Fire inspections Violations found in Lantzville buildings. Page 11 Blues groove Musician Victor Anthony performs on Gabriola Island. Page 29 Coastal Living Students form eco-club to help protect environment. Page 3
Fast start for Timbermen Page 19
Celebrating
1988
2013
Years
TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014
www.nanaimobulletin.com
VOL. 25, NO. 112
Cause unknown
umesh lal, Nanaimo Fire Rescue fire prevention officer, starts his investigation into the cause of a fire that destroyed a garden shed and its contents on Sherwood drive Sunday shortly after 9 p.m. Fire investigators are also probing a kitchen fire on Wavecrest drive that sent a woman to hospital Friday. For more on that story, please see page 3. CHRIS BUSH THe NewS BUlleTIN
Visitors tapped to help pay for tourism initiatives By Tamara Cunningham ThE NEwS BULLETIN
Nanaimo visitors could soon pay for tourist attractions in the Harbour City. The Nanaimo Hospitality Association, with the support of the City of Nanaimo and Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation, is looking to add a new two-per cent accommodation tax to hotel bills. The move is aimed at creating a new pot of money to pay for and market tourism attractions in the Harbour City, from multiday festivals to a new interpretive and cultural centre on Newcastle Island. This city wouldn’t be the first to see the charge levied. According to the province, 47 B.C. municipalities and
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regional districts are collecting the two-per cent Municipal and Regional District Tax to help bolster tourism. Dan Brady, chairman for the Nanaimo Hospitality Association, says Nanaimo seems to be one of the few municipalities without the tax, but that it would be a positive step and a way to create tourism attraction opportunities. He also said 80 per cent of hotel operators now support ringing up the new charge, which is expected to pull in $375,000 to $406,000 in the first fiscal year and lead to more hotel stays. The money would be collected by the City of Nanaimo, which has to apply to the province to levy the tax, create a new bylaw and commit to funding the Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation’s tourism
arm at $570,000 a year. The tax is meant to promote tourism on top of what municipalities already do, so to get the two per cent, Nanaimo must continue to fund Tourism Nanaimo, according to a city report. How to spend the money will be decided by the hospitality association, which will work with the economic development corporation to achieve its tourism goals. “One of the things identified [in Tourism Nanaimo’s strategic plan] is ... developing the destination, so that’s where accommodators are prepared to step in and at least help fund that,” Brady said, adding visitors will likely be OK with the extra charge because they pay it in other B.C. communities. See ‘HOTEL’ /4
Brothers avoid prison time for bar fight death
I
plead guilty to manslaughter, assault causing bodily harm in altercation at Grizzly Bar in 2006. By KarL yu ThE NEwS BULLETIN
After pleading guilty to charges related to the assault that caused the death of Gabriola Island resident Michael Brophy, the Maybin brothers will not spend time in prison. Brophy died from a brain injury after a fight in October 2006 at the Grizzly Bar, which has since closed. At a sentencing hearing Friday, Judge Catherine Bruce issued conditional sentence orders, with Timothy Maybin, 29, to serve two years less a day for manslaughter, and Matthew Maybin, 31, eight months for assault causing bodily harm. Earlier in the day, Buddha Gains, a bouncer at the former bar, entered a guilty plea to assault causing bodily harm in relation to the incident. The conditional sentence is a jail term that is served conditionally in the community, according to Crown counsel spokesman Gordon Comer. As part of their sentences, the brothers must remain in their residences at all times, with allowances for work, medical emergencies, community service, exercise and to attend religious services. In addition, Timothy will be required to complete 50 hours of community service while Matthew will be required to complete 20 hours. The brothers will be prohibited from consuming alcohol or drugs during their terms and possessing weapons for 10 years. Neither may be in contact with Brophy’s family unless it is for purposes of restorative justice. Both will have to submit DNA samples and pay a $100 victim surcharge. See ‘CONDITIONAL’ /6
Come home to Milano’s...where we treat strangers like friends, and friends like family! Serving Nanaimo since 1998, we prepare everything from scratch in our kitchen and use only the finest ingredients. You will love our delicious food, beautiful dining rooms, generous portions, and reasonable prices. In addition to our regular menu items we also feature Nanaimo’s best gluten free pizzas, pastas, stir frys and desserts – even a gluten free beer! Check out our entire menu, including our 2 for 1 Pizza & Pasta Delivery and Take-out Menu, at our website www.mlianos.ca
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