Wednesday April 9, 2014 www.saobserver.net $1.25 GST INCLUDED
Two-hour parking up for debate By Martha Wickett OBSERVER STAFF
Salmon Arm Mayor Nancy Cooper predicts a lively discussion on downtown parking at next week’s council meeting. Cooper was responding to comments councillors made following a report from city staff at the city’s planning meeting Monday, which outlined a recommendation from the Downtown Parking Commission. The commission has recommended that, based on the results of a Downtown Salmon Arm business parking survey, the trial of two-hour street parking on Hudson Avenue be extended throughout the downtown core for a year, from April 25 of this year to March 31, 2015. Coun. Denise Reimer said she is not prepared to vote in favour of the recommendation. “Salmon Arm has a very vibrant downtown already, with so many diverse businesses. With that, comes diversity in parking. While I appreciate the study done by Downtown Salmon Arm, Denise Reimer I think we need to look at CITY a much more extensive COUNCILLOR study.” Coun. Marg Kentel said she’s thinking along the same lines as Reimer. “By the time Marcel (Bedard, bylaw officer) marks a tire, they could park for close to four hours the way this would work...” She also said a year is far too long for an experiment and suggested until the end of the year would be more than enough. Coun. Debbie Cannon explained that she, as council’s representative on Downtown Salmon Arm, has spent a lot of time downtown talking to businesses as well as looking over emails, and she tends to agree with Reimer. “I think one-hour parking is sufficient, and the survey done didn’t have much of a science to it. The business owners and residents I’ve discussed it with don’t support the two hours.” Coun. Chad Eliason agreed, saying he doesn’t think two-hour parking is a solution for all businesses. Cooper and Couns. Alan Harrison and Ken Jamieson didn’t state their views.
JAMES MURRAY/OBSERVER
In the mouth of a dragon
Grace Lu watches as her daughter Jonatha places her hand into the mouth of a dragon on display at the Shuswap Association of Rowers and Paddlers information table set up over the weekend at the Mall at Piccadilly.
Community rallies for Megan Rare illness: Child sent for urgent cancer treatment in Toronto. By Martha Wickett OBSERVER STAFF
Four-year-old Megan Leverrier has been a healthy, active little girl, a girl who loves to dance and loves to sing. About three weeks ago her parents took her to the doctor because her abdomen was distended, explains her aunt, Tracey Nickolson. Michelle and Jaimie Leverrier are Megan’s parents; Nickolson is Michelle’s sister. Various tests and X-rays were done. It was thought Megan was possibly constipated, so she was sent home to pass the blockage. However, the doctor called that night to say she should be taken to hospital right away. She went to Vernon Jubilee, where the doctors there said she must get to BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver immediately; she has a cancerous tumour.
This week A second mudslide in 10 days blocked Eagle Bay Road on Monday. See details on A9. Some Salmon Arm hockey players got to skate in the big leagues. Find out more on A17.
Because it would take too long to arrange a medical flight out of Kelowna, the family dropped everything and set off by car. When Megan was examined in Vancouver, the family understood the tumour would likely be treated with chemotherapy. However, more tests were done because the mass was growing so rapidly. Because of concerns about internal bleeding, a proper biopsy wasn’t possible. Nickolson says doctors – a total of 28 have been discussing Megan’s condition – have determined the mass is very rare, an angiosarcoma surrounded by a hemangioma, a tumour within a tumour, attached to her liver. Because Toronto Sick Children’s HosSee Hoping on page A2
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Support: Various charity efforts are underway to help Megan Leverrier’s family with medical expenses.
Index Opinion ....................... A6 View Point .................. A7 Life & Times ............... A8 Sports................A17-A19 Arts & Events ... A20-A23 Time Out................... A24 Vol. 107, No. 15, 48 pages