Today I thought I would focus on the Oliver Daily News and my impressions of it. First off it’s new technology true, but it takes me back more than fifty years.  It is a real reflection of small town BC and that is a good thing as small towns are really the communities that anchor the province in a social network.

ODN to me is a reflection of local small town radio without audio.  I remember participating as a broadcaster when the focus was local.  There were characters both in media and in the general community population, we agreed, disagreed, and passionately expressed our opinions.  The best part about it all was even when things got personal and heated it passed without personal grudges and slights.

When I look through the daily features of this publication I see local businesses competing yet supporting each other and doing their part to keep local the focus of the community.  It also strikes me many of the issues important to residents are the same as the ones I talked about and reported on years ago when I was a broadcaster.

For those who don’t know, you have a very special community with an atmosphere you never want to lose.  There are a lot of young people who can’t wait to see the world and leave Oliver and the south end of the valley in the rear view mirror.     That’s OK  too, but in the meantime do yourself a major favor.  Be sure to make the most of the time you are growing up in this area.

The reason I say that comes from personal experience.  I could not wait to get out of my small town, even out of province.  Later I was fortunate to be able to return home, and the true meaning of home took center stage. Even though it was home, it wasn’t quite the same.  Many of the people I knew were no  longer there.  The general store was gone the gas station was gone and the Kalwood Inn cafe was gone.  Even so Oyama was still there.  Winfield just down the road saw the landmarks erased for a four lane highway.  

Right now young and old alike can share the experience of living in a small town that has familiar local hangouts. A town where everyone knows everyone, a town that has its characters and a daily online magazine that keeps the threads of community connected.  Many of the younger readers may have never heard of Canadian singer *Joni Mitchell but one of her songs had a lyric line that went something like this.

You don’t know what you got till it’s gone.  They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.  Words from the song Big Yellow Taxi.

And thanks Jack for stitching the community together with the on line daily and for keeping it local.  I enjoy the read everyday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fred Steele

Editor’s Note:

And thank god for the columnists!!

*corrected copy