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TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2011
How did we lose this art? While negotiation skills seem to have eluded us in adulthood, the real experts are kids. Page 12
‘People might not agree with me, but they’re not entitled to vandalize my car’
Councillor: vandalism linked to tree issue WHITE ROCK – If a Ted COLLEY tree doesn’t fall in White Staff Reporter Rock, do a councillor’s tires get slashed? Maybe. Coun. Helen Fathers believes someone vandalized two of her family’s cars Friday night because she is against cutting down several trees on Royal Avenue to improve the view for some residents there. Fathers said the vandal, or vandals, struck sometime between 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Friday. Two vehicles were sprayed with paint and three tires – two on Fathers’ pickup and one on the family sedan – were slashed. Fathers conceded she has no proof the attack is linked to the tree issue, but said she can’t think of any other reason for someone to do this. “The police have told me it was targetted. There was no other vandalism on our street, so I guess one could make that link, yeah.” A number of residents have applied to have three trees on city land in the 15100block of Royal Avenue cut down because they block their view of the bay. Other nearby residents have opposed the idea, but in January, city council voted to allow the cutting. The council members present – both Fathers and Mayor Catherine Ferguson were absent – voted unanimously to have the trees removed in the stated belief that there is “an obligation on the part of the city to preserve what people had when they came here.” The policy states simply that applications to remove trees that block views “may be considered.” Fathers said the January decision was ill conceived because council failed to give proper consideration to the opposing view. “The other side of the story was never properly presented,” Fathers said. “Under our tree management policy, we
❚CRASH
Divers pluck woman from car in Surrey Carolyn COOKE Staff Reporter
White Rock Coun. Helen Fathers says she believes her opposition to cutting trees to improve residents’ views could be why someone slashed her tires and ❚PHOTO/Ted Colley spraypainted two of her family’s vehicles Friday night. have an obligation to hear applications to cut trees. We don’t have an obligation to give it to them.” Now Fathers is left wondering if her stand has made her a target for criminals. “When you sign up for councillor, you sign up to help your community, to give it a voice and that’s all I’m trying to do here.
I wouldn’t have been in favour of this at that meeting because I think it sets a huge precedent for the city. “People might not agree with me, but they’re not entitled to vandalize my car.” White Rock RCMP did not respond to requests for comment before press deadline. tcolley@thenownewspaper.com
SURREY – A woman in her mid-20s was pulled from the water by the RCMP dive team after her car crashed through a barrier and into the Serpentine River in South Surrey Monday morning. The crash happened at about 9:50 a.m. The woman was the only occupant of the vehicle, a dark-coloured newer Honda Civic, according to police. She was driving southbound in the 4600-block of King George Boulevard when the accident happened. The B.C. RCMP Underwater Recovery Team pulled her from the submerged car and tried to revive her before she was taken by air ambulance to hospital. Her condition was not known by press time. Police are still investigating the exact cause of the crash and were not able to confirm early reports that she had been trying to pass another vehicle when she lost control of the car. Speed may have been a factor though. Anyone with information on the crash who has not yet spoken to police is asked to contact RCMP Deas Island Traffic Services at 604946-2184.