17 Alberni athletes qualify for track and field provincials Sports, Page 6
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T Tuesday, d M May 26 26, 2015
CRIME
Handgun brandished in robbery The ofďŹ cer in charge of Port Alberni’s RCMP is calling this a ‘priority investigation’ MARTIN WISSMATH ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES
Police are looking for a man who robbed the Mac’s convenience store on Sunday with a handgun. Surveillance footage in the store at the Esso gas station on Johnston Road captured an image of the suspect, a caucasian man in his 20s or 30s, clean shaven, approximately six feet tall with a slim build. He was wearing a black knitted cap, black hoodie, black sunglasses, grey sweatpants and dark boots. According to the Port Alberni RCMP, the man entered the Mac’s shortly before 5 a.m. on Sunday, produced a small handgun and demanded money from the clerk. He stole cash, cigarettes and
“... this level of violence causes us great concern, and we are working diligently to ensure a similar pattern of criminal activity doesn’t develop� Insp. Mac Richards, Port Alberni RCMP
energy drinks before fleeing the store on foot. Police arrived with a service dog team to sniff out a possible escape route. Mounties could not locate the suspect’s whereabouts. No one was injured in the incident, despite the high level
of violence threatened, police noted. Cpl. Jen Allan, Port Alberni RCMP media relations officer, said police are not releasing where the suspect’s track led to from the store. Police are also not releasing how much money was stolen. Police are hoping someone may be able to identify the man from the still photo taken with the store’s security camera. “This is a priority investigation for us,� said Insp. Mac Richards, officer in charge of the Port Alberni RCMP. “While no one was injured in this incident, this level of violence causes us great concern, and we are working diligently to ensure a similar pattern of criminal activity doesn’t
Security camera footage captured this image of a suspect in an armed robbery at the Mac’s convenience store on Johnston Road early Sunday morning. Police are looking for the man, described as a caucasian male in his 20s or 30s wearing a black toque, black hoodie, black sunglasses, grey sweatpants and dark boots. [RCMP
develop,� he said. Doug Hartl, manager of security system’s for Mac’s stores in western Canada, said the Johnston Road location has been quiet, without any robberies or criminal incidents in the past few years. “Hopefully [police will] be apprehending the guy,� said Hartl. Hartl said the store uses an “internal process� to notify police of a robbery and alert 911. Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to contact the Port Alberni RCMP, 250-723-2424. Anonymous reports can be called in to Crime Stoppers at 1800-222-TIPS (8477). Martin.Wissmath@avtimes.net
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OUTDOORS
A new hike is born: Alberni Inlet Trail’s Phase 2 earns praise at ofďŹ cial opening KRISTI DOBSON ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES
Hiker’s car riddled with bullets near Arrowsmith Police say this Volkswagen Golf was shot multiple times with a .22 rifle on Saturday morning  Alberni Region, 3
Endurance athlete shares some stories Part of Bike to Work Week, West Coast General Hospital nurse David Gilbert will talk about competing in ultra events Âť Alberni Region, 3
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The Phase 2 completion of the Alberni Inlet Trail “makes the region a place people want to visit,� Duncan Mayor Phil Kent said during Sunday’s official opening. Kent, the chair of the Island Coastal Economic Trust, was one of many officials who attended the opening, including 80 people of all ages, most of whom took part in a hike following short presentations about the trail and its history. Phase two of three of the trail links the the 12-km route from Ship Creek Road and Anderson Avenue to China Creek and continues for another seven km to Franklin River. Options are available for all levels, including a short hike to a view of Underwood Cove. Going further, hikers can make their way to down to Underwood Cove and pass a concrete culvert that was built by the CNPR workers and end at Nina’s Beach. The return trip is about 3 km. The full hike to Franklin River goes through rock cliffs, switchbacks and evidence of the work on the rail that was never completed. Work on Phase 3 is currently underway — it will link to the Runner’s Trail. Tofino Mayor Josie Osborne praised the work of a dedicated group of volunteers. “Rick and Libby Avis were instrumental in creating the vision,� Osborne said. “Members of the Alberni Outdoors Club have been out on one of the trails in the Valley every Tuesday. I hope you enjoy the trail for many years to come.� Kent said the trail is an invaluable resource for growth.
The official ribbon cutting at Stage 2 of the Alberni Inlet Trail took place on Sunday with Duncan Mayor Phil Kent, second from left, and Tofino mayor Josie Osborne, second from right. WIth them are VISTA director David Gilbert, far left, and PAPA vice chairman, Ken McRae, far right. [KRISTI DOBSON, TIMES]
“I hope you enjoy the trail for many years.� Josie Osborne, Tofio mayor
“This makes the region a place people want to visit,� he said. “They want to get active and have things to do.� The Vancouver Island Spine Trail Association (VISTA) is also actively involved in trail building on the Island and have a goal of creating 700 km of trail from one tip of Vancouver Island to the other. VISTA director David Gilbert said the demand for outdoor rec-
reation is evident. “Personally I think the more trails the better, for our local trail users and for visitors from abroad,� Gilbert said. “The parking lot at the Inlet trail head sometimes has a dozen vehicles on a weekend afternoon. (My wife) Jackie and I are running and hiking along the Inlet Trail all the time, and we’ve noticed an increasing number of tourists using the trail these last couple of years, including many from overseas. That can only be a good thing for tourism and for our economy here in Port Alberni. “The trail is significant to the Valley’s industrial past and will
play an important role in further economic and recreational growth in the area.� Not only do the couple use local trails, they travel extensively and Gilbert sees the same potential for money being injected into local hotels and restaurants by tourists. Judy Carlson, member of the Alberni Outdoors Club and Alberni District Historical Society, summed up her historical account of the trail with a reminder of the trail’s origin from the days of the past. “I hope this trail stays as a tribute to everyone who has worked here,� Carlson said.
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ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES VOLUME 66, NUMBER 99
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