Peace Arch News, November 06, 2012

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Tuesday November 6, 2012 (Vol. 37 No. 89)

V O I C E

O F

W H I T E

R O C K

A N D

S O U T H

S U R R E Y

w w w. p e a c e a r c h n e w s . c o m

Aftermath of a hit-and-run: Three months after a near-fatal encounter with a hit-and-run dump truck while she was cycling on 16 Avenue, White Rock resident Peggy White is feeling much better. › see page 11

Business group supportive

Casino foes up the ante Dan Ferguson Staff Reporter

Opponents of a proposed casino in South Surrey outnumbered supporters by a 20:1 ratio at a Sunday afternoon public forum at the Semiahmoo Fish and Game Club. About 80 people attended the event organized by Susan Keeping, the BC NDP candidate for the election next spring. When one questioner asked how many casino supporters were in the audience, only four raised their hands. One of them was Cliff Annable, the executive director of the South Surrey and White Rock Chamber of Commerce. Annable said the local business community is “totally supportive” of the proposed $100-million casino, hotel and convention centre complex at 10 Avenue and 168 Street. Annable said that among other benefits, the facility would give local sporting and charitable groups a place to accommodate large turnouts for fundraisers, instead of having them go outside of the area. › see page 4

Dan Ferguson photo

Gateway counsel James Chen fields questions about a planned casino in South Surrey, as meeting organizer Susan Keeping looks on.

Voter turnout at 15 per cent as nine vie for one council position

Lawrence tops City of White Rock byelection Staff Reporter

Third time was a charm for the winner of Saturday’s byelection. Businessman Bill Lawrence topped the polls with 620 votes to claim a seat as White Rock’s newest city councillor. Nine candidates had vied for the single position, including: Dave Chesney (490 votes), Megan Knight (482), Pat Petrala (233), Grant O’Kane (165), Graham Wood (99), Bruce McWilliam (90), Scott Kristjanson (45) and Tom Willman (28). Lawrence said he had a good feeling this was his year, following two previous attempts for a council seat.

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“I felt that I was one of the frontrunners,” he said Monday. “I did put in the work this time around… and focused on making sure the message did get out. “It worked really, really well. It

was a nice, decisive win.” A total of 2,252 votes were cast. Turnout – at 15 per cent – was lower than the 16 per cent seen in the city’s last byelection, in 2009. Unofficial results were announced

42 minutes after polls closed at 8 p.m. Saturday. Official results are to be declared Wednesday. Lawrence will take the seat formerly held by longtime-councillor Mary-Wade Anderson, who died

Candidates blindsided by mayor’s endorsement A decision by White Rock Mayor Wayne Baldwin to publicly endorse a byelection candidate last week was met by criticism from most of those candidates and surprise from sitting councillors. The city’s top official confirmed a day before Saturday’s vote that he had endorsed one of the nine, Grant O’Kane, in an email to “40 or 50” supporters on Wednesday – the day after an all-candidates meeting.

“This is an important election,” Baldwin told Peace Arch News Friday. “The turnout is probably not going to be very good and whoever gets in is probably going to get the mandate of five per cent of the voting public. That concerns me. “I just think it’s too important to let it fly by and to have a last-minute choice at the ballot box.” › see page 2

at age 84 on June 26, while serving her fifth term representing the city. Lawrence – who is to be sworn in Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. – owns two city businesses, the Sandpiper Pub on Marine Drive and Sandpiper Liquor Store on Johnston Road. While the byelection was proBill Lawrence jected to cost the city $40,000, city clerk Tracey Arthur said she expects to present the final tab to council on Nov. 26.

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