Category: Uncategorized

 

June 9, 2018

Dear Readers

The Rutland Residents Association continues to lobby School District 23 to take the necessary steps to facilitate the construction of a new Rutland Middle School.  The RMS rebuild has been talked about for well over 20 years. Study after study shows that there exists a chronic need for this to happen yet to this day the only thing that the Board has produced is continued lip service and absolutely no action.   The building is close to 70 years old and it is looking every bit of its age.  Over the past years it has been placed on a priority list for a rebuild, however, it continues to be passed over and put on the proverbial back burner.

 

There seemed to be a glimmer of hope this past year, yet, once again sufficient funding could not be found. So our School Board looked at other alternatives, which included moving RMS to the existing Quigley Elementary site.   This plan involved uprooting present Quigley students and placing them in various other elementary schools in the area.  This is one of only a handful of areas in our district that such an educationally disruptive plan to young students would ever have been entertained.  Yet other parts of SD 23 have had enormous rebuilds, new schools and even a new middle school is presently on the schedule. I realize that there are several mitigating factors that place one areas needs over another.  However, I find it hard to believe that RMS has yet to meet the threshold that would make a new Rutland Middle School a reality. In the meantime, RMS continues to exist in sub-par conditions, including no washroom facilities on the second floor.

 

Our School Board needs to be consistent and even-handed when funding for builds and upgrades are being allocated. Every student in this district needs to have learning environments that are equal in terms of modernity and functionality. I sincerely hope that I am wrong, but the discrepancies that currently exist appear to be correlated to one’s postal code and thus totally unacceptable and contrary to the basic philosophy of public education. The Rutland Residents Association strongly urge the members of the School Board to address these inequities and commit adequate funding to bring the long overdue rebuild of RMS into fruition.

 

Sincerely

Peter Pagliocchini

President of the Rutland Residents Association

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 RUTLAND RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

Peter Pagliocchini                                               May 17, 2018

President

 

 

Dear Rutland Residents (A call to join our Rutland Resident’s Association)

My name is Peter Pagliocchini and I am the President of the Rutland Residents Association.

The 59^th annual Rutland May Days are this weekend and I hope that many of you will be partaking of the fun and family oriented festivities.

The Rutland May Days in its current format began in May of 1959.  It continues to this day richer and more vital than ever.  The tried and true format of pancake breakfasts put on by the Knights of Columbus, a multi float parade, midway, merchants and artisans selling their wares, beer gardens and   live entertainment continues to be the main formula for its success.

The growth of the Rutland May Days is closely paralleled with the strong urban growth and development in our very own Rutland community. However, as we know, growth is not always benevolent, there are times that its impact on sectors of our community are not deemed beneficial and can cause angst and controversy.

The Rutland Residents Association was chartered in 1994 and one of its prime objective was to provide information to Rutland residents regarding development projects and infrastructure constructs that were being proposed by City Council. Some of which proved to be of great concern to affected sectors of our community.   Members of our executive have brought these concerns directly to city planners and to the attention of various mayors and council members over the past 24 years.  This main objective continues to this day.

Presently, we are strongly lobbying the City of Kelowna to expedite the completion date for the Rutland Centennial Park. As an association we feel that a revitalised Centennial Park will be a centre piece for our community and a recreational and social gathering point. We feel that continuing to postpone final phase completion date is totally unacceptable.

It should be noted that there are over 110 projects slated for this year in our Rutland community. Many projects have already been ratified by Council, but a portion remain open for public debate and general scrutiny by residents in the vicinity of these proposed project areas.  Our association has and will continue to provide both a voice and fact gathering forum for our residents. Once gathered, this info will be brought directly to the Mayor and Council.

Historically, the RRA has been the driving force for the Lions Park located in our centre core.  Our association, working in concert with Kelowna City Council along with business donor groups brought the Park into fruition.

In 2014, the RRA hosted an ‘All Candidates Forum’ just prior to the November municipal election. The forum was extremely well attended by those running for School Board as well as Council and Mayoral candidates.  On October 2, 2018, we will once again host an ‘All Candidates Forum’ and give residents a chance to meet and question those running in the upcoming election.

 

I am extending an invitation to attend our meetings on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm at the Rutland Centennial Hall.  We welcome your input and strongly urge you to become a member of our Association and give effective voice to present and future projects in our community.

For further questions, please email me at info@rutandresidentsassociation.ca

Sincerely

Pagliocchini (President of the Rutland Residents Association)