100 Mile House
Local officer certified as drug recognition expert
Local residents take part in annual Sun Run
Students gearing up for Grease musical
PSO Fashion Show
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MAY 2, 2012
• 48 Pages • Two Sections
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‘Dog-friendly’ council likes dog park proposal
Mandy Mclelland photo
A dog-walking group, 100 Mile Dog Pals, gets together every Sunday to spend time with their four-legged friends. They posed at the South Cariboo Visitor Centre on April 29, and all support the development of a dog park in the area, which Shaleena Jones proposed to council on April 24. Ken Alexander Free Press
When Shaleena Jones showed up at the District of 100 Mile House committee of the whole meeting on April 24, she came armed with a dream, a plan, cost estimates and six supporters. Jones belongs to a local dog owners group, 100 Mile Dog Pals, and the members get together
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every Sunday and take their dogs on walks through the community. They often let their dogs off their leashes to run in the area behind the Outriders riding arena or in the fenced-in section at the South Cariboo Visitor Centre. Noting the group num-
bers around two dozen on any given Sunday, Jones told council they would like to have a dog park. They are looking for a safe, closed environment where their dogs can run free and have fun with the other dogs. Not only would a dog park be a benefit 100
Mile House dog owners, she added it would also attract tourists if they knew there was a safe place to allow their dogs out of the vehicle for a good run. Jones identified Centennial Park, just beyond the tennis courts and towards the creek as
the ideal place for the dog park. She noted there is water available at the park, and there’s a picnic table in the area. The grass is already being mowed and the district would only have to add a couple of garbage cans for disposal of dog waste
After handing out a conceptual drawing of the group’s vision for the park, Jones told the councillors the main cost would be the fencing and she offered two options. In each case, she noted the fence would have to be six feet tall to keep the dogs enclosed. Using a 1,000-foot perimeter, Jones said she got a $20,000 quote for chainlink fencing, while the post-and-wire cost would be around $2,100. It would have to be a double-gated area, so dogs can’t escape when someone is trying to bring his or her dog into the compound. “Of course, people are going to have to be responsible for their own dogs, and there should be appropriate signs posted.” Coun. Ralph Fossum said he was sold on the idea, but not necessarily on having it in Centennial Park. Noting there may be some site ramifications, he suggested it might be something that should be referred to staff. “I can also appreciate there may be some opposition to using that portion of Centennial See DOG… page A4
School board discusses extracurricular impacts Carole Rooney Free Press
How schools will manage graduation ceremonies, sports and the many other extracurricular activities without teachers’ volunteer participation was discussed at the School District 27 board meeting in 100 Mile House on April 24. Superintendent Diane Wright gave an overview of her understanding of the related impacts
on these activities during the escalated job action. “In my conversations with Joan Erb, the teachers’ action plan right now is they will participate in extracurricular activities where there exists a financial obligation already in place.” What will not happen, she explained, are extracurricular activities outside of instructional hours without that financial investment in place. Vice-chair Pattie Baker asked
for clarification about the affect on any teacher involvement in 2012 graduation ceremonies. Wright explained teachers will not participate in ceremonies outside of instructional hours. “The after-grads are [normally] pretty much run by parents, with some supports certainly from teachers. Wright noted she has been in negotiations with the principals at all SD27 schools with graduating students to determine what
can be expected. “We will have a graduation ceremony. It will be somewhat modified from previous years in order to accommodate it. “I am pleased to let you know the district staff has all stepped forward. I have principals from schools stepping forward to volunteer their Friday or Saturday evenings [and] we have parents and some of our support staff See BOARD… page A3