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Council grants extension for Crossroads Printing cleanup

Council extends deadline for Crossroads Printing cleanup, purchases ad and authorizes several grants at Monday's meeting.
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Students that went to Embetsu

In the second of two remedial action cases considered at Monday's council meeting, council granted the owner a few extra weeks to get work underway. A motion was before council that would see the city undertake the cleaning up of 1013 Second St., the site of the former Crossroads Printing building that was destroyed by fire on May 4. The owner of the property, Michael Vecchio, would be responsible for the cleanup costs.

The Sept. 30 deadline for beginning work at the site was given by council on July 18. Connie Vecchio made a plea to council at Monday's meeting on behalf of the owner asking for an extension to the deadline. She gave the difficulty in acquiring a hazardous materials inspection and difficulty in acquiring the funds to cover the $84,500 in estimated cleanup costs as the reasons for the delay in starting the work.

Council decided to give the owners until Oct. 17 to start the work and until Oct. 31 to complete the work.

Ad purchase

Council authorized the purchase of a back cover ad in the 2017 Castlegar and Area Vacation Map. The cost of $305 will be allocated from the 2016 advertising budget. The Castlegar Area Vacation Map has been published since 2006 and over 10,000 copies are distributed annually to visitor's centres and area businesses. In addition, the Kootenay Compass website contains information and tips about visiting the Kootenay Rockies region of British Columbia including Castlegar.

Travel grants for athletes

Council approved $80 travel grants for two local athletes. Ely Overennay will be traveling to Phoenix, Ariz. to compete in the Maple Leaf Junior Tour National Championship golf tournament in November. Overnennay is a 16-year-old golfer whose successful season has qualified him to play in the championships.

Felicia Hartman traveled to Regina, Sask. to attend the Canadian Strongman Nationals at the end of September. In order to qualify for this competition Hartman placed second in her weight class at the regional level and third place at the provincial level.

The grant requests also prompted discussion about the need for council to reevaluate their travel grant policy noting that the standard $80 amount of the grants does not go very far any more.

Society grant

Council approved a $200 grant for the Little Oasis Benefit Society to assist with the costs associated with sponsoring Castlegar youth to attend the fall Little Oasis Equestrian assisted learning program. The program is designed to develop customized learning experiences that focus on enhancing specific skills in participants. Participants are offered the opportunity to work through the program while learning about themselves, their abilities to form relationships and how to contribute to a team. Several youth that attend the program live in Castlegar including six in the spring 2016 session.



Betsy Kline

About the Author: Betsy Kline

After spending several years as a freelance writer for the Castlegar News, Betsy joined the editorial staff as a reporter in March of 2015. In 2020, she moved into the editor's position.
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