EAGLE VALLEY
NEWS
Old computers get the boot at waste roundup Page 5
Students get ready for big transition Page 6
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Vol. 53 No. 20 Sicamous, B.C., • 1.25 (HST included) • www.eaglevalleynews.com
Big ffun: n
The Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Big Bike rolled into town Thursday and Sicamous teams took up the challenge, raising $9,825.69 for the organization, beating Salmon Arm’s total by almost $400. Left – The Quality Strokers begin their voyage. Above – Organizer Bruce Krahn and top men’s team fundraiser, James Weber pose with Mayor Darrrell Trouton and Heart and Stroke area manager Teresa Moore. Over the past seven years, Sicamous’ big bike teams have raised more than $42,000 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Photos by Lachlan Labere
Clean-up days part of effort to improve local economy Setting goals: Economic development committee makes first recommendations to council. By Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
Curbside garbage pickup will soon be a reality in Sicamous, but only for two days, only certain waste, and it won’t cost residents a thing. The District of Sicamous will be following through with a recommendation of its Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) to initiate a volunteerrun cleanup day, where people will be able to dispose of metal and yard waste free of charge, in an attempt to help beautify the community for residents and tourists. Interim administrator Doug Ruttan is calling it an experiment that he hopes will
be successful. The Community Clean-up event will take place Sunday, June 2 and Monday, June 3. Sunday pick-up times will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Items being picked up on this day include items such as fridges, air conditioners, freezers, hot-water tanks, clothes washers and dryers. Residents will only be required to get them to the curb, and clean-up crews will do the rest. On Monday they’ll be picking up organic waste – grasses, weeds, prunings, brush and weeds, small branches up to six inches in diametre, etc. This waste must be bagged in clear bags and out on the curb. No household garbage will be accepted. The District of Sicamous will be pro-
viding further details in an upcoming mailout. Other short-term goals of the EDAC, as laid out by the committee’s Gord Bushell in a presentation to council, revolve around Sicamous living up to its reputation as a resort community. That was, in fact, the first recommendation: that the district support the resort community concept and “move on that.” Asked how the district could improve, Bushell said education is key. “It’s basically education and letting people know we are a resort community… that we are more user-friendly than we were in past years…,” said Bushell, noting there are communities with official resort
community status where they can charge an additional tax on everything. “Maybe we should advertise that we’re not that and you don’t have to pay that two per cent here,” said Bushell. Bringing camping back to Sicamous was another recommendation. Bushell explained that camping was a big part of the community for many years. “What has happened, is all the waterfront properties are gone and we’ve lost all our campgrounds because you can’t afford to be a campground for two months of the year,” said Bushell. “We thought that because we are a resort community, we See Council on page 2