Burnaby NewsLeader, March 15, 2013

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DaD’s long walk for his Daughter

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chilDcare help coulD make impact

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nDp DefenDs ‘kickback’ funD

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March 15 2013 www.burnabynewsleader.com

it may come as a surprise, but there was a time when all the pubs in Ireland were closed on St. Patrick’s Day. see Page a11

Council nixes daycare plan City to take the cash for Value Village project Wanda chow

wchow@burnabynewsleader.com

rob NeWell/black Press

Burnaby South Rebels guard Taylor Smith tries to block Eric Rogers of the Sardis Falcons during a first-round match at the B.C. AAA senior boys high school basketball championships in Langley on Wednesday morning. The Rebels won 73-69 to advance to the quarter-finals Thursday evening. The tournament wraps up Saturday. For more, see page a19.

New school sparks complaints Concerns include out-of-order toilets, water fountains Wanda chow

wchow@burnabynewsleader.com

A Burnaby Central secondary student is so fed up with the new school building, which opened less than two years ago, that he’s started a petition to have the complaints discussed at a school board meeting. Grade 10 student Denny Pai wrote to the NewsLeader and to assistant superintendent and former

Central principal Roberto Bombelli about his concerns, and collected close to 100 signatures on a petition over a couple of days last week. Pai said he decided to take the action after being frustrated with long lineups at school washrooms and finding toilets, faucets and water fountains frequently out of order. His list of complaints include a lack of garbage cans in classrooms, air conditioning vents blowing cold air during the winter, drama and gym equipment being stored in

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hallways, old science lab equipment that doesn’t work, overcrowded hallways and playing fields and a running track that is not yet ready for use. “I just don’t think it’s as nice as we thought it would be,” Pai said in a phone interview. The trouble is, Pai didn’t bring his concerns to school administrators or the student council first. Central principal Garth Errico first learned of it after the NewsLeader forwarded a copy of the letter to the school district

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seeking comment. He’s since spoken to Pai about his concerns and explained the avenues available to raise them. He’s also spoken to about 10 students whose signatures were on the petition and was disturbed to hear some claim they didn’t know what they were signing. As for the complaints, Errico said they’re all part of the growing pains involved in a project as large as a new school. please see GeNerally, a4

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Celebrating 51 years of serving Burnaby. In the same location since 1962

The proposed redevelopment of Burnaby’s Value Village won’t include a childcare centre after all. In a preliminary proposal presented to city hall last year to start off the rezoning process, the property’s owner, Cressey Developments, said it is looking at building a mixed-use multifamily residential and commercial project on the three-acre site at the corner of Kingsway and Edmonds Street. Cressey plans to use the city’s density bonus provisions which city hall estimates would yield about $14 million as a community benefit if the rezoning goes ahead. Last month, in a report to council, city staff recommended $5 million of that be used to build and furnish a group childcare centre on the site large enough to accommodate 70 children, citing a “significant need” in the community for childcare spaces. please see city, a3


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