THURSDAY
S I N C E
FEBRUARY 14, 2013
1 8 9 5 Kootenay rinks square off
Vol. 118, Issue 26
110
$
Page 9
INCLUDING H.S.T.
PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
Trustees back K-9 plan for RSS
Trail council adopts bylaws BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
Option to close MacLean School and send grades 10 to 12 to Crowe moves to third reading BY GUY BERTRAND Times Staff
The residents and students in Rossland finally got an answer Tuesday night. In front of approximately 200 people at the Rossland Secondary School gym, the School District 20 trustees voted unanimously, 9-0, to pass Option 2 – the kindergarten to Grade 9 option at RSS – to a third reading. It also means MacLean School will be closed and Rossland students in grades 10 “Now we’re in a to 12 will be headed position that to Trail’s J.L. Crowe we can look Secondary next year. The other option forward and look presented – Option to the innovative 3 the closing of things that the RSS and expanding MacLean School to public has a K-7 configuration presented us.” and sending grades 8 DARREL GANZERT to 12 to Crowe – was prevented from moving to a third reading by an 8-1 count. The next step in the process will be the third reading on Option 2 at the regular school board meeting on Feb. 25 at the Trail Middle School. Should it pass, the future of the vacant MacLean School will be explored by the board members. Tuesday night, trustees presented their views on both options. It was quickly obvious, despite greater savings from closing RSS and moving students to MacLean and J.L. Crowe in Trail, that the importance of keeping as many grades as possible in Rossland weighed in the decision. District chair Darrel Ganzert said it was great to finally be able to move beyond the facilities review stage and look forward at improving education in the district. “I’ve been embroiled in this, both as a union president and a member of the board, for many years. I didn’t realize until (Tuesday) what a toll it’s taken on that aspect of our job as trustees. “I think that’s the most positive thing that will come from this. Now we’re in a position that we can look forward and look to the innovative things that the public has presented to us. “And finally, finally, leave the bickering behind.” See FINAL, Page 3
SHERI REGNIER PHOTO
Conrado and Maria Flores have been married since Aug. 19, 1947. The East Trail couple said that trusting each other is key to their long and happy union.
Love stands the test of time A Valentine’s Day story that spans almost 70 years BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
A heart that loves never grows old. It has been almost 66 years since Conrado and Maria Flores first said, “I do.” The key to their lasting bond is quite simple. “Our secret is that from when we first met, we loved one another,” said Conrado Flores. “That doesn’t change because we are old, our love for each other hasn’t aged.” Flores, now 84, has been married to Maria since Aug. 19, 1947. At age 18, Conrado had just been discharged from the army in Manila, when he first spotted 16-year-old Maria walking in the neighbourhood. “I thought, oh, she’s cute.” Daughter Amelia McPhee had a little detail to add to the story. “Three girlfriends, including Mom, were his neighbours,” she said. “Dad dated all three but Mom was the lucky one,” she laughed.
Their wedding followed within a year, but was a low-key affair. Flores said that nobody wanted to marry the youngsters, because his bride was underage. “They (parents) forged Maria’s age and said she was 18, so we could marry,” he said. “Maybe after all these years, our marriage is not legal,” joked Flores. The newlyweds moved into their own house in Pasig (municipality in Manila), and within a year, the first of nine children was born. To support the growing family, Conrado worked odd jobs as a carpenter and his wife ran her own seamstress business. Raising a large family was a struggle during this time, when the Philippines was marred with corruption, political repression and human rights violations under the rule of President Ferdinand Marcos. An eldest daughter, already living in Trail, offered to sponsor the family to immigrate. On June 21, 1979, with four of their youngest children in tow, the family arrived on Canadian soil. See FAMILY, Page 5
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With the adoption of four new bylaws, housekeeping duties were the focus of Tuesday night’s council meeting in Trail. First to be enacted, was the Downtown Revitalization Tax Exemption Bylaw. “The basic purpose behind this bylaw is to encourage investment in the downtown,” said Michelle McIsaac, city corporate administrator. Properties that are either doing new construction or substantial renovations, will be eligible for tax exemptions for terms of up to 10 years, explained McIsaac. Essentially, the bylaw will “freeze” the properties where construction and renovation are undertaken, at their current set values. “Those eligible properties will be exempt from municipal taxes for a number of years on the new assessed value,” added McIsaac. “This one is near and dear to my heart,” said Coun. Kevin Jolly, as the motion was carried. Council approved bylaw 2746, which enables eligible properties to receive a 50 per cent reduction in the downtown building permit fees. The downtown is identified as the Gulch, East Trail and See BOOT, Page 3
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