The Nelson Daily readers have spoken — Shambhala Music Festival good for the region

It was a tragic way to end to the 2012 Shambhala Music Festival.

The annual festival saw a 23-year-old man from Sidney, B.C., on Vancouver Island succumb to a drug overdose the Sunday morning of the festival.

To some people the fatality is reason enough for the movers and shakers of the festival to consider closing down the event.

The festival, while it brings an influx of tourist dollars into the region, also comes with a price — increase in police costs to patrol the highways near Salmo and streets in Nelson.

The Nelson Daily recently polled readers to see what they thought should happen.

Of the respondents, 29 percent were in favour of seeing the event closed down, period.

Eleven percent was in favour of closing the Shambhala Music Festival down due to the extra policing costs placed on taxpayers.

However, 26 percent felt the festival should continue, feeling Shambhala Music Festival is a great and happy experience for the patrons.

And 34 percent of readers totally disagreed with ending the festival, believing Shambhala is a worldwide event that brings tourism dollars to the West Kootenay region.

That's 60 percent of readers that are in favour of the Shambhala Music Festival.

The next question focuses on the National Hockey League owners locking out the players after the two sides failed to bargain a new collective agreement. It's the fourth work stoppage in 20 years.

Check out the new poll question on the left hand side of The Nelson Daily front page.

Want to voice your opinion?

Then be sure to vote.