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Chilliwack Votes sets sights on voter turnout
■ K EEP Y OUR C OOL
Bigger, better Landing spray park Jennifer Feinberg
Jennifer Feinberg The Progress
The Progress
Unofficial campaigning for the federal election started months ago in the Chilliwack area with some candidates door-knocking and fundraising in earnest. With expectations that the writ will be dropped this weekend, a non-partisan group called Chilliwack Votes, is gearing up to “inspire and engage” voters, candidates, and political debate in ChilliwackHope, in a more intense way than has been seen in the past. The overriding aim is increasing voter turnout and awareness of local issues and local candidates. Chilliwack Votes revealed plans this week to launch a website and social media campaign, with profiles, all-candidates’ meetings, and campaign questions. The group’s mission is: “To inspire and engage both constituents and candidates, in a dialogue that speaks to the issues of Chilliwack-Hope,” said spokesman Sam Waddington, who is working on it with Kevin Shroeder and David Swankey. They are quick to point out they are not endorsing any particular candidates or parties but instead are out to “preserve the integrity of the democratic process,” on social media and on their website at chilliwackvotes.ca. The goal is to focus on local issues and candidates, and to increase voter turnout from 50 per cent, in the last federal election, to the national average of 60 per cent. So far most candidates have already contributed profile information and answers, and the plan is to go live with the Chilliwack Votes website in the next week. The Progress managed to reach a couple of candidates to see what they think of the idea. Liberal candidate Louis De Jaeger said Chilliwack Votes could be an effective tool to get the vote out.
The Landing Spray Park is set to undergo renovation and expansion in Chilliwack starting next year with new features, expanded spray pad and improved picnic area by 2017. MP Mark Strahl delivered the news this week in a blitz of pre-election goodies, announcing $425,550 in improvements to community infrastructure in Chilliwack, and beyond, at the Landing Leisure site on Tuesday. The projects were funded under the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program, which celebrates the Canada’s 150th, from a $46 million pool from Western Economic Diversification Canada. “Our investment in community infrastructure is part of our Government’s plan to help celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation and it will help preserve valuable community and cultural spaces, such as parks, trails and cultural and community centres, that unite and connect us all across the West,” said Strahl. Chilliwack’s share of the 150th anniversar y pie, comes in the form of $225,00 in federal funding for the spray park reno, which is added to City of Chilliwack’s contribution of $250,000 for a total of $475,000 for the spray park project. The spray park expansion project should see work
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The hot weather is back, with temperatures expected to reach 33 degrees on Friday and 30 on Saturday and Sunday. Fortunately for this B.C. Day long weekend, there are plenty of places to stay cool – like Chilliwack Lake. JESSICA PETERS/ THE PROGRESS
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