Your editorial encourages us to stay in the Shuswap for summer vacation. Would that it was that easy.
For a city that is so dependent on tourism, Salmon Arm seems to do everything in its power to discourage visitors.
There is exactly one RV dump in the city that is open to the travelling public. On summer weekends the parking lot at Piccadilly Mall is crowded with RVs waiting their turn, wasting time that could be spent enjoying the area.
Visitors who come by boat, or who bring boats with them, have an even tougher time. There is nowhere on this end of our beautiful lake where a visitor can get short-term moorage so the family can go shopping, out to dinner or otherwise visit the area.
Arrive by car?
Sorry, you can’t spend more than an hour parked on Salmon Arm’s streets. We have many interesting shops and restaurants, but the visitor’s enjoyment is ruined when they return to their vehicle to find it ticketed.
Of course, you can park as long as you like in the evening when the shops are closed.
Do you want to camp? Sorry, the closest public campsite is at Herald Park, a half-hour drive away, and it’s booked up months in advance, so the tourist who is suddenly taken by the beauty of our area is, again, out of luck.
I hesitate to say, but the private campsites here leave much to be desired regarding cleanliness and friendly service. Drive on, and better luck next year.
It’s time Salmon Arm pulled up its collective socks and started making our town “tourist friendly,” then talk to us about staycationing.
Dianne Eddy