Dear Santa,
I know you don’t normally take requests from adults, but I thought I’d give it a shot, since I’m not going to be asking for anything personal (although I’d love some new cross-country skis) but focusing on some wishes I have for the community of Salmon Arm.
You might be rolling your eyes, because I’ve been doing this for quite a few years now, but you have come through on some other much-sought-after items on my wish list in the past. So if you put in a good word to get that underpass at 21st Street NE constructed or the left-turn light at 30th Street NE (you know the one near the Tim Hortons) installed, I’m still appreciative.
It also looks like you sent an early gift in the form of another turn light — this one on Highway 1 at Shuswap Street, which hopefully will be activated soon. It will make it much easier to get to my office — oops there I go, being selfish — it will make it much easier for the tourists to enter our downtown when the summer traffic is at its worst.
While we’re on the topic of roads, what about helping out with some sort of fix for the Salmon River Bridge on the Trans-Canada Highway? It’s been a mess for, well, probably as long as your beard has been white. So if you’ve got any pull with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, you could twist a few arms for a fix.
The city has such a vibrant arts scene, it would also be great if you could see fit to grant the wish for a new performing arts centre. It’s a big project to be sure, but it would be nice to have a theatre building which is up to the quality of the performances it hosts.
While you’re at it, Santa, instead of using your elves for all the work, could you send a little work to our business community, especially those hard-working independent merchants in our downtown? The economy hasn’t exactly rebounded that well, and, pardon the pun, but retail sales can be a tough row to ho, ho, ho this season.
Speaking of belt-tightening, Santa, could you make sure this message rings clearly to our new crop of city council members?
Many families are struggling to make ends meet, many seniors are feeling the pinch of an increasing cost of living while on a fixed income, many workers can not even hope for a pay increase to cope with rising costs, but instead have to be thankful they still have employment. Our city leaders will be meeting in January to plan the budget and it would be a gift to us all if property taxes didn’t go up.
Oh, and Santa, please spare a little extra Christmas cheer for all the people in our community who volunteer their time to so many worthwhile causes. Our city would be poor without them.
Merry Christmas.