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Kindergarten registration jump starts this week VALERIE ROSSI Trail Times
Sheri Regnier photo
Trail Mayor Mike Martin views the Globe and Mail story as a catalyst to strengthen communication between Teck and the city.
Mayor responds to damning story about Trail pollution SHERI REGNIER Trail Times
When a city is tarnished by a national news story, the best way to fight back is with facts. “This is a real wake up call, again, despite all the work that is being done and all the good things that are happening in the community,” says Trail Mayor Mike Martin. “Yet we still remain vulnerable to having a smelter in our back yard. “But there’s another side to this and this is where we are going to need Teck’s help to see if we can overcome this negative image.” Martin was referring to provincial court proceedings in Rossland this week, that has Teck facing more than a dozen charges of spilling chemicals into the Columbia River on two separate occasions. “This just reinforces for me, the need to have Teck come to the table and see what we can
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jointly do, to overcome the negative image and negative view of what we see as a beautiful city,” he added. “And one we take great pride in.” The news about Teck heading to court was thrust into the national spotlight by the Globe and Mail on Friday, in a story that painted a polluted portrait of the Trail environment. “I shared the article with council that morning,” said Martin. “I was extremely disappointed with how Trail was portrayed,” he shared. “It was dealing with negative facts, some historical, and didn’t balance that with all the good work that has been done in the community. “There really is no recognition of that - and this really creates both an economic and social issue for us.” The story generates strain on the already soft Trail real estate market. Martin pointed to the $10,000 drop in property value on the average Trail home, according to 2016 BC Assessment roll. “Trail was one of
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the few communities that actually saw a decline in overall assessment, primarily driven by market real estate sales,” he said. ”Compare ourselves to other communities in the Kootenays and you can quickly come to the conclusion that Trail is not seen as attractive as other cities might be.” So, how does Martin and his council tackle another black mark against Trail? “I really see this as a catalyst for improved communication between Teck and the city,” he said. “They are a great corporate citizen and have shown great respect for their social licence to be operating in this community. “And I am not taking away from the good that has happened, because a lot of good has happened,” he emphasized. “But the bar is forever rising on us as a society and somehow we need Teck to come to the table to help us, and help this community.” CONTINUED ON A2
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Kindergarten registration started a week earlier this year for parents, some who wait to find out whether their child gets the luck of a draw to attend a language program of their preference. Next school year marks the second year in a two-year early French immersion pilot program out of Twin Rivers Elementary School in Castlegar. The class allows room for 22 students, and if there is more interest School District 20 plans on pulling names from the proverbial hat. The same system is set for the Russian bilingual program, should interest exceed the 22 student legislative limit for the class also out of Twin Rivers. But interest in the Russian program has been lower in the past few years, and the Board of Education is in conversation around ways to generate interest in the long-running program that has meant an awful lot to the Doukhobor community in the Castlegar area. “Honestly, what we find is some families will say, ‘My first preference is Russian, and if I don’t get into Russian then I’m interested in French and then the English program,” said Greg Luterbach, superintendent of schools. “Some families are having those conversations now, and I know some people are very anxious to get in.” After parents enrol their “kindies” this week, Luterbach will check in with catchment schools next week to get a first glance at numbers. “We’re doing it a couple of weeks earlier this year just because we’d like to get a better handle on those numbers a bit earlier, given some financial pressure
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