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u Community Hall closer P. 3 u Homelessness study P. 3
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WEDNESDAY, January 16, 2013
NEWS BRIEFS
New Gold receives award
New Gold’s Blackwater Gold Project received the Developer of the Year Award at the BC Natural Resource Forum and Economic Summit last week. The summit was the 10th annual one and was held in Prince George. The award recognizes perseverance and determination by a prospector or mine developer during the past five years. “We believe successful project development is based on protecting the environment, and working closely with Aboriginal peoples and local communities to achieve common goals,” said New Gold President and CEO Bob Gallagher. “We are committed to making a positive contribution to the region.” The project, which is in the advanced exploration phase, has already employed more than 400 people, including contractors. Over 23 per cent of current project employees are Aboriginal peoples and more than 66 percent come from the local region. The Blackwater Project is located 160 kilometres southwest of Prince George near Vanderhoof and is in the initial public comment phase of the environmental assessment application.
VOL. 35 NO. 46 $1.34 inc. GST
A northern experience
April Hilland and her daughter Piper return from a dog sled tour on Stuart Lake with Jerry Joinson on Jan. 6. Full story Page 5.
Council restricts use
Ruth Lloyd Caledonia Courier
Mayor and council approved a covenant for the Fireweed Safe Haven property at 255 Second Avenue. The covenant restricts the potential uses of the building under the recently approved rezoning to social services/congregate care zoning. The property was previously zoned for single family residential. The covenant was suggested as a measure to address opponents of the transition house’s concerns regarding increased traffic on the street. While the facility will be approved for use as a transition house and the associated counselling services which the Fireweed Collective Society also does for women and children fleeing abuse, it will not be able to be used for additional counselling services, a day care centre, preschool or rest home. The covenant did generate quite a bit of discussion at the meeting. “For the sake of devil’s advocate, do we need to put a restrictive covenant on them?” said Councillor Riley Willick. “Pre-school, daycare, I don’t see those as threatening institutions to the neighbourhood.”
“I think it behooves council to have looked at both parties,” said Councillor Russ Gingrich. “The covenant was agreed upon by council and I see no reason to change that at this time.” Brandi Hanterman of Fireweed Collective came to the meeting to express Fireweed’s concern the group would be restricted from moving the counselling services they currently provide out of the Sitka Building at the Second Avenue building should they need to move those services if a covenant was put in place. While Hanterman made it clear Fireweed does not plan to move their counselling from the Sitka Building, their budget does not have room for increases in rent should the situation at the building change, and they want to have the flexibility to move them to Second Avenue if necessary. Once council understood the services are ongoing counselling for women fleeing abuse, and not additional counselling services outside this mandate, there did not seem to be an issue with those services being allowed to go on at the transition house should they need to. The covenant also restricts the height of the building, so a third story can not be added to the facility.
Kevin Gedling
Six arrested after assaults
Six people, all under the age of 20, are in custody and one person remains in hospital after a sexual assault of a male youth in Prince George earlier last week. RCMP received an anonymous call Monday evening of a male youth laying in a snowbank and that he may have been assaulted. Police, along with BC Ambulance Service personnel and Prince George Fire/Rescue crews found the boy behind an apartment building in the 1600 block of Juniper Street. He was taken to hospital. Police say the boy was a victim of an aggravated assault and aggravated sexual assault. Their investigation led them to a second boy who had been assaulted. Officers from the Prince George RCMP’s Serious Crime Section were called in
to investigate. During the next two days, investigators obtained five search warrants and arrested six people thought to be involved in the serious offences. Police have determined that the victims were targeted and lured to the apartment building where they were assaulted by a group consisting of both youths and young adults. All six – an 18-year-old man and a 20-year-old man along with three male youths and one female youth – persons remain in custody at least until they appear in court. “This is a very disturbing investigation” said Cpl. Craig Douglass, Media Liaison Officer for the Prince George RCMP. “We will do everything we can to bring those responsible to justice.” One victim remains in hospital in serious but stable condition.