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Review
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Vol.17
Number 17
$1.15 including GST
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Serving the communities of Keremeos, Cawston, Okanagan Falls and Kaleden
Province cancels lease for addiction facility Tara Bowie Review Staff
The provincial government has terminated its lease agreement for a property outside Keremeos that formerly housed a residential teen addictions recovery facility. The Crossing, which opened in 2009, was suddenly closed in March by its operator, a Quebec-based company called Portage. The facility had not been serving any clients for several months before its closure. “We are profoundly disappointed,” Jennifer Johnstone, Central City Foundation president and CEO said in a telephone interview. The province was only in its first year of a five-year lease with option to renew multiple times when it terminated. The province leased the facility at no charge. Johnstone explained Central City Foundation first bought the 58-acre
property in 2000. The goal was always to turn it into a residential therapeutic facility for teens with addictions issues. It took almost 10 years for the foundation to raise $6.5 million needed for renovations and to put together partnerships between the government and an operator. “We did everything we did understanding that the Ministry of Health, the health authorities were going to fund that (the operating of the facility) going forward,” she said. “We have more work to do now. It’s going to be more challenging... but I certainly have not given up on brining the government back to the project.” The lease was officially terminated by the Provincial Health Services Authority on April 13, about six weeks after the facility was closed. “We are sad for the families. They
are what continues to drive us, the families. We know that we have years and years of evidence that longterm residential treatment work,” Johnstone said. The provincial government has not yet announced a plan as to how they will move forward with teen and youth addictions.
structures. Crews were working in steep terrain, high temperatures and low relative humidity conditions. They are now just mopping up. Over the weekend crews were also called out to Ashnola Fire Service Road southwest of Keremeos. A 13.4 hectare fire also caused by human error. It was discovered Saturday. Crews attended and were faced with steep inoperable terrain. Natural barriers helped put out the snow as the fire ran into rock face. “On top of the fire above where it was burning there was even snow left,” she said. Fires at this point in April are well below the 10-year average. At this point 12 fires have been detected. The 10-year average in the same time period is 23. Although the stat seems great it could be attributed to warm weather in March meaning more people were doing burns that month. Activity in March was double the 10-year average stats. This March, 14
fires were reported in the Interior at the Kamloops detachment opposed to the usual seven. “Warm weather could mean people were out earlier doing things they usually do in April,” she said. The no burn will be in effect May 15 for grass burns, brush burns, barrel burns, fireworks and burning lanterns. Outside campfires will still be allowed unless otherwise notified. Pepper reminds anyone planning on doing an outside burn to check with their local authorities. If local authorities don’t have a fire management plan they must obey the wildfire branch management regulations, which state there must be adequate water, hand tools on site to control the fire. A burn pile cannot exceed three metres wide by two metres high unless the burner obtains a registration number. A fire must never be left unattended. “What we have observed especially this year on windy days, is that when someone isn’t watching is the time that most likely fires will escape,” she said.
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The Province has cancelled its lease with Central City Foundation for the property known as The Crossing.
There were only two other facilities in the province that offer a similar addictions program. “PHSA (Provincial Health Services Authority) has transitioned the property back to Central City Foundation as of Monday April 13, 2015. Continued on page 6
Wildfire season heating up in Southern Interior Tara Bowie Review Staff
A wildfire started in BC is now burning in Washington State. The permitted fire was started by a private landowner near Chopaka but has now grown to about 80 hectares in size. Kayla Pepper, communications specialist for the Southern Interior Wildfire Management Branch said since April 1 the fire was being monitored. Wildfire Management suspected the fire was getting beyond the intended area of burn and crews and a helicopter were sent in to respond over the weekend and into early this week. “We had eyes on the fire everyday. We were monitoring it closely,” Pepper said. Wildfire Management crews are working with crews in Washington to put out the fire. At this point it’s mainly a “smouldering grass fire with some open flame,” she said. “The vast majority of the fire is in Canadian borders.” The fire caused no risk to people or
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Crews from Southern Interior Wildfire Management Branch were busy over the weekend fighting fires caused by human error in Chopaka and Ashnola.
Man dies in collision with truck A man dressed in dark clothing was struck and killed by a pickup truck while trying to cross the highway in Keremeos. The collision occurred just after 11 p.m. Friday, April 17 on Hwy 3 near Schneider Road. The driver of the truck remained on scene and was cooperative with police. Alcohol and speed were not a factor. No charges have been laid at this time. Police were not able to identify the man immediately following the collision. The description they released is as follows: caucasian, between 25-30 years old, with brown thick and pulled back hair. He was wearing dark blue CROC shoes and a flannel dark brown jacket. The man has been identified by the coroner’s office but details were not released by press time. Police are still looking for witnesses to the late night collision. If there is any information that can be brought forward to police regarding this collision, please contact the Keremeos RCMP Detachment at 250-4992250. The matter is being investigated by Cst. McDiarmid with the South Okanagan Traffic Services.