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the fine print TO DO: Richmond Orchestra presents “Rising Stars x 2” on Saturday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. at Gilmore Park United Church, featuring Mozart’s Concerto No. 10 for two pianos performed by special guests Arthur and Angeni Wang. Tickets, $18 adults, $15 seniors/ students, $6 children (six12), in advance by at 604276-2747.
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the weather Friday high..................7 low ...................4 Cloudy, showers Saturday high..................6 low ...................4 Cloudy, showers Sunday high..................5 low ...................3 Cloudy, showers
on this day January 25 1759 — Robert Burns, Scotland’s famous poet, is born in a small cottage in Alloway, Ayrshire.
quote of the week
“I saw people in need that needed support.” — Scott Stewart
R I C H M O N D
The Richmond News January 25. 2013 A3
N E W S
Upfront
Editorial enquiries? Please contact The Richmond News 5731 No. 3 Road V6X 2C9 Phone: 604-270-8031 Fax: 604-270-2248 E-mail: editor@richmond-news.com
Blockade over, but farmers on guard Protestors hoping to catch the attention of Premier Clark
BY PHILLIP RAPHAEL Special to the News
Now their blockade of a Finn Road parcel of farmland is over, members of FarmWatch intend to keep a close eye on the dumping of potentially environmentally harmful fill materials on farm sites across Richmond, and hopefully get the premier’s attention to have the practice stopped. “We are going to the provincial government to get these rules changed,” said former longtime farmer Ray Galawan, adding FarmWatch — a name the protestors recently adopted — is considering another caravan of farm vehicles, this time stopping on the doorstep of Premier Christy Clark’s constituency office in Point Grey sometime next week. Last Thursday (Jan. 17) FarmWatch supporters took their caravan protest to Richmond City Hall to display some large fill items they had recovered from the Finn Road farm where the property owners said the materials were being used to construct a road bed through a future tree farm on the 35-acre site. “I am hoping I can meet her (Clark) face to face and talk to her. And if not, the agriculture minister. And better yet, the both of them,” Galawan said. FarmWatch contends concrete and asphalt are toxic and can leach harmful chemicals into the soil. To protest their dumping, FarmWatch members set up a blockade last Monday. While they managed to get the work halted, see Farmer page 4
CHUNG CHOW/RICHMOND NEWS
An Agricultural Land Commission work stoppage notice is placed at the Finn Road parcel of land. But members of a group called FarmWatch say this is only a partial victory because the fill materials they consider toxic to the soil are being allowed to stay.
City staff recommends keeping controversial Steveston scramble BY JESSICA BARRETT Vancouver Sun
Richmond city staff delivered a report on Wednesday to the public works and transportation committee recommending the city’s pilot pedestrian scramble intersection in Steveston become permanent. This comes as the City of Vancouver put off plans to install a scramble downtown after learning
the multidirectional crossings are dangerous and confusing for the visually impaired, who rely on traffic sounds for signals. But city staff made adjustments for visually impaired people, said spokesperson Ted Townsend. “We consulted Rob (Sleath, chairperson of the Richmond-based Access for Sight Impaired Consumers) and the community.” But Sleath called the result “less
than satisfying.” “When you take away all those vehicular traffic sounds and all we have to follow is the sounds of other pedestrians who are crossing ... it makes it very challenging,” he said. The intersection has auditory signals for standard north-south and east-west pedestrian crossing, but the activation buttons are easily confused with a third button that triggers the scramble phase, Sleath said.
Townsend said he discussed the matter with the transport engineers and they will follow up with Sleath to further improve the scramble. Staff may also make it easier on motorists by allowing them to turn right on a red light. Although that restriction will probably stay in place during the scramble phase. Scrambles in busy intersections are meant to encourage foot traffic. — file by Yvonne Robertson
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