Merritt Herald, October 18, 2012

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2012 • MERRITT NEWSPAPERS

MSS torn up in $630,000 project By Phillip Woolgar THE HERALD

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Merritt Secondary School is undergoing a nearly $630,000 renovation to the gymnasium bleachers and a complete overhaul to the change rooms. The school was built in the early 1950s and hasn’t undergone a change room renovation since that time, said Nicola-Similkameen Superintendent Bob Peacock. The old wooden bleachers have been pulled out to make way for a new electronic system that allows more floor room. “The old bleachers took up quite a bit of space,� he said. “Now, during classes, they will have more floor space. During tournaments and that, they can move the bleachers out.� The constricted bleachers will only extend about three feet from the wall, while the former unit extended about 18 feet. Hardwood flooring will be installed in the new space. A construction crew began work

at the end of August, with the goal of completing before November. The gym lighting is also being replaced. “It’s a dark building so the new lights will improve the lighting,� Peacock said. The renovations could affect the quality and number of tournaments hosted in Merritt, but Peacock said it’s the quality of teams in the town that will make the biggest impact. “The students over the last two or three years have worked hard at being competitive teams ... people will want to play them,� Peacock said. “I think that in itself will increase the number of tournaments, more so than the renovations.� The money for the renovations is coming out of the annual Facility Grant, which was for nearly $500,000 this year. “The money is used to also do projects for roofing,� Kevin Black, secretary treasurer for SD 58, said. “We spent $350,000 this year on roofing throughout the district over the summer.� Plumber Mike Phillips lays a new pipe during an overhaul of the change room at Merritt Secondary School. Phillip Woolgar/Herald

Country Christmas Parade float back on track By Emily Wessel THE HERALD

reporter@merrittherald.com

The Country Christmas Parade is back on track after an uncertain few months, thanks to the Merritt Chamber of Commerce. The parade, scheduled for the third week-

end in November, is one part of the weekend’s workload that the Country Christmas Committee is sharing this year in an attempt to lighten its own load. Another group has volunteered to operate the Santa float, and Home Hardware is sponsoring the wreath walk.

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‘... certainly, having the parade under the auspices of another group is a big relief...’ —COUNTRY CHRISTMAS COMMITTEE MEMBER KURT CHRISTOPHERSON

City councillor and committee member Kurt Christopherson said the committee

will handle Santa’s Village at the Civic Centre and the kickoff concert, but the divi-

sion of the rest of the labour is a welcome change. “There’s still a lot to do but, certainly, having the parade under the auspices of another group is a big relief off the committee’s shoulders,� Christopherson said. “A lot of our volunteers have moved on

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or retired or like to go south for the winter, so it has been a bit of a challenge finding volunteers, but we’ve got pretty much everything on the go now.� Darrel Brooks, who owns Country Bug Books and Gifts and is the secretary/ treasurer of the

Merritt Chamber of Commerce, is one of the organizers of this year’s parade. He said the chamber agreed to take over the project at the beginning of fall and is now working on float entries and scouting volunteers.

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