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THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016
VOL. 27, NO. 75
Re-enacting a crime
On Wednesday, actors Frank Bailey and Susan Evans recreate the events of an unsolved purse snatching in front of the Occidental Hotel for an upcoming Crime Stoppers TV episode. A 59-year-old woman suffered injuries and had her purse and grocery bag stolen when she was knocked down by a man while walking on Fitzwilliam Street the night of Dec. 28. Anyone with information is asked to please contact the Nanaimo RCMP at 250754-2345 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-847, text 274637 keyword Nanaimo or submit your tip online at www.nanaimocrime stoppers.com. CHRIS BUSH/THE NEWS BULLETIN
Province says costs outweigh benefits of Gabriola bridge BY CHRIS BUSH THE NEWS BULLETIN
Gabriola Islanders won’t commute to Nanaimo over a bridge any time soon. On Monday, the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure announced the results of the Gabriola Island Fixed Link Feasibility Study, concluding a bridge would not be a cost-effective alternative to current B.C. Ferries service. The ministry began the study last year, spurred by a Gabriola Island Bridge Society petition, which gathered close to 700 signatures in 2014.
The study looked at various road alignments and connections, travel time, reliability and flexibility for users, operation and maintenance costs and also assessed socio-economic and environmental impacts of a fixed link versus ferry service. The business case for a bridge was based on an average cost of $359 million – various options to build a link ranged from $258 million to $520 million – which outweighs the benefits of the project, according to the ministry, that also cited archaeological and environmental considerations in its decision.
“Our goal is to ensure coastal communities are connected in an affordable, efficient and sustainable manner,” said Todd Stone, transportation and infrastructure minister, in a press release. “This study shows that continuation of a coastal ferry service for Gabriola Island residents is the best way to achieve that goal.” Michael Zane, an executive member of the Gabriola Island Bridge Society, disagrees and said Stone took “the easy way out” in the face of perceived opposition to a bridge. “We’re trying to help an island that is, basically,
suffering because of the economy and in this case it’s illogical,” Zane said. Sheila Malcolmson, Nanaimo-Ladysmith MP and former Islands Trust chairwoman, said she and the Gabriola official community plan oppose a bridge. “The culture of the Gulf Islands is, to me, very much shaped by the fact they’re surrounded by water and that you have to take a boat to get there…. There’s lots of places to spend government infrastructure money and I’m glad there’s not going to be anything spent on a bridge to Gabriola.” photos@nanaimobulletin.com
250.390.1871
Council includes conference centre in core review
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DOWNTOWN BIA also scrutinized by councillors.
BY TAMARA CUNNINGHAM THE NEWS BULLETIN
Arms-length groups won’t be spared scrutiny in the City of Nanaimo’s core services review. Nanaimo city council tweaked the scope of its review during an open meeting Monday, writing the Vancouver Island Conference Centre and Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Association into its new project charter. The core review got underway with Western Management Consultants in December and the organization recently presented a project charter outlining goals to governance and areas of the city set to go under the microscope. The city has opted against examining fire services and the RCMP. Council is unable to affect how the police force performs its mandate, the charter shows, and acting mayor Jim Kipp told the News Bulletin council doesn’t believe the fire department needs to be
looked at with a current review of its 10-year strategic plan and operational plan underway. The focus will instead be on areas like permissive tax exemptions, grants, transportation and sanitation, as well as armslength groups that get city dollars, like the Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation, conference centre and the business improvement association. The city is going to look at how it pays for its external agencies and what it gets for it, Kipp said. “People have wondered and wanted to look at the operation of the DNBIA and we thought it was important because it’s one of the arms-length groups that we deal with and fund,” said Kipp. The conference centre was also added and he said it has been a “very big question” for people over a number of years, regarding the lack of a hotel, and perhaps, lack of conventions and the use of the building. A consulting team had initially nixed the conference centre from the review because council agreed in December to do a market study on the centre and a hotel. See ‘PUBLIC’ /4