Condo construction
World record Hockey players once again attempting to log more than 105 hours of street hockey.
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www.nanaimobulletin.com
TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2014
Salaries comparable to other B.C. regional districts, says RDN BY KARL YU THE NEWS BULLETIN
According to its 2013 statement of financial information, 20 employees of the Regional District of Nanaimo earned salaries north of $100,000 in 2013. Paul Thorkelsson, re g i o n a l d i s t r i c t chief administrative officer, had the highest earnings, making approximately $208,388, an increase over the $163,036 he earned in 2012 when he was general manager of strategic and community development.
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We use a process where they go out and compare to the market kind of thing.
Carol Mason, Thorkelsson’s predecessor who left for a position with Metro Vancouver, made
around $154,386 in 2012, although she would’ve made an estimated $205,000 if she had remained for the whole year, according to Wendy Idema, regional district finance director. Tom Osborne, general manager of recreation and parks ser vices, had the second-highest salary, earning $151,835 in 2013. He made $145,027 the year prior. Thorkelsson and Osborne’s expenses totalled about $9,931 and $3,065 in 2013 respectively. In comparison, Sukh Gill, chief administrative officer of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, whose population is comparable to the Nanaimo district, made $186,221 in 2013. Ron Storie, Thompson-Nicola’s manager of community services, made $98,333 in 2013. Idema said Nanaimo regional district contracts are negotiated and while raises are offered – with board approval – performance bonuses are not. See ‘BOARD’ /4
VOL. 26, NO. 24
Trail blazers Nanaimo Mountain Bike Club partners with city to create new route around Westwood Lake
CHRIS BUSH/THE NEWS BULLETIN
Jenn and Mason McGarrigle, Nanaimo Mountain Bike Club members, ride a boardwalk over a boggy area in Westwood Lake Park July.
BY CHRIS BUSH THE NEWS BULLETIN
Sections have yet to be built and it still needs a name, but Nanaimo Mountain Bike Club and the city are working together to cut a mountain bike trail around Westwood Lake that riders, runners and hikers can share. The club started construction in December 2012 on what is the first mountain bike-specific trail authorized on city property. So far more than 20 work parties, made up of Nanaimo Mountain Bike
Club members and other volunteers, have put in hundreds of hours cutting the trail and building boardwalks and bridges for which the city contributed $5,000 to cover materials costs. Several kilometres have been built with more sections to come, but trail building can only be done properly in the winter months, so work is on hiatus through the summer. Trail builders have to follow city directions on where to route the trail, which sometimes runs through watercourses and
For a video of the trail, please scan the QR code with your smart phone.
boggy areas that can be damaged by foot and bike traffic.
“The most time-consuming part of building this trail has been water management and making sure the water is running naturally rather than creating a river on the trail,” said Jenn McGarrigle, club secretary. “To build a sustainable trail you have to deal with the water properly. “If you don’t, then you’ll be spending hours after the fact, fixing things up because water, as you know, does a lot of damage all by itself. A trickle of rain moves mountains over time.” See ‘TRAIL’ /4
JEWELLERY SERVICE
GOLD RECYCLING
P. 250.585.1648 www.marshandson.com 3392 Norwell Drive, Nanaimo | Tues - Sat 10am - 5pm
DIAMOND RECYCLING