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Thief flees bank
City plunges ahead with washrooms
Morning Star Staff
Providing public toilets has wiped away $75,000. Most of Vernon council voted Monday to dip into reserves to purchase a relocatable washroom facility for Cenotaph Park on 31st Avenue. “It’s actually ridiculous we don’t have pubic washrooms,” said Coun. Juliette Cunningham. “It’s been council after council deferring making a decision on this.” Cunningham says the trailer-like facility will benefit people who are shopping downtown, using transit and those residents attending special events at the nearby Spirit Square. On top of the $75,000 Cunningham for the facility, council has agreed to budget up to $72,000 in 2013 for maintenance but that cost will depending on when the facility is actually open. The issue of public washrooms arose after conversion of the old library into city offices began. The washrooms in that building became unavailable to the public especially during events like the Civic Sounds concerts. Coun. Mary-Jo O’Keefe wanted to maintain those facilities. “It’s something that’s going to keep coming up,” she said of events at the civic complex. Staff had recommended that council table a decision on public washrooms until it’s known if the Vernon Public Art Gallery will build on property on 31st Avenue. There is the possibility that public washrooms could be incorporated into the design. The hours of operation haven’t been determined for the Cenotaph Park washroom but there is a reluctance to have it available 24 hours a day because of the security and maintenance costs required. “Bar patrons aren’t going to wait,” said Coun. Catherine Lord. “They’re going to go where they’re drinking. They won’t walk two blocks.” The trailer will now be ordered but if it doesn’t arrive until winter, it may not be installed until the spring.
JENNIFER SMITH/MORNING STAR
An RCMP officer exits the HSBC on the corner of 30th Avenue and 34th Street in downtown Vernon Tuesday following a bank robbery around 2:30 p.m.
Green light for core service review RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff
A long-promised scrutiny of operations is moving ahead at the City of Vernon. Council approved the terms of reference for a core service review Monday, and administration is expected to report back on the search for a review consultant Sept. 10. “I’m happy we’re finally moving ahead,”
said Coun. Bob Spiers, who has pushed for a review for years and garnered the support of his colleagues after last year’s election. Spiers describes the city as not being financially sustainable and says there is a need to look at expenditures and new sources of revenue. However, he won’t provide the consultant with any guidance. “I won’t pre-judge what comes out of it,” said Spiers of the review.
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It’s possible the results of the review could be before council for consideration in early 2013. “We want information that allows us to have a sustainable budget process,” said Mayor Rob Sawatzky, adding there is also a need to ensure that the services residents want are provided. The cost of the core service review is $80,000.
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Downtown Vernon became an active crime scene Tuesday as police attempted to track down a bank robber. At about 2:30 p.m., a lone male entered the HSBC bank at 3321 30th Ave., approached a teller and demanded cash. “The man was able to leave with an undisclosed amount of cash. No weapon was produced,” said Gord Molendyk, with the RCMP. Within minutes, police officers converged on the scene and were scouring the adjacent neighbourhood, including alleys. The suspect is described as a Caucasian male in his late teens or early 20s. He is about six-feet tall, clean shaven and wearing a threequarter length navy blue Nike hoody, dark pants and large sunglasses at the time. The suspect had not been located as of press time. “He was last seen heading down the alley westbound towards Becker Park (behind Priest Valley Arena),” said Molendyk.
RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff
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