107th Year - Week 43
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
www.interior-news.com
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Caring for orphaned cubs
DOGS HAVE THEIR DAY Smithers approves offleash dog park.
NEWS/A4
GRYPONS DOMINATE Grypons finish 4-0 in zone tournament.
SPORTS/A10
Two orphaned grizzly cubs acquaint themselves to their new surroundings at an enclosure in Smithers after a harrowing trip from Canal Flats in southeastern B.C. Angelika and Peter Langen of Northern Lights Wildlife Society overcame obstacles on the road to get them here. Read more on pg. A20. Peter Langen photo
GOOD READS Library highlights free services.
THREE RIVERS/B1
Council renege CDC tries again on Ranger Park school closure By Chris Gareau
Smithers/Interior News
By Chris Gareau Smithers/Interior News
INSIDE LETTERS A7 SPORTS A9 COMMUNITY A17 OUR TOWN A22 THREE RIVERS B1 CLASSIFIEDS B2
The Ranger Park preschool program will keep running for the foreseeable future after Smithers town council last Tuesday reversed a decision to close it on Jan. 1. The decision to keep the program was unanimous after a petition was signed by 563 people in the three weeks after the closure was made public. The original decision was made behind closed doors at an in camera meeting with the reasoning that because town employees would be let go, it could not be made public. Councillors for and
against the closure suggested the subsidizing of programs should be an election issue before the closure was reversed. An in-depth analysis of the preschool program over the past five years was prepared, comparing it to minor hockey. Declining enrollment and rising costs of the preschool led to the original closure decision. The estimated net loss of the program will be more than budgeted at $30,000 according to the report. The estimated net cost per registrant listed was $171, compared to $79 per registrant five years ago. See CHANGE on A2
It is rezoning redux for the Bulkley Valley Child Development Centre. Perhaps a sign that Halloween is approaching, the CDC rezoning issue in acquiring the vacant Smithers Christian Reformed Church property and building at 1471 Columbia Drive has risen again. Councillors at last Tuesday’s town meeting expressed the belief that most neighbours did not have a problem with the CDC moving in. The concern voiced by petitioners from the neighbourhood is to do with what would happen if the CDC needed to sell the property, specifically, who they would be able to sell it to. Another public hearing to rezone the property from its current P3
Friday-Sunday Only! see page A24
Assorted Backpacks
status that limits it to places of worship is scheduled for Nov. 10’s council meeting. The CDC could not secure financing for $600,000 in renovations with a prior rezoning attempt that included a covenent. “It’s only going to get more personal and it’s going to get sour,” said Coun. Charlie Northrup about bringing the issue back to public hearing. “I think you’ll find the public is prepared to show some patience with the CDC and trust that they will not create any serious problems for the neighbourhood,” said Coun. Bill Goodacre. “This is the hardest decision I’ve had to make in three years... we really want to make things happen for the CDC and at that location, but it comes down to what is our job as local government: making longterm decisions,” said Mayor Taylor Bachrach at the meeting.
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