Stella Jones will continue logging on Boulder Mountain this summer and says it will explain its plans to the public during an Open House at the Community Centre on Friday, January 31, between 3 and 6 pm.
As with past logging campaigns Stella Jones has offered to minimize damage to the trails where possible and assist financially with restoring the trails once the logging has finished.
If you would like to know more about the planned logging please attend the Open House.
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Hiob Road resident Fred Cooper is finding that there’s some truth to the old adage that says, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”
For some months now, Cooper has been locked in struggle with the City.
Hi tale of woe harkens back to last September when the City paved Hiob Road and everyone had their paved driveways connected to the road at City expense — everyone’s that is, except Cooper’s.
In a letter to Council Cooper said that he was acting on the knowledge that Hiob Road was going to be paved when he decided to piggyback on the City’s initiative and have hi driveway redone at the same time.
“In preparation for the paving crew’s arrival I had a cement pad laid on my property to park my cars. In this process of preparing my driveway for the cement work, my entire driveway was removed,” he wrote.
However, while the paving crew hooked everyone else’s driveways to the newly paved street they did not do the same for Cooper because they were only doing it for paved driveways.
“If I had been aware that I would be penalized for removing my own driveway I would never have paid to removed that material,” he wrote.
“I don’t understand why it is going to cost me $400 to $600 more to have exactly what my neighbours have, when all I’ve done is pay for my own work in preparation for the paving crew. I pay my taxes and now because I tried to be a cooperative, forward thinking community member and piggyback on a City initiative, I’m being penalized. You’re using a policy, which has never applied to me, to penalize me for doing my own work and bearing my own costs. It just doesn’t make any sense.”
Ever since September, when Council first denied his request to be treated like everyone else, Cooper has been playing postal ping-pong with Council.
Finally, though, he has a resolution of sorts: City staff has been directed to meet with Cooper and resolve the issue.
Please click here to read the background to this issue.
Please click here to read Cooper’s latest letter to City Council.
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City Council has agreed to provide a grant-in-aid that will cover the Spirit Festival’s costs of facility use at the Community Centre.
In commenting on Spirit Fest the City Event Coordinator Meghan MacIsaac said that “with the City’s continued support we are able to provide great opportunities for Revelstoke as well as enabling more of our not for profit community to be involved in hosting events.”
Spirit Fest is a combined community effort that has been a huge success in previous years. The event continues to grow offering even more activities this year for all ages scattered throughout the City and RMR.
“Council is pleased to provide support to this unique event which offers so much to the community and its citizens,” Mayor David Raven.
Council encourages everyone to take part in Sprit Fest. This diverse 12-day celebration is sure to have something for everyone to enjoy.
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City Council has sent the community’s recently created Food Resilience Charter to staff for review before it endorses the document.
Revelstoke’s Food Resilience Charter “presents a vision to benefit our community and provides guidance for actions to achieve this vision. It is based on the belief that a thriving local food culture that celebrates producing locally and eating together will support us in living healthier, happier and richer lives – connected to the land, the growers and each other.”
The Charter has no financial impact on the City or the taxpayers.
Please click here to read the Food Resilience Charter.
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City Council agreed to provide Bear Aware with a letter of support for its 2014 fund-raising campaign.
Bear Aware Coordinator Sue Davies asked for Council’s help in a letter it considered during its regular Tuesday, January 28, meeting.
Bear Aware has been successful for the past 18 years in reducing conflict between people and bears in the community of Revelstoke and surrounding area. We are committed to continue working towards attaining Bear Smart Status in Revelstoke and to continue public education and community planning aimed at reducing bear attractants and improving public safety.
Davies said the organization’s annual report would be released online this month.
She gave Councillors a preview by noting that 2013 was a quiet year for Revelstoke Bear Aware.
“There were 39 reports concerning black bears and 2 reports concerning grizzly bears, totalling 41 reports, made to the RAPP line and Revelstoke Bear Aware,” Davies said in her letter. “Two black bears were destroyed in 2013. No grizzly bears were destroyed and no bears were relocated. The light pressure from bears this season was possibly attributable to the season producing a very good and consistent wild berry crop.
“Garbage continues to be the number one attractant for bears, followed by fruit trees. Pet food and birdfeeders were also reported as attracting bears this season. Other common attractants such as compost, outdoor freezers and fridges, livestock, beehives, and BBQ’s were not reported this season.”
The Current will published a story about Revelstoke Bear Aware’s 2013 annual report once it is ready for public release.
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City Council gets a lot of flak from people upset by taxation, red tape, snow removal and whatnot, so it must come as a welcome relief when Councillors’ agenda package contains something like this:
“Subject:
FW: Revelstoke is awesome
From: Revelstoke Cycling Association <revybiker@gmail.com> Date: January 16, 2014 at 6:45:18 PM PST To: <AMason@revelstoke.ca> Subject: Fwd: Revelstoke is awesome
Hi Alan This note came to the RCA email address while I was away. I thought you might like to read how much some visitors are enjoying our trails and town. Tim is going to put this note on our website as a testimonial.
Keith
———- Forwarded message ———- From: Leigh Halkett <leigh_halkett@hotmail.com> Date: Mon, Oct 28, 2013 at 4:27 PM Subject: Revelstoke is awesome To: “revybiker@gmail.com” <revybiker@gmail.com>
Hi there, My partner and I visited B.C. in July/August/September for a mountain biking holiday coming all the way from New Zealand. Our plan was to visit all the sweet riding spots that we had spent hours watching on Pinkbike etc. We did not know a lot about Revelstoke before arriving, and planned on only staying 2 days…. a week later we were still there! Not only did we love the riding, we also loved the town. Revelstoke felt like it had a great sense of community, fab music in the plaza every night, and the best burritos of all time! Topping our list was Boulder Mountain, I am not exaggerating when I say these were the best trails we have ever ridden in our lives! Having a team to maintain and build trails there over the summer months really made these trails a joy to ride. We think you guys have got it sorted and have helped to make Revelstoke a world-class mountain bike destination. So keep doing what you are doing. We have been telling all of our friends to go to Revelstoke and are planning when we can next visit! See you next time, Leigh
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The North Columbia Environmental Society is recommending that the City install signs at the approach to both ends of the bridge that clearly state that all motorized vehicles must yield to cyclists on the bridge.
“We suggest a sign stating ‘No Passing Cyclists on Bridge’ or similar wording would help to alleviate this dangerous condition. A visual would also add meaning for our non-English speaking drivers,” the NCES said in a letter to Council.
“Airport Way is a well used cycling route, however it is also a high traffic area for resort access, logging activities, hospital access, Williamson Lake visitors, and for local residents. The Illecillewaet River Bridge has been identified as a safety concern for cyclists. Cyclists must cross the road when heading south to access the bridge walkway. This is very dangerous due to the poor line of sight and the speed of vehicular traffic. The walkway is also inconvenient for bikes and pedestrians due to the narrow walkway and the protruding bridge structures. Not to mention, it is against the law to ride a bicycle on a side walk, yet walking a bike is almost impossible in the narrow space of the bridge sidewalk.”
