December 2, 2015 Wednesday
News updates: westerlynews.ca
Serving Tofino and Ucluelet
$1.25 [INCLUdINg Tax]
Rent-It Centre robbed
INSIDE
THIS WEEK:
ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News
The Ucluelet Rent-It Centre was broken into sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning. Const. Matthew Crist of the Ucluelet RCMP told the Westerly News the break-in was reported by employees who arrived around 8 a.m. Monday to discover multiple pieces of equipment had been stolen from the Peninsula Road property. Crist estimated about $5,000 worth of tools was snatched including new chainsaws. He said the thief, or thieves, cut through a chain linked fence and busted through a door to gain access. “If the person had enough time it could be a one-person job. It also very well could be multiple people, we’re not sure of that at this point,” he said. Port alberni’s forensic identification team was in Ucluelet Monday morning to collect evidence from the scene. “anything suspicious that pops up, or is seen, or if anyone knows anything, call the Ucluelet RCMP [250-726-7773] right away,” Crist said.
7313226
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
SURVEY SAYS: The results of Tofino’s 2015 visitors’ survey were announced last week. PAGE 2
JON DEWALD PHOTO
Complaints from local residents over noise and environmental impacts have Tofino thinking about nixing its fireworks permit process and restricting fireworks to certain times of the year like the annual Canada Day event pictured above.
Tuff council mulls fireworks ban ANDREW BAILEY
Westerly News
Unexpected fireworks displays have some Tofino locals fired up. The district’s fireworks bylaw, which was last updated in 2010, states “the exploding of firecrackers or other fireworks is prohibited within the district except by Special Permit.” Tofino’s council has directed staff to look into the possibility of nixing permits and banning fireworks entirely during certain times of the year to allow for specific holiday celebrations while cutting down on surprise disruptions. This direction was spurred by two letters council reviewed during their regular meeting last week from locals expressing frustration over being star-
tled awake by other people’s celebrations. Chesterman Beach area residents Sandi Rideout and Margaret Eady wrote that they have experienced disruptive fireworks displays from vacationers at the beach “at least once a week for the past several months.” They suggested people setting off fireworks are doing so without consideration of the environment or those around them. “Not only are these people contravening bylaws for the possession and explosion of fireworks, but they are oblivious to the fact that they are disturbing families, pets and other vacationers,” they wrote. “It’s dangerous for fire safety and this summer’s drought conditions made it even more so. The detritus that is often
left on the beach is there for others to clean up. This area is valued as a ‘pristine wilderness’ and to us, this type of behaviour is absolutely contradictory to our region’s reputation.” They asked council to kill Tofino’s permit process and ban fireworks altogether. “We are recommending that Council consider a motion to ban fireworks completely from our town and area,” they wrote. “That way, people will be left in no doubt as to how our town will respond to those who set them off.” Sulo Hovi and Louise Poirier penned a similar letter and also suggested banning remote controlled planes and drones from local beaches.
See FIREWORKS BAN pg. 14
BUSINESS BUZZ: Insights into Tofino’s close-knit commerce culture. PAGE 7
CALENDAR GIRLS: Ucluelet’s aNaF has released a new vintage themed calendar for 2016. PAGE 16