THURSDAYAPRIL 21, 2016
Black Press C O M M U N I T Y
N E W S
M E D I A
www.pqbnews.com
CCNA BCYCNA
General Excellence
PLAY OPENS IN QUALICUM
HEADED TO THE NATIONALS
Lauren Collins reviews the latest Echo Players’ production
Local taekwondo athletes take on the country’s best in Calgary next month
A26
A35
FACILITY FOR HOMELESS
Proposal on its way Province funds planning for shelter/housing facility JOHN HARDING
editor@pqbnews.com
The Friends of Foster Park made a last-ditch effort this week to have tenting prohibited in the space they’ve worked to develop for decades, but Parksville city council did not heed their request. Meanwhile, steps toward a facility for the homeless took a step forward with money from the provincial government to develop a “comprehensive” proposal. Council gave final approval to the city’s parks and open spaces bylaw on Monday night, which sets out where and when the homeless can pitch a tent for the night. Prohibitions are now in place for Community Park, Springwood Park and the city’s well fields, but overnight tenting will be allowed in all other city-owned parks and open spaces, including Foster Park. “We helped develop and build Foster Park,” resident Doug Courtice told council before the final vote Monday night at city hall before a standing-room-only crowd. “We continue to have concerns about the repercussions should children, students and seniors encounter dangerous scenarios like needles and trash.” Courtice said the Friends of Foster Park want to help the city with its homelessness challenges. “We feel a long-term solution must be found instead of moving the problem from one place to another,” he said. “We wish to assist the city in finding a long-term solution.” Courtice said a petition calling for a ban on overnight camping in Foster Park with more than 1,000 signatures will be presented to council at a future meeting.
ROLLING INTO THE SEASON: Praiwan Davis rolls a bowl Saturday during the open house at the Parksville Lawn Bowling Club. Both the Parksville and Qualicum Beach clubs hosted open houses last weekend to kick off the 2016 season.
See PLAN COULD BE READY IN JUNE, page A8
See CFB COMOX, page A9
J.R. RARDON PHOTO
QUALICUM BEACH MAN AND SON DITCH PLANE IN OCEAN
Survivors swim to safety J.R. RARDON
news@pqbnews.com
A Qualicum Beach man and his son survived by swimming 100 metres to shore after ditching their light sport plane off the tip of North Vancouver Island Monday afternoon. Gunter Schlichting of Qualicum Beach and his son Frank, from Grand Forks, were picked up in remote
Spruce Bay, cold and wet but otherwise unharmed, by a rescue crew from the 442 Rescue Squadron at CFB Comox. The pair were on a planned flight from Qualicum Beach to Shearwater, near Bella Bella, when heavy cloud cover over the local airstrip and limited fuel forced them to turn back in an attempt to reach the Port Hardy airport.
But the weather worsened and the small plane faced strong headwinds that caused them to use up fuel even faster, said a spokesman for 19 Wing public affairs. “(Frank) said ‘We cannot make it to Port Hardy,’” Gunter told CTV News. “So he called in mayday. That’s when I knew things were serious.”
THE SALE OF THE YEAR!
40%
1395 W. Island Highway, Parksville Monday-Friday 7- 6, Saturday 8 - 6, Sunday & Holidays 9 - 5 Locally Owned & Operated
OFF MRSP
Cellular Shades
WITH A FREE UPGRADE TO CORDLESS
Special O rder Only Unti l April 30th , 2016
ANDREA Window Covering Consultant
Call to book your appointment at the store or for an in-home consultation.
250 465-2365
andrea@centralbuilders.ca