NEWS PENTICTON WESTERN
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Area leaders have their say on new Liberal government
VOL. 49 ISSUE 84
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015
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CANNINGS PENTICTON WESTERN WINS
LAND LIMBO Steve Kidd
Western News Staff
NEWS
It’s been a while, but a group of city-owned properties along Eckhardt Avenue are back in the spotlight. There is still a lien on the nine properties related to a failed construction project, but city council decided to do some housekeeping and rezone the properties for parking. “Since we are not changing ownership, it is still our land to rezone if we want to,” said Mayor Andrew Jakubeit. “Obviously, it is being used as a parking lot, we should formalize it and make it into a zoned parking lot.” How fast it gets paved and brought up to the city’s official parking lot standards will be discussed during the city’s budget process this fall, according to Jakubeit. The nine lots at the corner of Eckhardt Avenue and Alberni Street became infamous in 2012 when a project to build a dormitory for the Okanagan Hockey School fell apart. The lands have been in limbo since early 2012 after financial backers pulled out and news broke about allegations of fraudulent business practices on the part of developer Loren Reagan. Though Reagan had never actually completed a purchase deal, work had been done on the property and contractors, who Reagan had never paid, attempted to recover their costs by placing a $1.6-million lien on the properties, and later, in 2013, filed a civil suit against the city. “I think the reality is it is in limbo,” said Jakubeit, speaking about the lawsuit, which remains before the courts. The city already has overflow parking on another property on Alberni Street and last month added to the holdings by purchasing, for $1.5 million, an empty lot at the other end of Alberni St. bordering Westminster Avenue. “I think in terms of when we were looking at that property (905 Vernon Avenue) and area, they identified that on the other end we have a quasi-parking lot,” said Jakubeit. “If we add to the facilities with other amenities, sports field or whatever, parking probably will be an issue. It probably makes more sense to have that as a parking area to augment this process.”
NEW DEMOCRAT Richard Cannings reaches out for a hug from a supporter upon the arrival at his victory celebration party at the Lakeside Resort Monday night following the announcement of his win as MP in the new federal riding of South Okanagan-West Kootenay. The Conservatives were second and Liberals third.
Mark Brett/Western News
Steve Kidd Western News
You could hear the emotion in NDP candidate Richard Cannings voice as he gracefully thanked supporters in his winning bid to become South Okanagan-West Kootenay’s first Member of Parliament. “I pledge to not only take your concerns to Ottawa, but also to seek out your ideas on how we can make this a better place to live,” said Cannings. “Together we can build a better country and a Canada we can be proud of once again.” He will represent the riding in a Liberal
party majority government led by Justin Trudeau after a red wave swept eastern Canada. He was disappointed the NDP won’t be forming the next government of Canada, but said the NDP would still be effective in Parliament. “We’ve always said we will work with the Liberals on issues of importance to Canadians,” said Cannings. “And we will hold their toes to the fire if they are not doing what they should.” The race for the new riding’s seat in parliament became increasingly tight as the long campaign drew on, with polls showing support for the NDP softening as Con-
servative Marshall Neufeld, Liberal Connie Denesiuk and the Green Party’s Samantha Troy all gained ground. Cannings was elected with 24,823 votes, followed by Neufeld at 19,894 and Denesiuk a not too distant third at 18,727 votes. For Cannings, a biologist and ecologist, this was a first attempt at federal politics, though he had tried for a provincial seat in 2012. He admits it has been a long journey, which started in January 2014, when he decided to put himself forward for the NDP nomination in the new riding. See CANNINGS on PG.3
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