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April is Cancer Awareness Month Volume 120 No 14 PM # 400121123
Journal ASHCROFT ▼ CACHE CREEK
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Thursday, April 2, 2015
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Family use area and dog park proposed
Sprucing up Spences Bridge had its Spring Town Clean-up last Saturday. (L-R): Mathew Hendricks, Saad Arefin, Tahir Alam, Sadie Hendricks, and Amira Alam were some of the clean up crew’s younger workers.
Cache Creek pushes again for bridge widening Cache Creek Council sensed a glimmer of hope in the provincial government’s new transportation plan, B.C. on the Move. The Village has been asking to have the small bridge on Hwy 97 at the north end of town widened to four lanes for several years now. When the Cariboo Connector was announced in 2005, widening the bridge was listed as being a Phase 1 project. But it fell off the page and now Phase 2 is about to start, along with a major paving project in town..
Mayor John Ranta introduced the topic at the March 23 Council meeting, saying that he didn’t see any mention of small projects in the Plan but hoped that “Maybe since we lobbied so hard there would be mention of the Bonaparte Bridge and what an impediment it is to economic development in Cache Creek.” And there, on page 27 of the plan, is a picture with a caption stating: The Province will work with local governments, including Cache Creek and
Quesnel, to identify future projects priorities to improve safety and reduce traffic congestion through their communities.” “The only thing we’ve lobbied hard for is four-laning the bridge,” he said. Council approved a motion to have the Village administration contact Ministry of Transportation and reference the caption “and say we’re happy to discuss our project priorities with them” as a way of keeping the project on the “front burner” with the Ministry.
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Ashcroft residents Monty Downs with Vivian Edwards and Kitty Murray have an idea to turn a portion of the poll park into a fenced area for families and dogs to stretch their legs. The group made their proposal to Ashcroft Council at a March 23 committee meeting, hoping for the south end of the lower terrace, an area about 300x690 feet. “We would like an opportunity to demonstrate that people and pets can recreate together without conflict,” Monty Downs told Council. The group said they would look for grant money to cover the facilities they wanted for the new area if Council approved letting them use the land. Council has not made a decision yet. The group would like to fence the area and have double-gated entrances, drinking water, sitting area with trees for shade, doggie bags and garbage cans, a hard surfaced trail and a large open grassed area for play. Downs said that aside from supporting the Village’s Wellness brand, the new facilities would attract new users to the park and offer social activities for dogs and their owners. He spoke of a place where families with dogs could come and enjoy some time together and where walkers, joggers, roller bladers, bike riders and others could all use the hard surface track. “We hope to have it in place by the end of the year,” he said, and hold a grand opening at next year’s Wellness Festival. The group asked the Village for approval in principal, advice or assistance on making grant applications, and direction on providing information to the public. Coun. Al Mertens said he could envision conflict between dog walkers and other users on the hard track. Dogs run off leash in the fenced area, said Downs, while people use the track. He added that the group hoped they could enter into a stewardship agreement with the Village, since the Village already maintains the park. “You talk about multiple users but people don’t go to dog parks without dogs,” said Jim Duncan, who was in the audience for another discussion. “I have been to mixed use dog parks,” replied Kitty Murray. “Are we so afraid of the conflict between man and dogs that we just want to avoid it?” said Downs.
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