FRIDAY
< A Day In The Life
DECEMBER 21, 2012
It’s a busy time for Food Bank volunteers | Page 3
Keeping the wheels rolling >
MBSS basketball launches fundraising ventures | Page 8
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Vol. 60, Issue 247
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Mayor happy to see sign bylaw feedback ANNALEE GR ANT Townsman Staff
ANNALEE GRANT PHOTO
Chair of the School District 5 School Replacement Committee Chris Johns, Mayor Wayne Stetski and Key City Theatre board chair Sandra Cave sign a proclamation stating the three parties will keep the Key City Theatre in the new Mount Baker Neighbourhood Learning Centre when it is built.
Theatre key to new school Proclamation declares that theatre space will be part of new “neighbourhood of learning” ANNALEE GRANT Townsman Staff
Theatre goers of Cranbrook and area needn’t worry anymore. There will be a theatre in the Key City for many years to come. School District 5, the City of Cranbrook
and the Key City Theatre signed a proclamation on December 20 at City Hall that puts just that in writing. When the new Mount Baker Neighbourhood Learning Centre is constructed, it will have a theatre space. “The School Board,
Key City Theatre Society and the City of Cranbrook are all in agreement,” Mayor Wayne Stetski told the Townsman. “It’s a very good partnership.” The proclamation puts to rest rumours that have been swirling as the call for a new
high school building has become even louder over the past few years. The Key City Theatre, attached to the school on the North side of the building and used hundreds of times a year by students in the district, would be difficult to
maintain if the Mount Baker is torn down to make way for a new building. But now, all three involved parties have officially said they will make room for theatre space in the new Neighbourhood Learning Centre.
See THEATRE , Page 5
Driving safe for the holidays and beyond ANNALEE GR ANT Townsman Staff
Mainroad East Kootenay is out in force on the region’s road, and they are encouraging motorists to take care this holiday season. Jim Conley, general manager for Mainroad East Koote-
nay Contracting, said weather can be unpredictable in the Kootenays, and drivers need to be prepared just like the staff at Mainroad are. “We know the importance of having our drivers and equipment ready because in a couple of hours we can go
from clear sky to blizzard in the East Kootenays,” Conley said. “We’re working with the public to make sure everybody gets home safe; we treat these roads as ours because we know they’re yours.” Mainroad is encouraging riders to check out www.drive-
bc.ca before they head out this season. The website has current driving conditions and weather forecasts. It even has webcams of popular routes that can help better inform you before heading out.
See MAINROAD , Page 5
The City of Cranbrook originally set a deadline of Dec. 31 to receive feedback forms on the controversial proposed sign bylaw, but Mayor Wayne Stetski said as long as the feedback is coming in, they’re happy to have it. Chris Zettel, corporate communications officer with the city announced Thursday that the deadline would be extended to February 1, 2013 at 4:30 p.m., to allow all parties to get their feedback in. The mayor would like to see plenty of feedback beyond what the business community has already contributed in forms and at the open house meeting earlier this month. “It’s really important that we get the public input, as well as the business input because Cranbrook belongs to all of us,” Stetski said. The sign bylaw issue arose back in the spring when a local business owner came before council to ask that he be allowed to have an Electronic Changeable Copy (ECC) Sign, similar to the ones used at Western Financial Place and Mount Baker Secondary School. The city decided to open up the entire
bylaw to review. “It’s all about trying to improve the look to Cranbrook as we move into the future,” Stetski said. An update to the 30-year-old bylaw is important as many sign types didn’t exist when it was developed, the city said during the public meeting; but Stetski said they must balance the needs of business with aesthetics by having standards. The meeting, held December 5, was one of the most well attended meetings in the city’s history, and Stetski, who was away, is happy to see people so involved. “It’s great to see people interested in their city, but it’s important they have accurate information,” he said. Many business owners at the meeting expressed concern that complying to the bylaw would cost them money to get up to code. Stetski said current signs will be grandfathered into the new bylaw and be deemed legal non-conforming. He said the bylaw says that if a new business moves in, they can use the old sign infrastructure to add a new logo or sign to the existing one.
See DEADLINE , Page 3
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