UPDATE: Noon
Don乌鸦传媒檛 worry 乌鸦传媒� the Penticton Peach will always be a peach!
The purple paint will be cleaned off this afternoon.
Huge thanks to the Peach乌鸦传媒檚 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 乌鸦传媒榩rotesters乌鸦传媒� for being such great sports and jumping on board.
Happy April Fools everyone!
乌鸦传媒斺赌�-
ORIGINAL: 7 a.m.
With little notice, the City of Penticton took the area乌鸦传媒檚 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 乌鸦传媒楶eaches and beaches but rather wine and dine.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淲e are 乌鸦传媒楶enticton and wine country乌鸦传媒� and to embrace that we feel our iconic fruit should be a grape 乌鸦传媒� not a peach. The wine industry is the largest contributor to Penticton乌鸦传媒檚 tourism,乌鸦传媒� said mayor Andrew Jakubeit.
乌鸦传媒淯p until now, we乌鸦传媒檝e basically been thumbing our nose at them. 2017 is about becoming one 乌鸦传媒� working together 乌鸦传媒� and this is a great start. How better can we show visitors that we乌鸦传媒檙e all about wine than by having a giant grape on our beach?乌鸦传媒�
Believe it or not, it乌鸦传媒檚 an easy task to convert the peach concession, that has in various forms been on the beach since the 60s乌鸦传媒�, 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 peach乌鸦传媒檚 lease owner is fuming mad at the news 乌鸦传媒� she only found it was happening as the first layer of paint was being applied.
乌鸦传媒淚 am frustrated, I乌鸦传媒檓 completely shocked,乌鸦传媒� says owner Diana Stirling. 乌鸦传媒淚 was only just informed the city was painting the peach.
乌鸦传媒淚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.乌鸦传媒�
Despite the angry reaction, the city乌鸦传媒檚 paint job is supported by Travel Penticton.
乌鸦传媒淚 think it is time to change it,乌鸦传媒� says Travel Penticton乌鸦传媒檚 new executive director, Thom Tischik. 乌鸦传媒淚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.
乌鸦传媒淚cons are icons, let乌鸦传媒檚 leave that to the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building. This icon has really been a peach for long enough.乌鸦传媒�
The Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce is on the fence about this drastic move.
乌鸦传媒淲hile we are thankful that our winery members are being recognized for the economic impact they provide, we shouldn乌鸦传媒檛 discount the significant contribution our fruit farmers have brought - and continue to bring - to our local economy,乌鸦传媒� says Neil Wyper, chamber president.
As for Stirling乌鸦传媒檚 strong reaction to the purple paint, the mayor claims hormones may be to blame.
乌鸦传媒淔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,乌鸦传媒� said Jakubeit.
乌鸦传媒淵ou know, you got to get over it. It is going to be really good for the community and it is exciting.乌鸦传媒�
The peach乌鸦传媒檚 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 city乌鸦传媒檚 decision. There will be a petition onsite to sign.
乌鸦传媒淲e are going to try to #SaveThePeach,乌鸦传媒� says Stirling. 乌鸦传媒淲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.
乌鸦传媒淲hile it乌鸦传媒檚 too late to stop the painting, we are hoping to send a strong message to city council 乌鸦传媒� this has to stop.
乌鸦传媒淭his has been a part of our community for 60 years and we don乌鸦传媒檛 want to lose it.乌鸦传媒�
