FRIDAY NOVEMBER 16, 2012
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CUPCAKE WARS
Official newspaper of the Save-On-Foods Oceanside Generals
BUSY WEEKEND FOR GENERALS
Middle school conducts a popular competition
Local Junior B team home for two games this weekend at Oceanside Place
A35
A4
QUALICUM BEACH AIRPORT
Changes on way? Frustrated operators meet with councillors JOHN HARDING
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It may be time to look at different ways to operate the Qualicum Beach Airport, says town councillor Bill Luchtmeijer. Currently, the town owns and operates the facility, but does not have a staff member on site. Luchtmeijer says the management of the facility basically entails a town staff member working “off the corner of their desk from town hall.” “We don’t have a staff member or manager on site,” said Luchtmeijer. “We are not airport operators.” Qualicum Beach town council asked staff months ago for a report about what it would take to develop an airport authority to manage the facility. Luchtmeijer asked staff again for that report at town council’s most recent meeting but was told by town manager Mark Brown that staff had “other priorities.” Luchtmeijer said tree cutting and snow clearing are major issues for those who use the airport, chiefly KD Air, Orca Air and Sunwest Helicopters. There have been times Transport Canada has not allowed flights in or out of the airport because of the unkempt trees or because of snow removal issues. “Those issues should have been obvious,” said Luchtmeijer. “We are just too far away physically to stay on top of it.” KD Air owner Diana Banke said she met Thursday morning with Luchtmeijer and his fellow councillors Mary Brouilette and Scott Tanner to discuss the airport.
LISSA ALEXANDER PHOTO
TRAINING DAY: A training exercise by firefighters Saturday saw a well-recognized Parksville house at the corner of Jensen Avenue and Alberni Highway torched. The old, city-owned house was slated for demolition and so firefighters lit the fire to teach members about smoke conditions and, when it was safe to enter, how to vent a roof and how to attack a fire. Part of Jensen Avenue was closed for the exercise and many people gathered around the safety tape to watch the action.
Railway crosses another bridge RDN gives provisional approval to tax increase for E&N Rail Line NEIL HORNER
gent upon regular passenger service being resumed. If it receives final approval at the next full RDN board meeting, it will result in a one-time tax increase of $10.92 on a $350,000 property. The issue was hotly debated Tuesday night as delegations and directors spoke both for and against the proposal by the Island Corridor Founda-
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They had many questions and they did so reluctantly, but directors at the Regional District of Nanaimo this week gave provisional approval to a request for $945,000 in funding to upgrade the E&N Rail line on Vancouver Island. That funding however is contin-
See HEAD TAX, page A5
tion to upgrade the trestles and rail bridges between Victoria and Courtenay. Speaking in favour of the plan was Andre Sullivan of the nanaimo Economic Development Corporation, who stressed the money would unlock over $20 million from senior levels of government — all of which would be spent on Vancouver Island. See BUSINESS PLAN, page A6
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