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School still on for international students Teachers protest summer camp that’s been moved to a private school by Matthew Hoekstra Staff Reporter
Matthew Hoekstra photo Shari and Terry Akesson live near an area of South Arm Community Park slated for a 1,400-square-metre off-leash area, which they say will ruin the peaceful nature of the park.
Residents urge city to call off dogs Petition against impending dog park spreads through South Arm neighbourhood by Matthew Hoekstra Staff Reporter A promised off-leash area at South Arm Community Park has some neighbourhood residents barking mad. Giving new meaning to the dog days of summer, city officials are creating four new fenced fields for fidos, including a 1,400-square-metre site behind the tennis courts at the Broadmoor-area park. But neighbours—feeling cheated they weren’t consulted first—are signing a
petition against it. “The designated area is absolutely nonsense. It is the only open field that we have in South Arm Park,” said Eve Rollet de Darantes, an area resident since 1971. “I’m going to look down on this fenced-in park, having barking dogs.” The longtime resident, who also fought against artificial turf at South Arm, is proposing alternate sites away from homes. She vows to step up protests if the city doesn’t back down. Neighbour Shari Akesson called the lack of consultation “frustrating.” “We just don’t think this is the right location,” she said. “This is one of the last quiet parks.” Husband Terry Akesson said what is now a grassy area is used by many for
passive recreation will soon become an “unsightly mess” and force residents to fight for limited street parking with dog owners. “I agree it’s equal rights for everybody, I just wonder why we have to put a big off-leash park in the middle of a longestablished quiet and peaceful park.” Council approved the off-leash area June 9, along with others at Garden City Community Park, McCallan Neighbourhood Park (along the Railway corridor) and an empty lot at 7300 Elmbridge Way. All four are pilot projects, subject to review after a year. Fences are scheduled to go up in the next couple of weeks, according to the city. See Page 3
International students headed to class in Richmond this week, despite Richmond School District’s cancellation of summer school for all other students. The teachers’ ongoing labour dispute forced the district to cancel summer programs last week, but a non-credit program for international students is going ahead on neutral ground. Hosted this year at Richmond Christian School’s No. 5 Road campus, the program is a summer camp for foreign students of various ages. Students learn English, attend field trips and learn about Canada and Richmond, according to Richmond school board chair Donna Sargent. “They choose to come in the summer just to get to know Richmond a bit more, see what it’s like, see if they might be interested in the full-time international program, which happens in September.” Two three-week programs are offered at $1,875 each, according to the district’s website. District officials decided against cancelling the program last week, having already made agreements with parents. Sargent said some students had already arrived. “They have paid, they are here. So what do you do?” A call to the Richmond Teachers’ Association was not returned by press time, but B.C. Teachers’ Federation members protested outside Richmond Christian School Monday, as contract talks between the union and B.C. Public School Employers’ Association have stalled. Last week a B.C. Supreme Court justice concluded this week that teachers and government are too far apart on wages and working conditions for mediation to be effective. Sargent said both union and non-union teachers are leading the summer camps, but added unionized employees are working under a contract that isn’t linked to the current labour dispute. “The whole situation is very challenging,” she said. “We want labour peace, we want both parties at the table bargaining in good faith, and we want them to come up with a reasonable settlement, and we want it to happen as soon as possible.”
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