Feels city looks run-down

I was driving a friend from out of town around (Kelowna) and she finally asked, “Why does Kelowna look like a run-down impoverished community?”

I asked her what she meant and she pointed out a boulevard and all the dead weeds that had obviously been there for many months. She also mentioned the garbage she spotted along the roadside but didn’t want to bring it up when she saw it earlier.

But that horrible weed-covered boulevard was finally enough, so she brought it to my attention.

I was shocked and realized we have become so complacent and we don’t actually see the garbage and weeds in our own city, but visitors sure notice. I was both mad and embarrassed that our lovely city has become so run down.

I was curious, so I then went to a few pictures that I took while on a bike ride last week and low and behold, more grass and garbage.

• Why is this happening to our once beautiful city?

• Why do we always have excuses for this type of thing instead of taking action to resolve it?

• Why do we let the first thing visitors see is our laziness?

• Is this the type of city our leaders are proud of?

• What is going to be the legacy our leaders will be remembered for?

My friend then said it’s not the things that you do that draw attention, it’s the things that you don’t do.

Bill Ferguson