Tuesday July 22, 2014 (Vol. 39 No. 58)
V O I C E
O F
W H I T E
R O C K
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S O U T H
Global perspective: The best in the world competed against one another in order to make it to finals last night at South Surrey’s Softball City, as action wrapped up at the Scotiabank Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championship. i see page 22
S U R R E Y
w w w. p e a c e a r c h n e w s . c o m
Mayoral hopefuls support referendum on reformed civic electoral system
Wards in Surrey candidates’ sights Kevin Diakiw Black Press
Surrey will either be getting a ward system or will be going to the polls to let citizens decide if they want one, according a straw poll of current mayoral candidates. Civic ward systems can take many forms, but generally, it means one or two councillors would be elected in each community to represent that area of the city. The mayor would be elected at-large by all voters.
Surrey had a ward system in place from the first elected council in 1880 until 1957, when it was abolished by the province. That was the year that Ward 7 seceded, creating its own municipality, the City of White Rock. Opponents have argued wards can lead to corruption, as area representatives horsetrade to win projects. However, in the last 20 years, there has been increasing pressure from the public to bring wards back to Surrey. Mayoral candidate Doug McCallum has
vowed to initiate plans for a ward system the day he’s elected. His version would have four wards, with two councillors each. Surrey First Coun. Linda Hepner told Black Press Thursday she isn’t a big fan of wards but would hold a referendum in 2018. Coun. Barinder Rasode is supportive of wards. She said she’s hearing “loud and clear” from residents that’s what they want. She sees no need for a referendum but favours an extensive public-consultation
process before the system is implemented. Rasode also wants a “hybrid” system, where some councillors would be elected at-large, and the rest would represent wards. Candidate Vikram Bajwa said wards are “nine years overdue” and that he believes the electoral process has been “highjacked” over the last decade without one. However, as passionate as Bajwa is about them, he said he wouldn’t implement wards without taking the idea to referendum.
Accused beaten in jail
Murder charge, as life support removed Tracy Holmes Staff Reporter
Tracy Holmes photo
City of White Rock engineer Bob Ambardar explains at a public meeting the proposed relocation of a pedestrian crossing on Johnston Road.
Councillor critical of challenges to ‘expert opinions with guesswork’
City under fire for entranceway plan Tracy Holmes Staff Reporter
Plans to upgrade and beautify White Rock’s Johnston Road corridor continue to grate on business owners and residents alike, city officials learned last week. At a public meeting scheduled to share updated concept plans, members of the task force behind the proposed changes – which affect the sidewalks, the trees, crosswalks and access to Central Plaza – were battered with questions and criticism Wednesday. Much of the angst focused on a plan to
remove mature trees that line both sides of the thoroughfare, with many attendees suggesting ways to preserve them. And while the city’s arborist patiently explained why each suggestion had already been ruled out or simply wasn’t possible without substantial additional cost – or a guarantee of success – a promise from the mayor to get an independent opinion did not sit well with the task force chair. Coun. Al Campbell told Peace Arch News Friday that the move “was almost a smack in the face” to the city’s arborist, and may ultimately
do nothing more than drive up the project’s overall cost. “Every single suggestion that came up was thought of before,” Campbell said, referring also to those from the engineers involved. “These are in-house professionals that we have making decisions every day. “Sometimes it’s disheartening when a very small group of people can bring something to a standstill, especially when they’re challenging experts. They’re challenging experts with guesswork.” i see page 4
The severely injured wife of a high-ranking member of the Surrey Sikh community has died, and her husband is now charged with second-degree murder. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team confirmed the death of Narinder Kaur Kalsi Sunday afternoon, one week after she was found in severe medical Narinder Kaur Kalsi distress inside a South Surrey home. “Sadly, Narinder Kaur Kalsi was taken off of life support today and pronounced deceased just before 4:30 p.m.,” IHIT said on Twitter. They announced the upgraded charge against her husband, Baldev Singh Kalsi, Monday morning. i see page 2