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THE BULLETIN PROUDLY SERVING KIMBERLEY AND AREA SINCE 1932 | Vol. 83, Issue 196 | www.dailybulletin.ca
Bill Spence March 15, 1921- October 2, 2015
Kimberley says so long to Bill Spence C AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor
If you ask any volunteer for the Kimberley Underground Mining Railway how one of Kimberley’s major tourist attractions was born, they would all answer “Bill Spence”. Late last week, family friends and fellow railway volunteers gathered at the Kimberley United Church to honour the life of Bill Spence, who passed away on October 2, 2015 at the age of 94. Mr. Spence was described as a visionary, a man with a great idea and the creativity, resourcefulness and drive
to make it work. The idea was the Mining Railway, and Bill Spence was in on it from the beginning in 1978, when he and a small group went to an abandoned mine at Salmo to obtain rails for the project. Spence lovingly cared for and maintained the locomotives (locis) in the mechanical shop near the powerhouse in the Mark Creek Valley. If it was broke, Bill fixed it. Mr. Spence was passionate about Kimberley and one of the legendary volunteers that built the city into what it is today.
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MICHELLE LEMAY PHOTO
If photo evidence that the rut has begun is required — here it is. This photo was taken on Moyie Street in Townsite last week. Stay well away from bucks at this time as they can be very aggressive.
A made in Kimberley solution needed, Mayor says Mayor McCormick manages to secure workshop with MOE on industrial lands C AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor
Kimberley is built on top of the Sullivan Mine, a mountain flush with metals, says Mayor Don McCormick, which makes some of the criteria the Ministry of Environment puts on developing former industrial lands a bit unreasonable. “Take a core sample anywhere in Kimberley, you’ll find something you don’t like,” McCormick said. “We’re built on the Sullivan Mine which was here for 100 years. We need something more reasonable for managing risk on former industrial lands.” McCormick met with the provincial environment minister at the UBCM conven-
Kootenay–Columbia
DW4MP.ca
Authorized by the Official Agent for David Wilks
tion in Vancouver last month and was able to arrange a follow up meeting and workshop with ministry staff on obtaining certificates of compliance from the MOE. McCormick is frustrated by the process, which he says is onerous for the city in terms of cost and staff time. “The last certificate of compliance from the MOE was for light industrial lands in Marysville for a subdivision near Valley View. At that time, a covenant on the property referenced ground water contamination. “But for some reason, with the more recent properties, such as the bench over Marysville and the old Cominco garage in Townsite, MOE staff changed the rules. The new rules are more onerous, a simple covenant is not good enough anymore. It’s hugely frustrating for planning staff. It’s taken ten years of onerous costs and process. Our goal at the meeting was to get a
workshop with MOE staff to discuss reality and come up with a made in Kimberley solution.” “We got a commitment that a date for the workshop will be set up. We also asked that the garage and bench lands be allowed a covenant. We will see. “We’re talking about 65 acres of developable land. That’s our future with respect to industrial lands and it’s key to selling the idea of a Kimberley Cranbrook business corridor. “The Minister and Deputy Minister were well briefed and understand the need for a made in Kimberley solution. But we can’t wait ten years for this. We’re just trying to look after ourselves, to make things happen on our own.” McCormick says the city wants to involve Teck in coming up with this solution.