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April 4, 2012 Vol. 56 Issue 14
Avalanche at Panorama
C'mon, get sassy — Burlesque returns
Page A5
Page A2
1
$ 15 INCLUDING HST
PUBLICATIONS MAIL REGISTRATION NO. 7856
Land dispute could halt airport traffic
Tire's in Town
Stevens family plans to shut down northern portion of Invermere runway come April 12 ANDREA KLASSEN editor@invermerevalleyecho.com
An ongoing land dispute could shut down the Invermere Airport starting April 12. Earlier this week Louie Stevens and his sister Mildred Stevens sent notices to the airport, RCMP and the Shuswap Indian Band that the northern portion of the runway — which the Stevens say is on their land — will no longer be available for use by aircraft.
“We're stuck in between.” MURRAY BABIN BABIN AIR
"Effective April 12 all incoming and outgoing air traffic will be denied use and occupation of the north part of the Invermere Airport Runway," the notice reads. "Trespassers on the lands will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." The closure is part of an ongoing land dispute between the Stevens siblings and the Shuswap Indian Band. The Stevens allege the northern portion of the runway is on their land and that they have never received compensation for its presence. According to the Stevens' lawyer
Malcolm MacPherson, the family has been in talks with the Shuswap band and had nearly come to an agreement that would see the family offered a five year holiday from Development Cost Charges, access to the band's sewer system and other accommodations. The alternative, he says, would be for the band to give the siblings "millions" in back pay for the last several decades of airport operations. But when talks broke down about a month ago, the Stevens decided to take more dramatic action. "We're both frustrated," says Louie Stevens. "We'd like to shake them up so they'll come back to the table again, try to be reasonable and try to settle. It's been ongoing for too long." The Stevens say the airport runway will remain unobstructed, but anyone using its northern end will be prosecuted for trespassing. "For the safety of the pilots we're not going to dig it up or block it with vehicles or whatever," Louie said. "Hopefully the notices will be sufficient for them to do the safe thing on their part and to shake up the band." Murray Babin of Babin Air says STORY CONTINUES TO 'SHUT DOWN' ON PAGE A5
Members of the community gathered outside the new Canadian Tire store at the crossroads with dealer Craig Knapp (middle), eagerly awaiting its “soft opening” March 29. TRAVIS WHITE/ECHO PHOTO
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