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KELOWNA ROCKET Tyson Baillie may be just 18 but he is proving to be a leader on the team, thanks to his experience and play.
COLUMNIST Joel Young explains why it’s so important to have a business plan drawn up when starting new entrepreneurial venture, especially one that needs to attract financing.
A DANGEROUS curve on Highway 33 is getting new signs to warn drivers about the bend. The Eight Mile Curve, as it is known, has been the site of many accidents over the years.
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TUESDAY September 3, 2013 The Central Okanagan’s Best-Read Newspaper www.kelownacapnews.com
serving our community 1930 to 2013
▼ WESTBANK
Fire claims community hall
Kevin Parnell
STAFF REPORTER
Fire damage to the historic Westbank Lions Community Hall may be less than originally thought, after flames ripped through the walls of the heritage building in a blaze that broke out early Sunday morning. Strategic fire-fighting efforts by the 23 West Kelowna firefighters who responded to the blaze may have been enough to save the heritage building, originally built in 1928 with an addition added in 1980. “Initial reports are the damage is not as bad as it looks from the outside,” said West Kelowna fire chief Wayne Schnitzler. “When you look at the outcome it was a very good job by the fire-fighters in containing the fire damage to the front of the building. It gives the possibility that they may be able to repair what they
have there and get it back in order. That being said, you don’t know what the costs will be to do that.” Schnitzler said most of the damage was limited to the front wall of the building as well as the attic space while there was also smoke and water damage. However, he said the floors and stage of the building were intact, as was much of the computer equipment used by tenants of the building such as the Red Cross and the Boys and Girls Club’s youth centre. As of Monday morning, the cause of the blaze was still under investigation, with West Kelowna Fire and Rescue working with RCMP to determine how the fire started and whether or not it was suspicious. When fire-fighters first arrived on the scene, shortly after the first reports around 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning, they
were confronted with flames visibly shooting out of the aging structure. “It was one of those fires that you can’t take that aggressive of a stance,” said Schnitzler. “We had to make a decision to attack the fire in a certain way. You don’t want to push the fire further into the building.” Crews quickly determined that the fire was located inside the walls and was being fed by sawdust in the walls, material that was commonly used for insulation in construction in the 1920s. “We were dealing with old construction and when you have that you have difficulties,” said Schnitzler. “You have sawdust insulation and areas that are hard to access. We had to open the walls up with chain saws, pull the sheeting down, pull the insulation off and get the sawdust out. The crews did a
DON SIPOS/CONTRIBUTOR
A WEST KELOWNA FIREFIGHTER hoses down the front of the historic Westbank Lions Community Hall Sunday after fire engulfed the wooden building during an early morning blaze. An investigation is ongoing. really good job.” While the building may eventually be saved the immediate impact of the loss of the hall will be dramatic on the community of West Kelowna. “The impact is huge; that’s where our commun-
ity meets more than anywhere else,” said West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater. “There are meeting rooms for smaller groups that meet on a regular basis and the regular tenants of the building. There
already was a shortage of space but this accentuates it. We will see what the Lions want to do but finding community meeting space is a priority.” The hall, which was believed to be heavily booked for the rest of the
year, was to have hosted a wedding reception Sunday afternoon, said Rick Hebner, past president of the Westbank Lions Community Development
See Fire A3
▼ JOE SARDINHA
Orchard industry loses one of its greatest champions
Steve Kidd
CONTRIBUTOR
Joe Sardinha, the past-president of the B.C. Fruit Growers Association, passed away suddenly on Sunday. Sardinha, simply known as “Joe” to all he met, was a popular leader of the industry organization, outlasting count-
less agricultur ministers during the six years of his presidency, from 2005 to 2011. Sardinha’s untimely death came at age 52, leaving his wife Julie and two grown children. The family has asked for privacy as they recover from this unexpected death. “Joe’s death was totally unexpected. Every-
where I went, people asked how Joe was keeping—out of admiration and respect for Joe,” said current BCFGA president Jeet Dukhia, “He loved his family, farming and the farm community. I speak for all tree fruit growers in saying we are deeply saddened by this news,” Sardinha was the
child of Portuguese immigrants, the second generation to farm in the Okanagan. “It was the land of opportunity. Quite often they would go back to Portugal, marry and bring their wives over and have families here,” said Sardinha, speaking of the wave of Portuguese immigration from the mid-
’50s to early ’60s. “And before you know it they’re orchard owners themselves.” During his term, Sardinha led the BCFGA through a massive restructuring that saw consolidation of the packing houses and an increased focus on quality of the fruit produced in the province. Despite many difficul-
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ties—frosts, hail, low fruit prices, rising costs—Sardinha remained unfailingly optimistic, managing to find a silver lining during one year when apples were smaller than ideal. “That only makes it more ideal for children in school lunch and snack programs,” Sardinha said in 2009. Penticton Western News
Joe Sardiha
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