INSIDE: Judge fails to believe man didn’t smell 10,000 pot plants Pg. 3 T H U R S D A Y
May 17, 2012
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Ecovillage not happy with Kinder surprise BY PAUL J. HENDERSON phenderson@chilliwacktimes.com
‘Outraged’ to discover pipeline carries bitumen
olks at the Yarrow Ecovillage really don’t like the proposed twinning of Kinder Morgan’s oil pipeline, which runs right underneath the certified organic farm on the property. But for Michael Hale, one of the founders of the ecovillage, it’s what is in the pipes now that bothers him
even more. “I was completely shocked when I learned they are piping tar sands bitumen through that pipe,” Hale told theTimes Wednesday. “It’s about 59 years old and was built to carry crude oil or natural gas. Bitumen, according to the company itself, according to the people who
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refine it and transport it . . . is a much more toxic and corrosive substance so I was not at all pleased.” Because Kinder Morgan’s right-ofway for the pipeline is on the title of the land at the ecovillage, the pipeline’s existence was no surprise, but the bitumen flow and the proposed twinning have him outraged.
See ECOVILLAGE, Page 7
Saving the theatre one seat at a time
Her Good Samaritan . . . wasn’t
The group estimates renovations, which will include fixing the roof and returning the cinema to its original he newly-formed Chilliwack configuration with one screen and Paramount Film Society wants a balcony, will cost approximately to put your name on a seat $500,000. Reid said the group has two for a fee to help save the landmark churches on board that want to use downtown movie theatre. At a meeting on Monday, the group the space on Sundays. She hopes looking to save the Paramount The- other groups might want to rent the atre from demolition announced its building out. “There is a lack of affordable complan for the cinema, which includes screening independent and foreign munity space,” Reid said. TheParamount films not shown Theatre has been at mainstream boarded up since theatres. “We are looking to fill a November 2010, “We are looking niche here in Chilliwack when Landmark to fill a niche here that the other theatres Cinemas donatin Chilliwack that ed the property the other theatres are not offering.” and building to are not offering,” said Laura Reid. Laura Reid the city. The city issued Approximately a request for pro50 people came out to the meeting at which the posals (RFP) to run the building but group introduced the society incor- of two responses, neither had a busiporated on May 7 and presented a ness plan. Public outcry over the possible fundraising seat plan. The group is asking for pledges demolition—which was offered for of $250 for a silver level of sponsor- free by the city-owned Chilliwack ship, $1,000 for gold, and $1,500 for Economic Partners Corporation— platinum. “Last night we were able led to the formation of the Friends of to get pledges of $10,000,” Reid said the Paramount, now the Chilliwack Paramount Film Society. Tuesday. City council deferred the demoliBut that’s just a start as the group needs to raise $600,000 in less than a tion and gave the group until June 21 month. See PARAMOUNT, Page 11
BY PAUL J. HENDERSON phenderson@chilliwacktimes.com
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Chilliwack senior who had her purse stolen after a lawn-bowling excursion was derailed by a not-so-Good-Samaritan. RCMP Sgt. Marty Blais said the woman was looking for the lawn bowling club, around the Landing area of Chilliwack, when she stopped to ask a woman for directions. The woman leaned over the passenger’s seat and, while speaking, surreptitiously stole the driver’s purse. The driver later discovered the purse gone. Later that day, someone called EB IRST the senior’s home First reported on to say that they chilliwacktimes.com had recovered the purse and would return it, especially if a financial reward was provided. The senior’s son called police, who met up with the caller and obtained the purse. A man and woman were arrested and are facing charges. “As a result, everything was returned,” Blais told the Times. “She was ecstatic.” Blais advises drivers to keep valuables out of reach, especially if one is speaking to strangers.
“I can’t even get my head around the idea of twinning the line,” he said. Nevin and Shauna Gavigan are organic farmers at the ecovillage. Because they were tilling the land and planting crops on the company’s right-of-way, they had a recent visit from “men in suits” telling them what they can and can’t do.
Nevin said the right of way is 60 feet across the farm and, from what he has researched, the twinning could disturb a swath as wide as 100 feet. As for whether the project would affect their organic certification, Nevin said he didn’t think so unless there was a spill. But there are also rulesaboutvehiclesneedingtohave
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Paul J. Henderson/TIMES
Krista Butt shows off the four $1,500 platinum seats already taken in the Chilliwack Paramount Film Society’s fundraising buy-a-seat program.
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