UPDATE: Noon

Don香蕉视频直播檛 worry 香蕉视频直播� the Penticton Peach will always be a peach!

The purple paint will be cleaned off this afternoon.

Huge thanks to the Peach香蕉视频直播檚 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 香蕉视频直播榩rotesters香蕉视频直播� for being such great sports and jumping on board.

Happy April Fools everyone!

香蕉视频直播斺赌�-

ORIGINAL: 7 a.m.

With little notice, the City of Penticton took the area香蕉视频直播檚 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 香蕉视频直播楶eaches and beaches but rather wine and dine.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲e are 香蕉视频直播楶enticton and wine country香蕉视频直播� and to embrace that we feel our iconic fruit should be a grape 香蕉视频直播� not a peach. The wine industry is the largest contributor to Penticton香蕉视频直播檚 tourism,香蕉视频直播� said mayor Andrew Jakubeit.

香蕉视频直播淯p until now, we香蕉视频直播檝e basically been thumbing our nose at them. 2017 is about becoming one 香蕉视频直播� working together 香蕉视频直播� and this is a great start. How better can we show visitors that we香蕉视频直播檙e all about wine than by having a giant grape on our beach?香蕉视频直播�

Believe it or not, it香蕉视频直播檚 an easy task to convert the peach concession, that has in various forms been on the beach since the 60s香蕉视频直播�, 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香蕉视频直播檚 lease owner is fuming mad at the news 香蕉视频直播� she only found it was happening as the first layer of paint was being applied.

香蕉视频直播淚 am frustrated, I香蕉视频直播檓 completely shocked,香蕉视频直播� says owner Diana Stirling. 香蕉视频直播淚 was only just informed the city was painting the peach.

香蕉视频直播淚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.香蕉视频直播�

Despite the angry reaction, the city香蕉视频直播檚 paint job is supported by Travel Penticton.

香蕉视频直播淚 think it is time to change it,香蕉视频直播� says Travel Penticton香蕉视频直播檚 new executive director, Thom Tischik. 香蕉视频直播淚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.

香蕉视频直播淚cons are icons, let香蕉视频直播檚 leave that to the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building. This icon has really been a peach for long enough.香蕉视频直播�

The Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce is on the fence about this drastic move.

香蕉视频直播淲hile we are thankful that our winery members are being recognized for the economic impact they provide, we shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 discount the significant contribution our fruit farmers have brought - and continue to bring - to our local economy,香蕉视频直播� says Neil Wyper, chamber president.

As for Stirling香蕉视频直播檚 strong reaction to the purple paint, the mayor claims hormones may be to blame.

香蕉视频直播淔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,香蕉视频直播� said Jakubeit.

香蕉视频直播淵ou know, you got to get over it. It is going to be really good for the community and it is exciting.香蕉视频直播�

The peach香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 decision. There will be a petition onsite to sign.

香蕉视频直播淲e are going to try to #SaveThePeach,香蕉视频直播� says Stirling. 香蕉视频直播淲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.

香蕉视频直播淲hile it香蕉视频直播檚 too late to stop the painting, we are hoping to send a strong message to city council 香蕉视频直播� this has to stop.

香蕉视频直播淭his has been a part of our community for 60 years and we don香蕉视频直播檛 want to lose it.香蕉视频直播�