Observer SALMON ARM
Wednesday May 30, 2012 www.saobserver.net $1.25 HST INCLUDED
Safety notice issued for railway crossing By Lachlan Labere OBSERVER STAFF
City staff are proposing a review of the Marine Park Drive railway crossing by a professional traffic engineer in response to safety concerns raised by Transport Canada. The City of Salmon Arm received a letter of notice from Dennis Maskell, a railway safety inspector with Transport Canada. In it, Maskell raises concerns in relation to the crossing that he says has created conditions that could “reasonably be expected to develop into a situation in which a person could be injured or damage could be caused to the environment or property.” Maskell’s concerns stem from an inspection conducted on March 22. On that day, he witnessed vehicles stopping on the tracks waiting to proceed onto Lakeshore Drive. He notes Salmon Arm’s own traffic information for 2011 shows this intersection sees a “very large volume” of traffic in the summer months.
“For the above-cited location there is the ever-present possibility of a vehicle being hit by one or more trains while trying to engage this T-intersection without the right of way,” writes Maskell. He says that as people in vehicles with trailers wait for a break in traffic, they can lose awareness that while their cab may be across the rails, their trailer is still sitting on two high-volume tracks. In a written response to Maskell, city engineering and public works director Rob Niewenheuzen concurs that the crossing does experience high road traffic volumes in the summer months. He proposes to have the problem reviewed by an engineer to determine a suitable solution, noting that this review and any recommendations for improvement would require the proper approvals to ensure funding is available for completion of any new work. At Monday’s regular meeting, city council supported the idea of obtaining an traffic engineer’s report before proceeding further.
Pip ‘too weak to survive’ By Tracy Hughes BLACK PRESS
Despite receiving aroundthe-clock care by staff at the BC SPCA’s Shuswap Branch, Pip, the five-weekold kitten found inside a plastic trash bag on May 23 in Salmon Arm, died on May 27. The tiny kitten, whose immune system was likely compromised by being taken from his mother too early, was rushed to a veterinarian for intravenous fluids but could not be saved. “He was being bottle fed but just wasn’t able to process the nutrients in his body and he eventually became too weak to survive,” said Lorie Chortyk, general
VIKTORIA HAACK PHOTO
LACHLAN LABERE/OBSERVER
Thrown away: Pip, who was found in a sealed
Pedal power
garbage bag on Black Road, died days later.
Greg Seed pops a wheelie as he embarks on the Downtown Twilight Family Fun Ride Friday night. The first-time event drew a large number of families into the downtown core for a leisurely ride and stops for various fun activities like face painting, live music and water balloon throwing.
manager of community relations for the BC SPCA. “Our staff did everything they could to save him but it just wasn’t possible.”
The BC SPCA is continuing its investigation into who may have left Pip tied See SPCA on A3
This week Relay for Life will be raising funds at Haney Heritage Park this weekend. See more on A8. It was a tight race to win the Salmon Arm Golf Club’s Spalding Cup. See A15 for results.
Index Opinion ....................... A6 View Point .................. A7 Life & Times ............... A8 Sports............... A12-A16 Arts & Events ... A17-A19 Time Out................... A21 Vol. 105, No. 22, 44 pages