THURSDAY
S I N C E
1 8 9 5
Green wave in Rossland
APRIL 12, 2012 Vol. 117, Issue 71
110
$
Page 2
INCLUDING H.S.T.
PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF
ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALM SALMO
SHINE ON
Grass fires could be common occurrence if dry spring conditions persist, say regional fire officials
Skate park fails to land grant
BY TIMOTHY SCHAFER
BY VALERIE ROSSI
Hot times in the city Times Staff
Times Staff
A lack of April showers has brought grass fires instead of flowers as sparks are flying in some of the drier areas of Greater Trail. On Sunday afternoon a train running between Annable and Teck Trail Operations set off a series of six grass fires, a combination of the dry spring conditions and sparks flying off the metal-onmetal wheels of the train. Although there is some concern from fire officials on the possibility it could occur again as the tinder dry vegetation alongside the area’s rail lines has not yet greened up, there isn’t much that can be done to prepare in advance, said Kootenay Boundary Fire Rescue regional fire chief Terry Martin. “Fires from trains are not an uncommon thing from the brake systems; it does happen,” he said. “But that was pretty extreme that we would have that many (fires) in such a small area at the same time.” The department went out and examined the scene Tuesday morning and found no evidence of wrongdoing, or obvious cause of the fire, however, they continue to speculate the train’s wheels caused the fires. “And when things green up, right away your chance of fire lessens,” said deputy regional fire chief Dan Derby. Martin admitted there is some concern for later in the year when the heat and dry conditions of late August descend on the area. He said they haven’t had a synopsis of the weather from the Provincial Emergency Program for later in the year. “Mother Nature controls all of that,” he said. “We just have to be ready.”
Trail was denied grant funding that would have helped push the city’s long-awaited urban allwheel park into motion, it was announced Tuesday night. The Community Recreation Program could have covered up to 80 per cent of the anticipated $450,000 project that is planned for at a site across from the Piazza Colombo in the Gulch. The city has sent a letter to the province to find out how its application fell short. “We are very disappointed that we did not receive funding for the skate park,” Trail Mayor Dieter Bogs said in council chambers. Trail did not include the park in its budget this year but if it did get the recreational grant, it would have looked at construction next year. At this time Bogs said the skateboard committee has to digest the news before deciding what is next. “We thought it was the best presentation we had ever submitted,” he said. “Certainly we had a number of youth organizations in our community provide us with support letters and information.” Morgan-River Jones, coordinator for Columbia Youth Community Development Centre, said Greater Trail youth are not going to be discouraged and will move forward by seeking support from Columbia Basin Trust’s Community Initiative Program. Program funds are allocated on a per capita funding formula and are distributed once a year to CBT’s local government partners. Jones said she will be making presentations to Greater Trail councils in the coming weeks in hopes of securing some of the Basin funding.
Vigilance urged for outdoor burning BY TIMOTHY SCHAFER Times Staff
With the snow receding thoughts turn to … burning. Yard waste, that is. But with nearly every municipality having its own burning bylaws, burning of collected yard waste is not allowed throughout the Greater Trail region from Rossland all of the way through to Fruitvale.
See CALL, Page 3
TIMOTHY SCHAFER PHOTO
A warm and sunny day tempted Glen Matteucci out for the maiden voyage of his brand new (to him) 2000 Harley Davidson Electraglide. Matteucci stopped for a brief spell to examine his new ride — which he just purchased on Monday — and to polish the chrome gas cap of the 96-cubic-inch motorcycle.
A WORLD OF COOPERATION Monday, April 16, 2012 7:30 p.m. Cominco Gym, Trail
IN CELEBRATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF CO-OPERATIVES, KOOTENAY SAVINGS INVITES YOU TO OUR 43RD ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. PLEASE JOIN US IN BUILDING A BETTER WORLD. kscu.com
Contact the Times: Phone: 250-368-8551 Fax: 250-368-8550 Newsroom: 250-364-1242