The Kootenay Savings Credit Union, which earlier this year had announced plans to phase out certain services at its downtown Castlegar branch, will not be dissuaded from doing so in spite of a local petition created in hopes of preserving full service downtown. Dario Cescon, on April 2, reiterated a list of factors he had supplied to the Castlegar News back in February about the slated May cutbacks in service at the downtown branch.

They (the cutbacks) involve an acknowledged shift toward online banking, the consolidation of services at the CU’s uptown Crossroads branch, and the assurance that the night deposit and ATM functions will remain at the downtown branch.

“The majority of Castlegar residents do shop up in that south end,” said Cescon, “and we’re hoping they’ll be able to do their banking at the same time they’re up in that area – that factored into our decision as well.”