Letter to the Editor

When I first came to Kimberley, long before I decided to move here, Cominco Gardens was one of the first things I was introduced to by the friend who brought me here.

I vaguely remember other things – the little hostel where we stayed that has long since disappeared, the Platzl and a visit to the bakery, dinner at the Baurenhaus, but Cominco Gardens was the thing I remember best.

My friend told me that it was the place to come for grad photos. It’s the place for wedding photos, baby photos, toddler photos, and the place to come to relax. I’ve seen young families, old couples, and those just falling in love. It was the place that made me fall in love with Kimberley.

In every city and town, there are indispensable places. Places everyone can enjoy without worrying about it breaking the bank. Where you can go, without money being an issue, and enjoy what the city has to offer. In my mind, there are two such places in Kimberley – The Platzl and Cominco Gardens. The Platzl has the businesses to fight for it, but who will fight for Cominco Gardens? I say everyone who enjoys it. Let city hall know that it is important to us.

City hall has stated in a recent newspaper article that “there are no sacred cows,” and getting rid of Cominco Gardens is one of the things that are being considered. They are looking at what they would gain for their budget. But I would ask them to look at what they are losing – or what the city would be losing.

Imagine, if you will, that you had hit that age where you required assisted living. The last thing you really want to do is move out of your house, but the necessity is there. You finally find a place, and it looks out on a beautiful garden. Because family never visits every day, it is the solace, knowing that you can always look out at it. Now imagine that is taken away as well.

Imagine having a young family, looking for somewhere to enjoy time together, other than the typical playground. And you find Cominco Gardens, and you go there together, and it is associated with just getting out and spending time together. But city hall doesn’t value it.

Imagine you were a shy teenager, with a new significant other, looking for somewhere to enjoy warm summer evenings, and sitting on the old ski bench talking late into the evening.

Imagine you were a child, exploring everything for the first time – all the colours of the flowers, quietly clinging to your adult as you watch in wonder as a mother deer and her faun walk past, feeling the damp blades of grass on your hands in the early morning sun, touching the cold stone of the wishing well.

And imagine that there are no more Kimberley’s generations that get to enjoy any of these. It needs to be here, and it needs to stay free. Perhaps there are “no sacred cows” to city hall, but perhaps there ought to be. It is these little retreats in each city that make each one special, and each one its own “good place to be.” Taking these away make a city a little less good.

Cominco Gardens consistently ranks in the top 10 things to see and do in Kimberley. Taking it away would take away one of the things that makes Kimberley better than the “good” which our city hall uses to market Kimberley. If they keep saying that we are such an outdoor place, we need to keep the one place that everyone can enjoy, regardless of their age, mobility, or state in life.

Dan Matheson, and the employees working at Cominco Gardens, have poured their hearts and souls into making Cominco Gardens a vibrant oasis for this town, and we need to stand behind them and make our voices heard that this is not the place to be cutting money from the budget.

I would encourage anyone who agrees with this to write a letter to your city hall, for those from Kimberley, lets tell city hall why Cominco Gardens is important. For those outside Kimberley, either asking your city hall to ensure their own “Cominco Gardens” are kept, or thank your city halls for preserving the little sanctuaries in your own city, and make sure to enjoy them.

Michelle Forbes,

Kimberley

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