TUESDAY December 10, 2013 Vol. 28 • No. 99 ••• $1.25 inc. G.S.T.
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COMOX VALLEY
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A Berklee College of Music graduate leads his jazz trio Thursday night in downtown Courtenay. page 11
Three local cross-country skiers will represent Canada at the World University Games in Trentino, Italy. page 14
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Apology for errors in ferry fares Renee Andor Record Staff
The B.C. Coastal Transportation Society’s 10-year ferry fare increase table released last week, and published in the Comox Valley Record, was incorrect. “It was recently brought to our attention that there were certain discrepancies in our published Fare Increase Table,” society directors write in an apology on their website. “For this we apologize to everyone as we try always to provide accurate information. We also want to apologize to BC Ferries for presenting information that was inaccurate and misrepresented the facts of an already-very difficult decisionmaking process.” The calculations were made using discounted fare rates from 2003 and full rates from 2013, rather than comparing discounted rates to discounted rates or full rates to full rates. Due to the method BCCTS used to calculate numbers provided by the Ferry Advisory Committees and taken from BC Ferries’ website, the calculations were skewed, making fare increase percentages appear higher than they actually are. BCCTS notes FACs already periodically calculate long-term fare increase percentages. “Our leadership has determined that this work is rightly the mandate of the Ferry Advisory Committees to whom we will leave it going forward. We wish to apologize to the members of the various FACs, with our hopes that our erroneous presentation has in no way reflected poorly on their excellent work.” writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com
BROOKLYN CHRISTMAS CONCERT Children gathered last Wednesday for the annual Christmas concert at Brooklyn Elementary School in Comox. Well-known local singer and music teacher Jenn Forsland led the performance. PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK
Concern about ‘tanking’ property values Scott Stanfield Record Staff
Elizabeth Phillips, whose elderly parents live in a seniors’ strata in East Courtenay near land bought by the City of Courtenay for a housing initiative, suggests property values will “tank” if a homeless shelter or a low-income housing complex is built. More importantly, she is concerned about the safety of her
parents, Carl and Catherine, who live near the City-owned property at 810 Braidwood Rd. Her father, while walking his dog one night, was assaulted in front of his home by a person known to police. “It was completely unprovoked and he suffered a brain injury,” Phillips said. “The woman got 21 days in jail. “A woman and two men. They didn’t want anything; they just
hurt him and broke his glasses and walked away and left him laying there.” She feels the former Habitat for Humanity building on the other side of the Old Island Highway would be a more suitable location for the proposed housing project. “It’s not a business frontage,” Phillips said. “It seems to me to be a pretty ideal location, and very close to downtown. It’s not in a residential neighbourhood.
“You can’t put it into a neighbourhood where most of the residents are living on fixed incomes,” she added, in reference to the Braidwood property. “It’s just ridiculous to think that that’s a good location.” While she recognizes that some homeless individuals suffer a mental illness, Phillips said other people live on the street because they have made bad life choices. ... see MAYOR ■ 2
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