OPINION

WEDNESDAY, September 6, 1995 A

Wy The Gastl gar Sun \\s

Serving the 16,000 people of the Castlegar area, The Castlegar Sun 's every by Sterling Newspa Lid, at 465 Columbia Ave. Castlegar, B.C. V1N 1G8. The Castlegar Sun is politi cally independent and a member of the Sterling News Service, Cana dian C yN pers A tion, B.C, C

Newspapers Assocation, and the B.C. Press Council, Established N 28, 1990. Pi Mail 0420.

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editorial comment

What about the parks?

The City of Castlegar, councillors and city officials alike, claim to have an orderly plan in place for the development of new municipal parkland. But while that sounds reassuring on the sur- face of things, it might not actually be all that accurate

There is no doubt this city is immersed in the middle of a peri- od of rapid economic growth Practically every issue of The Castlegar Sun is a testament to this fact. Week after week, stories of housing developments, commercial construction and industrial Projects grace this newspaper's pages.

About the only thing one doesn’t hear much about is the devel= opment of new parkland or green space — save, that is, for the ongoing renovations at Pass Creek Park, which are a welcome development

On the other hand, renovations taking place at Kinnaird Park are either positive or apocalyptic, based on who you might hap- pen to discuss the subject with. Some people describe the installa- tion of new baseball fields at the park as an insult to a perfectly good park that has served the people of South Castlegar well for many years.

On the other hand, others feel the ball diamonds are a much- needed, long-awaited development — despite the substantial loss of forested area in the park, a loss brought on as a difect result of new ball diamond construction.

Cenainly councillor Brenda Binnie has been one of the first to cheer on the Kinnaird Park project — not surprisingly, given that she spearheaded the redevelopment effort in the first place

Love it or hate it, though, that is exactly what the Kinnaird Park project is — a redevelopment, not a development. There has been a net gain of exactly zero acres of new park space in the construction of new ball fields at Kinnaird Park. Zero acres, and at what cost?

Meanwhile, the City of Castlegar continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Where are the increasing number of local citizens to go in their outdoor leisure time, without having to jump in their cars and drive a distance to find the peace and solitude they desire?

That, of course, is a bit of an exaggeration — the parks situa- tion in this community certainly hasn't gotten to that desperate Point yet. But let’s face facts. Many people, residents and visitors alike, take a look around the city, glance up at the impressive, tree-lined hills and mountains surrounding Castlegar, and assume that it all must be parkland. There are trees on those mountains, aren't there? So what's everyone complaining about? Castlegar has oodles of green space.

However, the fact is that much of this so-called green space, while pleasant to gaze at, is either privately-owned or simply not

ANYWHERE, UNTIL THE END OF HUNTING SEASON.

Native or not, they’ve broken the law

Reform leader Jack Weisgerber castigates Attorney General

The law should apply equally to natives and non-natives alike, says BC Reformers

The standoff between the RCMP and heavily armed natives, who are illegally occu- Pying private property at Gustafsen Lake near Williams Lake, is one more striking demonstration of the necessity of treating all Canadians equally under the law.

This small group of militant native people has been in tres- pass on private ranch property for several months and has resisted all efforts by authorities to be removed.

Earlier in June, 1 was advised that a shot had been fired at a Forest’ Service employee (George Ostoforoff) while he was inspecting trees in the Gustafsen Lake area.

On June 21, my colleague Len Fox (MLA Prince George- Omineca) raised the issue in the Legislature with questions to then attorney General Colin Gabel- mann. The BC Reform MLA questioned, “Can the Attorney General explain why the RCMP has refused to allow Mr. Ostofo- roff to press formal charges as he has requested?”

Len Fox further observed that “It's a sad day when a government employee is actually shot at, pre- sumably by militant natives, and the RCMP doesn’t lift a finger.”

Mr. Gabelmann replied that he had spoken to the police and that “They are on top of the situation, and if I have informa- tion that will be useful to the House, I will provide it in due course.””

Unfortunately, no further explanation was ever offered by the Attorney General

Had this incident involved non-natives, in trespass on pri- vate land, firing shots at a Forest Service employee, I believe police action would have been swift and decisive.

The Attorney General would have undoubtedly supported criminal charges and the persons responsible would have been prosecuted.

Exactly the same process and standard of immediate justice should have applied to the “thugs” that are involved at Gustafsen

MY TURN

JACK WEISGERBER

Lake, regardless of race or any other ethnic considerations.

My real concern is that the failure to act in June has resulted in a far more difficult and danger- Ous situation today.

The original group of tres- Passers has report- edly been joined by natives from Oka (a Six Nations flag is now being flown at the camp) and the United States, along with a num- ber of non-native sympathizers.

These “terrorists” are reported to have a number of illegal weapons including automatic pis- tols, and AK47 rifles loaded with Black Talon bullets (designed to inflict maximum damage to human tissue).

What started out as a simple trespass earlier this year has now taken on a very sinister character. Again, I believe the lesson, particu- larly for our provincial govern- ment, is to deal quickly with lawi and to avoid hesitation or procrastination simply because

iginal people are involved. Unfortunately, Gustafsen Lake

is not an isolated example. In this instance, the individuals responsi- ble do not have the support of the local bands, the Cariboo tribal council, or native leaders.

However, the situations at Green Mountain Road (Apex), Douglas Lake Ranch and Adams Lake are all examples of the price society pays when government fails to apply one set of laws and standards equally for all British Columbians.

Like most people, I have enor- mous respect for the RCMP and I have some understanding of the very difficult situations they must deal with.

As an MLA, I believe that the Province, through the Ministry of the Attorney General, has an obli- gation to provide support to the RCMP and to demand that all of our citizens be treated fairly and equally regardless of race.

Only in this way can we have confidence that intense situations such as Gustafsen Lake will be isolated incidents and not part of a growing pattern of lawlessness and violence.

Jack Weisgerber is leader of the B.C. Reform Party and a for- mer provincial Minister of Native

Affairs.

Speaker’s Corner

Wh

Question:

at is your ‘95

Wednesday, September 6, 1995

Photo radar neither “questionable” nor “new”

Dear Editor:

I applaud the writer of a recent editorial (“Photo radar ‘solution’ no solution at all,” Sun, July 26) for examining road safety issues in B.C, However, I would like to respond to several points made about speed monitoring cameras,

Photo radar technology is neither “ able” nor new. The technology has been used and proven reliable in North America, Europe and Australia.

A recent London, England Telegraph

the technol

panacea to all road safety problems, but it must be looked at in context.

First of all, police here in B.C. also recog- nize that the technology allows them to direct their scarce resources towards other efforts, including unsafe driving. Secondly, the tech- nology is being introduced as part of the Min- istry of Transportation and Highway’s overall road safety initiative.

conducted before radar cameras were taken off the roads showed that 55 per cent of peo- ple approved of their use, and that number was growing,

Here in B.C., more than two-thirds of peo- ple surveyed felt that speeding was a problem in their community, Speed monitoring camera use can do something about this problem.

And, before the familjar “revenue grab”

Legislation has passed that will ig administrative licensing prohibitions against drinking drivers, allow for the impoundment

article (Aug. 8) indi d zy is, however, advancing to the “filmless” Stage of computer-digitized images.. What is striking about the article is that photo radar is an accepted fact of life in Britain and that the police firmly believe that cameras free up their time to concentrate on other crimes.

Use of speed monitoring cameras is not the

of prohibited and ded drivers and hi ati i isi for

P y ng P' novice drivers,

Add to this ICBC's existing and comple- mentary Road Sense initiatives to, among other programs, support public education about speeding and help expand the Counter- Attack program against impaired driving.

Ironically, a public opinion poll in Ontario

used by opp of the 4

is mentioned, let me conclude on this note.

The real revenue grab is the amount of money siphoned away to repair the damage caused by excessive speeding—an estimated $400 million in ICBC claim costs alone in 1993

The true cost is far higher—at least one in five road fatalities can be tied back to speed

Brian Geary Media Relations Manager/ICBC North Vancouver

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Talent and dedication truly appreciated

Dear Editor:

Kudos to all of the Babe Ruth volunteers.

An excellent job was done by all, right from the top down to the very last one. I would especially like to take the time to mention the 81 volunteers that no-one heard about, that was the singers, dancers, bands and musicians that have spent the last nine months preparing to give a world class

;, for a world class event.

Not only did they give up their summer vacations, time spent with their children, and spent a great

deal of money on costumes, but some of them met every second evening, for the last nine months Preparing to show the world what the Kootenays are made of.

Ninety-seven per cent of them traveled from out of town, some as far as three hours away, booked hotel rooms, brought their families and friends and pre- pared for the event of their life- times, also.

It is to these people that I give my utmost apologies for the lack of appreciation shown to them. Because these are the same, rop-

ers, singers, bands, dancers, and musicians, that travel every year to Trail, B.C. to help raise funds for our local charities such as the C.D.C. Telethon, which is not held in their home town, but in

‘ours. Still, they always show up

rain, shine or snowstorms.

I think that the saddest fact is that the 6,000 people in the stands have no idea of the type of talent that “they” missed, not because they ignored you, but because they didn't know you were there.

The people that were fortunate

| The facts

The editorial of July 26 entitled “PHOTO RADAR ‘SOLUTION’ NO SOLUTION AT

about photo radar silane inns Te cme wil

to.

responded the Provincial Government if well beyond’ the considering of radar cameras. This portion of a

enough to hear and see you per- form were amazed. One woman Sat with tears streaming down her face as she listened to Dhorea Duggan sing.

Each and everyone of you blew our socks off. I only hope that this will not affect your feelings toward Trail, and you will still continue to support the C.D.C. Telethon, as you are the backbone of all that we do at the telethon.

Your donations of time and of talent are invaluable to our local cause and to the children of this area. Without you, ‘we have noth- ing’ and I would urge the citizens of Trail to tune in this year to the C.D.C. Telethon and with any luck be able to catch some of the talent that they missed between August 19th and 26th, and show these artists how much they really mean to us and the children.

Lorie Reimann,

New Chiropractic Office In Castlegar Dr. Jerry Gallo is pleased to announce that his office is now opened at 1458 Columbia Ave., Castlegar 365-0064 (in the rear of Dr. Allen's Optometry Office) Open: Tuesdays & Thursdays 9:00 - 5:00 pm No referrals necessary including W.C.B and 1.C.B.C, claims. Chiropractic Care is covered under Medical Service Plan, so drop in!

well orchestrated series of Provincial Traffic Safe- ty initiatives will be phased in commencing Jan- uary of 1996.

I remind the editor that the made in B.C. plan was developed in light of the way programs were implemented in Ontario and Alberta, and after serious study of where the camera operations were

will only take photos of the HIGH END specders. The top 15 per cent or so that are also the most likely to crash and cost us all.

The camera locations will be selected through a process of stakeholder consultation that will include traffic safety groups and professionals,

police and

pal and . ICBC and

most successfully implemented. This is not an “‘ill advised” plan, but one that has incorporated the BEST advice into it.

The West Kootenay area will indeed be includ-

Ministry of Transportation and Highways person- nel and others. Cameras will not be placed in so ( called “fishing holes”. They are not being used to Out of town call: 1-800-932-1414

511 Front Street, Nelson (604) 354-1700 « [fax] 354-1666

ed in the plan as will all areas of B.C. This plan

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accessible to the mass of local residents due to inhospitable geog- raphy (experienced rock-climbers excepted), So just how rich is Castlegar when it comes to parkland? Per-

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Babe Ruth Series

haps not very, given the significant catch-22 that exists in the city’s current parks philosophy

The standard argument put forth by city officials is that small parks, on a per-acre basis, are more expensive and far more trou- ble to keep up to scratch than larger tracts of green space (ie. Kin- naird Park, Pass Creek Park). Therefore, better to have one large new park than 10 smaller new parks.

However, when questioned about where and what this grand new plot of greenery should be, the answer inevitably comes back to the infamous Twin Rivers Park. Twin Rivers, with its 70-odd acre size and impressive scenery, is indeed a gem to behold

That is, if changing damming requirements on the Columbia River don't end up leaving it a dozen feet under water, for all the local fish to admire

And even if this doesn’t end up being the case, i seems like the city may never get around to sinking any deve lopment money into it

So where does that leave us? Quite possibly, picnicking on the front lawn of city hall before too long

DZ

ERRORS: er agrees that the publisher not be hable tor ng out of errors in any adve ment beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by that portion of the advertisement in which the error occurred, whether such error is due to the negligence of its servants or otherwise. and there shall be no Nability for non-insertion of any advertisement beyond the amount paid for such advertisement. All advertising subject to publisher's approval. Contracts must be completed within one year trom contract date. No contingent orders accepted

appear in Speaker's Corner, which is published each week.

“It was Trails sec ond to last game | vividly remember the end when my littl brother jumped over the fence to pick up the ball that won the game.”

— Sean Morris

Trail beat Japan— there was a lot of

hype.”

“I remember when

— Kyle Kuzyk

“Every minute of watching the players was a memory.”

— Kennedy Soares

“Hard hitting base- ball is what I remem- ber. I was surprised at how well the young Players played.”

— Anita Giessler

Would you like to be a My 5579, or submit your

Turn guest columnist? If so, contact Derek at 365- written copy of 500 to 700 words to The Castlegar Sun,

“The whole concept of both the teams enthusiasm and the economical benefits of the area excited me. I remember the proud- Ness that I still carry for living in the area of the “95 Babe Ruth Series

— Russ Verhaeghe

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