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Crossing the Colwood strip could become a lot safer, but not everyone is happy with the solution. News, Page A3
West Shore youth are armed and ready for the B.C. Winter Games in Vernon this weekend. Sports, Page A18
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Friday, February 24, 2012
Highlands eyes first tax hike in 15 years Charla Huber News staff
Highlands residents may see a tax increase this year, the first one in 15 years. A potential tax increase would ultimately be part of a domino effect from increases made in the West Shore Parks and Recreation budget, and falling construction revenue in Highlands. Highlands has been asked to contribute $185,259 to the recreation centre, a nearly 7.5 per cent increase from last year. “This has been one of the bigger hits that council has to face,” said Chris Coates, the district administrator. In past years the District used funds from other sources, such as the construction of Hannington Creek Estates, a residential subdivision, to cover extra costs. With that project nearly finished and no new large construction projects in the works, additional revenue will be gone, Coates explained. “When you look into the future, the costs of operations are not going down, they are going up,” Coates said. Increasing requisitions from the recreation centre and other issues such as road maintenance will be adding more costs to Highlands taxpayers. The amount of this year’s possible tax increase isn’t yet known — the District budget hasn’t been set. “(Fourteen) years in a row without no tax increase is something that is not sustainable,” Coates said. Coun. Ken Williams, who sits on the rec centre board of directors, said compared to municipalities across Greater Victoria, Highlands contributes significantly less than others to recreation. PLEASE SEE: Highlands, Page A10
(Front) Charlie Crenna, 99, needed help clearing his driveway so his caregivers could get to his home during a snowstorm in January. (Left to right) Ed Bennington, Jeremy Clare and Vince Santucci used tractors and shovels to clear the snow to lend a helping hand. Charla Huber/News staff
Volunteers team up for seniors Metchosin emergency program, community house work to keep vulnerable people safe Charla Huber New staff
When heavy snow blanketed Metchosin in January, a number of seniors needed help, including 99-year-old Charlie Crenna. Crenna doesn’t live alone, but snow made it so his round-the-clock caregivers could not get up or down his driveway. It was then that Ed Bennington received a call asking for help. He lives a short distance away and happens to be the “pod” co-ordinator for the District. Metchosin is
divided into 40 pods or areas, for emergency situations. “I have a little tractor and figured I’d see what I could do,” Bennington said. With his Kubota tractor he cleared as much snow as he could. With uneven terrain surrounding Crenna’s home, he couldn’t clear it all, but other neighbours stepped up to help. “This is just basically what you do. You look after the people in your neighbourhood,” Bennington said. “The whole idea of the pods is to check in on people.” Vince Santucci, Crenna’s neighbour brought his own small tractor to help and Crenna’s maintenance man Jeremy Clare and neighbour Brian Stewart helped with shovels. Crenna's friend Dennis Josephson came with a plow. Together the men cleared the snow around Crenna’s home. “It was really wonderful. I appreciated
it very much,” said Crenna, a director of senior care with the Metchosin Community Association. This welcome but ad hoc system of neighbours helping seniors is driving the community association and the Metchosin Emergency Program to work together on identifying and creating a list of seniors and other vulnerable people in the district. During recent storms, MCA board member Betty Hildreth and other volunteers opened up the Metchosin Community House for people whose homes lost power. But they also called and checked up on people they knew may be vulnerable during a storm. Meanwhile, other residents reached out for help though the Metchosin Emergency Program and the fire hall. PLEASE SEE: Snowed-in driveways, Page A6
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