Trail Daily Times, October 29, 2014

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WEDNESDAY

S I N C E

OCTOBER 29, 2014

1 8 9 5

Vol. 119, Issue 169

105

$

Trail candidates and school trustees

INCLUDING G.S.T.

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PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO

Council throws swim club a financial lifeline Recreation issues top the agenda at Trail meeting BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff

The Greater Trail Stingrays team will live to swim another day after Trail council waived the club's $5,760 debt Monday afternoon. When club president Billy Merry spoke to council members during the governance meeting, he outlined the Stingrays’ financial challenges following a team split and drop in membership as well as the costly sport pass fees for 17 Rossland swimmers. Merry wasn't sure what to expect from Trail, but he came prepared to defend the value the decades-run club offers the area's youth, with a bid to keep kids swimming in the city's indoor pool. He added that a recent Trail Times article on the club’s plight (“Swim club struggling to stay afloat,” on Oct. 24) generated an out-pouring of support. “I am very appreciative of Trail's investment in us,” Merry told the Trail Times Tuesday morning. “It showed me that they believe in us and I gained a lot of strength from that. Having the values of the council in my favour is great news, so I see success in our team's future.” Following Merry's appearance, the governance committee moved onto another Trail Residency Program (TRP) matter. This one was from the Rossland-Trail roller derby team requesting TRP exemption, or a halving of TRP fees, for its Golden City members. In this case, Rossland ladies each have to pay a $131 sport pass fee to practise in the Trail Memorial Centre gym alongside fellow team members from Trail and beyond. “This theme coming from Rossland is, they have a policy that they don't provide reimbursement for adults,” explained David Perehudoff, the city's administration officer. “Which again gets to the issue of tax subsidies for the city

(Trail) to help pay the considerable monies to run the facilities.” City council deferred that decision until next year following a lengthy discussion and impassioned plea from Coun. Gord DeRosa. “I know I am heading out the door,” said the 27-year Trail official during his last day attending council. “But I would like to leave the message that somebody had better do something,” said DeRosa, with his voice wavering. “Because we've lost figure skating that was 220 strong, curling is challenged, the racquetball club is no more, and our basketball league doesn't bounce balls in the Cominco Gym anymore.” Coun. Robert Cacchioni agreed, but conceded that if people don't recognize the value of these particular facilities and won't contribute capital for at least the operating costs, then Trail ends up paying for everything. “I don't care if they are not paying their damn share. In my mind our facilities are the best in the world and they are empty. I have a problem with that,” DeRosa said. There was one last grant-in-aid memo, this one from Craig Clare, assistant coach of the Trail Smoke Eaters Hockey Club. Clare noted the team's lack of a proper training/ recovery facility and asked council for TRP exemptions on a threemonth gym pass for players who may be living or billeted in Rossland or the Beaver Valley. That request carried unanimously and provides that the city be recognized for the financial contribution. Trail council agreed to send another invitation to surrounding communities to meet at the table and begin new dialogue not just about the cost, but the value of recreation to the entire region. “I would like the people to know that it has not been for lack of trying from our current and past councils or administration,” maintained Coun. Eleanor Gattafoni Robinson.

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LIZ BEVAN PHOTO

Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 11 vice president and Poppy Campaign chairman Neil Jarvie sorts poppies between many donation boxes at the Legion on Tuesday in preparation for Friday when the poppies will be distributed near businesses and organizations around Trail. The money raised from poppy sales will be used to help veterans in the area with everyday expenses they may not be able to afford.

Poppies take on added symbolism BY LIZ BEVAN Times Staff

Lt. John McCrae saw poppies growing on soldiers’ graves in Flanders Fields a century ago and soon they will be seen on the jacket lapels of local residents in an annual sign of remembrance. However, this year there is added meaning to wearing a bright red poppy on the heels of the tragic events in Ottawa and Montreal last week, where two Canadian soldiers, Nathan Cirillo and Patrice Vincent, were killed in separate attacks. “That is why we wear them, for those two

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guys,” said Neil Jarvie, vice president of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 11 in Trail and Poppy Campaign chairman. “You have people out there that think they are doing right by killing them and we disagree.” Jarvie says the poppy tradition is alive and well in Greater Trail with nearly 20,000 poppies distributed every year. He says seeing civilians wear the poppy shows appreciation for a sacrifice many of us cannot understand. See CEREMONIES, Page 2

Contact the Times: Phone: FineLine250-368-8551 Technologies 62937 Index 9 Fax:JN250-368-8550 80% 1.5 BWR NU Newsroom: 250-364-1242

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