I N S I D E : Daylight Savings begins on March 11 - Turn your clocks ahead!
Journal ASHCROFT W CACHE CREEK
Volume 119 No 10 PM # 400121123
The
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Serving Clinton, Spences Bridge, Lytton, Savona, Walhachin and surrounding areas Since 1895
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Tim Hortons comes to Ashcroft
“The Light That Failed” John Farmer and Marie Russell Martin take part in a skit written by Farmer about the coming of electricity to Ashcroft at the turn of the century. The skit was part of an afternoon of BC Heritage Week celebration at the Ashcroft Community Hall. About 60 people attended.
Gold Trail braces for job action by the teachers Teachers across British Columbia have escalated their strike this week by walking out of the classrooms. They are scheduled for three days, but Gold Trail Teachers’ Association (GTTA) president Cam Rittinger says it might be less. Education Minister George Abbott expressed his disappointment in the union’s decision to strike, even through he introduced Bill 22 to the Legislature on Feb. 29 which is intended to force teachers to end thei job action. The Bill is expected to take two weeks to be passed. “A strike of this nature will significantly disrupt stu-
dent learning and creates tremendous concern for parents and families,” he said. “I think the impact will be minimal,” said Rittinger. Teachers were on strike for two weeks in 2005. Rittinger said the impact that strike had on the students’ education was studied in a report just released last Fall which said there was very little impact. Ninety-one per cent of Gold Trail teachers voted yes in a strike vote last June, and 87 per cent of them voted last week to escalate their job action. Teachers will have information lines at all of the schools in the District, plus
the District office in Ashcroft. “It’s about getting the information out,” said Rittinger. “Parents are encouraged to find child-care arrangements for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday,” said Abbott. “However, for parents unable to secure alternate arrangements, all public schools will be open and students will be cared for and supervised.” A notice from Gold Trail Superintendent Teresa Downs last week stated: “While school facilities will remain open under the supervision of school district staff, we will be un-
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able to provide students with instruction or appropriate supervision during the strike. “We are therefore requesting that parents keep their children at home on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (March 5, 6, and 7). There will be no bus service on these days. “It is the sincere hope of the Board of Education that this dispute will be concluded quickly and that normal school operations will resume as quickly as possible. Further information will be provided through local and provincial media and the district website www.sd74. bc.ca .”
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CLINTON BUILDING CENTRE
By the end of the year, and much sooner than that if they can help it, the Ashcroft Indian Band will have a Tim Horton’s, an Esso gas station and be part of Ashcroft’s municipal water system. It’s taken years of planning, but the wait is almost over. Blain said they started investigating the possibility of a gas station and Tim Hortons about four years ago for the corner of Hwy 1 and Cornwall Rd., next to the Motorplex. He said there have been a lot of hoops to jump through, especially with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC), but they’ve jumped through them all now. Last week, they were finalizing the building design and location. The 4,000 square foot Esso gas station will feature eight pumps plus a cardlock, and an On the Run convenience store with a Tim Hortons and lots of parking for cars and trucks. “It’s going to be big,” said Blain. “This is going to be almost a flagship for Esso.” He said they hope to break ground by the end of March and be in business by June. Building a Tim Horton’s requires replacing the current well water system with municipal water. Ashcroft Council agreed at its Feb. 27 meeting to send a letter of support to AANDC, saying the Village supported the Band’s project. “It’s going to be good for the community,” said Ashcroft’s administrator, Michelle Allen. “We don’t anticipate there will be any impact on the Village water users,” she said, “and we wanted to make sure of that up front.” She said water rates for the Band haven’t been discussed yet, but they will be. In the agreement signed between the Village and the Band there is a mechanism for the Village to establish a rate for water usage. She said the Village has very little to do with any part of the project, which is basically between AANDC, the Band and civil engineers Urban Systems. The Village is just the water supplier, she said. The entire project is costing roughtly $3.5 million, said Blain. They are keeping the profit estimates conservative, but “if we make a profit on the first year, we’ll be happy.” Besides the addition of a convenience store and gas station for local residents, Blain said the employment opportunities will be good for the area as well.
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