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Chilliwack should have a say in Cultus Lake Park: officials
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Jennifer Feinberg The Progress
A petition to alter the rules about who can vote in Cultus Lake Park Board elections received 925 signatures. The longstanding voting structure has created an unfair situation in Cultus Lake Park for residents, stated Sue Lister. She and husband Gary Lister have been circulating the petition over the past two weeks. The way it works now, two of the seven-member board are elected by Cultus Lake residents, with the other five commissioners voted in by Chilliwack residents. The petition seeks to have the Cultus Lake Park Act amended to make it only Cultus Lakers who can elect park board commissioners. It also requests that the total number of elected commissioners be reduced from seven to five. But the management and administration of the Cultus Lake Park Board isn’t a one way street, cautioned board chair Sacha Peter. He was reacting to the demand by the petitioners that the province make it only Cultus Lake residents who can vote for park board commissioners. “On its face, it seems like a onesided transaction; all upside and no downside,” he said. “But we need to take into consideration the fact that the lands of Cultus Lake Park have the name of ‘City of Chilliwack’ on title.” In exchange for the park land that Chilliwack gave to the Cultus Lake Park Board in trust, the people, the electorate of Chilliwack in other words, get to elect a sizable proportion of the park board every three years. Continued: CULTUS/ p12
People look at the vintage vehicles on display during Minter Gardens 11th annual Classic Car Show on Sunday. The show was its last as Minter Gardens will be closing at the end of this season. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS
Home owner given a month to clean up Jennifer Feinberg The Progress
City officials have finally dealt with a severe hoarding situation involving an elderly home owner near downtown Chilliwack. Unsightly as well as unsafe conditions were cited in a city staff report about the ongoing challenges at 46493 Mayfair Avenue. Some at city hall are hoping the situation becomes a catalyst of sorts that would see a dedicated task force created to tackle growing numbers of hoarding cases in Chilliwack. “The City is doing everything in our power to deal with this,”
said Mayor Sharon Gaetz recently, posting on a local Facebook page. Complaints have come in about rats nesting in the piled garbage, and there were unlicensed vehicles and overgrown bushes displayed in staff report photos. The property owner is now required to clean up the mess, or the city will take action, and the costs will be added to the tax bill. Council passed a remedial order requiring the removal of garbage and debris from around the exterior of the dilapidated home, and another for the interior to enforce city bylaws and get help for the occupants. The property in question, with
its overgrown bushes, weeds, and garbage, has been declared a nuisance, and said to be creating a health and safety risk to the occupants and their neighbours. Council moved ahead July 16 on the file, approving a ‘Request for Remedial Action’ under Section 72 of the Community Charter. If the owner wants to contest the order, the issue will go to a show cause hearing, which is like the city’s version of court. The owner was given 30 days to appeal. Coun. Chuck Stam asked at the council meeting about the possibility of asking for specialized help from health and social service experts, required when
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dealing with mental health issues as mitigating factors. The matter was also referred to the public safety committee. Although a two-person Hoarding Response Team is in place serving those in the Vancouver area, there is no similar service available for Chilliwack. The staff report documented how all the ongoing and extensive efforts to gain voluntary compliance from the aged home owner have ultimately failed. As conditions on the property continue to deteriorate, bylaw enforcement staff have fielded several complaints. Continued: CITY/ p12
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