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Storefronts project Artists create displays for vacant buildings. PaGE 11 Screen dreams Theatre performer started off with movie goal. PaGE 29 Summer Games Competition ready to start in Nanaimo this weekend. PaGE 3
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THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2014
VOL. 26, NO. 20
250.390.1871
Dam remediation moves forward I By TamaRa CuNNINGham THe NewS bULLeTiN
The City of Nanaimo has no reason not to look at an alternative solution for the Colliery dams or give people more time to digest the options, according to the spokesman for the Colliery Dam Park Preservation Society. In a narrow 4-3 vote Monday, Nanaimo city council decided to move ahead with two options proposed by the Colliery dams technical committee, despite calls from the society to look into an alternative they claim is cheaper and less intrusive. Councillors asked staff to prepare a report outlining next steps and funding options, as well as schedule a public hearing and release the minutes of the technical committee. According to Coun. Diane Brennan, the measures are a reasonable response to work the technical committee has done over the last eight months. She saw no reason to delay or spend additional money researching another option. “We’ve had two engineering firms at least who specialize in dams review these dams and come up with proposals,” she said. “It’s time
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that we made some sort of steps towards making a decision.” Last week, the City of Nanaimo released options and cost estimates for the Colliery dams. According to the report, two measures are recommended by an engineer to address flood risk at the lower dam, including increasing the size of the spillway for $8.1 million or overtopping for $7.2 million. The society says it has come up with a cheaper, less intrusive solution for the dams at less than $3 million. City staff members say the option would require additional evaluation at a cost of another $200,000. Coun. Jim Kipp said he recognized the society wanted consideration of other options and made a motion to put the Colliery dam process on hold until September, when the technical committee could meet again to discuss concerns and consensus. The bid was supported by Coun. Fred Pattje and Bill McKay. Kipp’s motion failed 4-3, although a public hearing proposed for this month has been delayed. Jeff Solomon, society spokesman, called council’s decision unfortunate and said there was no reason not to consider the alternative, which is “absolutely legitimate.” news@nanaimobulletin.com
Running Successfully!
Pre-Games practice
christina Gilley, riding La creme, a standard breed mare, and nanaimo rcMp staff sgt. John Blaise, on canadian breed mare Lyrique, take a practice ride around the rotary Bowl track Wednesday during a rehearsal for the 2014 B.c. summer Games opening ceremonies. Gilley and Blaise, who spent four years with the rcMp Musical ride, will lead the parade of athletes and dignitaries into tonight’s opening ceremonies, beginning at 6:30 p.m. CHRIS BUSH/THe NewS BUlleTIN
Construction continues despite teachers’ strike By KaRl yu THe NewS bULLeTiN
Striking teachers will not block seismic upgrade work currently taking place at Wellington Secondary School. Donna Reimer, Nanaimo school district spokeswoman, said an agreement is in place with the Nanaimo District Teachers’ Association and construction company Unitech Construction Management. Despite assurances that the union wouldn’t picket, Unitech has also obtained an order from the Labour Relations Board restricting picketing at the school. “We have worked with the contractor and the union to ensure there would be a construction gate open that won’t be picketed
to allow the construction to proceed,” Reimer said. Work has been taking place over the past year and last week Unitech brought in a 500-ton crane to begin roof removal work. “The crane’s about $1,000 an hour, so I guess spending $300,000 or $400,000 on this job was somewhat worrying for them, that we might picket it but there never was any intent,” said Mike Ball, Nanaimo District Teachers’ Association president. According to the school district, the crane, which takes about three days to assemble and will be onsite for approximately five weeks, will be used to remove a concrete roof and columns from the school’s central core. The structure will then see construction of a new interior and roof.
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The school district is projecting the seismic upgrade will be complete by January 2016. The total cost of the Wellington project is $23 million and is paid for by the B.C. Ministry of Education, according to Reimer. Ball said that Nanaimo teachers won’t be picketing on the Wellington site and will only picket at select schools, including Dover Bay and Nanaimo District Secondary, Ecole Quarterway Elementary and Rock City Elementary. The union has also pledged not to disrupt events that occur on school sites at the upcoming B.C. Summer Games, which take place between Thursday and Sunday (July 17-20). B.C. teachers have been on a full-scale strike since June 17.
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preservation society opposes options presented.