EAGLE VALLEY
NEWS
Burnout success attributed to community Page 5
Fire department helps stock food bank Page 7
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Vol. 53 No. 31 Sicamous, B.C., • 1.25 (HST included) • www.eaglevalleynews.com
Premier to be ambassador for Sicamous By Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
B.C.’s premier says she’ll do all she can to get the word out that Sicamous is open for business. During a morning visit to Sicamous Monday, Clark had an opportunity to tour the Two Mile area with Mayor Darrell Trouton and Shuswap MLA George Abbott and witness first-hand the recovery effort going on in the community following the Sicamous Creek debris flow and the flooding from high water. “Obviously I’ve seen a lot of pictures of it, I’ve been in touch with George about it and of course the mayor as well, but really, until you see it, it’s hard to really grasp what’s happened, “ said Clark. “And people’s homes were devastated and people are still managing the cleanup and I know it’s been really difficult for people.” With the hardship the community is facing as a result of the recent flooding, Clark said one of the things she can do to help get the community back on its feet is get the word out in the province, and Alberta, that Sicamous is back in full swing for the summer. “I know the tourism industry here has been really impacted by what happened and people have this perception that the community might not be ready to welcome visitors back,” said Clark. “So I think one of the things I can do to help is help spread that message, that this community took a bit of a knock but you’re See Water on page 3
Special guests: B.C. Premier Christy Clark addresses workers at TA Structures (Twin Anchors), following a tour of the Sicamous houseboat manufacturing facility Monday led by TA president Greg Kyllo, centre, and accompanied by Shuswap MLA George Abbott. Earlier in the day, Clark toured Sicamous with Mayor Darrell Trouton, seeing firsthand the recovery effort underway in Two Mile, following the June 23 debris flow from Sicamous Creek. Photo by Lachlan Labere
Seasonal residence owners won’t see disaster relief from province By Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
Sicamous’ secondary home owners shouldn’t be expecting any disaster relief from the B.C. government. At their regular meeting last Wednesday, district council agreed to send a letter to Premier Christy Clark stating the province’s Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program falls short when it comes to supporting B.C.’s secondary homeowners, such as those at Two Mile and Swansea Point whose resi-
y dences were impacted by because it would have ws the June 23 debris flows pretty big consequences ifrom Hummingbird and Siacross our budgets to be tcamous creeks. While visitproviding that money to y, ing Sicamous this Monday, people who are from outI really sympathize with anybody who however, Clark made it side of province and for has been affected. Obviously, whether clear that when it comes too whom it’s a secondary it’s your first or second home, it’s really gs disaster assistance, things home. difficult. or will remain status quo for “I really sympathize B.C. Premier the time being. with anybody who has Christy Clark y “The thing is, our policy been affected. Obviously, h really is to support British whether it’s your first or i Columbians in their priyour second home, it’s budget,” Clark told the News. “So mary homes at a time when we this isn’t the year where we’re go- really difficult. And for many are really, as a government strug- ing to be able to reconsider that people, Calgary may be where gling financially to balance our they live in their primary resi-
dence, but they’d all sure love to live here more. And they may think of this as their favourite and first home, but the fact is, we just simply can’t afford to extend that to people from outside of province.” At Wednesday’s council meeting, the topic of providing disaster assistance to secondary homeowners began when Mayor Darrell Trouton noted how as of that day, he only knew of one person in Sicamous who had applied See Mayor on page 2