Wednesday, March 18, 1992 @ Westar slammed for bad practices NEWS STAFF Westar Timber Ltd. has been slammed in a B.C. Forest Min- istry audit: The audit, tracing Westar’s forest practices from 1984 through 1989, showed the financially-troubled company en- gaged in harmful logging practices in Tree Farm Licence No. 23. The audit states that Westar was selective in its logging habits, profiting from easily-accessible woodlands, while ignor- ing the more costly steep slope timbers. The audit, ordered by the Ministry of Forests following com- plaints, also states that Westar caused significant environ- mental damage by leaving some logs inside the TFL to rot in- stead of shipping them to mills for processing. : Westar is currently trying to sell a large share of TFL No. 23 and its Castlegar sawmill to Midway-based Pope and Talbot Ltd. for $22 million U.S. A decision on Pope and Talbot's takeover is expected to be released by Forest Minister Dan Miller on March 27. Drilling barge prepares bridge’s final approach Jonathan Green NEWS REPORTER Although work on the Project manager Rocky Vanlerberg said the rough location for the bridge has been known for some time, CASTLEGAR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 1975-6th Ave., 365-6313 ARROW LAKE ELEVATION 1407.9 ft. on Mar. 13 Forecast of Genuine Mazda Parts & Accessories WE iD YOU WITH SATISFACTION ‘¢ CASTLEGAR #mazopa_| 713-17th St., Castlegar DL. 7956 CALL NOW COLLECT 365-7241 MAZDA— IT JUST FEELS RIGHT! Wednesday, March 18, 1992. Elevation 1408.6 ft. by Mar. 20 Robson Community Memorial Church and Cemetery ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Wednesday, April 1st, 7 p.m. Everyone Welcome Reservoir Information Line B.C.Hydro has established a toll free number to advise ~the public of reservoir water levels. For information on Kinbasket Reservoir, Revelstoke Reservoir and Arrow Reservoir please call 1-800-773-9399. BChydro & Wi Directors calling for extending service to meet growing demand Jonathan Green NEWS REPORTER Already stretched to the limit, local District of Central Kootenay directors are trying to squeeze some extra hours out of the Handydart Transit Service. Last October, Area I director John Voykin, Area J director Ken Wyllie and Poison Prevention Week beak Castlegar-Robson bridge won't commence this year, the government is still sticking to its promise that the bridge will eventually be built. Last +>month, Transportation and Highways minister Art Charbonneau was in the area to explain the government’s position on the bridge. He said that the money just wasn’t there to build it this year, but promised that it would be built when the funding became available. In keeping with that promise, officials from the Geotechnical and Materials branch of the ministry have set up a drilling barge in the Columbia River this week to test the bottom’s stability, the final stage of the bridge design. the drilling just confirms where it will be built. “All they’re. doing is finalizing the design,” he said. “The exact location of the piers has just recently come to light.” Vanlerberg added now that the pier locations are known, the ministry has proceeded with the final stage of design. “We can go ahead and drill with the knowledge of where the piers will Be,” he said. Although Charbonneau pleaded poor to the bridge being built this year, ministry spokesman Eliah Farrell said the money has been earmarked for the design work. “We have the funding in the fiscal year to finish up the design work,” she said. The drilling is scheduled to continue until April 10. Information Available at. March 15 - 21, 199 Medicine Cabinet Clean-up Bring in unused drugs to Carl's for safe disposal. We care about your health. B.C. POISON _ | CONTROL CENTRE |. Regional | municipal director Doreen Smecher sat down with B.C. Transit to work out the annual contract for the area. - At that Doreen Smecher time, the : th ree directors requested four hours be added to the existing 21 hours that Handydart is available every week. Some five RDCK calls for extended Handydart serivce months later, Smecher said they are back to square one with the transit system. “Somehow that request got lost,” she said. Smecher said that before the Castleview Care Centre opened last April, the bus was being used to the maximum. With the centre’s opening, Smecher said transit demand has limited the amount of bus time available to Castleview residents to once every two weeks. Bluetop er “In order to offer the residents any kind of programs, every two weeks isn’t enough,” she said. Because transit is a function of the regional district; Smecher said the RDCK will initiate another meeting with B.C. Transit. “This time we'll sit down specifically to discuss the para-transit,” she said. “We need at least another four hours if not six or eight.” Smecher said she hopes the increase will be approved by the fall. Ail Our Prices Include the G.S.T. NEW HOURS - 10 a.m.-8 p.m. 1521 Columbia Ave. 365-8388 Call Ahead Drive Through Service Orgins of Westar blaze traced to light ballast Jonathan Green NEWS REPORTER The cause of last Thursday’s fire at the Westar sawmill is known. “From what we know, it was started from a ballast on a fluorescent light,” plant manager Roy Helmkay said Tuesday. Helmkay said the fire originated in the UKIAH Number 1 Edger area, an area that mill security Dave Carter was in 10 minutes earlier. He added that Carter was in the security office when the blaze started, which triggered the alarm and sprinklers. The Castlegar Volunteer Fire Department received the call at 8:18 p.m., and were on the scene within minutes. “The blaze was mainly extinguished by the sprinkler system, and the fire department finished it off’, he said. Helmkay said the fire blackened the roof and damaged paint in the area, but the extent is still unknown. “We haven’t got a dollar figure,” he said. “The damage is relatively minor and will all be repaired at Westar’s expense.” Helmkay said repairs have already begun, and should be completed in about a month. “It won’t take long, but what we’re waiting for is the insurance adjuster to get back to us,” he said. “There will be no problem having the mill back in order by mid-April.”