Ranch owner speaks out -- Editorial -- December 09, 2007

Less than a week before “The Vote,” aka the referendum in Coldstream on whether an application for non-farm use on a 118-acre parcel of agricultural land should be forwarded to the Agricultural Land Reserve, it’s nice to hear from the man who has made the 118 acres available.

Keith Balcaen, landowner at Coldstream Ranch, told The Morning Star that his original intention of selling the parcel in order to have a sports complex built on the property has become, in his words, “a mockery.”

Balcaen said okay to a request from Greater Vernon Services to sell that 118 acres to GVS for parks.

“I thought it would be a real asset to the community,” said Balcaen. “I think for our children down the road, it’ll be the nicest thing.

“The whole park is for family use. Isn’t a park a family thing?”

So, we now have the owner of the property coming out and saying he thinks the parcel of land in question, located on Highway 6 and Aberdeen Road, is perfect for parks. And sports fields.

If the owner of the land thinks it can be made available for such use, and that future generations won’t starve because some agricultural land is replaced with recreational facilities – and let’s be clear here: the facilities will be used by all residents, not just adults – doesn’t that speak volumes?

Ultimately, Saturday’s vote will be up to the people of Coldstream.

If the referendum passes, the application must still go before the ALR, and there’s no guarantee that they’ll approve the application.

It would seem that the ALR knows what it’s doing when making such decision.

But it was still nice to hear the owner end his silence.

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"If the owner of the land thinks it can be made available for such use, and that future generations won’t starve because some agricultural land is replaced with recreational facilities – and let’s be clear here: the facilities will be used by all residents, not just adults – doesn’t that speak volumes?"

It certainly speaks volumes of the logic of the writer. Obviously, the seller is not going jeopardize his sale by using negative connotation about the property he is about to sell.

Second, it is unlikely that the seller is the best authority as to whom, when and why will starve in the future. In fact, there are huge numbers of people who are already starving although not necessarily because of the disposition of this particular piece of land. As climate change progresses these numbers will likely increase.

Lastly, I am sure that there will be throngs of people who will not use these facilities as there are more suitable facilities in their immediate neighbourhoods.

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