The Cloverdale
Your Weekly Clover Valley Newspaper September 27, 2012 ❖ www.CloverdaleReporter.com ❖ 604-575-2405
Ready for the Rodeo
New Cloverdale Rodeo GM brings years of experience to the job By Jennifer Lang When it comes to finding someone qualified to oversee an event the size of the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair – plus day-to-day operations of the Cloverdale Fairgrounds – the list of potential candidates would seem a fairly select group. But those are qualities Mike MacSorely has in spades. A former vice president of operations for the Pacific National Exhibition with more than 20 years experience in the event industry, MacSorely is the new general manager of the Cloverdale Rodeo and Exhibition Association. So new, in fact, his first day on the job was Monday. Reached on his mobile phone as he oriented himself on the expansive fairgrounds, home to eight facilities that host more than 700 events each year, MacSorely sounded upbeat and excited about his new job. “I’ve been here six hours and I’ve met some really great people who seem very dedicated,” he said. “One of the big things I want to do is make sure people know we’re an all-year operation,” he said, adding he is still getting acquainted with all of events and groups that take place at the fairgrounds, such as the weekly Cloverdale flea market, a long-
standing Sunday tradition that remains a big draw. He’s also looking forward to getting to know more of the team of dedicated volunteers who grow into an army by the time the May long weekend rolls around each year to host the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair. But most of all he’s looking forward to getting back into this line of work. “Once you do events, it gets into your blood,” he said. “It’s just exciting.” He was with the PNE for 14 years, most recently as the vice president of operations, a role that included acting as the PNE’s liaison for the 2010 Winter Olympics in addition to overseeing the exhibition each year. Unlike many of his new colleagues in Cloverdale, he can’t ride a horse. Well, he doesn’t ride, to be more precise. “I’m allergic to horses. I have to be careful.” Planning is already underway for the 67th annual Cloverdale Rodeo and 124th Country Fair, slated for May 17 to 20, 2013. One of MacSorely’s goals is to ensure visitors really feel like they’re visiting a rodeo, something he hopes will be evident the minute they enter the fairgrounds. “I just want to make sure that when you think of Cloverdale and the Rodeo, you feel great pride in it.”
BOAZ JOSEPH / BLACK PRESS
Feline footsies
Makoto, 1, owned by Cloverdale’s Shirley Byington, checks out a visitor while waiting to be judged at the recent Cat Fanciers of B.C. cat show, A Black Tie Affair. So far, he’s ranked sixth in the northwest region on the cat show circuit. He’s poised to rack up more points at the upcoming Tukwila cat show Oct. 13 and 14.
City to study plan to pave pedestrian plaza
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forcing them to pull puzzled U-turns or ask directions. The move would improve traffic flow through to businesses along 176A Street as well as to the Cloverdale Library and Surrey Museum, and would add more street parking. With the Cloverdale BIA now on board, city hall will now look at the cost implications as well as enter into a dialogue with neighbouring busi-
nesses that would be impacted by paving the plaza. “It’s still at the discussion level,” cautioned Cloverdale BIA executive director Paul Orazietti. The new roadway wouldn’t be wide enough to accommodate two lanes of traffic, so the new lane would be would be one-way, with new parking stalls on one side of the street. He said the proposal is at least 12
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years old, appearing in the 2000 version of the Official Community Plan. Improvements to 176 Street have been made since, including the addition of public art and Victorian-style lampposts. But the problem remains that drivers have difficulty finding addresses in the historic downtown. “Traffic doesn’t flow through the town centre sufficiently,” he said.
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By Jennifer Lang The Cloverdale Business Improvement Association has lent its support to a long-standing proposal to connect 176 Street and 176A Street at 56A Avenue by replacing a pedestrian plaza with a short, one-way street. The plaza consists of several large trees, concrete planters and an arbour, but confounds drivers hoping to turn east on 176 Street at 56A Avenue,
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