FRIDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2012
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FAMOUS HARPISTS
Official newspaper of the Save-On-Foods Oceanside Generals
ASPINALL IS GOLDEN, TIMES 5
Accustomed to sold-out shows, group coming to Port Theatre
Local swimmer sets records and wins big at Canada Cup meet in Ontario
B10
A25
RDN VOTES TO SUPPORT RAIL
Concerns remain on cost Vote split along rural-urban lines NEIL HORNER news@pqbnews.com
Rail service on Vancouver Island was given a $945,000 lifeline Tuesday night as Regional District of Nanaimo directors narrowly voted to provide their portion of the funding needed to get the track back up to snuff. The issue was a contentious one, with opponents and supporters split mostly on rural-urban lines. The debate was preceded by several late delegations, most of whom spoke against the project. Errington residents Brian and Enid Mary Sangster-Kelly both said they loved rail transport but argued that the cost estimate for the repairs to the rail line was far too low, meaning the RDN payment would not be a one-off, but rather just the first in a number of inevitable requests. Terry Moore was also against the funding, arguing the rail line didn’t work before and there wasn’t enough potential to make it work now. Mike Delves spoke in favour, arguing the current generation had the benefit of the infrastructure laid down by previous generations, but they have failed to maintain it, meaning the younger generation will be faced with either massive bills to bring it back up to standard or with the lack of that infrastructure altogether. When the matter came up for debate, Nanaimo director George Anderson moved approval, with director John Ruttan seconding the motion. That’s when the ties started to fly. Nanaimo director Bill Bestwick, who supported the move at the committee of the whole meeting two weeks previously, changed his vote when he couldn’t get a guarantee that Via Rail would reinstitute passenger service. See WILLIE QUESTIONS, page A5
PETER MCCULLY PHOTO
Santa is flanked by Tigh-Na-Mara general manager Paul Drummond, left, and SOS executive director Renate Sutherland at the burgeoning toy wall Wednesday during the Toy Drive breakfast at Tigh-Na-Mara.
TOY DRIVE BREAKFAST
A record-setting morning Community responds superbly — more than 1,700 toys collected JOHN HARDING
editor@pqbnews.com
It was a record-breaking day for the Toy Drive Breakfast at Tigh-Na-Mara Resort and plans are already in the works for the next one. There were 1,736 toys collected for the SOS during the breakfast on Wednesday morning and more than 1,400 people sat down to dine on a full breakfast after making their toy donation, said Tigh-Na-Mara general manager Paul Drummond. “It was really smooth and worked out really well,” said
Drummond. “We are already making plans for our fifth annual (next year).” Drummond said he was especially impressed with the public’s attention to the call for toys or gifts that were tween and teen appropriate. “We really appreciate the community looking at that and supporting it,” said Drummond. “There’s a huge need for it.” Despite the huge numbers coming through the door, staff from Tigh-Na-Mara and other organizations like the SOS and The NEWS helped the event move along efficiently, said Drummond. See PRESERVING, page A6
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