The Chilliwack
Progress Friday
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Green Jewel
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Chilliwack’s ‘gem’ of a park needs volunteers.
Chilliwack library turns another new page.
A familiar name returns to the Chiefs.
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Chilliwack mourns the loss of Stan Rogers Jennifer Feinberg The Progress
Many were in shock Thursday morning to learn Chilliwack entrepreneur and Legacy Pacific president Stan Rogers had died unexpectedly. He was 65. Son Cameron Rogers, on behalf of the Rogers family, told The Progress that, “they are saddened at the sudden and unexpected death of their father, Stan Rogers, on the evening of April 16. “It is understood at this time that it was likely a massive heart attack.” He had been contemplating retirement from a long career which will not be realized. Rogers leaves his wife, Anita, sons Cameron and Collin of Chilliwack, and daughter Gina from the area of Atlanta, Georgia. He had six grandchildren. Many in the community expressed their sympathies for the loss. “I’m thinking of his family at this time. It was a tremendous shock,” said Barry Penner, a former Chilliwack MLA and BC government cabinet minister. BC Liberal minister Rich Coleman spoke Thursday morning at the Thursday Rotary meeting and Stan Rogers, an active Rotarian, Continued: ROGERS/ p12
Students take part in the 3000-metre run at a district mini-track meet Wednesday at Sardis secondary. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS
Farmers want bill amended or withdrawn Jennifer Feinberg The Progress
Stan Rogers speaks during the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards in 2008 where Legacy Pacific won for Development Excellence Residential & Commercial. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS FILE
B.C. farmers and ranchers are expressing relief this week knowing their leadership is getting a chance to discuss how the Agriculture Land Reserve (ALR) might be threatened by Bill 24. BC Agriculture Council members will be sitting down with the Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick next Wednesday to talk about the proposed changes. “Nobody knows the importance and potential of ALR land more than B.C. farmers and ranchers,” said Stan Vander Waal, Chair of BC Agriculture Council, and
owner of Rainbow Greenhouses in Chilliwack. “I am pleased that Minister Letnick is choosing to acknowledge this expertise.” They’ll be asking the minister to either withdraw or amend the bill, as it poses “a threat to the sustainability of B.C. agriculture” in its current form, The Progress has learned. The definition of Zones 1 and 2, which include the Fraser Valley and everything outside the valley respectively, is one aspect of concern. “We feel the definitions are far too broad and do not protect areas with very good land from development pressure,” said Vander Waal.
Shifting the power to the regional panels has also raised a red flag. “We think that delegating all decision-making authority to the local panels could effectively create six Agricultural Land Reserves,” he stated. While having local input is critical, history has also shown that political and economic pressures locally can be waged to allow nonfarm use on ag land. “The panel can be significant in terms of its power and effectiveness to maintain good agricultural land.” In terms of the allowance of non-farm uses, the BCAC chair
said the question should be what the prime business is on that land, farm or non-farm based, and how will that be determined and monitored. “There are many situations in urban areas where a farm exists only to legitimize non-agricultural use. So we’re very glad to be sitting down with the minister next Wednesday to talk about this,” Vander Waal added. A steering committee to look at the Bill 24’s impacts, was struck jointly by the minister and BCAC. “We intend to suggest that if the government truly wants to protect farm land and the farm, it Continued: ALR/ p10
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