Members of the Begbie View Elementary Parents Advisory Committee came to City Council on Tuesday with a shopping list of measures that can ensure the safety of children walking or riding to school.
Some of the measures they advocate have previously been promised by the City but simply haven’t happened. And while City Councillors promised to refer their letter of requests to staff for comment, they made no commitments on whether to actually undertake any of them.
Children’s safety near the school is a real concern as drivers routinely ignore traffic signs along Ninth Avenue and one little girl was even “bumped” by an inattentive driver.
“She was stopped at the stop sign at Ninth and Vernon and there was a car behind her,” BE PAC Chairwoman Bex Reid-Parkin said after she and Lisa Patry, the PAC’s Traffic rep, left the Council meeting. “When she started to pass the sign the car started, too, and bumped her. She wasn’t hurt but it’s only a matter of time (before something worse happens).”
Lisa said police patrols have increased in the area, particularly in the wake of Dean Pratico’s death. Dean was an area resident and parent who zealously attempted to stop drivers from speeding through the area’s school and playground zone. He died recently after a confrontation with an alleged speeder.
“The City promised a cross walk in 2012 and we still haven’t seen it,” Bex said.
The PAC would also like RADAR speed readers (similar to those on Nichol Road, which were donated by the Credit Union) installed on Ninth Street and Vernon Avenue. Ideally, those would also be paid for by local businesses or service clubs.
Please click here to read the BVE PAC’s letter to Council.
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The years have been kind to the Stoke Youth Network since its inception four years ago.
Youth Liaison Megan Shandro and founding member Taryn Walker spent part of Tuesday afternoon May 27 updating City Council on the program’s activities
“It has been an exciting few years,” they said. “Time has been spent building a strong foundation, developing relationships with & between youth-serving organizations and youth themselves. As a community we are starting to see an increase in opportunities to engage youth in meaningful ways. While we are just at the beginning, there is certainly a lot left to do to ensure youth are active, informed and engaged citizens.”
Among the activities and events accomplished since 2012 are:
- Youth Liaison hired and contracted with City of Revelstoke. Youth Liaison attended CBT Youth Action Summit, along with 4 local youth. Successful branding and creation (by youth) of the Stoke Youth Network (SYN). Creation and up-to-date administration of the SYN Facebook page. Youth-friendly component to community events, such as Spirit Festival and Screen Smart Week. Creation of the Youth Employer Award through the Chamber Business Awards. Okanagan College Youth Awareness Project delivery including a Youth Employment Fair (October 2012), a Gen-Y Workshop for Employers (October 2012) and a leadership workshop for RSS Student Leadership group (Oct 2012).
- Revelstoke Survival Guide published; this is a guide for youth and young adults.
- Youth Mentoring Program established, and increased youth programming activities delivered by Community Connections Society. Launched the SYN website at www.stokeyouthnetwork.ca.
- Youth Social Enterprise Feasibility Study – Community Futures taking the lead.
- Youth Liaison office established at RSS Neighborhood Learning Centre space.
- Creation of the SYN Media Team, where older youth mentor high school aged youth in web design, photography, film and other media. Increased number of CBT Youth Grant applicants from Revelstoke Creation and funding for the Young Promoters Network, the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre taking the lead.
- Established annual Welcome Week for Seasonal Workers and Visitors – OC & Social Development Committee taking the lead. Establishment of a weekly skill development support group for youth with developmental disabilities – Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy taking the lead.
- Created a Youth Mental Health and Substance Use subcommittee, in partnership with RSS, CMHA, MCFD, Community Connections, IH Mental Health, and the City of Revelstoke Social Development Coordinator.
- Initiation of weekly Youth Drop-in nights at a local café with support from the Community Foundation. Promotion of the Community foundation’s Youth Philanthropy fund. Youth Wellness Fair at RSS (May 2013)
- Obtained additional funding to hosted Leadership Week at RSS (Sept. 2013). Obtained funding to take 29 youth on a We Day Trip in Vancouver (October 2013), a B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Banana) Event during Drug Awareness Week (Nov.2013), Love is Louder – Leave Out Violence (LOVE BC), a Media Workshop & Presentation (Feb. 2014), the 2nd annual Youth Wellness Fair during Mental Health Week (May 2014) and 14 youth friendly events during 2014 Screen Smart .
Please click here to read a description of the program’s activities.
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City Council is holding a public hearing next month prior to voting on whether to adopt the new Vacation Rentals Bylaw.
Council has scheduled the hearing for 2 pm on Tuesday, June 24, in the Council Chambers. Members of the public are invited to attend, as are people who would be affected by the bylaw.
Please click here to read a previously published story about vacation rentals.
Please click here to read the proposed bylaw that is to be considered at the June 24 public hearing.
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There were 14 alterations and new residential and commercial building projects in Revelstoke last month worth $1,199,000.
That brings the year-to-date total to $1,655,000. By this same time last year there had been $1,892,000 worth of new construction.
