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MERRITT HERALD FREE
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2012 • MERRITT NEWSPAPERS
Feds dedicate funds to Civic Centre improvements By Emily Wessel THE HERALD
reporter@merrittherald.com
The Merritt Civic Centre is set for significant upgrades in the new year with the help of a $128,000 investment from the federal government, OkanaganCoquihalla MP Dan Albas announced Thursday. “It’s nice to see some money coming into the city from the federal government,” Merritt Mayor Susan Roline said. “They recognize things we need to do and sometimes we can’t come up with all the funding.” The funding comes from the Harper Government’s Community Infrastructure Improvement Fund, which aims to distribute $46.2 million over two years in cost-sharing for repairs and improve-
ments to public buildings. “It seems everything that happens in Merritt happens in this facility,” Albas said in a speech to about 40 people. “The Civic Centre is an important part of community life, but there’s always room for improvement.” Some of those improvements include installing an audio-visual system, refinishing the existing floors and upgrading the centre’s main electrical system. “We have trade shows, and if all of a sudden the breakers go and somebody’s demonstrating a product, that really detracts from what they’re doing and potentially causes us business,” the City of Merritt’s Leisure Services Manager Larry Plotnikoff said. The City recently received a $5,500 dona-
tion from the Country Christmas Committee and the Nicola Valley Arts Council to upgrade the Civic Centre’s lighting, which will receive more help from the new funding. Albas said the city invited him on a tour through the facility to see what kind of upgrades it needed, and the money will be used to “modernize” the facility. Albas said he expects the biggest spinoff benefits to come from upgrading the centre’s kitchen facilities, which he said could attract conferences, weddings and more fundraisers to the centre. “Merrittonians would want to have events here, but because of the food safety laws, they need a commercial kitchen to be able to follow those regulations,” Albas said. “By having
(L-R) Leisure Services Manager Larry Plotnikoff, Mayor Susan Roline, and Okanagan-Coquihalla MP Dan Albas announced a $128,000 investment from the federal government for the Merritt Civic Centre on Thursday. Emily Wessel/Herald
a commercial kitchen here, you’re going to see more events that are catered locally, whether by a small business, family, or rotary club wanting to put on a fundraiser. I think that’s going to be a major
upgrade for this area.” The economic benefits also extend to the upgrading process itself. The City’s next step is to put out a request for proposals to local contractors for the electrical and
flooring work, among other upgrades. The city expects to begin renovations in January, during the centre’s slow season. Plotnikoff said the upgrades will work around events already booked in the new year.
“We’re happy to work around those events,” Plotnikoff said. “We aren’t going to cancel any event because they’re priorities. People have booked, paid their money, and their events are going to be held.”
Alleged fraudster scams local councillor Robert Robertson is also accused of using shady tactics to con others out of millions of dollars to give him $60,000 for a piece of the action on what turned out to be a property that was never available. “He’s got no scruples at all, that man,” Kroeker said Thursday, after the story broke. “He would take any opportunity that comes his way, and he knew I wanted a house real bad.” Robertson pitched the
By Phillip Woolgar THE HERALD
newsroom@merrittherald.com
Many people, including City of Merritt Coun. Harry Kroeker, say they have been scammed by Robert Robertson (above). Submitted
Alleged fraudster Robert Robertson was well-seasoned before arriving in Merritt to scam a local politician in 2006. While acting under the guise of an honest modular home salesman out of Kamloops, he allegedly convinced City of Merritt Coun. Harry Kroeker
plan for the new housing development in 2006, when Kroeker approached Metro for a new home to which he and his wife could retire, he said. That’s when Robertson allegedly told Kroeker he purchased the Coyote Bluffs property and the Kamloops firm was the developer. “I told him I was interested in putting a home
on it,” Kroeker said. “[Robertson] then went over the details with me and I picked out a lot from the subdivision plan and he started to do some work on the property.” Several contractors were also tricked after Robertson didn’t pay for geothermal drilling and for design work, he added. Kroeker said he was taken to the lot, where
Robertson showed him work in progress. Eventually, all the lots were earmarked to buyers who weren’t willing to pay a deposit until seeing construction. “They were smarter than me. They weren’t giving out money until they saw some houses start going up,” Kroeker said.
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You are Invited to the 3rd Annual Ladies Night Tickets $5
t u o d l o s Dec 5 ONLY 100 TICKETS
• Door Prizes • Demonstrations/ Activities • Surprise Vendors
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7 pm to 8:30 pm
1701 Voght St., Merritt, B.C. (250) 378-4215 All monies raised will be donated to local charities