SOOKE
NEWS MIRROR
2010 WINNER
ECO FASHION
Editorial
Local designer Jen Bell showed her fashions at EcoFashion Week.
SOOKE RIVER 10K Page 8
Entertainment
Page 13
Sports/stats
Page 26
Scores of runners came out for the final Island Race Series. Page 27
Page 18
Agreement #40110541
Wednesday, APRIL 18, 2012
Your community, your classifieds P23 • 75¢
Spring at the Potholes
$12.6-million towards Hwy. 14 roadwork Pirjo Raits
Sooke News Mirror
The nasty part of Highway 14 will soon be just a memory and Port Renfrew will rock, so say Rose Betsworth and Mike Hicks. On Thursday, April 5 it was announced that work would begin on a two-span bridge on Highway 14 at Sombrio along with 1.2 km of approach road work, as well as another 5.4 km of surface deformation repairs.
Mike Hicks
— Director
‘It’s wonderful. It’s as simple as that.’
--Mike Hicks JdF Regional Director
Pirjo Raits photo
The falls at the Sooke Potholes are a mossy wonderland. The cost of the project is $12.6-million and the contract was awarded to Windley Contracting Ltd. out of Nanaimo. “The nasty part of Highway 14, including the switch back will soon be a memory and Port Renfrew will be the one to benefit,” says Rose Betsworth, president of the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce. Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Regional Director Mike Hicks says, “it’s wonderful. It’s as simple as that.’ He said they have done some pretty nice improvements along the road,
including two electronic signs at the switchbacks. The “terrible curves” have been the scene of many motorcycle accidents, said Hicks, and this construction will also allow people to haul their boats to Port Renfrew much easier. “After this work is completed, the highway between Sooke and Port Renfrew will rival the highway to Whistler for natural beauty and a first class recreational destination at the end. Port Renfrew will absolutely rock!” Hicks said. The work will begin in May 2012 and the entire project finish in May 2014.
RCMP pay raise will affect budget Pirjo Raits
Sooke News Mirror
A surprise increase in the rate of pay for RCMP announced by the federal government has Sooke Mayor Wendal Milne wondering where the money will come from. He said he doesn’t know yet how much of an increase the district would be looking at but the figure nationally is $195-million. The RCMP will be looking at ways to save money internally, said Milne, but they
haven’t communicated anything to municipalities. There are two sides to the upcoming increase, one is pay raises for RCMP members and the other is increased lease costs to detachment buildings owned by the federal government. “It looks like a significant increase,” said Milne. “We are trying to assess what it will be.” He said he thinks it will be about 1 per cent. What is difficult, said Milne, is that they were blindsided by the announce-
ment and were not able to consider it in this year’s budget. “Something else will have to go,” said Milne. “We may have to eat into our surplus cash to make up for it next year.” He mentioned the $120,000 council contingency fund as a source to cover the added cost this year. If the increase is limited to 1 per cent Milne said he is not worried, but if the increase is $60,000 to $70,000 next year for lease costs that’s another story.
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“There are no options unfortunately, it’s frustrating, we’re into it for 20 years.” It’s the long-term implications that have the most significance and Milne said he wondered if they could operate on a zero per cent tax increase for the next five years. “It sends the message to the community and staff that we’re serious,” said Milne in regard to his commitment to cut costs and stick to budgets.