WEDNESDAY
< Quell those canine capers
DECEMBER 4, 2013
Dogs-at-large complaints on the rise | Page 3
Big snow, big preview >
Ski hill holds preview opening this weekend | Page 4
1
Like Us
$ 10
TownsmanBulletin
INCLUDES G.S.T.
Follow Us @crantownsman
Vol. 61, Issue 235
Proudly serving Cranbrook and area since 1951
www.dailytownsman.com
Habitat taking applications in January Habitat for Humanity project offers family in need an opportunity for home ownership they may not otherwise have
A R NE PE TRYS HEN Townsman Staff
The Cranbrook Habitat for Humanity project will start accepting applications for the first Habitat home in the community in January. The location for the new home is in the Slaterville neighbourhood. The application process will include interviews in January and then the final selection will
be decided in February. The Habitat for Humanity Canada homes are built by volunteers using donations. Gord Johnston, who is project leader and chair of the Cranbrook project, explained that the families are carefully selected and it is a misunderstanding that homes are given away. “We partner with a family
in need, who will hold a no-interest mortgage, to provide them with an opportunity for home ownership they may not otherwise be able to achieve,” Johnston said. The city donated the lot at 217 Crestbrook Avenue for the project, which is being run by the Habitat for Humanity West Kootenay affiliate. The build is being orga-
nized by the Adopt-a-Home Cranbrook committee. Johnston said there has been a good number of people and businesses that have come forward wanting to offer donations of goods and services. But he said they are also in need of cash donations for some of the building materials, tools for volunteers and expenses not covered by
donors. And because Habitat for Humanity is a registered non-profit society, it is able to issue tax receipts for donations. Once started, the build will be lead by Jim Bennett, a local retired contractor. Bennett hopes to start the project in April. “We’ve made a few changes to the original plans
in order for the home to better fit the configuration of the lot,” Bennett said. “We’ve also upgraded to double walls and triple-paned windows for energy efficiency and to suit our Cranbrook climate.”
See HABITAT , Page 3
Sound debate strikes chord at council ARNE PETRYSHEN Townsman Staff
ARNE PETRYSHEN PHOTO
A number of Cranbrook and Kimberley RCMP officers showed their support for Cst. Ian Ferrier, who is undergoing treatment for leukaemia, by taking pledges and having their heads shaved on Friday, Nov. 29. Pictured, left to right: retired Sgt. Gerry Smith, Cpl. Chris Newel, and Cpl. Barry Graham. Hairdressers, left to right: Kaitlyn Smith (Urban Roots), Jesse Robertson (Shure Cut) and Bruce Kirchhofer (Hilltop Hair by Bruce). Cpl. Spencer Marginson, Cst. Andrea Fitzpatrick and Bobbi Kirchhofer also took part. Other officers and staff chose to do the head shaving the day before.
The city may be hearing the music in terms of sound quality in Western Financial Place, as the Nov. 25 council meeting included discussions on the topic. Coun. Gerry Warner referenced Townsman editor Barry Coulter’s column in the newspaper on Nov. 22 about the need for improvements to sound quality in Western Financial Place. “Given the number of top rate concerts that are being attracted to Cranbrook … and given the dreadful acoustics in the place, a relatively cheap but effective solution to this might be the hanging of some kind of acoustic tiles,” Warner said. “That would really improve the sound quality and could be quite important from a revenue point of view, because we are attracting more concerts and the more concerts we get, the more revenue we have.”
See CITY , Page 5