Tuesday June 26, 2012 (Vol. 37 No. 51))
V O I C E
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W H I T E
R O C K
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S O U T H
S U R R E Y
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Home stretch: Some of B.C.’s top young oung track-andfield athletes ran, jumped mped and threw on local soil Saturday, ay, at the BC Junior Developmentt Pentathlon Championships. onships. see ee page 28
Cloverdale BIA fears South Surrey gaming bid would ‘cannibalize’ Fraser Downs’ ability to survive
Casino shuffle splits businesses’ views Kevin Diakiw Black Press
B.C.’s gaming group now says a new casino in South Surrey has a green light, depending on approval of city council. But the plan is receiving mixed reviews from neighbouring business groups.
Black Press first reported May 30 that the city, Gateway Gaming and Entertainment and the provincial lottery corporation were working on plans to shut down a casino at 7093 King George Blvd. in Newton in favour of a $100-million yet-to-be built facility in South Surrey at 10 Avenue and 168 Street.
On Thursday, Jim Lightbody, BC Lottery Corporation’s vice-president of Casino and Community Gaming told the Surrey Board of Trade the South Surrey casino could be up and running by 2014, if council approves the plan. But while the Surrey Board of Trade (SBOT)
has announced support for the proposal, the Cloverdale and District Chamber of Commerce has been less enthusiastic, voting unanimously at their last meeting to “support Fraser Downs Racetrack and Casino as the primary casino in Surrey.” see page 4
Close call White Rock Triton baserunner Joel Lamont dives back into first base, just ahead of the throw to North Shore Twin Clark Grisbrook, during a BC Premier Baseball League game Sunday afternoon at South Surrey Athletic Park. The teams each won one game of the doubleheader. Boaz Joseph photo
Neighbours fear townhouse development would exacerbate problems
Residents hold city responsible for future floods Tracy Holmes Staff Reporter
Contributed photo
Water fills a basement on development site.
Residents of a White Rock neighbourhood that has been plagued by flooding for several years – most recently about two weeks ago – are concerned a townhouse project proposed for a property that has been central in the issue will only make things worse. And at least one group has given notice that residents will hold the city responsible if further water damage results from construction. Gale Dawson, strata president at The Patterson building at 1280 Merklin St., confirmed Wednesday that a letter from her
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The issue noted is unrelated to the application currently before the city, which has to do with rezoning, he said. At the same time, Stanton assured the residents that the city will demand proof that the problem has been mitigated as part of requirements for a demolition permit. “It can and will be addressed in the future… regardless of the zoning,” he said. The proposal – which was back on the land-use agenda for Monday (after Peace Arch News’ deadline) – is for a two-building, seven-unit strata townhouse development. see page 2
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group’s lawyer was delivered to city hall June 18, just hours before the Roper Avenue project in question was to be discussed at a land-use committee meeting. The letter warns the city that failure to fully address the problem, which appears to stem from an underground stream, “may be the basis for an action of negligence,” she said. But Paul Stanton, the city’s director of planning and development services, told residents who came out for last week’s land-use meeting – which was abruptly cancelled due to lack of quorum – that the letter put the city on notice “for the wrong reasons.”
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