1/2 Price Spa Gift Cards!
Purchase a $100 Aura Spa & Salon gift card for $50! Redeemable for spa services or products
Only available for purchase at Nelson Star 91 Baker Street Suite B
Must be used by June 30th, 2016 *Not redeemable for RMT services
280 Baker Street Nelson BC (250)
354-4089
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JANUARY IS
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Friday, January 22, 2016
Vol.8 • Issue 59
Seniors transportation co-ordinator named See Page 3
Julian Locke claims gold in Thunder Bay See Page 16
Sports council seeks more money for Civic Centre rink
LEARN TO SKI & SNOWBOARD MONTH! $49.95 + tax
TYLER HARPER
354-4944 skiwhitewater.com
Declining revenue from the Civic Centre’s ice arena is prompting questions about the historic building’s future. The Nelson Regional Sports Council, which manages the city-owned facility, has asked for a $20,000 increase in funding from council ahead of the 2016 budget to keep the venue afloat. The proposal, made to city council Monday, cites a $40,000 drop in ice rental revenue since 2010 as the primary reason for the request. Sports council chair Mari Plamondon downplayed suggestions the rink could close within a few years but said the annual decline in revenue is troubling. “I don’t have a crystal ball. I don’t know,” said Plamondon. “I know there are way more people who will fight to keep the Civic arena open and come up with creative ideas to do that than there are people who just want to close it. Unless there is a huge crash in ice use, I don’t anticipate that.” City council has not increased funding for the rink’s upkeep from $55,000 since 2006. That number, according to the proposal, should be $66,510 after an adjustment for inflation. Ice rental revenue peaked in 2010 at $140,000 but has steadily fallen since to $98,317 for the fiscal year ending March 2015, contributing to an overall $3,537 loss for the year. The sports council’s proposal doesn’t lay out plans for the rink’s survival. The increase in funds is meant to help it cover rising costs and
Nelson Star
E GREAT SAM SERVICEION CAT NEW LO
Lessons • Retail Custom • Repairs
Phone for Appointment
250.352.1157
415 Alexander Road, Procter
Cutting edge comedians to host Talent Slam Alex McMahon and Hayden Wasylyk will bring their unique, Andy Kaufman-esque comedic sensibility to the Capitol Theatre as the hosts of Oxygen Art Centre’s second annual Youth Talent Slam. Auditions are being held this weekend. To pre-register visit oxygenartcentre.org. See related story page 11. Will Johnson photo
“It is my goal to work hard to reachNEW your goals” HAPPY YEAR!
In-store Specials!
Kootenays grappling with festival fatigue WILL JOHNSON Nelson Star
Barbie Wheaton
C: 250.509.0654
barbiewheaton@gmail.com
RHC Realty
East Shore communities are reeling from news that both Starbelly Jam and the Kootenay Gutbuster have been cancelled this year, while local festival enthusiasts are brainstorming ways to keep other events from going belly-up. “Every year at Starbelly the
campgrounds are crowded, the bed and breakfasts are packed full and all the stores are open until 9 p.m. every night. It’s definitely going to be an economic shock when it comes to that not happening,” said Gina Medhurst, chair of the Kootenay Lake Chamber of Commerce. “I know all the Starbelly volun-
teers felt really bad and it wasn’t an easy decision for them to make. I’d been hearing chatter for two or three months, so I know they spent a long time making that difficult decision.” While Starbelly organizers didn’t respond to a request for comment, CONTINUED ON A10
CONTINUED ON A9
Wo o l , S i s a l , G r a s s , I n d o o r / O u t d o o r
Beautiful Samples in Store
Hipperson Hardware 395 Baker Street 250.352.5517 Home Owners helping homeowners
Nelson Home Building Centre 101 McDonald Drive 250.352.1919
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