INSIDE: A Whistle at War looks at the heavy price soldiers pay
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T U E S D A Y
October 16, 2012
Chiefs continue to up victories 11 stack N E W S ,
SPORTS,
WEATHER
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E N T E R T A I N M E N T chilliwacktimes.com
Llamas will take bite out of taxes
One opens, one closes for BMO
Five Corners branch now at Eagle Landing
Owner asking for permit change to help defray cost of holding land
BY PAUL J. HENDERSON phenderson@chilliwacktimes.com
W
hile the Bank of Montreal (BMO) trumpeted its new branch at Eagle Landing Monday morning, that meant the downtown branch is now closed and some customers who forgot or didn’t know were in for a shock. At around 9:30 a.m., Irene Reitz was reading the “We’ve Moved” sign on the downtown branch doors. Reitz said she knew about the closure but wasn’t impressed. The b a n k ’s m o v e , coupled with the bus loop’s change in location from near the old Safeway to Spadina, EB IRST means the downFirst reported on town resident, chilliwacktimes.com who uses a walker to get around, has quite a journey to make to do her banking. “I’ll have to make it at least once a month,” she told the Times. While Reitz was in front of the bank, a young man ran up to the doors, saw the “We’ve Moved” sign and said: “Stupid, stupid decision.” A BMO spokesperson said customers were made aware of the closure of the downtown branch on Friday, which coincided with the opening of the Eagle Landing Branch Monday morning. “Chilliwack’s growing population and expanding infrastructure are creating many employment and economic opportunities in British Columbia,” said Nalla Steigvilas,
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See BMO, Page 4
Tyler Olsen/TIMES
Chilliwack Huskers quarterback Braden Churly is sacked early in Saturday’s 17-10 victory over the Kamloops Broncos.
HUSKERS WIN!
Three-year winless drought ends as beleaguered football club bucks Broncos
Chilliwack Huskers Kamloops Broncos
BY TYLER OLSEN tolsen@chilliwacktimes.com For three years, the Chilliwack Huskers persevered. They didn’t win football games—in fact, they lost 31 regular season British Columbia Football Conference contests in a row. Usually, they didn’t come close. But they persevered. The team endured defections and desertions. Fans were scarce. Touchdowns were few. And—aside from a much-celebrated but easily discounted preseason game last summer—the result was always the same. But they persevered. Despite a new coach and a new attitude, the Huskers seemed headed for another winless season in 2012. Nine games were played. Nine losses were sustained.
17 10
But they persevered. The losing began Oct. 10, 2009, with a 33-10 defeat to the Kamloops Broncos. It ended Oct. 13, 2012, in the last game of the year, as the Huskers earned a 17-10 come-from-behind victory over those same Broncos. One player remarked that it was like winning the Super Bowl. Coaches and players alike spoke of the overwhelming relief that came with ending the long losing streak. Head coach Tyson St. James: “I think I could hear the sigh of relief in the town.” Huskers president Geoff Sache: “I think it was a big weight off of a lot of people’s shoulders.” Third-year player Ryan Gallo: “It was very relieving. After a while it gets really frustrating that you can’t win a game for your coaches and yourselves.” There was a sense of giddiness that does not usually come at the end of a 1-9 season.
BY PAUL J. HENDERSON phenderson@chilliwacktimes.com
A
local landowner who can’t seem to lure industry is giving his land to the llamas. The owner of several industrially zoned properties in the Progress Way Industrial Park has applied for a temporary-use permit to allow for livestock grazing and haying and for a caretaker to live nearby in a recreational vehicle. A public hearing was scheduled for Tuesday evening for council to consider the permit for the 10 properties, which were removed from the ALR in 2005, rezoned and have sat vacant ever since. If council approves the permit, city coffers might take a substantial hit. The owner of the property, Trackside Holdings Ltd., paid more than $150,000 in municipal taxes in 2012, a figure that could shrink by more than 99 per cent. “Should they receive farm status through BC Assessment, the estimated total taxes would be reduced to $1,400,” wrote Chris Crosman, the city’s general manager of finance and community development, in a staff report. “The reduction in taxation would See LLAMAS, Page 7
See HUSKERS, Page 13
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