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Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Fire crews battle hay blaze off Somenos Ashley Degraaf
News Leader Pictorial
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Andrew Leong
Captain Malcolm Vale of North Cowichan’s South End fire department responds to a Tuesday morning blaze at Evans Farm on 6293 Somenos Road.
orth Cowichan South End fire fighters responded to a grass fire at the Evans farm on Somenos Road shortly before 11 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Crews battled the quick-spreading grass fire for about an hour before it was safe to head back to the station. Witness reports said the fire originated from a hay bale on a detached trailer on the property. The cause was unknown at press time. While firefighters worked on snuffing the blaze, they blocked off both adjacent Glacier Street and Hawkes Boulevard and had RCMP controlling traffic.
Big-money Kerry Park rec-centre upgrade pushed to the backburner Ashley Degraaf
News Leader Pictorial
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he Kerry Park Commission has pulled back on plans to spend up to $14.4 million to upgrade the recreation centre. Instead, it is recommending the Cowichan Valley Regional District move forward with only necessary improvements using existing reserves and operating budgets. “The commission feels this is the best approach to fund Kerry Park retrofits in the current economic climate,” South Cowichan Recreation manager Kim Liddle stated in a press release issued Friday. “The proposed improvements are scaled Home Of The
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Reverse course: referendum pulled off the table in favour of $3 million renovation using existing reserve funds
back from the upgrades viewed by the community during a community consultation in spring 2013.” More detailed planning and analysis is required but the renovation project will likely include replacement of the arena slab and rink boards, electrical and water system improvements and mechanical, plumbing and refrigeration system upgrades. “This does not preclude us from being able to move forward with an expanded community centre at some point in the future,” said commission chairman Mike Croft.
“However, the commission feels at this time the priority is to move ahead with the critical facility upgrades. Additional facility needs could be considered when other funds become available.” Last month, the commission voted to recommend a November referendum on a $14.4 million upgrade —the most expensive option on the table. But that recommendation was pulled off the Cowichan Valley Regional District’s agenda to see if there were ways to reduce that cost. “We would have loved to do all of it at
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once, but we decided it wasn’t the way to go,” Shawnigan Lake director Bruce Fraser said Monday. “The ultimate reason is the sensitivity of the local taxpayer.” The commission should have about $3 million to work with on critical upgrades, he noted, and will keep its collective eyes peeled for government grants for more improvements in the future. “The consultation process gave the commission valuable insight into what the community would like to see in the future at Kerry Park,” Liddle said. “In weighing what the community said, the commission concluded repairs to the facility are what is affordable for South Cowichan residents at this time.”
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