Tear drop rezoning
A controversial proposal by Brockton Projects Ltd. that includes an oil change station and retail business is one tiny step away from becoming a reality.
Council passed first reading of rezoning of the tear-drop shaped property at the entrance to downtown Squamish and in front of Squamish Elementary from light industry to commercial. If ultimately adopted this change would make the proposed Quick Lube not permitted. At previous meetings parents from nearby schools have expressed safety concerns.
***PLease note this post has been corrected since first posted. The first reading of the zoning council passed changes the entire tear drop site to C-4, which would make the quick lube a non permitted use. The original post said it was paving the way for the business. The Chief regrets this error.
Arena slab contracted
The arena at Brennan Park is set to undergo its slab replacement and get new boards and glass. Council authorized district staff to award the $1,048,800 contract for the work to Vancouver’s Wallace & Company. The company has replaced at least four slabs at other arenas previously. The work is forecast to take 14 weeks, meaning the improved arena should be blade-ready by the end of the summer.
Public works honoured
District staff took home some hardware – actually, it was glassware – from council Tuesday night.
The Public Works Association of BC presented the District of Squamish with an award for its public works community celebration held in May in 2015 at the works yard during National Public Works Week. The celebration included public access to the district operations and a special Grade 4 tour that saw 200 students take part in 12 interactive activities.
“We love what you do,” said Jeannette Austin, executive director of the association, who presented the awards. “You are the model for many other communities.”
District director of operations Bob Smith won manager of the year.
“He exemplifies dedication to the profession,” Austin said.
The 56th annual National Public Works Week is scheduled this spring in the week of May 8.
District gets grants
The District of Squamish is getting a substantial cash injection from two federal grant applications totalling $1,112,000 it was announced Monday. About $952,000 of the Federal Gas Tax Fund will go toward the ultraviolet disinfection of sewage effluent facility at the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP), according to a district news release. About $160,000 will go to complete the district Integrated Stormwater Management Plan. Both projects are being fully funded through the Gas Tax Fund, according to the district.
The Union of BC Municipalities administers the federal Gas Tax Fund in B.C. in partnership with the federal and provincial governments.
To learn more about the Federal Gas Tax Fund go to www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/gtf-fte-eng.html.
TRC in Squamish
The Squamish Public Library and Squamish Nation are partnering to raise local awareness of the mandate of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC).
The Evening Celebrating Reconciliation is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Eagle Eye Theatre. Speaker Shelley Joseph of Reconciliation Canada, and elders from the Squamish Nation will be on hand and making presentations.
Residents can also head to the library and Totem Hall to pledge to read the Summary of the Final Report of the TRC, which is available online, as well as at the library or Totem Hall.
For more information visit the Squamish Public Library website.
Socks for homeless
Woodfibre LNG is collecting socks for the homeless. Clean and unused socks can be dropped off to the Woodfibre LNG/FortisBC community office by Feb. 19 to be distributed to the homeless. On Feb. 19 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., a sock hop with snacks and music will be held at the community office at 38134 Cleveland Ave.
School board passes budget
The Sea to Sky board of education passed its amended annual budget of $56,438,402 for the year at the regular meeting on Feb. 10.
Trustee Chris Vernon-Jarvis made motions for the budget to go through all readings and adopted at the meeting, which passed unanimously. Expenses in this year’s budget exceeded the operating grant for the year, which was covered by moving previous surplus funds.
Glow in the dark dance
Youth in Grades 4 to 7 can get a taste of what it is like to be a teen at the Glow in the Dark dance at Totem Hall on Friday, Feb. 19. The event is supervised and parents must drop off and pick up their child. The dancing starts at 7:30 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m. at Totem Hall. There will be a concession with snacks, drinks and, of course, glow sticks.
Flood plain open house
Have your say and learn more about the risk of flood.
A District of Squamish open house is scheduled for the public to learn and weigh in on the Integrated Flood Hazard Management Plan. Meet with members of the district project team to learn about updated floodplain mapping and hazard information for Squamish, Mamquam, Cheakamus and Stawamus Rivers. Head to the Squamish Adventure Centre, Feb. 24 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Big names at writers’ event
A star-studded list of writers has been named as faculty for the 2016 Quest Writers’ Conference in June.
Pulitzer Prize winner Vijay Seshadri, Governor’s General Award winner Jane Urquhart, Ford Fellowship winner Natalie Diaz, American Book Award and PEN winner Martin Espada, and BC Book Prize/Governor’s General Award shortlist writer Anne Fleming will help teach at the conference.
The event will be held June 12 to 19. For info see www.questu.ca/qwc.
Second phase of OCP ahead
The first phase of the district’s official community plan review is wrapping up. According to district staff, 700 Squamish residents provided their ideas and input through the #Squamish2040 Questionnaire. Three hundred and fifty people attended the first public visioning event at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park on Jan. 28. More than 1,250 people viewed the OCP project page on the district’s website as well, staff said.
Additional events are being planned for Squamish Nation, Howe Sound Secondary School students and District of Squamish staff.
For more information go to: squamish.ca/yourgovernment/projects-and-initiatives/ocp/.
