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Column: Christmas wishes from the mayor’s desk

Merry Christmas Salmon Arm. What a year this has been. I have many people to thank so please have patience with me.
9814051_web1_Nancy-Cooper-June-2017-for-GPS
Salmon Arm Mayor Nancy Cooper

Merry Christmas Salmon Arm. What a year this has been. I have many people to thank so please have patience with me.

We celebrated Canada’s 150 Birthday in style! So many wonderful activities and events including a very special event at Canoe Beach on July 1st that culminated with an extraordinary fireworks display. This was the first July 1st fireworks in many years and, by the way, we are already planning how we can do it again in 2018. Thank you to everyone who planned and hosted our 150 events and to all who attended.

The city has been busy with new housing starts, road repairs, upgrades and paving, new sidewalks, and so much more. While every improvement makes our city better, this year I have to say the road upgrade and new sidewalk along Lakeshore and the upper Lakeshore Drive really improved safety.

Every year I receive compliments on our beautiful flower baskets, lovely gardens and parks. While we don’t see what happens at the water treatment plant or the sewage treatment plant, I think we all know they do a great job, as do to all those who welcome you at the front counter. Thank you to our city staff members who work so hard for all of us.

Our firefighters have been busy taking care of our community and going out to help other communities threatened by wildfires. Our Emergency Social Services team helped out at the Kamloops evacuation centre and opened one here as well. Thank you to all our emergency services workers including the RCMP, Ambulance crews and all those volunteers like Citizens Patrol, who are there for us – you are very much appreciated!

To the many community volunteers, we all know who you are; you do so much for Salmon Arm and the region that thank you does not seem sufficient to show our appreciation. You’re the best! You are what makes Salmon Arm such a wonderful place to live.

Last but by no means least; I want to thank each of our city councillors, Ken Jamieson, Kevin Flynn, Chad Eliason, Louise Wallace Richmond, Alan Harrison and Tim Lavery for all you do. Being a city councillor is not an easy job and you do it so well.

A community is about its people and Salmon Arm has the very best! There are no “ba humbugs”, Mr. Scrooge, but rather, in the words of Tiny Tim, “only blessings.”

To all of you, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukah or however you express your greetings at this time of the year. I wish you all the best in the New Year 2018.

-Nancy Cooper is the mayor of Salmon Arm.