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Gaetz going for third term Mayor makes it official as municipal race starts to heat up Jennifer Feinberg The Progress The stream of declared candidates for the 2014 municipal elections in Chilliwack is still a trickle at this point. But individuals who’ve pledged to run in the Nov. 15 local elections are starting to tentatively step forward. Mayor Sharon Gaetz is the only one so far to be officially seeking the mayor’s chair. “I have much more that I would like to do,” she announced in a press release Tuesday. Gaetz has served Chilliwack on council for 18 years, and is willing to let her name stand for another term as mayor. “The vision that our council has established for the revitalization of the heart of our city, the downtown core, has begun in earnest,” she said. The next phase is “actively marketing properties” purchased by the city, and working together with the development community on the potential. Priorities include keeping the “lowest taxes” in the Lower Mainland while providing firstclass amenities. “Our investment has not only been in bricks and mortar, but in people,” noting the city has partnered with the Chilliwack Health and Housing Contact Centre, The Village on School Street and the Cyrus Centre for youth. “Homeless people in our city have found shelter and most importantly, homes and a sense of community and belonging,” Gaetz said. Continued: COUNCIL/ p7
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Les Talvio, executive director of Cyrus Centre, shares a laugh at the official opening of the new Chilliwack location, which provides support for local youth at risk. JENNIFER FEINBERG/ THE PROGRESS
Cyrus Centre gives kids without a home an option Jennifer Feinberg The Progress Before Cyrus Centre Chilliwack opened its doors for the first time on Monday morning, staff were filling out the intake application at 8:30 a.m. for the first person to stay in the beautifully renovated youth shelter. It was young teen who did not have home as an option. “That speaks to the need right there,” said Les Talvio, executive director of Cyrus Centre, as he thanked the many partners and supporters in the community that worked in tandem to make the project happen. The Spirit of Our Communities youth group drummed and sang a traditional Sto:lo song to welcome
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Helping our yout youth tth h to find d resources and have safe place so they can grow and develop is so important ~ Adam Bush
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everyone. Talvio acknowledged being on traditional Sto:lo territory, and that the youth group had been involved in the planning of the youth-oriented facility. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for Cyrus Centre Chilliwack was at the Wellington Avenue site, and drew dignitaries from almost every level of government, as well as service providers and a
big ccrowd of clapping community members. “We’re going to be providing services for youth and families now 365 days of the year,” he said. Emergency youth shelter services, will include four beds, a resource centre, advocacy, referrals, laundry and more. “We couldn’t have done this without the support of the com-
munity; the support of the city” and more, he said. Todd Lueck, city outreach pastor at City Life Church led the dedication prayer and said a few words. The creation of the Cyrus Centre is seen as cause for “hope,” he said, and he wants to envision great things for its residents. “I don’t want it to be just a place where we feed young people who are hungry or need a place to sleep,” Lueck said. “I want it to be a place where we believe that some of society’s most neglected and forgotten will one day be part of changing their world. “I want it to be a place where they can be better; that they can be amazing; that they don’t just have to just survive but they can Continued: CYRUS/ p8
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