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MERRITT HERALD TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2012 • MERRITT NEWSPAPERS
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A MURDERER IS AMONG US Sarah Molnar, left, and Duncan Ross perform at the Quilchena Hotel last Saturday during the Merritt Crime Stoppers and Community Policing Office’s 2nd Murder Mystery, which raised around $3,000 for the Crime Stoppers. The night featured a performance by local talent that set the scene for a murder the audience was tasked to solve. Poker, blackjack and a silent auction were also featured. Phillip Woolgar/Herald
Wildfire branch to open near Merritt Airport “This revenue is new to the city,” she said. “That was one of our goals, to bring in other sources of revenue to the City and not always having to raise taxes for things we need.” City council decided last year to complete a subdivision, which included installing water and sewer, as well as finishing an access road that extends around the airport. Eleven lots were created by subdividing the land, five of which are being rented for the training facility. Another lot is occupied by the Merritt Flying
By Phillip Woolgar THE HERALD
newsroom@merrittherald.com
An estimated $4-million wildfire training centre is slated to open on over 2.1 hectares just south of the Merritt Airport runway this spring, the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations announced last Friday. City of Merritt Mayor Susan Roline said the facility will bring nearly $48,000 per year in revenue, which is money that will take away from the taxpayer burden.
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Club. Money was borrowed to complete the project, a debt that will be serviced through the rent, Roline said. The City’s Economic Development Manager, James Umpherson, said the first occupiers will likely attract more organizations. “I think the development of the airport facility, particularly having an anchor tenant like [the Wildfire Management Branch], is significant in that it is going to show some direct and some indirect economic spinoffs,” he
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said. “The direct benefits are that we now have a $4-million facility that they’re building and 57 employees coming to the City of Merritt and will be living in and buying homes in the community.” The facility will bring an estimated five full-time staff, 57 seasonal staff, four three-person initial attack crews and two 20-person sustained action unit crews. The facility will provide classroom instruction and training that will simulate real-life conditions.
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An annual “boot camp,” which was formerly at the Nicola Base, will be held at the new location. The training facility will replace the Nicola Base and is an important move for the Merritt Fire Zone, Kamloops Fire Centre Manager Steve Schell said. “When you’re working with aircraft, it’s nice to be right beside an airport because you can expand operations if you had to,” he said.
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