The newly established Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society (CSISS) is holding its inaugural meeting on Thursday at the Community Centre.
Representatives from environmental groups across the region will discuss ways to build its vision as a new non-profit tackling invasive species in the region.
Highlights of the meeting are likely to be a brief history of CSISS by Hamish Kassa, a primer on strategic planning and a discussion of operational planning led by Juliette Craig of Silverwing Ecological Consulting, a talk by Francis Maltby about invasive reproductive control and a discussion about the Invasive Species Council of BC’s Clean, Drain Dry Initiative.
The meeting is set to begin at 9:30 am and will continue through the day until 3:30 pm.
***
Queen Victoria Hospital is 100 years old and you can help it celebrate by attending its centennial birthday party on Tuesday, June 18, from 3 pm until 5:30 pm.
It is helping mark this significant event with a presentation by Revelstoke Mueum Curator Cathy English and the opening of the Revelstoke District Health Foundation’s new Donor Recognition Wall.
Activities at this event include Cathy’s presentation, tea and dessert, an ice cream stand and music. There is no cost to this event and all Revelstoke residents are invited to attend.
***
Here’s something to sate the appetite of local number crunchers: the City of Revelstoke Consolidated Financial Statement as audited by BDO Dunwoody.
“In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the City of Revelstoke for the year ended December 31, 2012 and their financial performance and cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian public sector accounting standards,” the accounting firm said in the statement.
The statement found the City had 18,894,417 in revenue in 2012. It’s budget for 2012 had estimated its revenues at $18,909,667.
Its expenses in that year came to $18,395,333. The 2012 budget had estimated municipal expenses at $17,753,771.
There are a lot more figures like that in the statement, which you can read by clicking here.
***
International Skateboarding Day? Who knew? Well, it’s real:
According to Wikipedia:
“The name for the holiday possibly originated from the ‘No Skateboarding’ signs which often were changed to “Go Skateboarding.” by local skaters. The holiday was conceived by the International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC) to help make skateboarding more accessible to the world through various events held in major cities around the world.”
Held on June 21, which is also the longest day of the year, you can celebrate the solstice and skateboarding at The Traverse to support the Columbia Valley Skateboard Association starting at 9 pm for the International Go Skateboarding Day aprés party.
Tickets are on sale at Society for $15. They’re $20 at the door. Proceeds from the ticket sales go towards the CVSA. The CVSA has an ambitious plan to build a modern skateboard facility near the ball fields at Centennial Park.
Fernie’s Shred Kelly will start off the night just after 9 pm with their 6 piece band. Jackie Treehorn’s funk/rock/soul sound storm from Vancouver will keep the party moving. And local DJ Big E will wrap up the night spinning tunes to keep you dancing into the wee hours of the night.
***
Social Development Coordinator Jill Zacharias reported an excellent year in her field.
She applied for, and received, grants worth $51,300 to support a variety of initiatives including age-friendly exercise equipment at Kovachs Park near Mount Begbie Manor and it villas, healthy living, and the Welcoming Communities Action Plan.
Click here to read her entire report.
Click here to visit the Social Development website.
***
Burned once by their clumsy handling of Benoit’s Wine Bar’s original licence request, City councilors complained about the bar owner’s drawing of a back deck he proposed but went ahead and approved his plan.
Bar owner Benoit Doucet had applied to build a back deck that could seat 50 people. He included a drawing of the deck in his application. But Councillors didn’t think it answered some of their questions even though the RCMP, Fire Rescue Service and the Planning Department had signed off on it.
Council received only two comments from members of the public. One woman said she did not think it was in the public interest. Another resident, and business owner, said he saw “no negatives” in the plan. It even held a public hearing but only one person attended.
However, Mayor David Raven’s prompted Council’s collective memory by reminding Councillors that they bobbled Benoit’s original application.
Councillors voted to approve the plan.
Click here to read the staff report to Council.
***
A request that Council renew the Visual Arts Society’s use of the old RCMP detachment has been sent to staff for more study.
The original five-year lease between the City and the society had contained a clause that automatically called for renewal.
“We are concerned with the proposed new Lease Agreement document in that “Section 2.00 Renewal” has been deleted,” Visual Arts Society Chairman Ken Talbot said in an e-mail to the City. “Previous versions of the Agreement contained a Renewal clause as follows:
“’If the Tenant duly and punctually observes all of its covenants and agreements in the Lease, the City shall, at the expiration of the Term, at the Tenant’s written request delivered to the City one month before the end of the Term, grant the Tenant a renewal lease of the Premises for a further term of five years on the same terms and conditions of the lease.’
“Our concern, of course, is proceeding with the $10,000 flooring project without some sort of assurance of lease renewals beyond 2017. This lack of certainty would be even more of a concern for a structural expansion and landscaping project, or any other leasehold improvements beyond regular maintenance and upkeep.”
Removal of that clause could allow the City to sell or otherwise dispose of the building, which now houses the Revelstoke Art Gallery, its community woodworking studio, pottery studio, classrooms and studio spaces.
Council asked staff to meet with the society board to discuss the issue.
Click here to read the report to Council on this issue.
***
The City approved nine new business licenses in May.
The new licences went to Revy Sled Rent Ltd, Leapinʹ Lizards Family Day Home, Kamloops Harley Davidson, Little Journeyʹs Child Care, Sarathaimassage, Stoke Paddleboard Adventures, Have a Nice Stay bed & breakfast, Monashee Lodge Revelstoke and Hodgson King & Marble Ltd.
They bring to 877 the number of licenses currently in Revelstoke. At this same time in 2012 there were 912 business licences in the city.
