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Christmas caroling
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Wednesday, November 20, 2013
NEWS REVIEW
Panthers hockey
Peninsula survives a shorthanded matchup with Nanaimo Buccaneers at home, page 19
Watch for breaking news at www.vicnews.com
Dam not up to snuff
Sidney considers destroying Reay Creek dam following engineering firm report Steven Heywood News staff
adjustments to make the remaining runs serve residents as effectively as possible. The route reductions, feedback forms and a schedule of community meetings are posted at the review website, www. coastalferriesengagement.ca. There are no further reductions proposed for the main Vancouver Island runs but Stone said the ministry’s target is to find another $5 million in savings on those routes following reductions last year to the Tsawwassen-Duke Point route.
A dam on Reay Creek in Sidney has been deemed by an engineering firm to be not up to current standards and that has local politicians considering its demolition. An earthen dam on Reay Creek was built an estimated 50 years ago by a local landowner, creating a pond which eventually became a residential area near Canora Road. It no longer conforms to B.C. dam safety guidelines, according to a report by Thurber Engineering. The firm was commissioned by the Town “Local to review and inspect property owners the dam and its have expectations report was made pubat council’s Nov. 12 and wildlife does lic meeting. While council voted use the pond.” to seek stakeholder – Ian Bruce input in the future of the dam and to determine the cost for a variety of options, their comments leaned towards dismantling the structure, eliminating the pond. “I feel the existing dam needs to be removed,” said Councillor Mervyn Lougher-Goodey. “It should be put back to how (the stream) was before that.” Mayor Larry Cross noted that before the Town took such action, they would have to consult with groups like Peninsula Streams. “That group has a lot at stake there,” he said.
Please see: Route reductions coming, page 5
Please see: Future of the dam, page 4
Devon MacKenzie/News staff
Students from North Saanich Middle School collected over 3,000 food items for the Sidney Lions Food Bank in the last few weeks through their Youth in Action Club (YAC).
Ferries to cut routes, try slots Tom Fletcher Black Press
Sailing cuts are coming in April to most of B.C. Ferries’ minor and northern routes, as the corporation looks to save $18.9 million in the next two years. Transportation Minister Todd Stone and B.C. Ferries CEO Mike Corrigan announced the reductions Monday, along with a plan to begin charging seniors half passenger fares that are currently offered free from Monday to Thursday. B.C. Ferries is also planning a pilot project with slot machines on the main routes
from Vancouver Island to the mainland, to test the revenue potential. Fare increases of four per cent and 3.9 per cent are to go ahead in the next two years but Stone said the goal is to hold future increases to the rate of inflation or less after that. “We heard loud and clear from people in the coastal communities … that fares cannot continue to escalate as they have and people want the ferry service to be there,” Stone said. Ferry reductions outlined by the ministry review will go ahead in next spring after another round of consultations with coastal communities to look for schedule