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AUGUST 26, 2014
Remembering Jim Ogilvie | Page 6
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Vol. 63, Issue 164
Proudly serving Cranbrook and area since 1951
www.dailytownsman.com
Charges stayed in Neidig case TOWNSMAN STAFF
Mundi Canum (It’s a dog’s dog’s dog’s world) More than 150 dogs, representing more than 50 breeds, were out to strut their stuff at the Cranbrook and District Kennel Club dog show this weekend past. See more, Page 2. Arne Petryshen photo
Longtime Kimberley mayor passes away Jim Ogilivie served as alderman, mayor and Kimberley advocate since 1965
C AROLYN GRANT Daily Bulletin
The flag at Kimberley City Hall was lowered to half mast Monday as a giant in Kimberley politics passed away on Sunday evening, August 24, 2014. Jim Ogilvie, former alderman, longtime Mayor and passionate advocate for Kimberley has passed away. Kimberley Mayor Ron McRae says that all of Council and staff at city hall were saddened by the news. “It is with deep regret that I report the passing of former mayor Jim Ogilvie last night (Sunday),” McRae said. “On behalf of myself and Council I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to the Ogilvie family at this time of mourning. Jim genuinely loved the City of Kimberley. His vision of transforming Kimberley
from a resource-town preparing for a mine closure to a lifestyle-centred resort destination has kept Kimberley vital for future generations. A few weeks ago, it was our great privilege to honour Jim by renaming the major thoroughfare between Kimberley and Marysville as Jim Ogilvie Way. “He had such a rich history in our community. It will take a long time to fully appreciate everything he did for Kimberley.” Columbia River Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald called Ogilvie a legend. “I extend my condolences to his family and friends,” Macdonald said. “There are few people I can think of who have given more to public life and their community than Jim. Even years ago when I was Mayor of Golden, he was a legend, and he continued on for many more years.
JIM OGILVIE “He was well-respected throughout the province. He did a tremendous service to Kimberley.” Kimberley volunteer Jim Webster
remembers Ogilvie as committed to helping all kinds of Kimberley events. “He was always a big, but quiet supporter of the orienteering club and our events including the 2010 North American Orienteering Championships and Round the Mountain,” Webster said. “He would often just appear and offer to help out. I never knew how he was always able to know what was going on in the community but he just seem to. He just heard about it and showed up and offered to help. I had a lot of positive feedback about that from out of town visitors. “Our mayor would never do that” was something I heard a number of times. He has also a key driver in making the Rails to Trails happen.”
See OGILIVIE , Page 3
On Monday in Cranbrook Law Courts, Justice Grant Sheard ruled a stay of three charges against Kyle Neidig resulting from a car accident causing the death of Ian Shepherd four years ago near Jaffray. In his decision, Sheard cited three breaches of Neidig’s charter rights after police arrived at an early-morning accident scene on June 11, 2010. He also added that the Chevrolet Blazer involved in the accident had been destroyed, which the defence considered a key piece of evidence in determining exactly who was behind the wheel. Sheard took particular issue with the destruction of the Blazer, which occurred five months before the start of the trial in 2013. He noted that the Crown has an obligation to preserve evidence, and while the Blazer wasn’t a key part of the Crown’s case, it could have contained key evidence for the defence. Neidig had been charged with criminal negligence causing death, impaired driving causing death and cause an accident causing death. Shepherd was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene. On the night of the accident, the two came into Cranbrook after playing baseball in Wardner. They made stops at the Mount Baker Hotel and later to Shotgun Willy’s before dropping two female friends in town and heading back out to Jaffray. At roughly 2:45 a.m., a commercial truck driver came upon the accident scene on Highway 3/95, just west of the Fort Steele/Fernie interchange. Neidig had already exited the vehicle, but there was no sign of Shepherd in the immediate vicinity until he was discovered 30 minutes later.