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‘Kootenay Time’ is no myth

"Kootenay Time was not a myth, it was and is the reality."
Letter to the Editor generic image.indd
Letter to the editor

After arriving in the Kootenays some 25 years ago, I thought “Kootenay Time” was just a myth, just as the Slocan Valley, “the Drug Mecca of B.C.” was a myth 25 years before that. Of the latter, I don’t know what the truth was, but of the former, I know I was wrong. Kootenay Time was not a myth, it was and is the reality.

What is “Kootenay Time”? Roughly speaking, it’s about four times normal time. I worked out that factor after having dealt with various businesses during my time here. Now, I thought you should know the consequences of your inaction.

But first, the stats:

An auto body shop promised to repaint my truck in one and one half weeks. It took six weeks.

A lawyer lost my Intake file, and after three weeks, I still hadn’t gotten an appointment.

A post office promised to deliver the mail within five business days. My mail, which was only going as far as Balfour, one and a half hours away, as the crow flies, actually took over three weeks. And yes, I made sure I put the letter in the ‘Local’ mailbox.

A hotel promised to send me a document that should have taken only a couple of days, but after three weeks had not arrived. Those are just some of the more blatant examples I’ve collected over the years.

And now, the consequences:

Customers are going to continue to go to other places to get their products and services. Places like Kelowna, Spokane, and even Vancouver. Worse, they are going to go to the internet where selection is far greater, and delivery is guaranteed and based on a more realistic notion of what time is. They probably never even heard “Kootenay Time” and it’s just as well.

Douglas King,

Warfield