Open letter to Sicamous council:
It has been implied repeatedly by the mayor publicly at council meetings, and by direct email response, that to disagree with the continuance of the Summer Stomp event is to be narrow minded.
I think the people who have, over the past 30 years, led community, business and safety development in Sicamous should take heed in the face of such criticism. They know this community has so far grown strong because of its open mindedness, innovation and its willingness to collaborate to build better.
Hopefully people will take an opportunity today to fill out the Summer Stomp survey on the district’s site before it is closed on Nov. 30 at midnight.
Personally, I have been involved in event building and promoting continuously in those 30 some years and still am. I volunteered on the Stomp grounds in one of the early years, and I have volunteered at the downtown event as well. I have also attended the downtown event as a spectator. I have no political or business affiliation that would suffer profit or loss directly connected to the current event. My concern is for the community as a whole, and the potential for the community’s positive growth as a wholesome, family friendly place to live in.
I am writing once again to ask that district council please do not sign a multi-year (three-to-five-year) contract with Steve Hammer and the Summer Stomp group for the following reasons:
• The Summer Stomp does not currently promote a wholesome, family friendly or safe atmosphere for the resident community or usual visitors.
• Taxpayers are being asked to supplement this event increasingly; however, the town does not own it and has taken no control over the promotion or the laying down of rules in regards to bike gangs attending.
• The council knows it can’t endorse this type of event on its district website because it promotes inappropriate exploitation of women through the ‘wet T-shirt contest’ which, to the surprise of some of the contestants, became a No T-shirt contest the year I worked the Stomp grounds. Call me a prude, but in 2016 going forward, this is not appropriate. If council can’t promote something openly and own it, they need to rethink what they are supporting.
Let us take this event in-house and develop a respectful biker celebration that we can own, promote, lay ground rules for and all be proud to have in our community.
Thank you for your open-minded consideration.
Pam Beech