FRIDAY
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JUNE 8, 2012 Vol. 117, Issue 112
110
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Annual balloon release on Saturday Page 2
INCLUDING H.S.T.
PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF
ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALM SALMO
IHA facility review moving ahead the time, Trail councillor Kevin Jolly led a campaign requesting all capital An ill wind could blow in Trail funding for the region be dedicated after a new study on the state of the to the refurbishment, upgrade and West Kootenay-Boundary hospitals support of existing medical facilities is completed later this year. “to deliver the highest level of patient On May 23 the West Kootenay- care.� Boundary Regional Hospital District Two weeks ago IHA made a pres(WKBRHD) board carried a motion to entation to the WKBRHD board, initiate a facility study for the region illustrating the future need of health at the earliest opportunity, aiming care facilities in the region as “conto determine a range of options for siderable.� health care in the hospital district. It noted the age of the Trail and The motion, opposed Nelson hospitals and the by Trail city representasubsequent upgrades “Do we keep tive Robert Cacchioni, could signifiputting in money needed rips the scar off a recent cantly inflate the costs to upgrade or wound delivered by of an upgrade. Castlegar over the future It was predicted do we look at of Kootenay-Boundary $155 million was neednew facilities? Regional Hospital’s ed for an upgrade of Those questions (KBRH) regional status. the two current major Fears were raised will be answered facilities, or for a new earlier this year over facility. The hospital through that the possible removal district would be on the of regional status from planning review.� hook for 40 per cent of KBRH when Castlegar the cost, raised through MARGUERITE ROTVOLD city council discussed an increase in regional the possibility of a new taxation. regional hospital in that city with In October, 2010, West KootenayHealth Minister Mike de Jong. Boundary municipal councils were But WKBRHD board chair given the heads-up that major health Marguerite Rotvold said the motion expenses were coming and, along for the facility study had been forth- with them, increased taxes. coming for years, and was deemed Considering the age, the advancea necessary course of business to ments in technology, and the extenensure the West Kootenay-Boundary sive revamp of the buildings needed health care facilities were kept up to to bring it up to code, the board date. members felt there should be a plan“When you have it and lose it you ning session put in place to help really get riled up,� she admitted determine which way to go, said about health care services. “But can Rotvold. you safely provide the service? That’s “Do we keep putting in money to the thing.� upgrade or do we look at new faciliAlthough Castlegar had been pur- ties?� she asked. “Those questions suing relocation of the regional hos- will be answered through that planpital, Rotvold noted there had not ning review.� been any talk on the board of a new The IHA will conduct the study location for a regional hospital. of the facilities this year and it could “That would be something the be completed by Christmas, said IHA and the government would have Rotvold. to come up with,� she said. “Castlegar In addition to the review and the is promoting (its community), but assessment, the IHA will make recwhether that is what the recommen- ommendations to the board on the dation is going to be is not for us to direction it should take. decide.� Cacchioni questioned the study, On March 11 Trail city council not only from a cost perspective, but supported a motion dedicated to in light of recent assurances from See OVER, Page 3 keeping regional status at KBRH. At
BY TIMOTHY SCHAFER Times Staff
TIMOTHY SCHAFER PHOTO
Jason Venier’s love affair with the automobile began with his parent’s 1973 Plymouth 340 Duster, right, but continues with his 1968 Plymouth Satellite convertible, above, and will be on display this Saturday in Gyro Park for the fourth annual Cruiszn the Columbia Car Show.
Revving up the memories Smoke n’ Steel’s Cruiszn the Columbia set for Saturday at Gyro Park BY TIMOTHY SCHAFER Times Staff
When 13-year-old Jason Venier heard his parents were going to sell the family’s car he knew he had to do something. The 1973 Plymouth 340 Duster had only known life as a car in the Venier family. It had brought Venier and
his sister home from the hospital in Trail after they were born, it was thickly saturated with memories of numerous family camping holidays, and it was silent sentinel at nearly all of Venier’s experiences in his young life at that point. So at the tender age of 13, Venier petitioned his mom to stop his dad from selling the car, and instead hold onto it for a few more years. She succeeded, and two years later Venier had amassed
the $4,000 needed to buy the car — through money he earned on his Trail Daily Times paper route and working at the Home Hardware — and the car was his. He had the car bought and paid for a whole year before he was old enough to drive it. “I drove that car up and down the driveway for a whole summer until I got my driver’s license,� he said. Although Venier’s Duster won’t be in the West Kootenay Smoke
and Steel fourth annual Cruiszn the Columbia Car Show in Gyro Park this Saturday (10 a.m. start), he will have one of his six vintage vehicles in fine form for the show. Over 100 vehicles are expected to show up and shine in the annual event, part of the West Kootenay Smoke and Steel’s contribution to the love affair of the automobile, and a free sentimental and nostalgic trip down memory lane for others.
See LOVE, Page 3
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