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Nicole Wierks is UFV’s Governor General silver medal winner.
Student has questions for MLA.
Football star joining the SFU Clan.
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Rebuilding downtown will take ‘imagination’ Jennifer Feinberg The Progress Imagine Chilliwack’s downtown being brought back to life. Walas Concepts reps have been actively meeting and talking to locals in the past month. “We believe cities are about people, not buildings,” said Walas CEO Gerben van Straaten at the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Coast Chilliwack Hotel One year Thursday. When some from now look at the downtown, all they see everyone will are boarded-up believe in their storefronts. But van Straaten sees downtown more. He sees pure potential. ~ Walas CEO It’s early in the project, so they Gerben van haven’t come up Straaten with any solutions for Chilliwack’s downtown quite yet, as “that would be an insult,” he explained. But Walas has a proven track record of helping struggling cities and downtowns all over the world. Their idea is to redevelop empty commercial spaces in Chilliwack by repurposing them, and breathing life into them in creative ways. “I really love the urban environment,” said van Straaten. “That’s where you find all of the problems and all of the solutions.” The solutions are not found by thinking outside the box, but by throwing the box away entirely, he said. The built environment becomes more sustainable, and mentors and partnerships are key elements in the Walas model.
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It could be an early start to summer vacation for thousands of Chilliwack students if a labour deal is not reached. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS
Full school strike could begin Tuesday Provincial final exams Grade 12 marks must go ahead, labour board rules Katie Bartel The Progress Chilliwack students learned Thursday morning that it would likely be their last day of school for the year. The BC Teachers Federation has served 72-hour strike notice, setting the stage for a total walkout next week. BCTF president Jim Iker said escalated job action would begin with a study session Monday, followed by a full strike starting Tuesday, if necessary. The Monday study sessions will see BCTF members meet offsite – schools won’t be picketed, but teachers won’t be there. And because Friday is rotating strike day for Chilliwack, that
means, Thursday could have very well been the last day of school. “We hope escalation can actually be avoided,” Iker said Thursday. “My message to Christy Clark is come to the table with new funding, an open mind and the flexibility needed to reach a fair settlement.” A full strike would close elementary and middle schools – parents will be advised to make child care arrangements if necessary – while secondary schools would be open only to conduct exams for Grade 10 to 12 students. The Labour Relations Board made Grade 10 to 12 exams an essential service. “That means students in grades 10 to 12 will be able to write their
exams as scheduled and Grade 12 students will receive their final marks in a timely manner,” said Education Minister Peter Fassbender. Chilliwack parents are concerned. On Wednesday morning, following BCTF’s 86 per cent vote for a full-scale strike, several parents outside Bernard elementary were discussing their options. “It’s going to be a tight squeeze for us,” said Shilo Orellana, who has two primary aged children at Bernard. Orellana recently started a new job; she works for minimum wage. Paying for the additional child care time won’t be easy. “Basically our daycare provider makes the same amount that I do,” she said. Still, she supports teachers. “They have a very hard job and
I think they’re under appreciated,” she said. Parent Michelle Horsley, who has a child in Grade 1 at Bernard and another in Grade 11 at Chilliwack secondary wishes information would be more forthcoming. “The lack of information is so hard,” she said Job action isn’t new for Horsley; she went through it in 2012 when her older son was in Grade 12. “It seems like there’s less information this time,” she said. “I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know what’s happening.” Chilliwack school district has been fairly tight lipped about job action. Repeated questions by The Progress went unanswered this week, claiming the district was too busy to respond. When school district superinContinued: SCHOOL/ p5
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