Veendam regrets ending sister-city ties with BC’s Kelowna

Renewed relationship has broader scope

KELOWNA, British Columbia - The former sister-cities Kelowna, in the Okanagan Valley and Veendam in the northern part of the Netherlands, recently pledged to reactivate the ties which go back to 1945 when particularly the Kelowna-based B.C. Dragoons played an important part in the liberation of Veendam. Mayor Ab Meijerman visited Kelowna for its Remembrance Day activities in an effort to soothe disappointed Canadian war veterans who failed to appreciate Veendam’s decision to abandon them for sister-city relationships in the Third World. 

Veendam’s council reconsidered its decision of five years ago and now has substantially broadened its relationship with Kelowna. The renewed ties now include non-council activities on a personal and group level as well as economic ones between business interests on both sides of the Atlantic.

Cultural exchanges, sports exchanges and pen pal efforts via email will be encouraged to give the sister-city relationship more depth. A Kelowna councilor plans to sign sister-city relationship documents while on a visit to the Netherlands.