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Penner takes early exit to join law firm Jennifer Feinberg The Progress Chilliwack-Hope MLA Barry Penner is resigning his seat in the B.C. legislature effective in January to take a position with a Vancouver law firm. In his goodbye speech from Victoria on Thursday, Penner was effusive with gratitude. “It has been a tremendous honour to serve the people of my hometown and beyond for more than 15 years in elected office and to receive their votes of confidence in four successive election campaigns,” he said. Penner initially resigned from cabinet in August as B.C. attorney general, saying he would not seek re-election as MLA. He was the youngest politician to be elected when he was first ran and won as MLA in 1996. Penner went on to hold the Environment portfolio from 2005 to 2010, as well as being picked as the first Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation. Asked what he’d miss most, Penner told The Progress: “There are many things I’ll miss. Working with so many different people on different issues, it’s been all-encompassing and mentally stimulating. “It’s particularly rewarding when you’re able to resolve issues for people.” In terms of accomplishments, Penner listed the cable-wire barrier on Highway 1 and the new courthouse which opened in 2001 in downtown Chilliwack. “Chilliwack has led the way with the cable barrier on the highway,” he said. “Some may think it’s a small thing, but it has saved lives and that is something I’m proud about.” The other major thing was the statue for Piper Richardson and the repatriation of his lost bagpipes back to B.C., which he worked on with MLA John Les. The pipes are now proudly on display in the rotunda of the legislature in Victoria. “Richardson died trying to find his pipes,” he said. “So it’s significant that we were able to repatriate them and now display where many can see them.” He also pointed to the construction of the first roundabout on a provincial highway on Highway Continued: PENNER/ p4
Bill McIntosh was upset and surprised to find Cheam Golf Centre had closed less than one week after he purchased a 2012 membership for more than $500. JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS
Cheam Golf members fume after closure Jennifer Feinberg The Progress Cheam Golf Centre was locked up tight by bailiffs last week after the operator defaulted on more than $40,000 in lease payments and back taxes. The agreement between Bogey Enterprises and City of Chilliwack was terminated after lease conditions were breached, and a new operator could be sought after the dust settles. In the meantime, some of members, who just paid their annual fees, were fuming to find the 18-hole golf course suddenly shut down when they showed up to play a round of
golf last week. “We want to know what’s going to happen now. We’re concerned about our memberships,” said member Bill McIntosh. McIntosh is a Chilliwack resident, who has been a member at Cheam for about five years. When he pre-paid his $554 membership for 2012 a few weeks ago, there was already talk about how the operator knew he was in trouble financially. “Now we’re hoping to either get our money back, or get a membership for the next season,” he said. A security guard now patrols the locked site on behalf of the bailiffs to keep it secure.
“It’s never fun to have to take action like this,” said Mayor Sharon Gaetz, referring to the lease termination and property repossession. “But we have to protect our taxpayers’ financial interests.” The golf course on Luckakuck Way is located on city property, and the land was leased to the operator, Bogey Enterprises, for recreational purposes specifically. The golf course itself is not technically owned by the City of Chilliwack, just the land under it. Almost $40,000 in lease payments and taxes were owed to the City of Chilliwack by the end of October, but now it’s already substantially more than that since the tally is mounting
daily with accrued interest and legal fees, said city staff. Bogie Enterprises was in its 15th year of a 35-year lease agreement with the City of Chilliwack. City officials said they have received no payment to date on what’s owed since March 11. They waited to see if a penalty deadline for taxes would be met in August, but a breach of lease notice had to be issued on Oct. 26, hand-delivered to a company principal, according to city staff. Disgruntled golf course members can contact the city to leave their names and contact information before the Dec. 13 property claims deadline. Continued: GOLFER/ p11
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