Community: Valley rec centres open their doors for Monday holiday On stage: Blackie and the Rodeo Kings lasso Cowichan Theatre gig
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Friday, February 7, 2014
Pompeo’s team asks for verdict to be overturned
Regional district makes offer to buy Bourke property
Decision pending: Parks fund could be used to add to Sansum Point Park
Don Bodger
News Leader Pictorial
T
Peter W. Rusland
News Leader Pictorial
A
n offer to purchase 38.8 acres of private land, off Maple Bay’s Stoney Hill Road, has been made by the Cowichan Valley Regional District, the News Leader Pictorial
has learned. Brian Farquhar, regional parks and trails manager, confirmed taxpayers have made the offer to landowner Paul Bourke. The price of the offer for his land on Maple Bay Peninsula was undisclosed at press time today. The money would be taken from the CVRD’s parkland acquisition fund, Brian Farquhar: Farquhar explained. confirms offer The offer has various subject-to’s that were also undisclosed before deadline. Bourke’s property is on the southeast corner of the Maple Bay Peninsula, between Bird’s Eye Cove Farm, Sansum Narrows, and the CVRD’s Sansum Point Park. An adjacent private piece — not owned by Bourke — has also been offered to North Cowichan for preservation, as part of a puzzle of properties many residents want preserved on the peninsula. The majority of peninsula land — boasting the spectacular Sansum Bluffs — is in or beside North Cowichan’s municipal forest. At issue is the controversial upgrading Stoney Hill’s current gravel road. The exact route remains undecided amidst debate about protecting rare species and Aboriginal archaeological sites. Bourke and his lawyers had reached a deal with North Cowichan council for a spur road to his property amid complex negotiations about the upgrades. Stoney Hill Road reaches various homes in the Octopus Point area where some residents say council has promised them an upgraded, safer road. A residents’ petition, in the past two years, has Andrew Leong backed landowners’ demands for the upgraded Sapsucker Larry Fiege shares his experience in tree tapping during a tour at the annual Bigleaf Maple Syrup Festival at the road. Forest Discovery Centre on Saturday, Feb. 1.
gone wild
he B.C. Court of Appeal heard arguments in Vancouver Monday and Tuesday that could result in aggravated assault charges against Const. David Pompeo in the 2009 shooting of Bill Gillespie near Chemainus being dismissed or a new trial ordered. A decision is expected within a few weeks. B.C. Civil Liberties Association executive director Josh Paterson, whose organization has been monitoring the case closely, attended a portion of the proceedings while Gillespie was there the entire time. “Everyone has the right to have an appeal,’’ said Paterson. But there are several aspects of the case that have caught the attention of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association from the beginning. The question remains whether an RCMP officer has received preferential treatment compared to a civilian in a similar circumstance. “What we’re really concerned about, despite this officer being convicted for some time now, there’s still been no action from the RCMP in terms of discipline,’’ said Paterson. “They keep saying they’re going to proceed after the appeal takes place. But they didn’t need to wait until the appeal took place. “Even if his conviction were to be overturned, that doesn’t mean there still shouldn’t have been a disciplinary process.’’ As a Civil Liberties organization, “we tend to find ourselves advocating for the rights of defendants,’’ said Paterson. “That includes police officers, too.’’ But he couldn’t help but wonder, “whether any of us would have gotten that sentence,’’ said Paterson of Pompeo’s 24 months of probation and 240 hours community service. Pompeo was also allowed to retain his gun that essentially enabled him to keep his job. more on page 5
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