WEDNESDAY, May 16, 2018
www.kamloopsthisweek.com
A7
LOCAL NEWS
Private balconies to be added to Sandman Centre JESSICA WALLACE
STAFF REPORTER
jessica@kamloopsthisweek.com
New corporate seating planned for Sandman Centre will not impact the arena’s capacity and will not lessen access for the average Kamloops resident, the City of Kamloops’ civic facilities manager told KTW. City council on Tuesday approved a staff recommendation that will see private lounges replace about 100 seats in the upper southwest corner of the arena. “At the end of the day, it’s council’s decision to make,” Jeff Putnam said. “But the Blazers have made a very compelling business case and they’re taking all the risk as well.” Roughly 100 seats in sections AAA and BBB in the upper right balcony behind the Blazers’ home bench would be removed to construct loge seating. Loge seating would include 64 seats at tables and additional standing space and lounge seats. “There won’t be a total loss. It will be about the same,” Putnam said. “Sixtyfour [seats] with tables, but then there’s
some areas, lounging areas, as well. There’s a standup area and other chairs and stuff behind it. If you add it up, total occupancy would be the same.” The Blazers will spend $292,000, fully fronting the costs to construct the new seating. The suites will be sold for $6,350 and 14 of 16 have already been spoken for, according a report to council. The Blazers will retain revenue from the leases — $101,000 per year — for the first six years, with the city getting a 10 per cent cut ($10,000) in the seventh and subsequent years. In addition, the city will keep all revenue from food and drink sales in all years, which it estimates to be $17,000 per year, not including revenue from concerts and post-season WHL games. While council gave the project its nod, Coun. Denis Walsh was opposed, arguing the city should receive more than a 10 per cent share of loge lease revenue. Community and protective services director Byron McCorkell said the city charges among the
Mobile polls will return in election Kamloops council has approved spending the estimated $5,000 needed to ensure mobile polling stations in the Oct. 20 civic election are available at Royal Inland Hospital and 11 care homes in the city. In last year’s byelection, held on Sept. 30, mobile polling stations were eliminated to reduce costs. Patients and care-home residents were expected to mail in a ballot or visit a polling station to take part in the election. In the 2014 civic election, 520 ballots were cast at the hospital and in the care homes. At the May 8 council meeting, Coun. Pat Wallace made a motion requesting staff look at including mobile polling stations once again at RIH and in residential care homes this fall. “For us to limit the opportunity for people to vote is pretty disappointing,” she said. Council decided at its Tuesday meeting to bring back mobile polls. The estimated $5,000 cost to run the mobile polls is to cover labour and supplies.
highest rents among WHL clubs, adding the arena needs the Blazers. “I think it’s time for us to help them out a bit,” he said. Coun, Pat Wallace concurred: “When people want to come up and give us $300,000 to improve a facility they don’t own, my last word would be thank you very much.”
In a report to council, civic operations director Jen Fretz wrote: “Installing loge seating is expected to improve food and beverage sales significantly as the seats will be occupied by corporate clients and their guests.” Work will begin immediately, with an eye for completing the seating changes in
time for the start of the 2018-2019 season in September. The lounges will include televisions broadcasting other hockey games, such as the Vancouver Canucks, and will be serviced by food and beverage servers, much like the suites located directly next to the space earmarked for the new lounges.
Cash in your old & broken
2 DAYS ONLY!
No obligation No pressure Free analysis & quote rs, Executoales Estate Soin and C ns Collectioe! welcom
We purchase • Canadian Paper Money • Platinum • Earrings • Bracelets • Rings • Gold charms
• Dental gold • Broken chains • Gold nuggets • Sterling silver • Sterling flatware • Coins, coins, coins!
Come see us!
... in KAMLOOPS
at the North Shore Community Centre 730 Cottonwood Avenue Thursday & Friday May 17th & 18th Open 9am to 4pm Daily VALID GOVERNMENT PHOTO ID REQUIRED AGENTS for vintage hockey, baseball and football trading cards 1910 - 1970’s and rare historical sports memorabilia. Inquire at show.
“We are undersupplied, in general, with corporate suites,” Putnam said. “If you go to other more modern WHL facilities, they often have 20 to 30 corporate suites. We’ve got 10.” The city could sell tickets to concerts and other events at the arena, but suite owners would likely get first right of refusal,
Putnam said. Asked if the suites take away seating from the average Kamloops resident, Putnam said it doesn’t. “If the facility was 100 per cent fully occupied for every Blazer game, then the answer would be yes, but in reality, it’s not,” Putnam said. “Those are very under-utilized seats.”
DIRECT TO SMELTER – PRECIOUS METALS RECYCLING ROADSHOW RETURNS TO KAMLOOPS
Ursa Major Gold, Silver & Coin returns to Kamloops May 17th and 18th . You can bring your gold, silver, coins and Canadian paper money to the North Shore Community Centre between 9am and 4pm each day. No appointment is required. Barry Dick is a precious metals buyer and President of Ursa Major Gold, Silver & Coin which has held shows at the Brock Activity Centre in the past – please note the new location for these dates. “Ursa Major has the unique advantage of dealing direct with a smelter” Barry Dick said Dick. “That President of Ursa Major allows us to cut out Gold, Silver & Coin one or even two middlemen. Ursa Major purchases gold and silver from other gold buyers, pawn shops, dentists, jewellers and jewellery makers as well as the general public.” In terms of the US dollar, gold and silver prices appear low but the weak Canadian dollar means prices are strong. Ursa Major analyzes your gold, silver, coins and paper money while you watch, with the process explained to you in detail. Coins with numismatic value are graded and set aside from those with a ‘melt’ value. Silver items such as jewellery and flatware are analyzed for hallmark identification. Items thought to contain gold will also be analyzed for hallmarks, and then confirmed using precise testing that is done while you watch. Then a cash offer is made and you decide to sell or not. “If you decide to sell after hearing the quote, great, but it is also about information” says Dick. “A lot of times people just need to know a ballpark of what things are worth; we don’t pressure anyone into selling”. Dick took out his first gold claim when he turned 16 in the 1970’s and has been involved with precious metals ever since. An ardent gold panner, he was a regular at the world championship gold panning competition with a personal best of 3rd place in 1984. “Nearly half of the world’s annual gold harvest comes from recycled gold. Energy costs are about $500 to mine a new ounce of gold where recycled gold is about $10 per ounce. That prevents a lot of diesel from being burned.” Gold and silver purchased at the show and later melted goes back into the market without incurring that environmental cost. Out of fashion jewelry, single earrings, broken chains, unloved jewelry, charm bracelets, dental gold, nuggets and fine gold are all accepted. “We can assess any coin ever made for collector or precious metal value, including world coins and ancient coins.” People are encouraged to bring in any and all coins for assessment. Ursa Major also assesses and purchases Canadian and Dominion of Canada Paper Money. They have extensive experience working with estates, executors, widows and widowers in a respectful and caring manner. No appointment necessary.