Friday, October 1, 2010 Local high school football programs are in full swing.
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ary Annivers 1985-2010
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FIRE PREVENTION ❚ Safety First
Rave photos result in child porn charges RCMP pursuing charges against 18-year-old as well.
Maple Ridge Fire Rescue paid-on-call firefighters Greg Carter (left) and Warren Fairbairn are promoting Fire Prevention Week in the community. From Oct. 3 to 9, local firefighters will join Panago delivery drivers on randomly selected orders, to see if customers have working smoke alarms. See story on Page 14.
Troy Landreville/TIMES
A 16-year-old has been charged with production and distribution of child pornography stemming from the alleged sexual assault at a Pitt Meadows rave on Sept. 10. Police have previously alleged the 16-year-old witnessed the alleged sexual assault for upwards of 20 minutes and took pictures he later shared with friends. Because the alleged victim is under the age of 18, pictures of her in a sexual scenario constitute child pornography. The photos were widely dispersed on the Internet. His first court appearance was on Wednesday at the Port Coquitlam Provincial Court. Police also arrested an 18-year-old male two weeks ago in connection with the same incident. Police are pursuing charges of sexual assault against the 18-year-old. The alleged sexual assault was initially reported as a gang rape. Sgt. Peter Thiessen has said he no longer wants to use the term gang rape, although he still believes several people were involved in the alleged sexual assault.
Albion plan expected for December by Jeremy Shepherd editorial@mrtimes.com
The first community forum on the Albion Flats plan was held on Wednesday, drawing dozens of citizens who voiced their criticisms and suggestions about the environmental and economic impact of transforming the area. Much of the land is agricultural, and any change would need to be approved by the Agricultural Land Reserve. “They have to agree to take it out of the ALR (agricultural land reserve),” said HB Lanarc senior planner Mark Holland, who referred to the Agricultural Land Commission as the biggest gatekeepers of the project. The project will need to be approved by Maple Ridge council before an application is forwarded to the ALC. The proposal may also need to be approved by Metro Vancouver.
According to Christina DeMarco, regional planner at Metro Vancouver, land designated for agriculture cannot be used for anything else without a two-thirds vote and a public hearing. DeMarco was speaking about the Metro Vancouver regional growth strategy, which is scheduled to move forward with public hearings this November. Holland said the planning phase, which was initially scheduled to last until March 31, 2011, could be finished much sooner. “We’ll have this wrapped up by Christmas,” he said. Albion Flats, which is bordered by Lougheed Highway and Tamarack Lane, has been under discussion since 2004, which has been far too long for some people. “Get on with it,” said Dick Doorman. Doorman, who attended the meeting, said
he’s lived in Maple Ridge for 45 years and Albion Flats should be rejuvenated. “I’m not too concerned about land that hasn’t been used in 15 years,” he said. Doorman said he wanted easier access to a more diverse retail area. “The economic benefits are positive,” he said. Ruth Pare, the owner of the antique mall at Haney Marketplace, said she doesn’t think a large shopping centre could succeed in Albion Flats. “I don’t think there’s enough population in Maple Ridge to draw people to a shopping centre in Albion,” she said. With major shopping malls in many neighbouring communities, Pare said she doesn’t think a new shopping centre in Maple Ridge will draw people from out of town. She said many people make the long drive
to her store, but only because she runs a specialty shop. Pare said there is no real need for more stores. She said she’s lived in Maple Ridge for 30 years and has never needed to leave town to shop. “I have mixed feelings,” she said. “I’d like to see something done, but I’d like to see it done really well.” Pare wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted to see in the area, but said she knows what she doesn’t want. “I certainly don’t want to see Wal-Mart,” she said. Pare said she’s opposed to Wal-Mart because they don’t employ very many people and the profits go to the United States. She said she would much rather see more energy go into rebuilding Maple Ridge’s downtown core.
Don’t miss important information about community grants on Page 9
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