YOUTH ENTERTAIN LIVELY AUDIENCE A27
$1.30
JANUARY 8, 2015
ST
Includes G
Two sections, 36 pages
Cariboo Challenge cancelled due to snow shortage
FAMILY FUN ON ICE
FANS ENJOY ANNUAL MEMORIAL GAME A16
Carole Rooney Free Press
HERITAGE HOME LOVINGLY RESTORED B1
INSIDE
opinion A8 letters A9 entertainment A23 sports A19 community B1 classifieds B4
Monika Paterson photo
Lone Butte residents Melissa Cadsand and her three-year-old daughter, Chloe Cadsand, enjoyed the Free Family Skate at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre in 100 Mile House on Jan. 1. Local Tim Hortons owners Steve and Barb MacPhail hosted the event as a way of thanking the community and wishing everyone happy holidays.
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The 2015 Cariboo Challenge Jack Gawthorn Memorial Sled Dog Race, which was slated to take place at the 108 Heritage Site on Jan. 10-11, has been cancelled. Cariboo Challenge Sled Dog Society president Craig Conklin says poor snow levels and the 10-day advance notice needed for out-oftown mushers led to the race committee’s Dec. 30 decision to call it off this year. “Due to the low- to nosnow conditions and for the safety of the dogs and mushers, it is with regrets, and unfortunate, that we will be cancelling the 2015 Cariboo Challenge Jack Gawthorn Memorial Sled Dog Race.” The last time this popular event did not happen was January 2012 (also due to a lack of snow), but there have
been very few cancellations over the event’s 26-year history, he adds. “This is not an easy decision to make; however, the majority of the committee agreed that it would be better to be safe than sorry. Many mushers have to travel long distances and we felt we needed to give them a head’s up before they start their travels.” Noting the committee will now focus their attention on the Cariboo Challenge Family Fun Night street festival on Jan. 9, Conklin says they hope to see folks turn out and have a chat with the mushers while everyone enjoys the festivities. This year’s race planning had seen a good number of volunteers and much-appreciated financial support from local businesses, he adds. Continued on A6
Horse Lake development zoning defended
Carole Rooney
The voice of the South Cariboo since 1960
100milefreepress.net
Free Press
The Cariboo Regional District (CRD) directors voted unanimously in favour of South Cariboo Official Community Plan (OCP) amendments for new Country Residential zoning at Horse Lake. CRD Area L Director Brian Coakley lives on Horse Lake and says he has no problem with the OCP change to allow further lot subdivision and development along its shoreline. Some residents on the lake have spoken out in protest against the change and attended a
recent public hearing armed with both a Ministry of Environment (MOE) letter and a lake water report that recommend further study prior to any additional development there. CRD planning staff has also maintained its opposition to this change. (Read story on page A6 of the Dec. 25 edition of the 100 Mile House Free Press.) However, Coakley says residents’ comments from the hearing and written submissions to the CRD were considered in the directors’ decision. “There were more people in favour of it than were against it.” At the time it was initially applied for and
reviewed, his predecessor Bruce Rattray had voted against allowing this re-designation of waterfront lands within 200 metres of Horse Lake. Back then, it was slated to permit the creation of up to 190 potential new lots (at a minimum of 0.8 hectares) across four subdivisions on the lake’s south side. A number of these have since been pulled out of the rezoning plan, Coakley says, adding he believes only 20 new lots could feasibly be created due to the steep terrain involved with the majority of the affected land. Continued on A7