TUESDAYDECEMBER 29, 2015
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WILL YOU TAKE THE DIP?
KSS THINKING GOLF SEASON
26th annual Polar Bear Splash set for Jan. 1 at Parksville Beach
Kondors are talking about avenging a heart-breaking slip to second in B.C.
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PARKSVILLE MAYOR
Reflecting on 2015
Marc Lefebvre on his first year in the mayor’s office CANDACE WU
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Looking back on his first full year in office, Parksville Mayor Marc Lefebvre said it was all about water. Which is exactly what he campaigned on. Shortly after he was elected in late 2014, Lefebvre told The NEWS his top priorities were the water treatment plant, downtown revitalization and making use of the city-owned land at Jensen Avenue and the Alberni Highway. “Water was my biggest preoccupation of the year,” he said. “Starting in the very early new year we got notice from the Build Canada Fund that the original amount of money, we weren’t going to get that. That wasn’t going to happen because of oversubscription. That was a big disappointment.” After a series of open houses, town-hall style meetings and public outreach, he was elated to see a “yes” vote in the city referendum to borrow $5.6 million for the construction of a new water treatment plant. “The next big issue that hit us like a ton of bricks was the drought,” he said. “I’ve lived in Parksville for more than 18 years and I’ve never seen a summer like that.” With record-breaking temperatures and forest fires, the city raised water restrictions to an unprecedented Level 4 last summer. Lefebvre said that was misinterpreted by some residents and he recalled getting a phone call from a woman saying she hadn’t showered in days due to the restrictions. Following his campaign promise to revitalize downtown Parksville, Lefebvre said he organized a meeting with city merchants but it was poorly attended, something he called “a little disappointing.” See COUNCIL, page A19
J.R. RARDON PHOTO
SURF’S UP!: A hardy group of windsurfers took advantage of Saturday’s blustery weather to catch some waves off Columbia Beach in French Creek.
ROAD BLOCKS
Police out in full force CANDACE WU
news@pqbnews.com
Police seized 222 grams of ‘magic’ mushrooms earlier this month during a road block in Nanoose Bay, according to Cpl. Mike Elston, Central Vancouver Island Traffic Services NCO. Elston said the Dec. 4 road block was part of a national impaired driving campaign and drivers can expect more during the holiday season. “Drinking and driving is a prior-
ity throughout the year but especially through this season,” said Elston. “People can expect to see roadblocks. We don’t always do them on main roads; sometimes we do them on side streets. Part of what we know is chronic impaired drivers don’t always take the usual routes, they take the back routes and don’t anticipate we’ll be there. But we are.” Elston said Mounties find as many drunk drivers tucked away on side
streets as they do on main roads. With New Year’s parties on the horizon, he’s reminding people to have a designated driver or call a safe ride home if they’re planning on indulging this season. “Our Immediate Roadside Prohibition (IRP) has made a significant dent in the way people’s decisions are made. There’s a real fear out there that even a couple drinks could cause someone to lose their licence.”
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