Friday March 11, 2016 (Vol. 41 No. 20)
V O I C E
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W H I T E
R O C K
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S O U T H
S U R R E Y
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Looking ahead: In an effort to rebound after a second econd straight last-place season in the BC Hockey League, Surrey Eagles’ presidentt Chuck Westgard has promised a thorough ugh review of the entire organization. n. i see page ge 21
City manager said he asked for estimate ‘if that option was pursued’
‘Hump parking’ memo surprises council Melissa Smalley Staff Reporter
Though no official plans have been developed for what will become of the Marine Drive hillside, White Rock city staff have been looking into estimated costs to lease the land for a parking lot, to the surprise of some elected officials. In an internal email dated Jan. 29 from director of finance Sandra Kurylo to city
manager Dan Bottrill – released as part of a resident’s Freedom of Information request – the estimated cost of leasing space on the hillside is detailed, based on a 2014 estimate of $3.23 per square foot for land in the Bayview Park area. “The area to be leased for a hump parking lot (Johnston Road to 15066 Marine Dr.) is estimated to be 92,900 sq.-ft.,” Kurylo writes. “The estimated annual lease fee at the above
rate would be $329,000 plus potentially another 3% per year beyond 2017.” Asked Monday if a parking lot on the hillside – often referred to as ‘the hump’ – was being planned, Mayor Wayne Baldwin said, “I don’t think so.” Baldwin said he had no knowledge of the email between staff detailing the potential leasing costs, and said he has not seen any plans for the hillside, nor did he know what
directives were given to Diamond Head Consulting Ltd., the company hired to put together a landscape plan. “Staff is working on it, I’m not sure what the instructions to Diamond Head are,” Baldwin said. Bottrill told Peace Arch News Wednesday that the email from Kurylo was in response to his request for a “ballpark number” of i see page 10
Bylaw ‘not over-broad’
Running without sight
Court backs after-dark park ban
Challenge accepted
Kevin Diakiw
hoshana Litvack has never been afraid of a challenge. Through the years, the 47-year-old Rosemary Heights resident has – often as a birthday gift to herself – barrelled headfirst into all manner of athletic endeavours, including the Grouse Grind and a half-marathon, which she completed with a friend in 2012 despite limited time to train. She’s also never been shy about packing up and moving to a new city, even a new country. Prior to moving to South Surrey in 2011 with her two children, Evan and Lauren, Litvack lived in Steveston, Ottawa, Montreal and Israel. Such undertakings would prove taxing for most people – more so for someone who is legally blind. “When I was younger, I had a bit of a chip on my shoulder, trying very, very hard not to be disabled,” she explained. “So I moved around a lot, and did a lot – just to prove that I could. “My parents gave me tremendous freedom to do those things, and do what I wanted. “Today, I’m a little more cautious – I don’t know if that’s age or life experience or what, who knows?” Litvack suffers from optic atrophy, and progressively lost her eyesight from the time she was sixmonths old until she was two. i see page 4
Nick Greenizan
S
Staff Reporter
Black Press
A challenge of a Surrey park bylaw has failed, but the man who challenged it says the law will be overturned eventually. On Nov. 13, 2013, Christopher Lewis, now 28, was ticketed in South Surrey’s Bakerview Park for being in a park after dark. Just by being there after nightfall, he was in contravention of Surrey bylaw 13480 and was fined $200. Lewis took the city to court over the fine, saying it was in contravention of his Section 7 Constitutional “right to life, liberty and security.” He appeared before Judge Peder Gulbransen in Surrey Provincial Court four times between Aug. 7, 2015 and Jan. 12, 2016. Lewis argued that a park is a truly open and public space, just like a highway or a sidewalk. “As it is presently worded, the bylaw treats peaceful law-abiding citizens as though they were persons committing unlawful acts,” Lewis said. “The law is both arbitrary and over-broad.” Gulbransen said it was the best legal argument that could be made by Lewis – who represented himself at court – however, the judge cited case law as to why the law was not over-broad. In fact, he found in a written ruli see page 10
Boaz Joseph photo
Shoshana Litvack, who is legally blind, aims to run five kilometres a day to support the BC Lung Association.
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