EAGLE VALLEY
NEWS
District asks for change to TCH speed limits Page 3
Local musician sets sights on CBC Searchlight Page 7
Wednesday, April 1, 2015 PM40008236
Vol. 60 No. 13 Sicamous, B.C., • 1.25 (GST included) • www.eaglevalleynews.com
Rail safety concerns addressed First responders: Mayor pushes for co-ordination with local agencies. By Barb Brouwer and Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
Being prepared locally for a worst-case scenario on the rails is a priority for Sicamous Mayor Terry Rysz. The mayor was pleased to hear that sentiment is shared by CP Rail during a presentation by CP director of government affairs Mike LoVecchio to members of the board of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District March 19. “They did a training session in Revelstoke just a few weeks ago,” said Rysz. “My biggest concern is having our first responders with enough skill-set in order to get a situation that might be catastrophic to lockdown, so that we don’t send a bunch of people going in that don’t have any expertise and have a major disaster on our My biggest hands.” concern is having LoVecchio provided our first responders details on how new reg- with enough skillulations and company set in order to get a commitment have led to situation that might safer transport of goods be catastrophic to by rail. lockdown. “Safety has been imTerry Rysz proving and CP Rail has Mayor led the pack,” he said, noting last year was the company’s best performance in corporate history. “We marry professionals with technology and the two together are the reason; we’re changing from being reactive to proactive.” He says the company has an obligation to move commodities, including those that are dangerous. LoVecchio said crude oil is one of the more dangerous commodities but assured directors See Trains on page 2
Playground pile-up: Sarah Pilkington, Taylor Watson, Kyra Murray, Alicia Pilkington and Victoria Murray slip off the slide into a pile while having fun at one of Parkview Elementary’s playgrounds. Equipment in both of the school’s playgrounds will be removed by June, and the PAC is raising funds for replacement structures that meet the school district’s approval. Photo by Lachlan Labere
Parkview PAC pursues playground funds Deadline: School parents appeal to district for financial support.
By Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
While the future of Parkview Elementary School is uncertain, the school’s need for new playground equipment is not. Parkview PAC representatives Phaedra Kennedy and Mikel Stuart told Sicamous council last week that the school’s existing wood and metal playground structures will be removed this June. Kennedy said the equipment was assessed in 2012 by School District #83, and was found not to meet regulations for health and safety. “The PAC asked about repairing or replacing pieces,
rather than having all of the structures removed, but unfortunately the district informed us that would not be possible,” said Kennedy, noting the equipment was originally expected to come out by June of 2014. However, because the PAC did not have sufficient funds to purchase replacement equipment, that deadline was extended to this year. To date, the PAC has managed to raise $40,700, including a $7,500 contribution from the Salmon Arm Savings and Credit Union, and a $10,000 commitment from the school district. The PAC estimates the cost of replacement equipment for both of the school’s playgrounds (K-3
and 4-7) at $75,000. “The existing park, as most of you know, was built in part by community members donating their time, energy and materials,” Kennedy explained. “But now, due to regulations and safety concerns, the playground equipment must be purchased from and assembled by professionals approved by the (school) district, which increases the cost significantly.” Kennedy and Stuart asked district council to consider donating to the fundraising effort, explaining Parkview parents and the local business community are already feeling a financial pinch from the fundraisers undertaken to date. Council expressed a will-
ingness to support the PAC, both financially and in finding other avenues for support. “Salmon Arm Savings and Credit Union offered $7,500. A lot of people in this community bank at the Royal Bank and the TD Bank and the Bank of Montreal,” noted Coun. Gord Bushell. “If we can assist in writing to those banks we might get some decent funding as well.” Mayor Terry Rysz said he would check with Community Futures as well as the Columbia Shuswap Regional District. As for the District of Sicamous, Rysz said he’d like to see staff find around $10,000 to $15,000 in the budget to support the PAC.