Wednesday January 22, 2014 www.saobserver.net $1.25 GST Included
City makes Residents protest CSRD vote push to be Blind Bay Resort: Directors’ division Hockeyville on application By martha Wickett
leads to defeat.
OBSeRVeR STAFF
Who is Hockeyville? Salmon Arm is, that’s who. Salmon Arm supporters are hoping to break away from the competition to claim the title of Kraft Hockeyville 2014 – or at least become one of the finalists. last week, the Salmon Arm economic development Society announced it had nominated Salmon Arm for Hockeyville. communities nominated across canada have until Feb. 9 to demonstrate who has the greatest community spirit and passion for hockey. That’s done by going to the Kraft Hockeyville website, krafthockeyville.cbc.ca, and uploading content in the form of stories, photos and videos. The site offers tips on contributing content that will grab the judges’ attention. lana Fitt, Salmon Arm’s economic development manager, says the community’s enthusiasm has been overwhelming right from the moment the city’s participation was announced. “The more I’ve gotten into this program, the more history and stories and neat community spirit there is. It makes me think it’s an excellent choice… and we are the perfect community to be Hockeyville.” Kraft Hockeyville is an annual competition developed by cBc Sports and sponsored by Kraft Foods, the nHl and the nHl Players’ Association. When the online judging is done, the top 16 communities in the contest become finalists, and $1 million in prizes will be shared among them. The 16 finalists are announced March 8 on Hockey night in canada. After that, online voting takes place for 48 hours, where the field is narrowed down to four communities. The community chosen as Hockeyville 2014 will get to host a pre-season nHl game, will receive $100,000 towards arena upgrades and will be featured on cBc TV. The Salmon Arm chamber of commerce is challenging the business community to show its hockey pride, community spirit and originality by displaying the most creative Hockeyville display in support of Salmon Arm’s bid. The contest began Jan. 20 and a panel of three judges will visit each registered business to determine contest winners on Jan. 31. Throughout the See Community on page A2
By Barb Brouwer OBSeRVeR STAFF
A group of determined individuals expressed their anger at the denial of a Blind Bay development by protesting in front of the columbia Shuswap Regional district office Monday morning. About 41 people, some carrying placards, were upset at the defeat of a proposal by dan Baskill to develop Blind Bay Resort and asked directors to hold an extraordinary meeting to reconsider the vote. But that request poses a problem for the regional district, one that requires the consultation of lawyers. Baskill’s proposal was defeated by a three-three tie vote at the Jan. 16 board meeting. cSRd chair david Raven was unable to break the tie because he is a municipal director and not entitled to a vote in the matter of development in electoral areas. “We are outraged, quietly, more or less,” said George landry Monday as the group gathered in the parking lot across from cSRd offices. “democracy is good, but it works better when people are informed.” Monday’s protesters shared the same concerns as a small group of Baskill supporters who expressed their outrage following the vote at the board meeting. They object to the ability of directors who live far away from a development to defeat a project that has been strongly supported by the area director and some local residents. They also complained that directors were misinformed and the defeat will prove costly to the South Shuswap economy. directors opposed to giving the proposal third reading were Area e Rural Sicamous Rhona Martin, Area B Rural Revelstoke loni Parker and Area d Falkland/Silver creek René Talbot.
This week More than 400 skiers take over Larch Hills for the 30th Reino Keski-Salmi Loppet. See A17. Some Canoe residents are spearheading a drive to reduce highway speed. Details on A4.
James muRRay/OBSeRVeR
Outraged: Simon Brown is among the more than 40 placard-carrying citizens who gathered outside the Columbia Shuswap Regional District office Monday morning to protest a recent CSRD vote which defeated a proposed development at the Blind Bay Resort. Their concerns centred primarily around the dock proposal, which would see the number of boat slips increase to 70 from the current 55, the possibility of Baskill or a future owner adding a fuelling station and the likelihood of attracting houseboats. Several protesters said Monday that
houseboats are not permitted to enter the bay. While Baskill maintains he has always been opposed to the notion of adding fuel sales, it is not written into the bylaw directors were being asked See CsRD on page A2
Index Opinion ....................... A6 View Point ............ A7, A8 Life & Times ............... A9 Sports................A17-A21 Arts & Events ... A22-A25 Time Out................... A26 Vol. 107, No. 04, 44 pages