De Debut novel delves iinto n cultural divide page 22
Olympic bronze for local lifter page 25
Thursday August 2, 2012 Serving Surrey and North Delta www.surreyleader.com
Thoroughbred racing at Hastings Park won’t be relocated to Fraser Downs – for now
Woman pleads guilty to dog thefts in Surrey, Coquitlam
Horse track merger idea shelved
Five more people still face charges in string of alleged dognapping cases
by Jeff Nagel
by Kevin Diakiw
THE CITY OF VANCOUVER has agreed to a two-year extension of
Great Canadian Gaming’s Hastings Racecourse, putting to rest for now talk that the Lower Mainland’s two horse racing tracks – Cloverdale’s Fraser Downs and Hastings Park – might merge at a single site. Vancouver council’s delay in signing a deal to keep racing at Hastings Park and its goal of tripling green space in the park had fueled speculation thoroughbred horse racing there might soon be relocated to Fraser Downs, which hosts standardbred harness racing. “This extension allows our company to work closely with the City of Vancouver regarding long-term operations at Hastings Racecourse without being concerned with a lease deadline looming,” Great Canadian spokesman Howard Blank said. Hastings’ lease was to expire in November and the deal now provides certainty until November 2014. Rich Coleman, the provincial minister responsible for gaming, Rich Coleman said in an earlier interview he expects both tracks will continue separate operations. And he said a new five-year strategic plan for the horse racing industry set for release soon will likely call for significant changes but continued operation of both tracks. “I think the recommendation at the end of the day may be to see if they can sustain themselves at their individual tracks,” Coleman said. Running both racing styles at one dual-circuit track isn’t impossible, but Coleman said it will be off the table as long as separate tracks have secure homes and are viable.
A CO-DIRECTOR of A Better Life
“I think the recommendation ... may be to see if they can sustain themselves at their individual tracks.”
Charity takes flight
EVAN SEAL / THE LEADER
Bunny Keffer (left) and Florence Bates release butterflies at Fleetwood Villa Tuesday afternoon during a fundraiser for the Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation. The annual event raised nearly $1,000.
See COLEMAN / Page 5
Editorial 6 Letters 7 Arts 22 Sports 25 Classifieds 27
Dog Rescue has pleaded guilty to two counts of theft involving dogs that have gone missing in the Lower Mainland. Louise Mary Alice Reid entered the pleas last Thursday (July 26) in Surrey Provincial Court, according to court documents. She admitted to two offences that occurred last year, one in Surrey on March 1 and the other in Coquitlam on Nov. 21. Reid was one of six people charged in a rash of dog thefts throughout Metro Vancouver. Last November, charges were Samson the announced bulldog was against Janet taken from a Olson, founder of Coquitlam yard A Better Life Dog last November. Rescue, as well as Michaela Schnittker, Reid, Christine Carter, Diane Young Hale and Natalia Borojevic. Olson faces 36 charges ranging from theft and fraud to break-and-enter in connection with alleged offences dating back to 2006. The allegations have not been proven in court. Reid’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 7.
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