EAGLE VALLEY
NEWS
Families drop devices for unplugged fun Page 5
Curling club goes Hawaiian for bonspiel Page 8
Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014 PM40008236
Vol. 59 No. 6 Sicamous, B.C., • 1.25 (GST included) • www.eaglevalleynews.com
Family safely escapes early morning fire
Rude awakening: Sevenyear-old wakes up to find mattress burning. By Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
A Sicamous family had quite a scare when their daughter woke up to find her bed was on fire. Sometime after 1 a.m. on Monday morning, seven-year old Violet-Mae Sholtz was startled out of bed when she rolled over and saw it was on fire. Wysteria, Violet-Mae’s mom, said her daughter ran out of the bedroom and woke her dad, Warren, who was sleeping in the living room. When he went in with a fire extinguisher, the flames were already up to the ceiling. The family, including Violet-Mae’s older brother and one-year-old sister, along with pets, were quickly gathered outside I never like lateon the driveway. night structure fire “It was pretty awful, calls – this was as but we’re just all really good as they get. I’m happy that we’re not in glad everyone is safe, the hospital or mourning that was our biggest somebody,” said Wysteconcern. ria. Brett Ogino Sicamous Fire Chief Fire Chief Brett Ogino says that at 1:23 a.m., firefighters received a call to attend a structure fire on McLeanMcPherson Road. When they arrived, firefighters found it was, in fact, a residential fire. “Fortunately, though there’s smoke damage and a bit of a nice-sized burn mark up the wall… the residents, they were able to extinguish it and got the kids out…,” said Ogino. “The house is OK, there is some pretty good smoke damage… I talked to the little girl and she said she kind of woke up, rolled over and she could see fire in front of her face. A little scary.” Ogino believes the fire started from an electrical outlet near the bed. “We’re not sure why the electrical plug would cause it, but you could see it started right there…,” See Fire caused on page 3
Showing the love: Young Sicamous Eagles fans from Enderby show their support at Sunday’s game against 100 Mile. Six of the team’s players are billeted in Enderby and regularly help students at M.V. Beattie Elementary with reading, gym class and other activities. “Our students light up when they see them,” says M.V. Beattie teacher Jill Haskett, adding the school also received 80 complimentary tickets. See more Eagles action on page 7. Photo by Sharon Thibodeau
Prince George company wins demolition contract Policy: District to amend RFP process to benefit local companies. By Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
A sore spot was touched on, as was a need to revamp district policy during council’s recent awarding of the contract to demolish the former municipal office building. At its Jan. 22 meeting, district council agreed to award the contract to NAPP Enterprises Ltd. of Prince George. Out of five bids, NAPP’s was the lowest at $32,365 (before taxes). Other bidders included Solcam Industries of Sicamous at $37,200, and two Kelowna companies ($34,990 and $39,905). The total cost for demol-
ishing the former municipal building at 1214 Riverside Avenue is expected to come in at $38,500. This includes the $1,500 fee for an already completed hazardous materials assessment. Before council approved the award, Coun. Don Richardson spoke in favour of hiring local. District administrator Heidi Frank explained the tendered bids were ranked and scored through a grade system, and that for future RFPs, the policy would have to be amended so that local bids could take precedence. Coun. Fred Busch commented on the wording of the related staff report to council, that the building had been
“condemned as a result of damages caused by the Mara Lake flooding event of June 2012.” He asked this record be amended to reflect the BC Safety Authority’s involvement. “The actual damage was caused because BC Safety Authority removed the electric meter. It resulted in the pumps not pumping and, as a result, the basement flooded,” said Busch, “And now we have a building that is condemned, instead of a building that could have been used. “And I still feel BC Safety Authority was responsible for this flooding of the building. Even though the minister is saying, ‘oh no, this is fine.
Maybe he erred a little bit but you’ve got insurance so suck it up and stop complaining.’ But Fred isn’t going to stop complaining.’” In addition, Busch once again suggested that the demolition not occur without some fanfare and remembrance. He reflected on the building’s history and its use as a ranger station, then by the water board and, later, after incorporation in 1989, as a municipal office. “Well, there’s a lot of history in that building,” said Busch. “Things happened in that building as a result of it being a district office – most of it was good. And so I would See Gathering on page 3