Along the Fraser The public didn’t bring up education. p6
Community
Ridge Meadows Hospital ER, pediatrics streamlined. p8
THE NEws
Gardening Growing your own perfect pot of tea. p37
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Phil Melnychuk/tHE nEws
NDP candidates Elizabeth Rosenau (left) and Mike Bocking (second from right) visited a Maple Ridge sawmill on Wednesday.
nDP visits speciality cedar mill Owner says changes are needed to help industry by Ph i l M e lnych uk staff reporter
Colleen Flanagan/tHE nEws
Hello, again Liberal leader Christy Clark made her second visit to candidate Marc Dalton’s riding office this election campaign on Wednesday. see story, p12.
Maple Ridge sues ex-mayor Golf course not allowed under current zoning by M o ni s ha M a r tin s staff reporter
The District of Maple Ridge is suing a former mayor for operating a golf course on property in violation of current zoning. The civil suit, filed Monday, al-
leges Gordon and Mary Robson are in contravention of a district bylaw and must permanently cease operating of the Heather Hills Golf Course. It seeks the removal of all golfcourse related infrastructure including the club house, tents, golf carts as well as food and beverage services. “We think the golf course is out of step with the zoning and we will bring compliance to it one way or the other,” said Reece Harding, the
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district’s solicitor, with the law firm Young Anderson. “It’s a non-permitted use, from the district’s perspective. Golf courses are not allowed in this zone.” Located in Webster’s Corner, on 117th Avenue, the property lies within the provincially protected Agricultural Land Reserve and is currently zoned one family residential under the district’s bylaw. Anderson said the district tried to get the Robsons to stop operating
the golf course voluntarily by sending them a letter in February. The legal action is being pursued because the Robsons’ did not comply. “It’s gone unresolved,” he added. “But we are always open to talking.” The golf course is operated seasonally, from spring through the end of summer, as part of the nonprofit Heather Hills Farm Society. see Robson, p5
Index Opinion Letters As we Age Acts of Faith Home&gardening Community Calendar sports
6 7 30 32 37 46 47
H
arald Mischke admits forestry is a complicated business and that he doesn’t have all the answers, but some are just common sense. Mischke owns Cedarland Forest Products, at the north end of 256th Street in Maple Ridge. With just a few companies now harvesting, he has to rely on one to supply the huge western red cedar slabs that the mill turns into high-end decking, siding and panelling, which it sells around the world. It’s a precarious existence. If his supplier decides to no longer sell him the raw cedar, he’s out of business. “This is the line we are facing and will continue to face unless some changes are made.” Mischke made the comments Wednesday to visiting NDP candidates Mike Bocking and Elizabeth Rosenau. “Break down the monopoly of timber ownership on the coast. There is too much timber power in too few hands,” he told them.
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