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9C 1C Rain Serving the Alberni Valley
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Monday, April 13, 2015
MUNICIPALITY
$35K reno to change look of city hall Mayor Ruttan says exterior facelift for local government building will ‘update the image’ of Port Alberni ERIC PLUMMER ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES
The new look for city hall was unveiled last week, an exterior facelift needed to update Port Alberni’s image to potential investment and residents, says Mayor Mike Ruttan. The renovation will bring cedar panels to the outside of the building using wood harvested from the Toquart Bay area at the mouth of the Alberni Inlet. Now city council is tasked to select from two options of either covering the municipal building’s grey cement blocks or blue panels with the cedar. The panels are expected to be installed by the fall at an estimated cost of $35,000 through the work of city employees. “Whatever is done will dra-
matically change the look of City Hall,” said Ruttan when the designs were displayed on Thursday. “We want to update the image of our city to present a slightly different place.” The wood is being donated by Coulson Forest Products, which has manufactured the cedar for the last three years at its local sawmill that employs approximately 80 people. CEO Wayne Coulson believes the upgrade is needed to better sell Port Alberni to investors, and the cedar siding joins other improvements city hall is undergoing this year, including a completed paint job for the mayor’s office and new carpet throughout the building. “These are the changes that have to take place in Port Alberni
in order for us to sell who we are,” said Coulson. “I want to be able to bring people here to city hall to meet the mayor instead of having to meet him off site because of the ripped carpet, broken furniture and the stains at the top of the ceiling in the mayor’s office.” City hall’s facelift has met some opposition from the Heritage Commission, the group that oversees the preservation of the community’s history. The 1959 building has served the city since before the amalgamation of Alberni and Port Alberni, and in recognition of its historical importance city hall is among the handful of structures listed on the Port Alberni Heritage Register. See CITY HALL, Page 9
The current city hall exterior (left), and an artist’s depiction of the soon to be altered exterior with cedar donated by Coulson Forest Products (right). [CITY OF PORT ALBERNI IMAGES]
POLITICS
Elizabeth May opposed to coal mine, LNG fracking ‘not a good technology’ KRISTI DOBSON ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES
How-To in 45 Fest returns for 2nd year Parks and Recreation is making it easy for the public to learn new skills, get some exercise and meet new people this weekend during the How-To in 45. » Living Well, 10
New Alberni brand idea: ‘Ultimate Playground’ Business owner Kevin Wright has been thinking of his branding idea for the community for some time, to promote Port Alberni’s broad array of outdoor adventure. » Alberni Region, 3
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Green Party leader, Elizabeth May made a visit to Port Alberni on Saturday morning. With her was Federal riding of Courtenay-Alberni candidate Glenn Sollitt. The two made their first stop at the Starboard Grill for a breakfast presentation and question and answer session. The full house had a chance to hear the main issues of the Green Party. The main issue, May said, is real democracy that works for Canada. “We need more responsible discussion and debates in parliament to work for Canada,” she said. “We need leadership that works for the people. I will stand up and defend Parliament. What’s killing democracy in Canada is people who do what they are told in politics and read from scripts, so there will be no scripts in the Green Party.” May said, if elected as a group, she will break down the idea of leader-centric thinking and position MPs as equals. She said by working together for a common goal everything will reinforce itself, including environmental policies helping economic policies. She said the government needs to position Canada to take advantage of investing in renewable energy and clean technology more than in fossil fuels globally. She wants to fight to bring economic development to Vancouver Island. May had few comments on local issues. She said she wanted to see a way to maintain and protect sustainable industry, including the forests and watershed. “The Green Party is completely opposed to the [Raven coal mine]
Green Party of Canada leader, Elizabeth May and local candidate Glenn Sollitt were in Port Alberni on Saturday morning for a public meet and greet and took a Speeder to McLean Mill. [KRISTI DOBSON, TIMES]
proposal,” she said. “It is a huge risk to the Fanny Bay oysters, for example. But it looks like they’ve decided to pack it in anyway.” When asked about the Steelhead LNG project, May was cautious in her words. “It is on First Nations territory and we respect that, so I don’t want to say too much, but fracking is not a good technology at all,” she said. May is hopeful that clean energy will lead the way for further economic development on Vancouver Island. “It can be a hub for innova-
tion here if we work with First Nations to create longterm jobs and prospects for Vancouver Island,” May said. She said the Island can become known as a centre for innovation for clean technology and green ideas. “The potential for the port here is huge,” she said. “With better development there is potential for container shipping. There would also be jobs created for retrofitting buildings to make them more energy efficient.” May is also hopeful of wind power and manufacturing technology
in her own riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands. “Voting Green is the most powerful way to fix the country and put it back to the way it is supposed to be,” May said. “When the dreadful nine years of the Harper era is over this year, we will start to put things back to how they should be.” May and Sollitt went from the Starboard Grill onto the McLean Mill in a Speeder car, where they had a tour of the grounds and salmon hatchery. KDobson@avtimes.net
Inside today What’s On 2 Alberni Region 3
Opinion 4 Sports 5
ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES VOLUME 66, NUMBER 70
Alberni Album 6 Scoreboard 7
Comics 8 Classifieds 9
On the Island 12 Living Well 10
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