TUESDAY JUNE 30, 2015
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HAPPY CANADA DAY
GREY WHALE FINDS A HOME
Check out what’s happening during biggest party of the year
Skeleton of massive cetacean erected at VIU’S Deep Bay Marine Station
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WATER TREATMENT FACILITIES
Finally funding
Parksville residents facing vote for $5.5M in borrowing JOHN HARDING editor@pqbnews.com
The federal and provincial governments announced Monday they will contribute $3 million each in taxpayer money to the $24 million plan to upgrade the Englishman River Water Service. Residents of Parksville will be asked in a referendum to support approximately $5.5 million in borrowing for that city’s part of the bill and construction on the river intake — the first step of the process — will likely not start until May or June of next year. “The first phase of this project will provide a safe and adequate supply of water and ensure a high quality of life and economic growth while sustaining a healthy river system and enhancements to the environment,” Parksville Mayor Marc Lefebvre said Monday morning at a city hall news conference. “Through the New Building Canada Plan’s Small Communities Fund, we are investing in priority infrastructure projects that have a positive and lasting impact on the quality of life of British Columbia’s residents while helping create jobs and economic growth,” said John Duncan, Minister of State and MP for Vancouver Island North. “The much-loved Englishmen River flows through the heart and soul of this community and that will continue with the significant design considerations to maintain the joy it brings to residents’ and visitors’ and to protect its aquatic habitat,” said Parksville-Qualicum MLA Michelle Stilwell. See MORE GRANT MONEY, page A5
BRENDA GOUGH PHOTO
GRAD LEAP: Members of the Ballenas Secondary School grad class were red carpet, and waterfront boardwalk-ready as they paraded through the city and posed for photos at Parksville Beach on Saturday. For more photos from the festivities, visit our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/pqbnews. NEW WEDNESDAY FARMERS’ MARKET FOR QUALICUM BEACH
Town rules force move to SD69 property AUREN RUVINSKY
writer@pqbnews.com
After some complications, the Qualicum Beach Farmers Market is adding a Wednesday evening market after all, starting July 8. The market will open on School District property after the town’s requirements wouldn’t work for the
market operators. “This was our second choice, but we’re super happy with it, our customers have been asking for it for a long time,” said market manager Mimi Shewchuck. In May, organizers applied to town council to expand from their usual Saturday morning main market on Veterans Way, to add the Wednesday eve-
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ning markets as a mid-week “top up.” The downtown business association (QBDBA), which runs an uptown Thursday evening street market that includes some farmers market vendors, said the new market would hurt theirs and all the work they’ve done to build it over the years. See FIRST WEDNESDAY, page A5
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