Wednesday, May 27, 1992 @ OpinionPAGE | Dave McCullough Publisher OurWiEWS AdrianRAESIDE RDCK on the ropes : he Regional District of fl Central Kootenay is.taking a beating. No matter how long and how hard it pleads innocent, the RDCK is scoring next-to-no points in the politically-sensitive Slocan Valley. ‘ Valley residents are still fueling the fire after a controversial bylaw almost made its way into the books. The infamous unsightly premises bylaw was one cabinet minister and a fourth-reading short of becoming the gospel in Area H. Because of that Valley residents are keeping their guards up. With that in mind, it is time for the RDCK to open its chambers to representatives of the Slocan Valley Concerned Citizens Forum and give them short, simple, plain-English answers regarding its role in the implementation of the unsightly premises bylaw. And in doing so, concerned residents may come to the conclusion that the argued bylaw is designed to enhance life in the Slocan Valley, not hamper it. The RDCK is hardly as Draconian as it is being accused of. Why, if the RDCK wanted to ram-rod the bylaw through, it would have. Instead, it decided to take its own second-sober look by rescinding the third-reading of the controversial bylaw. --. Don’t be mistaken, the RDCK isn’t looking after its own interests. It’s looking after everyone’s. The bylaw may not be a popular one, but its time has come. WD q : Castlegar is set to take United front guarantees bridge? Gloating aside, I must another shot at the provincial government. Winding up its frustrated fist, our fair city is about to take another poke at Transport Minister Art Charbonneau. At stake is- the Castlegar-Robson bridge — that mythical crossing that could do so much for so many. The Castlegar-Robson bridge has been a sore spot with me. Several months |. ago I wrote a column saying p. HARRISON } Harrison “2 Comparison state that I have always been in favor of the bridge and I will continue to tear a strip off our promise- breaking government until it sees fit to rectify an obvious wrong. On that note, it’s nice to see this municipality step in the ring one more time. And unlike the early- February fiasco when different parties campaigned in isolation of éach other, Castlegar and the government would plead poor and renege on it’s commitment to bridge the crossing. That thought angered several high-profile residents, who accused me of campaigning against $23.5 million project. In protest, those residents — who shall remain nameless — began a counter- campaign against me, contacting my publisher to express their disbelief with my hard-to-swallow-yet-accurate prediction. area appears to have formed that united front that Rossland- Trail MLA Ed Conroy said is crucial to the decision-making process. So just who are these team players? Well, you can start with Conroy. After all, whether he’ll admit it or not, he’s been a thorn in Charbonneau’s side ever since the Transport Minister decide to defer the i j thi ar, bridge project to papas No Aan segs? Street TALK Aug. 7, 1947- Feb. 15, 1973 Fal Question: ® % Sandy Kalesnikoff Castlegar “J didn’t even know about it.” Todd Konkin Castlegar “If I can find one, sure.” Jeff Davy - Castlegar “I didn’t even know there was such a . ” Jennifer Wiesner Will you be attending your neighborhood block party Thursday night? Jessica Saville Castlegar Castlegar I didn’t know there was one.” “No.” @ Wednesday, May 27, 1992 Other VIEWS | @-Please address all letters to: Letters to the ditor Castlegar News P.O. Box 3007 Castlegar, B.C. V1N 3H4 or deliver them to 197 Columbia Ave. Letters should be typewritten, double-spaced and not longer than 300 words. Letters MUST be signed and include the writer's first and last names, address and a telephone number at which the writer can be reached between 9am. and5 p.m. The writer’s name and city or town of : residence only will be published. Only in exceptional cases will letters be published anonymously. Even in those cases, the name, address and phone number of the writer MUST be disclosed to the editor. The News reserves the right to edit letters for brevity , clarity, legality, grammar and taste. Letters tohHE EDITOR Streetlights I wish to correct a few inaccuracies in your article “Castlegar Sees the Light?” and provide current information regarding the city’s street light conversion proposed by West Kootenay Power. The cost of the project including conversion of 314 fixtures is $95,000 (not $119,000 for 312 as reported.). The conversion of city street lights«as proposed by WKP would save the city $25,000 per year (not $16,000 over two years as reported). This $25,000 annual saving to the city’s electrical bill is the result of lower energy consumption. The 100 watt high-pressure sodium lamps proposed by WKP provide 10 per cent less light, but consume less than half the electricity of the city’s existing 250 watt mercury-vapor lamps. The article carries a number of Councilor Jim Chapman’s colorful comments about the lights. It is clear he doesn’t like them. He is certainly entitled to his opinion. Western world ignores own Some people today are wondering out loud whether multiculturalism is living up to its expectations. As it was with Sarah and Hagar, Isaac and Ishmael (Gen. 16 & 21) — it did not work then and appears not to be working today. It hardly seems reasonable to take groups of people from,many different lands, each with their own language and customs, place them together in close proximity and expect peace and harmony to prevail. Misunderstandings arise, often resulting in confrontation and violence. We all know that the Natives are the true Canadians, but because of lack of education and modern expertise they were unable to develop this vast land. Eventually it became part of the British Empire. Britain sent people and experts and the finances to develop this great country. They created vast railroads and carved are the best However, he goes on to say that there are cheaper and better street lights on the market. This isn’t true. WEP shops all major suppliers for the best product at the lowest price. High pressure sodium is the best available technology for municipalities wishing to cut energy consumption and costs and this is borne out by the many cities across North America that are adopting them. While Coun. Chapman suggests something untoward, WKP has nothing to gain by assisting Castlegar in this street light conversion. We will lose revenue. We will lose ownership of a segment of our street light system. Most importantly, though, we will lose an inefficient street light system that’s costing Catlegar’s taxpayers too much money. That’s a loss we can all afford. M.C. Bradshaw Director, Community and Public Affairs tunnels out of solid rock, providing employment for many. Today it is not fashionable to express loyalty or gratitude to our benefactors. We of the Western world condemn other countries for their inhumanities while ignoring our own, because the love of money and power has been placed above the health and needs of the people. By allowing the manufacturing of toxic chemicals and harmful prescription and over-the-counter drugs, we condemn many toa shorter life-span filled with pain and suffering. Recently, we have been warned to stay out of the harmful rays of the sun due to the thinning of the ozone layer caused by chemicals released into the atmosphere. Exposure to such sunrays now destroys the immune system and can cause cancer and other diseases. What kind of a world have we re-created as a result of our sophisticated technology? Great paper, bad news. Please grant me space in your remarkable and excellent newspaper. I truly appreciate the variety of news items covered that are reported ‘and presented to the public. I was particularly impressed by the big black headline in the Workplace section “Taking a look at Pope and Talbot” (May 23, 1992) Consumers Products Division, Tissue Sector, which states that 794 million diapers were put out in 1991 and the company is aiming to increase its production to 1.2 billion in 1992. I despair for our environmentally- friendly recycling projects at such news. In fact, it simply proves that the foul odor coming from our mills clearly demonstrates the mills are producing a horrendous lot of ‘crap’ (to use a barnyard expression). Pat Romaine, Castlegar inhumanities As with everything which is contrary to nature, a big price tag is attached. We have already been presented with the bill, marked “over-due”. For Yahweh, our Creator, has said: no is mine, I will repay” (He never ies). | It appears that man has lost the power to halt or reverse the continuing destruction of our world and only a miracle can save it from complete destruction. This miracle is reserved for the coming of the Messiah. It is written that He comes to “destroy those who are destroying the earth” and to “make all things new” (Rev. 21:5). On that day a man’s word will once again be his bond. On that day, respect, decency and love will replace pornography, obscenity, and hate. Gladys E. Barrett, Senior Citizen, 87 Guelph, Ont. Harrison continued from page 6 Pencil in city hall as another player in this bureaucratic game and Castlegar’s united front starts to carry a little more weight. The team doesn’t stop there, though. The needling of the Castlegar, and District Chamber of Commerce will also prove helpful, as will the knowledge that the city’s downtown revitalization plans are contingent on the Castlegar- Robson bridge being built. And speaking of Robson, who can forget the role the Robson- Raspberry Ferry Users Ad Hoc Committee has taken on during this entire debate. z While their hearts are set on the return of the priceless vessel, you can bet the Ferry Users will be more than willing to put their ever-increasing weight behind the bridge project. In fact, if anyone cares to remember, the Ferry Users campaign has been focused as much on the boat as it has the bridge. It’s hardly the either-or battle the Ferry Users have been accused of waging. The Castlegar and District Development Board is also playing a key role, video taping scenes of our all-too-familiar traffic problems to be sent to the minister. And if that isn’t enough, there is the China Industrial Trust and Investment Corp., a 50 per cent partner in Castlegar’s Celgar Pulp Co. A few weeks ago, the multi- million dollar investment corporation hosted a luncheon in Vancouver for Premier Mike Harcourt, Charbonneau and other representatives from the government. Mincing no words, CITIC took the government to task, saying its decision not to proceed with the Castlegar- Robson crossing was nothing short of a betrayal. CITIC also questioned the government's integrity, asking how could it expect foreign investment if it refused to live up to commitments it made. Those’ stinging words, combined with the constant nattering of dejected Castlegar officials and organizations, could be all it takes to put the bridge in motion provided this united front.embraces each .other. The day of independent campaigns and individual motives are gone. If this united front can work together, Castlegar will see the construction by the spring of 1993 for no other reason the government can’t afford not to.