TUESDAY
S I N C E
DECEMBER 10, 2013
1 8 9 5 Rally shows support for locked out workers
Vol. 118, Issue 194
105
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INCLUDING G.S.T.
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PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
Cost to use Trail facilities going up for valley residents B.V. rec committee not renewing Recreation Services Agreement BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
VALERIE ROSSI PHOTO
Santa Claus was the centre of attention everywhere he went during the Candy Parade in downtown Trail on Friday night. See more photos on Page 2 and on our website at trailtimes.ca.
Santa Claus lights up the night BY VALERIE ROSSI Times Staff
More Greater Trail people have landed on the nice list this year, according to Santa Claus who made a special appearance Saturday for Santa's Candy Parade in downtown Trail. The jolly man said he left his reindeer back at the North Pole to give them time to rest up for the upcoming big day. “I decided I'd try to make as many of these parades that I could,” he said. “The next one I hope is in Florida, where it's a little warmer. “You guys must be Canadian.” Frigid temperatures that felt far cooler than the actual -20 C didn't keep about 500 people from coming out to
the annual winter parade down Bay and Cedar avenues. Community groups and businesses were led by parade marshal Ken Koshey. The long-time minor hockey coach was selected in recognition of his finish in Kraft's “Hockey Goes On” promotion which netted the Greater Trail Minor Hockey Association (GTMHA) $20,000. The parade kicked off the Silver City Nites event that included by-donation hotdogs and hot chocolate by United Steelworkers Local 480, by-donation cotton candy made by this year's Trail Ambassador candidates and Christmas baking for sale from Creative Cupcakes. St. Michael's choir sang Christmas melodies while the GTMHA set some
nets up for street hockey. The crowd was encouraged to later take in a Trail Smoke Eaters game, with free admission for children under 12 years old, or do some shopping at some local businesses that chose to stay open late. Tammy Lomin, who owns Bay Avenue Music with her husband Ted, said Friday night was quiet when the store was kept open late to coincide with the downtown event. “I think a lot of people avoid the downtown at night.” she said. “I just don't see a lot of people. “We've stayed open late before, nothing ever happens.” Though Bay Avenue Music just celebrated its one-year anniversary with a See MORE, Page 2
Extended shopping hours on now! Monday - Friday 9:30am - 9pm | Saturday & Sunday 9:30 - 5:30
The Beaver Valley recreation committee has decided to end an agreement with Trail by year end, meaning 2,850 registered cardholders in those areas will be paying more to use the city’s facilities effective Jan. 1. The Beaver Valley Recreation, Parks and Trails Committee (BVPARTS) informed the city that it will not be renewing, renegotiating or extending its Recreation Services Agreement with Trail, according to the city’s press release on Friday. As a result, all residents of Montrose, Fruitvale and Electoral Area A will be subject to higher rates under the Trail Resident Program (TRP) for facilities covered by the agreement including the Trail Aquatic and Leisure Centre, leisure programming, the Willi Krause Field House and Haley Park. “First of all the city has never even contacted us about renewal,” said Fruitvale Mayor Patricia Cecchini. “You can’t just assume we are going to give you a cheque without talking to us first.” Additionally, the committee has asked the city to release details on how many valley residents access the city’s facilities, but those numbers haven’t been forthcoming, said Cecchini. User information can be tracked through membership and registration in programs, but drop-in rates to the facilities cannot, explained Trisha Davison, the city’s director of parks and recreation. According to Davison’s statistics for aquatic centre usage, Fruitvale (combined with Area A) currently has 417 registered members and 167 in Montrose. “We can’t track drop-in usage when someone is just paying a $6 admission to use the facility,” said Davison. “Identification from a TRP card or, for example, a driver’s license has to be produced but it isn’t connected to an account so we don’t keep track.” For the other almost 7,000 users registered between Trail and Warfield, the end of the agreement will probably mean an increase in membership because without B.V.’s contribution, the city will experience an immediate loss in revenue of $209,350. “We are now working on reorganizing our administrative processes for all Beaver Valley residents,” says Davison. See PLAN, Page 3
Contact the Times: Phone: FineLine250-368-8551 Technologies 62937 Index 9 Fax:JN250-368-8550 80% 1.5 BWR NU Newsroom: 250-364-1242 Canada Post, Contract number 42068012
Free kids playroom and ball pit
www.wanetaplaza.com 5 min. east of Trail on Hwy 3B