Observer SALMON ARM
Wednesday July 4, 2012 www.saobserver.net $1.25 HST INCLUDED
Clean-up begins as rain slows Forecast: Snow melt not considered a threat. By Barb Brouwer OBSERVER STAFF
While a flood watch is still in place in the Shuswap, officials believe it will be all down river from here. David Campbell of the BC River Forecast Centre said yesterday that while rain in the forecast could contribute to a slight rise in Shuswap River, dry sunny weather predicted for the next several days would see water levels dropping again. The same could be said for Shuswap Lake, which also remains on flood watch and will do so until the water level drops by another 15 to 20 centimetres, something Campbell believes will happen on the weekend, or early next week. And while higher temperatures will speed up the melt of higher elevation snowpacks, Campbell says they are now about 40 per cent of what they were before and not expected to cause a problem. He says rapid snow melt becomes an issue when both high-elevation and mid-elevation snowpacks are melting at the same time. John Rosenberg, public works manager for the City of Salmon Arm, says he figures the lake dropped about four inches over the weekend. He says staff have already begun the long, slow process of cleaning up the debris the water leaves behind. Canoe Beach is littered with debris, brought into shore by the same wave action that took normally out-of reach items out into the lake in the first place. “I think a lot of stuff was sitting on shore a metre or metre-and-a-half higher than normal water levels.” One victim of wave action was the large, carved salmon that sat on the breakwater in Salmon Arm Bay. It was knocked off its perch. “It was in Monday’s photos and was found floating near the marina Tuesday morning,” Rosenberg says, noting the salmon is at public works where it will be assessed and repaired or revarnished as necessary. As well, efforts are being made to locate the carver. See Debris on page A2
JAMES MURRAY/OBSERVER
Speaking up Children’s entertainer and ventriloquist Neale Bacon with one of his Crazy Critters entertains the audience on the mainstage at the Canada Day Children’s Festival held Sunday at the Salmon Arm Fairgrounds. See more photos on page A15.
Appeal draws wide interest Neskonlith: Other First Nations, UBCM watch court case carefully. By Martha Wickett OBSERVER STAFF
The implications of the Neskonlith Indian Band’s appeal of a BC Supreme Court decision are attracting widespread attention. The band is appealing the court’s decision to uphold the City of Salmon Arm’s hazardous areas development permit for the proposed SmartCentres shopping centre. The Union of BC Municipalities has joined in the case
This week Another former Salmon Arm resident heads to London Olympics. See page A18 Salmon Arm Secondary grads say farewell to high school. See photos on pages A16, A17.
and is providing the city with $10,000 towards legal fees. UBCM president Heath Slee said the UBCM has a modest program “to provide support for legal appeals that have broad applications to local government.” He noted that the appeal claims that local governments have a duty to consult First Nations, “but we believe it is the province’s duty and the province agrees with that.” Slee added that “everyone benefits by having this issue
clarified, being that we’re a member-based organization and some members are First Nations… I think our track record in building relationships with members and First Nations is solid.” The band had earlier requested a judicial review of the permit, citing lack of consultation. Its argument included the concern that the property will flood, requiring flood control measures. Those flood control measures could then do damage to the environment and the
interests of the band. The city’s argument, and that of Salmon Arm Shopping Centres Ltd., was that the city has no constitutional duty to consult, according to existing case law. With regard to law governing development permits, the city argued that once an applicant has complied with the guidelines under an official community plan, a council has no discretion to withhold the development permit. See Appeal on page A2
Index Opinion ....................... A6 View Point .................. A7 Life & Times ............... A8 Sports............... A18-A20 Arts & Events ... A21-A24 Time Out................... A25 Vol. 105, No. 27, 48 pages