Alberni musicians to play in Nanaimo jazz fest Alberni Region, Page 3
21C 7C Sunny Serving the Alberni Valley
www.avtimes.net
Monday, April 20, 2015
EMERGENCY
Fire strikes 12 Alberni homes Catalyst mill ablaze at same time as units evacuated from rental building, one resident taken to hospital ERIC PLUMMER ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES
Twelve homes were displaced after a fire devastated a multipleunit rental building Thursday night, one of two large blazes that broke out within a half-hour period in Port Alberni. The provincial government stepped in to cover the costs of victims’ accommodation in a hotel and meals for three days after the disaster. Beyond the weekend some may be eligible for other support, said Dan Holder, the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District’s emergency program coordinator. “Some of them may be eligible for social services to try to find permanent accommodations,” Holder said. To help those who have lost their homes recover, the Port Alberni Shelter Society is collecting donated household items, clothing, furniture and food. Donors can notify the donation line at 778421-0076 or 250-731-7623 to arrange distribution of the needed goods. The first fire Thursday night started at the Catalyst Paper mill, alerting the Port Alberni Fire Department at 10:49 p.m. when a failure in the No. 5 paper machine set off alarms. Due to hazards in the Catalyst facility calls were
A building on Second Avenue and Montrose Street burns Thursday night in Port Alberni. [SUBMITTED PHOTO]
automatically made to the Sproat Lake and Beaver Creek volunteer fire departments, who arrived at the scene to assist the two fire engines and ladder truck from the Port Alberni department. “We found a fairly involved fire going there,” said Port Alberni fire chief Tim Pley. “Oftentimes paper machines are flashy, they ignite, there’s a big fire and it comes to the ground quickly.” With Catalyst staff working alongside fire crews, the mill blaze was eventually extinguished by 2 a.m. – but another call at 11:18 p.m. forced the firefighters to separate to respond to a structure fire on Montrose Street between Second and Third Avenue. Additional support was called upon from the Cherry Creek Fire Department. “Eyewitness reports say that it started with an electric scooter,” Pley said. “What our investigators are finding is that there was an electric scooter plugged in, recharging I guess, with an old extension cord and it looks like an extension cord failure.” Twelve units were evacuated from the Montrose building and one resident was taken to hospital with chest pains, then released shortly thereafter. See FIRES, Page 3
COMMUNITY
Freemasons enjoy surge in members Fraternal organization founded in Port Alberni in 1954; old lodge moved to Parksville Helping men heal from effects of sexual abuse Often overlooked and rarely openly talked about, men’s sexual abuse is slowly being brought into the light. » Living Well, 10
Tseshaht Market in 1st place for men’s b-ball The Raptors stay atop the Port Alberni men’s basketball spring league with another win last week. » Sports, 5
» Use your smartphone to jump to our Facebook page for updates on these stories or the latest breaking news.
KRISTI DOBSON ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES
I
t is well-known that many things get accomplished in Port Alberni through volunteerism and the selfless giving of individuals and groups. Although that same community service continues wide-spread in the Valley, some long-standing groups are having difficulty retaining members. As members age and the younger generation maintains a busy lifestyle, less bodies are becoming available for volunteerism. One service group, however, has recently experienced a little surge in membership of 30-somethings. Dating back to the 18th century, the Freemasony fraternal organization in Canada was formed and influenced by former British colonies and the United States. According to member Sandy McRuer, it is a society dedicated to improving people. “We focus on intellectual and social skills and getting along,” McRuer said. At age 94, Art Thomson was the sole founding member of the local Euclid Lodge U.D. in 1954 and the following year it became
Freemason Wes Hewitt, left, who has been with the group since 2013, welcomes newcomer Jonathan McDowall. [KRISTI DOBSON, TIMES]
the Euclid Lodge No. 158. Thompson was the Chartered Senior Deacon and was installed as Worshipful Master in 1958/59, 1988/89 and 2003/04. Until recently, there were two lodges in Port Alberni, including the Barclay Lodge on Argyle
Street. Now it runs out of the Yates Funeral Home. It is comprised solely of Port Alberni membership, but as long as a Freemason holds a current dues card, he can go to any lodge world-wide. “There are some amazing lodg-
es,” McRuer said. Last January, Euclid Lodge No. 158 moved to Parksville, where many of its members reside. There are still about six members from Port Alberni who attend, including McRuer, and two new Freemasons, John McDowell and Wes Hewitt. “In the last few years we’ve struggled with membership but groups on east Vancouver Island and in Victoria are experiencing a bit of a rebound, so that’s encouraging,” McRuer said. “It is an honourable and venerable organization.” The Freemasons also focus on charitable work and for the past few years, local members have been volunteering and donating to the elementary school Read and Feed program. McRuer said to be accepted there are requirements. “You have to be a man, free born and believe in a higher power,” he said. “It is an old organization, so you have to realize that.” There are rituals to memorize and initiations to undertake. “Some are secrets that are not all that secret,” McRuer said. See FREEMASONS, Page 3
Inside today What’s On 2 Alberni Region 3
Opinion 4 Sports 5
ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES VOLUME 66, NUMBER 75
Alberni Album 6 Scoreboard 7
Comics 8 Classifieds 9
On the Island 9 Living Well 10
$1.25 newsstand (GST incl.)