading the main entry.

"This (option) would extend the life 20-30 years, where as a new (building) would be 50 to 70 years."

Option B sees the single-storey wing demolished, and the two-storey portion renovated.

"The real character of the school is maintained," said Bevanda.The two-storey portion of the school is kept, as are the shops and music building, and the gym is replaced.

The school’s circulation pattern is improved, the green space is extended, and there will be a more compact footprint, which improves operational costs.

Two or three portables would be required for the completion of this option, and the code upgrade would be disruptive and costly, said the architect. There would be no separate community entry; added costs with relocating the main entry, multi-purpose, administration and counselling; there are potential problems and complications with marrying the old and new construction; and "greater planning restraints."

This option costs an estimated $23.4 million.

Option C is the cheapest, at $22.6 million.

"You have a new building at the end of the day," said Bevanda.

In this option, new construction replaces most of the school. Costs are minimized by keeping existing stand-alone buildings such as the small gym, music building and tech. ed. The existing gymnasium is replaced by a full-sized gym, and the new construction links existing buildings.

Operational costs are minimized due to a more compact footprint.

Three portables would be required during the construction. There would be higher site development costs, and a less visible main entry.

The biggest downfall of this one is the change in appearance.

"In this case, the existing character is mostly lost. Not to say we can’t reconstruct it," Bevanda said.

In all three cases, the Venables Auditorium is left standing – but it appears it will not be maintained by ministry funds.

"They won’t fund a space like that (because) they don’t deem (it) to be essential," Harrington said earlier. Now that the three options for the school reconstruction have been presented, the process can proceed.

"We’re a long ways away yet from tearing down the school," Van Aller pointed out.

Public meetings are to be held in September, and then the board trustees are going to select one of the options. That completes phase one of the feasibility study, and it will be submitted to the ministry.

When it is approved, phase two – including costing – is submitted. Then, there is a design development phase, a construction documents phase, the project agreement is signed, the project is tendered, then construction will begin.

Chief Clarence Louie receives Order of BC award

Chief Clarence Louie, chief of the Osoyoos Indian Band, recently received yet another award to honour all his dedication and hard work.

"The Order of BC" citizenship award, is to recognize those persons who have served with the greatest distinction and excelled in any field of endeavor benefiting the people of the province or elsewhere.

Awarded annually to the most outstanding BC residents possessing these qualities, only 13 were selected this year out of almost 200 nominations, chosen by the Secretariat for the Province of BC.

Chief Louie was chosen for excellence in business, an Aboriginal business leader.

"It’s good recognition for the Osoyoos Indian Band and its companies and for the band members who’ve supported economic development," Louie said.

He and his family flew to Victoria on June 22 to take part in a ceremony at the Government House, where he was presented his award by Iona V. Campagnolo, Lt. Governor of BC, and premier Gordon Campbell.

He is now on a recipient list with people such as Bryan Adams, David Suzuki, and Jim Pattison.

The first recipients to receive The Order of BC award were in 1990, the year Bryan Adams was chosen.

This year, Chief Louie only recognized one name on the newest list, that of Steve Nash, the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) most valuable player for the second year running, he said – and that was an ulterior motive for attending.

"One reason why we went to the ceremony is that my daughter, Sarenna, is a basketball player—she plays for the high school grade eight team—and I thought it’d be great for her to meet Steve Nash," Chief Louie said. "But I only gave it a 50/50 chance we’d see him." Unfortunately, Nash didn’t show up at the ceremony.

Award recipients were chosen from public nominations by an independent advisory committee, which met on May 3, 2006. The council, chaired by BC Chief Justice Lance Finch, also includes Bill Barisoff, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly; Dr. Michael Stevenson, Simon Fraser University president; J. Marvin Hunt, president of the Union of BC Municipalities; Virginia Greene, Deputy Minister of the Inter-governmental Relations Secretariat; and two past recipients of the Order, Dr. Edith McGeer and Dr. Perry Kendall. The Order of BC is the province’s highest honour for outstanding achievement. Since the Order was first established in 1989, 231 people have received it.

Some of Louie’s past awards include "Economic Developer of the Year", "Inspirational Leadership Award", and the Aboriginal Achievement Foundation’s "Business and Community Development" award, which is the highest honour the Aboriginal Community bestows upon its own achievers.

Chief Clarence Louie has received many accolades during the twenty years he’s been chief, which includes being re-voted in every two years. He’s created jobs, better wages, and better education.

"People want employment," he said. "I don’t know any educated people who would want to live on welfare. The job and wage have a huge impact on the standard of living."

Under Louie’s direction, the Osoyoos Indian Band is now known as a multi-faceted corporation. It owns and manages nine businesses and employs hundreds of people, among other things. He believes that job creation and increasing business revenue in a responsible manner will bring back what he describes as "our working culture—the self-supporting lifestyle of our ancestors."

"The Band’s progress has been better than most Bands in the country," said Louie, "especially with the increased employment and all the programs and services offered. It’s better than when I first started."

More of Louie’s achievements include (but are not limited to) the acquisition of hundreds of acres of land to add to the reserve, the financing and building of the new pre-school/daycare and grade school/gymnasium, and the construction of a new health centre/social services building.

One of the biggest impacts the chief has made is to increase the financial strength of the Osoyoos Indian Band.

"I’ve had the opportunity to work for councils that support economic development," he said. "Economic development pays for everything." He said the majority of his people have supported the economic direction.

"When working on an Indian Reserve, it’s never "me"…I did this. There’s always a "we," always a group involved," Louie said.

Chief Louie has a simple but direct business smart approach to sharing his knowledge with his people (and others):

"Every First Nation comes from a working culture. Our ancestors worked hard for a living. Today, life is a complicated or messed up as you make it.

"To improve our quality of life, you either go to school or get a job. Words without action, excuses, and blame leads towards more welfare dependency and poverty. It’s hard work and making money that improves one’s standard of living and provides for community social needs."

Chief and council continually emphasize the importance of maintaining the Okanagan language and culture in all aspects of the Band’s activities, including business.

"First Nation’s leaders have a responsibility to incorporate First Nation’s language and culture in all socio-economic initiatives as the means to improve and protect your First Nation’s heritage," he said.

The establishment of the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre is a testament to this commitment.

Louie walks his talk and has certainly made a difference, although he’s very modest about it.

"It’s not all about me," he said. "It’s good exposure and publicity for the Band and it’s businesses."

Cops on bikes a stealth approach to keeping tabs on Oliver and Osoyoos

It’s a new way of policing – at least in Oliver and Osoyoos.

"They don’t hear you coming," said Cst. Joe Bayda, one of five local RCMP members who have been trained for the detachment’s new bicycle patrol. "It’s more of a stealth approach.

Cpl. Mike Field is no stranger to patrolling while pedalling. He was trained in bike patrol in 1992, before being transferred to the South Okanagan, and he’s pleased to be one of the local members who will be hitting the streets.

"We’ll be patrolling the bike paths, back alleys, beaches, and the downtown core," said Field. "Basically we can go in areas that vehicles can’t – that’s the surprise."

The bike patrols will be extra policing, and will not be replacing vehicle patrols. The detachment received additional funds this year, for seasonal policing.

"We get such a swell in population (over the summer months), we needed the extra," Field said.

The crew will be working to keep the peace on four-hour shifts. They will focus on preventing alcohol use in public, intoxication in public, general rowdiness, and traffic control.

"Back up is always around the corner," Bayda said. To pull a car over, the officer whistles, and gestures. They can’t transport anyone one the bike, so they have to sometimes call for back-up. They also can’t respond to rural calls.

There’s a big benefit to in-town response, though.

"In the downtown core, it’s faster than a vehicle, getting in and out," Field said. Ultimately, it’s a faster response, considering summer traffic.

Though bike patrols have been used in other communities, it’s a brand new technique in the South Okanagan. The training was an intense four days at the end of May.

"You find muscles you didn’t know you have," said Bayda. "You learn how to tactically position your bodies and bikes as you approach people."

They also had to do some endurance riding, maneuver stairs, how to stop vehicles, and had to ride 10 miles in 35 minutes.

"They had to do a stress shoot, you have to ride a quarter mile all-out, then shoot at targets," said Field. Not only do the officers have to shoot, first they have to discern their target – in other words, only shoot at the proper targets.

There are four bikes in all – two in Oliver, two in Osoyoos, donated by the communities.

So far, the public has been taken a bit off guard.

"They were certainly surprised to see us," said Field. The surprise factor might go down after the public gets used to the idea – but the silent approach of a bike will still be an advantage, Bayda said.

"They don’t realize you’re there until you are right beside them, with a beer in their hand."

Whither SOSS?

Might we recommend that those interested in the future of our community read both Jack Bennest’s letter that follows below as well as the alternative plans for rebuilding our high school on page 10.

We took some European visitors on a tour of Oliver last week and noted their surprise when shown one of our oldest buildings, the Haynes ranch house, and it was mentioned that it was over 100 years old. The visitors come from a European town that contained structures from the Middle Ages. It struck us that if we continue to knock down everything before it reaches 60 years of age we will never possess a stock of true heritage structures.

Our high school is a wonderful piece of period architecture that deserves preservation. If we knock it down in the interests of cost-savings and efficiency and replace it with one more modern structure we will have diminished our town.

The other issue is, of course, the future of the Venables Auditorium. This is going to take some work on the part of the community and the first step will be responding to Bennest’s call for a Friends of the Venables group to start the type of political arm twisting that got us this magnificent structure back in 1948.

Decisions will be made in a few months. Participate in the decision so we gain and not lose in this process.