After 22 years, 2011 will be the year of no Salmon Arm Summer Stomp.
The Salmon Arm Summer Stomp Committee met Tuesday night and reached a difficult decision – this year’s Stomp will be cancelled.
“We’re hurting, we’re feeling frustrated and a little bit deflated, that’s the best way to put it,” said Stomp committee director Gord Erickson on Wednesday. “We also know we’d rather put on a really, really good event than halfway.”
The decision came on the heels of a ruling from the Agricultural Land Commission that denied a request to hold the event on four parcels of land in Silver Creek that are in the Agricultural Land Reserve.
Although organizers had identified another potential site that isn’t in the ALR, time ran out for getting plans in place.
For the past 22 years, the event featuring motorcycles, bands, an all-night party and fundraising for charity was held at the Silver Creek Community Park grounds.
Following last year’s event, however, the Columbia Shuswap Regional District informed the group it would not allow the event to take place at the park, as it is too small for an event of that size.
The CSRD then voted unanimously to support the applicants’ request to have the event held on the four properties along Salmon River Road.
In a news release issued Wednesday, the Stomp committee states:
“It is unfortunate that it was too late this year to secure a site but we have high hopes and aspirations for next year. One of the sites we are working on is not governed by the ALC and we have received positive feedback from the owners of the property regarding next year’s event,” states the committee, adding members would welcome other ideas for sites as well.
The committee lays blame at the feet of the ALC.
“Throughout the year we have attempted to procure many sites but were turned away for multiple reasons. Finally last month, we were refused by the ALC on our most desired site, thus ending the event for this year. Whether the land was in use at this time or not seemed to be of no consequence to this governing body. They created their own agenda this year to disallow all activity not related to farming.”
Erickson said the committee feels badly for the charities the Stomp supports.
Over the past 15 years, the event contributed $90,000 to the Shuswap Hospice Society, one of its bigger recipients.
“I’m sorry to hear that, I really am,” said society administrator Renée Lapierre Wednesday after learning of the cancellation. “We’re scraping by so it would have been nice to have a donation.”
She said the society appreciates all the help the Stomp has provided, adding that hospice is one of about a half-dozen charities who receive a donation each year. Because revenues were down last year, the Stomp contributed $1,500 to the society, but donated $7,000 in 2009.
Organizer Mike Smith added his extreme disappointment with the cancellation.
“It’s a shame it’s been going on so long and some people who don’t even live here are deciding it ain’t going to happen,” he said, adding, “We’ve all put in lots and lots of hours – to have it fail is pretty disappointing, especially with our track record. Some people hate us but a lot of people support us,” he said referring to the packed meeting in Silver Creek that focused on whether the CSRD would endorse the application to the ALC.
Steve Hammer is a long-time member of the Stomp’s organizing committee but is now site manager with Sturgis North, the motorcycle rally and music festival that is going ahead July 13-17 at the Salmon Arm Fairgrounds and on Neskonlith Band land in Gleneden.
Hammer says the ALC needs to provide answers.
“It’s pretty clear the ALC is closed for business,” he said.
Although Sturgis organizers had stated earlier that people who wished to party after Sturgis shuts down could head to the Stomp, Hammer said the Stomp’s cancellation won’t affect Sturgis.
“Our application is to close down at 1:30 a.m. That’s always been the plan. What people do after is up to them.”
Asked about concerns that the for-profit Sturgis North will be replacing the Stomp, which benefitted local charities, Hammer remarked: “Donations at Sturgis North are going to be astronomical in comparison. They’re going to BC Cancer and Children’s Hospital and Canucks House, organizations like those. We have identified a couple of local organizations – the Salvation Army Homeless Shelter, the Mandella Project. Some local agencies and charities will get pretty significant donations providing the event is successful.”
He said though Sturgis North is a for-profit event, “everybody in that organization has huge hearts. There is a lot of money earmarked for charity. All proceeds from the beer gardens will go to charity. But it’s a shame a 22-year-old event has to take a year off.”
Colleen Sarrazin, co-owner of the Silver Creek Store, is equally peeved.
She said it’s “very petty” that an event that has worked well for years and has provided funds for charity is being forced to shut down.
“It’s pretty pathetic actually,” she said, particularly when it’s just a few weeks before the event was set to go. “It’s sad for the guys who’ve put it on for 22 years to have it pulled out from under them... That’s a real kick in the teeth I would say, to put it mildly.”