Well as I write this column I sure hope the weather forecasts are accurate as we are finally getting the warm summer weather we are famous for.
Quite frankly, the month of June had its challenges with all the wet weather but the one positive is I have never seen the area greener and our water consumption has definitely been low.
Even with the poor weather my hat still goes off to those that held their year-end games and tournaments at the end of June.
Thank you to the mother and son team of Alex and Donna Waddington who dealt with infields that were underwater, yet got the fields playable for the popular Summerland Slo-Pitch year-end tournament.
Also Reid Jenkins from the Pinnacles Football club has made great strides with Summerland’s mini soccer program which moved to Dale Meadows in 2012 and have special mini nets ideal for the younger age group. Girls softball pulled off a great Okanagan zone championship for two age groups and people like Cindy Nelson and the Cutt family stepped up to make the play downs a resounding success.
Minor baseball also had another good year under Brenda Chermsnok with a new group that stepped forward to continue minor baseballs long tradition here in Summerland.
As usual, the Summerland Bluegrass Festival was a hit with attendance from all over the province.
I was sitting in a full set of bleachers listening to a great bluegrass group of females from Saskatchewan and it was definitely a June highlight.
With reference to the Rodeo Grounds, don’t forget about the world famous RCMP Musical Ride being held Saturday, July 20 at the SOEC with shows at 2 and 7 p.m. This event is sponsored by the industrious Summerland Rodeo Grounds Equine Development Committee with proceeds going to upgrades at the Summerland Rodeo Grounds.
Before I sign off just a reminder the tennis courts at Peach Orchard Campground have been resurfaced and for those that have taken up the new sport of pickleball, both courts at the campground now have pickleball court lines as well.
Have a great summer!
Dale MacDonald has been Summerland’s Director of Parks and Recreation for the last 22 years and in his sporting past has won provincial championships in four different sports.