VICTORIANEWS VICTORIA Movie madness
Diamond Devils
Greater Victoria Film Commission uses creativity to sell city to filmmakers. News, Page A3
A Victoria girls fastpitch team gears up for a final run at a B.C. title. Sports, Page A19
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
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Steel Pacific staff grieves colleague after tragedy strikes ABC CORPORATION
Workers given time to absorb co-worker’s death Erin McCracken News staff
Graphic illustration, Sharon Tiffin/News staff
Could this be the future for the city-owned Victoria Conference Centre? The public will have a chance to weigh in soon on the discussion on whether to allow corporate naming rights to boost city revenues.
What’s in a name? city asks Council to gauge residents’ opinions on selling naming rights to major public assets Roszan Holmen News staff
If the naming rights to Victoria’s sports arena net taxpayers $125,000 per year, would it be a good idea to seek a similar deal for the conference centre? It’s a question Victoria residents will soon get a formal opportunity
to weigh in on. Coun. Marianne Alto has been leading the charge on the issue of naming rights, but it hasn’t been easy. “It’s going to be a very tough road to hoe,” she said. While she admits it’s not a popular idea, Alto said “we have an obligation to consider all ideas.” In a draft policy she crafted, she names the conference centre, Crystal Pool and the new Johnson Street Bridge as possible public facilities that lend themselves to sponsored naming. In a tough economic time, these sponsorships “are possible ongoing revenue sources that can comple-
ment tax revenue,” wrote Alto. At a governance-and-priorities committee meeting last week, staff recommended hiring a broker to pursue a sponsor for the conference centre, a facility which required a $764,954 tax subsidy this year. Staff, however, recommended against spending time developing a city-wide policy governing the sale of naming rights. “Staff expect that the Victoria Conference Centre is the only lucrative venue for naming rights (within) the city,” wrote Rob Woodland, director of legislative services. PLEASE SEE: Naming rights, Page A25
Operations at Steel Pacific Recycling in Victoria were scaled back Monday following the workplace death of an employee on Saturday afternoon. Investigators with WorkSafeBC and the company’s accident investigation team were at the yard in Victoria’s Rock Bay district Monday, while grief counsellors, a critical incident team and company officials met with about 25 yard employees at an offsite location. “They’re a close-knit team and this was a well-liked person,” Caroll Taiji, the company’s communications consultant, said of the 35-year-old victim, who was originally from Nanaimo. He had worked for the company in Victoria for more than three years. “It’s really devastating for them,” Taiji said. “This company in that location has existed and operated for over 50 years. They have never had a fatality, so there’s a huge amount of shock.” The man was killed in an area where finer materials are separated from crushed automobiles, Taiji explained. “The worker was caught in the machinery somehow and
fatally injured,” said WorkSafeBC spokesperson Megan Johnston. Once the B.C. Coroners Service receives WorkSafeBC’s final report, a team will decide whether health and safety practices in B.C.’s steel recycling industry warrant a closer look to prevent future deaths in similar circumstances, said Coroner’s Service spokesperson Barb McLintock. The company was quick to note that the worker’s death was not caused by a shredder, despite initial reports. “In fact, the shredding machine is decommissioned and it’s been closed for over a year, so it hasn’t even been functioning,” Taiji said. Lessons that can be learned from this tragedy will be shared company-wide, she said. “Anything that can be gleaned and learned and shared, will be.” Company officials could not say when the Victoria operation would re-open for business. “The management team is very focused on not restoring operations until people are absolutely ready,” Taiji said. “The main focus is the family and the co-workers.” emccracken@vicnews.com
Did you know? ■ In B.C., 143 workers died in 2010 as a result of work-related incidents or occupational diseases.