Guidebook to Hell Oak Bay filmmakers explore the heated destination Page A3
COMMUNITY: Family weekend fun /A5 NEWS: Armchair travels with Terri /A6 SPORTS: Spring sports on the horizon /A13
OAK BAYNEWS Friday, February 5, 2016
www.oakbaynews.com
Uplands residents reject individual pumps as sewer separation solution
Oak Bay Firefighter John Ballantyne heads to Peru with Firefighters Without Borders Canada from March 1 to 20.
Residents recommend revisit of gravity-fed solution Christine van Reeuwyk Oak Bay News
Christine van Reeuwyk /Oak Bay News
Training the bomberos Oak Bay firefighter heads for Peru to share experience Christine van Reeuwyk Oak Bay News
Oak Bay firefighter John Ballantyne looks forward immersing himself in Peruvian life while training the country’s volunteer fire service “and hopefully have a positive impact” as he deploys with Firefighters Without Boarders Canada. “I’ve done a lot of travelling and have been to Peru before and wanted to go back and give back,” Ballantyne said. “This is a good thing to do with my skill set.” Working with the CRD Hazmat team, Ballantyne learned of the organization and chatted with Metchosin Fire Chief Stephanie Dunlop. As someone who’s done repeated trips with Firefighters Without Borders Canada, Dunlop
serves as team leader on this trip to train firefighters – bomberos – in Peru from March 1 to 20. “Backpacking around … it’s different than living and working with them, which is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” Ballantyne said. Firefighters Without Borders Canada is a group of volunteer firefighters, professionals and civilians from all over Canada and the U.S. The registered non-profit offers support to emergency service organizations in countries with a demonstrated need by donating equipment and training. The goal is to provide a “helping hand up” to these organizations. This trip, a crew of 13 from Canada and the U.S. will head for Lima, Peru to start, then to Ilo, Arequipa and Cerro de Pasco for further training. “It’s basically training the fire service in Peru. They do very little training,” Ballantyne said. Firefighters Without Borders Canada attempts to tailor training in areas most needed. They plan to do some incident
command work this trip. “It’s what they need and it’s certainly something I have experience in,” Ballantyne said. The organization has at times filled shipping containers with equipment or donated fire trucks. Ballantyne expects his two pieces of luggage will hit capacity filled with personal training gear. “Right now I’m soliciting old command boards,” Ballantyne said. Boards are used to organize a scene, including firefighter safety and providing a co-ordinated approach for any type of incident. “Right now it sounds like all the trucks come in in a mishmash, and firefighters do what we call ‘freelance,’” he said. Learn more at fwbcanada.ca. Donations can be made through the Oak Bay Fire Fighter Charitable Foundation with cheques designated to Firefighters Without Borders Canada, at the fire hall, 1703 Monterey Ave. Tax receipts are available. cvanreeuwyk@oakbaynews.com
FairfieldSkinClinic
Nearly 400 pumps moving effluent doesn’t make sense, say some Uplands residents. They made their feelings clear during a large Oak Bay committee of the whole meeting dedicated to the Uplands sewer separation project Tuesday (Feb. 2) at Monterey Recreation Centre. Residents filled the centre’s Garry Oak Room to hear the consultant’s report on the options for separating wastewater in the development, and what the public had to say through open houses and online surveys offered this winter. The Uplands neighbourhood currently has a singlepipe system to convey both sanitary sewage and storm water. During heavy rainfall, the volume of water exceeds the capacity of the system sending overflows into the ocean at the Rutland and Humber pumping stations. Separation is also required to comply with B.C.’s Municipal Wastewater Regulation that municipalities have separate stormwater and sanitary sewers. “(B.C. Environment) Minister (Mary) Pollack has shown flexibility, she just wants us to get going,” Mayor Nils Jensen said prior to the meeting. “She’s been clear it needs to be done.” Last May, the district hired McElhanney Consulting Services, which developed six possible options to separate the sewer system. All six assumed easements through private property are not in play. That was just one of the assumptions revisited by Jack Hull, of HJA Hull Water Management Consulting, as a result of public feedback. Other assumptions revisited include: use of existing easement, maximum trench dept, trench-less technology, onsite storm water management; deeper trenches to utilize gravity fed system and eliminate pumps; and concerns surrounding pumps. PlEASE SEE: Sewer separation talk back on the table Feb. 15, Page A3
Dr Julian A Hancock FRCP(C):
Cosmetic Dermatologist
• BOTOX • JUVEDERM • MOLES • LASER SMOOTHING • HYDRAFACIAL
Removes love handles etc.
Cool Deals, on now!
doctorskinlaser.com/coolsculpting/
Specializing in fast, effective, natural skin rejuvenation. Small nuisance skin lesions removed quickly & cleanly, often in one visit.
Victoria's Cosmetic Dermatology Centre Frequent Specials!
1494 Fairfield Rd, Victoria
778 432 3333
Fairfieldskinclinic.com