EAGLE VALLEY
NEWS
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Wednesday, May 11, 2016 PM40008236
Vol. 62 No. 19 Sicamous, B.C., • 1.25 (GST included) • www.eaglevalleynews.com
District takes stand on school closure By Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
There are more cons that pros to closing Parkview Elementary School in the eyes of Sicamous council. District of Sicamous council has agreed to write a letter to School District #83 opposing the proposed closure of the elementary school to amalgamate the two schools at Eagle River Secondary. Coun. Colleen Anderson broached the subject at a committee of the whole meeting. “I don’t think it’s a wise move,” said Anderson. “I think that we need an elementary school here and I think that, for us to work hard at growing, you know, growing our town and focusing on economic development and business retention and expansion, I think an elementary school to attract young families is absolutely necessary and we want to keep the young families that we have here.” Safety is another concern of council’s, particularly in relation to the school’s proximity to the Trans-Canada Highway, Highway 97A and the traffic roundabout that’s soon to be under construction. “They border on the Trans-Canada and now where the roundabout is directing traffic… the high school kids you know, they get the drill, but the little ones, not so much,” said Anderson. “I think they’re better off in the playground across town.” At a recent town hall meeting on the proposed amalgamation, School District #83 staff heard from parents with similar concerns who asked that crossing guards be used. In a letter to council, resident Carol Southgate goes one further, suggesting a pedestrian overpass be built over Highway 97, either at the Shell station or near the Parkland Mall. Mayor Terry Rysz supports council’s letter, noting he is very concerned about the closure. However, he also recognizes the school district has its own budget concerns. “You’ve got to understand the financial dynamics around their reasoning behind closing the school,” said Rysz. “But anytime you close an education facility within your community, it has a huge impact. I’m concerned about the future of Sicamous and hopefully we can get some economic activity happening here where we can convince people to move here. But right now it’s a numbers game.”
Outdoor office: District of Sicamous employee Jim Alfred enjoys the sunshine while pulling weeds and cleaning up garden beds at the Beach Park. Photo by Lachlan Labere
Emergency response exercise runs Saturday Local emergency responders will be dealing with disaster this weekend as part of a large-scale training exercise. The training event will be held Saturday, May 14 in Sicamous at the Waterway Houseboats site in Two Mile. It has been organized to practise joint emergency management response procedures in the course of a major event. “Full-scale exercises are valuable to validate training, emergency plans and proce-
dures, determine any gaps or weaknesses in an emergency program, and provides opportunity for personnel to practise and improve agency and personal performance in a realistic yet safe environment, with artificially induced stressors,” states a news release from the Columbia Shuswap Regional District’s Shuswap Emergency Program (SEP), which is co-ordinating the event. Participating in the training exercise are: BC Ambulance
Service, RCMP, first responder groups, Eagle Valley Rescue Society, the Salmon Arm Fire Rescue Unit, CSRD Fire departments, Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue, Shuswap Volunteer Search and Rescue and Shuswap Emergency Support Services. “This exercise has two underlying themes – a simulated significant fire occurring over and near water with associated complications, followed by a simulated hazardous ma-
terials spill into a lake used by many as a drinking water source,” says SEP co-ordinator Cliff Doherty. Anyone wishing to attend is asked to RSVP to sep@ csrd.bc.ca, in order to allow the exercise design team to plan accordingly. Parking will be provided on the opposite side of the Highway 97A from Waterway Houseboats, on Two Mile Road (the road to the landfill) in the gravel parking lot.