Wednesday November 18, 2015 (Vol. 40 No. 92)
V O I C E
O F
W H I T E
R O C K
A N D
S O U T H
Caring crafters: A group of White Rock seniors are putting their knitting skills to good use, creating wool sweaters and hats for newborn babies in Rwanda. i see page 11
S U R R E Y
w w w. p e a c e a r c h n e w s . c o m
White Rock utility purchase – for yet-to-be-decided price – includes confidentiality agreement
Water deal muzzles city for 3 years Melissa Smalley Staff Reporter
Details of the City of White Rock’s purchase of its water utility, finalized last month, could be kept confidential for three years, according to a purchase agreement obtained last week by a resident. Confidentiality provisions are laid out in the Aug. 28, 2015 purchase agreement stating that Epcor and White Rock “will continue to abide
by the terms of the confidentiality agreement” for three years after the closing date. The confidentiality agreement states that “any press release, public announcement or other public statement” would require written consent from both parties. Reached Tuesday morning for comment on the restrictions and time frame, city manager Dan Bottrill said he’d “have to take a look at the agreement and get back to you.”
He did not respond with further explanation by Peace Arch News press deadline. A copy of the purchase agreement – with portions redacted – was obtained by resident Dorothy Bower, who, after repeated Freedomof-Information requests to the city, submitted a request with the B.C. Comptroller of Water Rights’ office, which provided the document. Bower and other residents have expressed frustration at secrecy surrounding the city’s
purchase of the water utility, announced in September, asking the city to release details of the agreement, specifically the purchase price. Last week, Bottrill told PAN that despite the city having taken ownership and operations of the utility Oct. 30, a purchase price had yet to be agreed upon. He described negotiations as “difficult,” noting the matter could be determined by binding arbitration. i see page 10
Focus on Surrey, Delta
Gang activity on rise Jeff Nagel Black Press
Evan Seal photo
A family member of two of the people involved in a collision on 28 Avenue makes a phone call as firefighters deal with the aftermath.
Residents say speed has long been a concern in the neighbourhood
Horrific crash ‘was just a matter of time’ Tracy Holmes Staff Reporter
Residents of a quiet South Surrey neighbourhood say they’re shocked no one was killed in a collision Monday that ended with two vehicles mangled in a ditch, one of them upside-down. “I can’t believe they walked away from that car,” Lynn Brandt said as she surveyed the aftermath. Emergency crews raced to the 13600-block of 28 Avenue around noon. According to one witness, the crash occurred when a westbound Audi struck a Lexus that was turning right.
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“She was turning and he just absolutely clipped her,” said the woman, who did not want to be identified. Both vehicles came to rest in the ditch, sending debris across the roadway and boulevard. One victim – a 17-year-old passenger – had to be cut from the Audi and was airlifted. A man who identified himself as the son of the Lexus driver said his mother, 74, suffered “a broken collarbone, for sure.” He said his 16-year-old daughter was not injured. Other area residents at the scene agreed with 2421 King George Blvd Surrey, BC
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the man that speed has long been a concern. “People drive, like, 120 kilometres down here,” said Jerry Brandt, noting it “was just a matter of time” before a bad collision occurred. Judy White, a resident since 2004, agreed. “It was going to happen eventually, the way they speed up and down 136th and 28th,” she said. “They’re just flying.” An officer at the scene told Brandt that enforcement efforts have indicated at least half of the drivers clocked speeding in the neighbourhood are area residents.
Gang violence has shot up this year in B.C. after a two-year lull. There have been 30 gang-linked murders and attempted murders as of June 30, nearly twice as many as the 18 in all of 2014 and up from 24 in 2013. Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit Chief Supt. Kevin Hackett said many of the incidents were in Surrey or Delta, where B.C.’s anti-gang police unit worked closely with local officers to suppress conflict between rival groups, with success later in the year. “Street level drug traffickers brazenly shot at each other from moving vehicles and engaged in gun battles on our roads putting the community at risk,” Hackett said. His comments were published last week in the CFSEU’s 2015 community report. It can be found at bc-anti-gang.com According to statistics in the report, the average age of a gangviolence victim is 25 years old, which is younger than in previous years. The youngest victim this year was 15, while the oldest was 66. i see page 4