Thursday September 11, 2014 (Vol. 39 No. 73)
V O I C E
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W H I T E
R O C K
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S O U T H
S U R R E Y
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Digging it: A group of ‘gardening divas’ at a Marine Drive condo development are showing that functioning community gardens can bring new vitality to the Peninsula by replacing uninspired and moribund landscaping. i see page 11
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City of White Rock backs mayor’s efforts to lobby federal government to relocate tracks
Trains can be gone in 5 years: Baldwin Tracy Holmes Staff Reporter
Trains that run through White Rock and South Surrey could be relocated in five years. White Rock Mayor Wayne Baldwin made the “rough guess” on the timeline at city hall Monday, following council support this week of his motion to direct staff to get the ball rolling on the process to move the tracks. “There’s some routes that could be done
relatively quickly and others that would take several years,” he told Peace Arch News. Council voted unanimously in favour of the motion Monday, which included amendments specifying that staff “initiate the process and application” and work with Surrey and Delta officials where appropriate. Baldwin said the returned focus – the issue was the subject of a community forum last November – was spurred by the decision to
green-light a coal-transfer facility and word of an expansion to the Roberts Bank terminal. Baldwin said the application to the Canadian Transportation Agency, under the Railway Relocation and Crossing Act, is to address issues with dangerous goods, excessive train traffic, vibrations, noise and pedestrian safety. It must include a financial plan, proposed cost-sharing and a transportation plan. Semiahmoo First Nation has given ver-
bal support and the province will also be approached to partner on the effort, he said. Coun. Grant Meyer – who chairs the city’s rail-safety task force – acknowledged achieving the goal won’t be easy. “There’s going to be a lot of people that are going to say this is a dream, you’re out to lunch. It’s unfortunate (so many) people see the glass as half-empty.” i see page 4
Feline fine
Abbotsford break-in
Suspect in string of robberies found dead
Lynn Judge, a veteran cat show judge, inspects a ragdoll cat – one of the dozens of cats entered into the annual Cat Fanciers of British Columbia’s StarStudded Affair in South Surrey last weekend. The three-day cat show at the Pacific Inn gave feline fans a chance to meet, mingle and show off their fourlegged family members.
Sarah Massah Staff Reporter
Braden Paul photo
Mayoral candidate hopes to eliminate Surrey Development Corporation, economic summit
McCallum unveils ‘Safe Surrey’ slate Kevin Diakiw Black Press
Doug McCallum
Former Surrey mayor Doug McCallum has recruited four council candidates in hopes of injecting new blood into the civic election campaign for his newly created Safe Surrey Coalition. McCallum stood before a small crowd Tuesday beside the Newton district policing station and announced his team, which includes Surrey Now news-
paper editor Beau Simpson, lawyer Justin Thind, business owner Rina Gill and community advocate Laurie Guerra. The coalition released more details about McCallum’s election platform, including plans to scrap the city police committee in favour of a Mayor’s Integrated Public Safety Council. It would be open to the public, except when dealing with legal matters or personnel issues. McCallum – who served as mayor from
1996 until he was defeated by retiring Mayor Dianne Watts in 2005 – vowed to establish minimum thresholds for police service. He said he will double the number of officers on patrol and accelerate the hiring of 95 more officers by 2015. He said he will also double the number of bylaw officers to 48 and invest $4 million per year into a Crime Prevention Through Social Development Strategy. i see page 4
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The main suspect in a series of South Surrey break-ins was found dead in Abbotsford last month. The 33-year-old man was discovered in a restaurant, stuck under an accordion-style security gate during a likely break-in on Aug. 15, according to Abbotsford Police. Surrey RCMP said this week that the deceased man was the main person of interest in their investigation. They have not released his name. On Aug. 2, at least six Grandview-area businesses were targeted within minutes of each other. Most were accessed by punching in the main locks in a search for cash. Sheila’s Bistro Lounge owner Batty Cox has video surveillance showing the intruder using a rock to smash the glass to gain entry, before leaving with $200. The damage, which was not covered by insurance, was about $1,000. “(Police) told me he had a rap sheet longer than both our arms,” Cox said. “Let’s say he hit 100 businesses – that’s $100,000. It’s not petty crime anymore at that point. “It’s an awful way to go, and I don’t wish it on anyone, but I can sleep calmer knowing he won’t be coming back to smash a rock into my window.”