UPDATE: Noon
Don91裸聊视频檛 worry 91裸聊视频� the Penticton Peach will always be a peach!
The purple paint will be cleaned off this afternoon.
Huge thanks to the Peach91裸聊视频檚 Diana Stirling for making this possible and allowing the Penticton Western News to be a part of the fun.
An additional massive thank you to Mayor Andrew Jakubeit, Thom Tischik, Neil Wyper and the 91裸聊视频榩rotesters91裸聊视频� for being such great sports and jumping on board.
Happy April Fools everyone!
91裸聊视频斺赌�-
ORIGINAL: 7 a.m.
With little notice, the City of Penticton took the area91裸聊视频檚 iconic Peach on Okanagan Lake and made it a Grape.
City crews were on site Friday, taking the day to transform the peach concession into a grape to better represent the current vision of the region.
The city claims that after extensive research and community engagement, Penticton is no longer 91裸聊视频楶eaches and beaches but rather wine and dine.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淲e are 91裸聊视频楶enticton and wine country91裸聊视频� and to embrace that we feel our iconic fruit should be a grape 91裸聊视频� not a peach. The wine industry is the largest contributor to Penticton91裸聊视频檚 tourism,91裸聊视频� said mayor Andrew Jakubeit.
91裸聊视频淯p until now, we91裸聊视频檝e basically been thumbing our nose at them. 2017 is about becoming one 91裸聊视频� working together 91裸聊视频� and this is a great start. How better can we show visitors that we91裸聊视频檙e all about wine than by having a giant grape on our beach?91裸聊视频�
Believe it or not, it91裸聊视频檚 an easy task to convert the peach concession, that has in various forms been on the beach since the 60s91裸聊视频�, into a grape.
City crews began work yesterday, painting a purple base coat on it. Once finished, there will be three shades of purple much like the shading currently on the peach.
The leaves on top will be removed but the stem will remain, although it will be narrowed slightly.
While the City of Penticton is ecstatic about the new colour, the peach91裸聊视频檚 lease owner is fuming mad at the news 91裸聊视频� she only found it was happening as the first layer of paint was being applied.
91裸聊视频淚 am frustrated, I91裸聊视频檓 completely shocked,91裸聊视频� says owner Diana Stirling. 91裸聊视频淚 was only just informed the city was painting the peach.
91裸聊视频淚t is so frustrating because the peach in Penticton has been an icon for us. Everybody loves the peach. I mean, turning it into a grape may make sense on paper, but it is our peach.91裸聊视频�
Despite the angry reaction, the city91裸聊视频檚 paint job is supported by Travel Penticton.
91裸聊视频淚 think it is time to change it,91裸聊视频� says Travel Penticton91裸聊视频檚 new executive director, Thom Tischik. 91裸聊视频淚t has been a peach for so many years and now that Penticton is evolving it is time to change and turning it into a grape is the best way to go, I really do think so.
91裸聊视频淚cons are icons, let91裸聊视频檚 leave that to the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building. This icon has really been a peach for long enough.91裸聊视频�
The Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce is on the fence about this drastic move.
91裸聊视频淲hile we are thankful that our winery members are being recognized for the economic impact they provide, we shouldn91裸聊视频檛 discount the significant contribution our fruit farmers have brought - and continue to bring - to our local economy,91裸聊视频� says Neil Wyper, chamber president.
As for Stirling91裸聊视频檚 strong reaction to the purple paint, the mayor claims hormones may be to blame.
91裸聊视频淔emales are sometimes very emotional and irrational at times and we took that as fact when we engaged in the community, 80 per cent of those engaged were male to offset that emotional factor that females bring to the table,91裸聊视频� said Jakubeit.
91裸聊视频淵ou know, you got to get over it. It is going to be really good for the community and it is exciting.91裸聊视频�
The peach91裸聊视频檚 current owner is now calling on all other angry residents to come by the peach this morning, Saturday, April 1 at 10 a.m. to protest the city91裸聊视频檚 decision. There will be a petition onsite to sign.
91裸聊视频淲e are going to try to #SaveThePeach,91裸聊视频� says Stirling. 91裸聊视频淲e are going to send a strong message to city council that this is not OK. Bring signs, let them know you want the peach to stay and we are going to see what we can do.
91裸聊视频淲hile it91裸聊视频檚 too late to stop the painting, we are hoping to send a strong message to city council 91裸聊视频� this has to stop.
91裸聊视频淭his has been a part of our community for 60 years and we don91裸聊视频檛 want to lose it.91裸聊视频�
