The Parksville Qualicum Beach News Thursday, December 31, 2015
www.pqbnews.com
A15
2015 — YEAR IN REVIEW
July-Sept: drones in parks, QB gets back to work cONTINuED fROm PAGE A12
August 25 • This July was the Earth’s hottest month ever officially recorded by humans, and it was felt in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area. The Qualicum Beach Airport weather station recorded an average temperature of 19.4 C, said Environment Canada Meteorologist Matt MacDonald, compared to the 17.1 C norm. August 27 • After losing their first game, the Parksville Royals Midget AA baseball team went on a run straight to first place at the Western Canadian Championships in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. September 1 • Former Parksville city councillor Peter Morrison, working with brothers Michael and Ian Reid, announced they were taking on Facebook by creating a better social network called Kube. Describing themselves as the “not evil Facebook,” the trio formed Red Scotch Software less than two years ago and are almost ready for their public unveiling. September 3 • Parksville yoga instructors Dr. Barbara Low and Charlotte Crowley asked the City of Parksville for “enforceable safety bylaws” to prohibit the use of drones in public parks after an unmanned aircraft equipped with a camera, a drone, disrupted a Yoga on the Beach class. September 8 • Qualicum Beach town employees returned to work Sept. 4 after a surprise resolution to the
five-week lockout. As of Sept. 1 talks had broken down, with the union taking management to a Labour Relations Board (LRB) bad faith hearing. Sailland confirmed the deal includes nine per cent total increases, including two per cent per year for each of the first four years (retroactive to 2014) and one per cent for the final half year. Members did not receive a signing bonus. September 10 • Federal Conservative candidate John Duncan said he was the sole victim of political vandalism in this riding. Ten of Duncan’s large campaign signs that read “re-elect John Duncan” over the classic Conservative blue backdrop were either run over, tampered with by cutting the centre out of the frame or stolen altogether, the candidate told The NEWS Sept. 8. September 15 • Police received more than 50 phone calls the week of Sept. 7-11 reporting attempted Canada Revenue Agency fraud — and two people have fallen victim to the scam. Oceanside RCMP Cpl. Jesse Foreman said the victims each wired $1,500 away. September 17 • A Canadian Rental Housing Index report showed more than half of renters in Parksville spend more than 30 per cent of their income on rent. September 22 •While Qualicum Beach Mayor Teunis Westbroek said he is wary of regional water management discussion, Coun. Bill
Luchtmeijer suggested a different perspective during the Sept. 14 council meeting. “Maybe we should be thinking a little bit out of the box, that may be a massive opportunity for us,” Luchtmeijer said, referencing Coun. Barry Avis’ remarks about Parksville having both “massive” water problems and “massive” development plans. “We have water, we have lots of water. It might be an opportunity to sell bulk water to Parksville,” he said. September 24 • The Parksville Fire Department investigated an early morning fire at the McMillan Arts Centre Sept. 23 that damaged the exterior of the building and threatened hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of art inside. The administrator of The MAC said she doesn’t have much doubt about the origins of the blaze. She said she cleans “bags and bags of garbage” every day from underneath the ramp to The Mac, right where the fire damage was evident on Wednesday morning. September 29 • A plan to open a homeless shelter and transitional housing on Hirst Street in Parksville has hit some bumpy terrain and was sent back to the drawing board, a member of the local homelessness task force said. In August, community organizations appeared before city council to present their plan to use the former B.C. Ambulance station next to the SOS for 10 shelter beds, four or five transitional
JOHN HARDING PHOTO
SMASHING GOOD TIME: About 200 people watched 30 competitors go through a tricky obstacle course on Sunday afternoon at the Bowser Legion during the Branch 211 Lawn Mower Races. Above, a competitor (“Rocky”) tries to get through the last of the obstacles, which included a water balloon that had to be smashed.
housing units and other services. The Parksville and District Association for Community Living (PDACL) purchased the building and was planning to lease part of it to groups who wanted
to provide beds and services for the homeless. In a meeting Sept. 25, these groups learned PDACL may not make available the space first envisioned. TUESDAY: October-December
Centre
280 East Island Highway & Corfield Street - Parksville
GO ONLINE
TO www.leftys.tv and print your coupon to redeem a 2 FOR 1
DINNER SPECIAL
from all of us at The Mulberry Bush Bookstores MULBERRY BUSH BOOKSTORES
248-1193
752-9722
Thrifty Foods Centre W. 2nd Ave. Heard Centre Qualicum Beach Parksville We’re your local bookstores in Oceanside
Check out our website: mulberrybushbooks.com l info@mulberrybushbooks.com