Winning ways Nanaimo Clippers off to strong start with series of victories this weekend. PAGE 23
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2015
VOL. 27, NO. 42
Run ready
Ronei Faganello, middle, and daughter Kaita Heydemann participate in warmup exercises just before the start of the CIBC Run for the Cure on Sunday morning at Beban Park. The event attracted 732 participants and raised $119,737 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. GREG SAKAKI THE NEWS BULLETIN
Bus fleet replaced with compressed natural gas models
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larger fleet, something Pearce said is a separate project that will be done in 2016. “We currently have two compressors right now, but we’ve done an analysis and we’ll need an additional compressor,” said Pearce. “The compressors are estimated at about $590,000.” The diesel buses will either be transferred to another B.C. Transit bus system, if they have service life left, or likely sent to the scrap yard, he said. With the new buses, Regional District of Nanaimo Transit’s fleet will be 100 per cent compressed natural gas fuelled.
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DISTRICT COUNCIL approves recommendation to replace well at an estimated $250,000. BY TAMARA CUNNINGHAM THE NEWS BULLETIN
A new blueprint to map out a water connection to Nanaimo is among the “first real, concrete actions” to increase Lantzville’s water supply in decades, according to Lantzville Coun. Bob Colclough. Increasing water supply has been a community priority to address issues of stagnant growth and contaminated private wells, but no clear course had been taken a year after Lantzville signed a deal with Nanaimo to connect homes with city water. On Monday, politicians unanimously agreed to a wellfield study recommendation to replace a well, estimated to cost $250,000. Combined with the potential redevelopment of three other wells for which council agreed to budget, the district could get an additional 400 cubic metres of water a day from its system. In a 5-2 vote, it also opted for detailed designs for a water connection to Nanaimo, despite concern by councillors Denise Haime and John Coulson the action is premature. Coulson said council agreed to a workshop where it will talk about water problems, options and plans. He doesn’t believe it’s wise to spend money on detailed designs when council hasn’t decided if and when it’s going to use the Nanaimo connection. He also pointed to the wellfield study as well as previous options that were in front of council years ago and would like at least a cursory review. “A detailed engineering design they give you everything, it’s how big a hole you’re digging in the ground, how deep the pipe’s going, how you’re back filling it, compacting it.” See ‘WELL’ /4
reporter@nanaimobulletin.com
$2995 OIL CHANGE
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The Regional District of Nanaimo board will not have to pay full price for a new set of compressed natural gas buses. At their meeting last week, regional district directors voted to replace 24 diesel buses with compressed natural gas counterparts, and while each has a price tag of about $643,000, assistance from Fortis B.C. and B.C. Transit, Regional District of Nanaimo Transit’s funding partner, will mean the regional district will only be on the hook for about $332,000 per bus. Daniel Pearce, regional district transit operations manager, said the
buses will be paid for with a costsharing structure that will see B.C. Transit covering 47 per cent of the cost and the regional district 53 per cent. Additionally, Fortis B.C. has a program that will help cover 50 per cent of the increase of cost due to increase in production. According to Pearce, that cost is $40,000 and $20,000 per bus will be covered by Fortis. It is anticipated the buses will arrive by early next year and would be included in the 2017 budget, said Pearce. Before buses arrive, a new compressor, which converts natural gas to bus fuel, will have to be added to the fuelling station to accommodate the
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Lantzville orders designs for city water hook up
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