FRIDAY February 22, 2013 Vol. 28•No. 16 ••• $1.25 inc. H.S.T.
COMOX VALLEY
ARTS
SPORTS
The Idle No More message is what’s important, says artist Andy Everson, whose design has gone international. page B1
The Comox Valley Glacier Kings got off to a 2-0 start in their opening playoff series against the Generals. page B9
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Tentative deal for new landfill Compensation stable for 20 years plus funds to repair road to landfill site
OUT-OF-BOUNDS BACKCOUNTRY AREAS are seductive to skiers in search of perfect powder, but they’re more dangerous. That applies on Vancouver Island just like it does in other areas that attract skiers. PHOTO COURTESY ISLAND ALPINE GUIDES
‘Absolute peril’ for skiers on Island Skiers caught out of bounds could lose Mount Washington ski privilege Scott Stanfield Record Staff
The warnings are there for a reason, but some skiers feel compelled to leave designated boundaries in search of pristine powder in backcountry terrain. The Island is no exception. “There is an absolute peril here on Vancouver Island,” said Jan Neuspiel, owner/guide at Island Alpine Guides. He is also the executive director and lead forecaster for the Avalanche Bulletin.
Mount Washington has a the backcountry, they will to make good decisions to boundary rope, with open- lose their ski pass at Mount avoid being caught in an avalanche.” ings or gates marking spots Washington. A basic avalanche course Exercising caution is where people are welcome to leave the resort’s proper- more than being careful, is not enough, added Neusadded Neuspiel, noting the piel, who suggests a proty for backcountry skiing. fessional guide can Except during “accelerate learning avalanche control. dramatically.” “Just because Everyone needs to be very Incident reports they’re opening clear if they go through those are listed at islanthem (gates) doesn’t gates and into uncontrolled davalanchebulletin. mean there’s no hazbackcountry where real hazcom. ard back there,” said “We have no shortNeuspiel, a member ards exist. Jan Neuspiel age of people getting of the Canadian Avainvolved in avalanchlanche Association and Association of Cana- importance of training and es on the Island. I’m happy dian Mountain Guides. “It experience to recognize, to say that to date there just means that the hazard assess and mitigate haz- have been no fatalities but there’s been some pretty that might be created by ard. He considers the empha- serious injuries,” Neuspiel avalanche control is gone. “Everyone needs to be sis on the need for ava- said. “I hate to say it but very clear if they go through lanche safety gear as a it’s not a question of if but those gates and into uncon- “reactive solution” to being when we’re going to have a fatality. The popularity of trolled backcountry where buried in an avalanche. “What’s much more backcountry skiing is growreal hazards exist.” If skiers are caught duck- important is to have the ing (by) leaps and bounds.” ing under ropes to access training and experience reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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land/Bevan Road corridor to accommodate vehicles accessing the dump for the length of the agreement. “It’s been a long time coming,” Cumberland Mayor Leslie Baird said. “It’s nice to be recognized. They’ve been using it for the last 20 Scott Stanfield years, and it’s deteriorated our road system.” Record Staff The $3 million would Cumberland could be on come from taxes, about its way to receiving some $3.50 on a home assessed serious money if a host com- at $350,000 in 2013. The munity agreement results amount would go up in each in an expanded engineered subsequent year until the full amount landfill at is borrowed. the Comox It’s been a long T h e V a l l e y CumberWaste Man- time coming. It’s nice land dump a g e m e n t to be recopened more Centre, once than 50 known as ognized. years ago. the Pidgeon They’ve “There’s a Lake Land- been lot of historifill. cal issues T h e using it that haven’t C o m o x for the been dealt Strathcona last 20 with, and waste manroads is one agement ser- years, of them,” vice (CSWM) and it’s deteriorated said Coun. and the Vil- our road system. Roger Kishi, lage develLeslie Baird Village repoped the resentative agreement that balances the impacts on the CSWM board. The CSWM has paid of hosting a landfill against advantages received by a the Village a road mainteregion. Pending the outcome nance allowance, starting of an alternative approval at $1 per tonne or $70,000 process (AAP), the CSWM per year. Last year it was will compensate the Village bumped to $2 per tonne. “It’s going to create some $300,000 per year for 20 years. The money would certainty for the Comox Strathcona solid waste come from tipping fees. The CSWM would also management area for at provide a maximum $3 mil- least the next 20 years of lion to upgrade the Cumber... see NEW LANDFILL ■ A2
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