The housing society’s hard work is paying off! Serving the Creston Valley since 1948
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Volume 66, No. 33
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Walk will identify barriers to business BY LORNE ECKERSLEY Advance Staff
from the Creston Valley Gleaners, and when that money was spent on studies and plans, none of us wanted to be the one to go back to the Gleaners and tell them we had failed.”
Creston town council likes the idea of conducting a “business walk” to identify potential barriers to business within the community and to enhance community engagement. But it won’t happen in 2014, was the consensus at the Aug. 5 committee of the whole meeting. “I’m concerned that there isn’t enough time to do it this year without making it look like an election thing,” Mayor Ron Toyota said. “By possibly making this look political, it could end up not helping at all.” The business walk concept has been on the table since Toyota, Coun. Jerry Schmalz and town manager Lou Varela attended an economic development workshop in Castlegar last year. Varela explained in a report to council that the concept, tested in the Central Okanagan, involves civic and business leaders visiting businesses and asking three questions: “How is business?” “What do you like doing most about doing business in the area?” and “What can be done to make your business thrive?”
See HOUSING, page 3
See COUNCIL, page 4
Lorne Eckersley
(From left) Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett’s constituency assistant Heather Smith, Kootenay-Columbia MP David Wilks, Creston Mayor Ron Toyota, Columbia Basin trust planning and development manager Aimee Ambrosone, Creston Valley Gleaners Society president Joe Sandre, Creston Valley Community Housing Society member Alex Nilsson and Creston resident Zea Friesen turned over the sod Tuesday to mark the beginning of construction of a six-unit affordable rental housing project on 25th Avenue South.
Ground broken on housing project BY LORNE ECKERSLEY Advance Staff
About 40 local residents, committee members and dignitaries gathered at an empty 25th Avenue South lot on Tuesday morning to celebrate the impending con-
struction of a six-unit affordable rental housing development. “This day seems like it’s been a long time coming,” said Heather More, who chairs the Creston Valley Community Housing Society (CVCHS). “We began with a $25,000 donation
TODAY'S WEATHER
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Creston woman killed in car crash Page 5
Daedra Damery, Erickson Elementary School
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