WEDNESDAY
$1.25
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January 18, 2012
A division of
Vol. 27 No. 5
COMOX VALLEY RECORD Your community. Your newspaper. www.comoxvalleyrecord.com
Trilogy positive in difficult economy
Y PLAY FOX, AVERY
CEO provides update about CAYET to Cumberland council on Monday Scott Stanfield Record Staff
Corwin Fox and C.R.Avery will share Joe’s stage. ■ 13
DRAGONS ON FIRE
In mythology, slaying the dragon is never an easy task. In reality, defeating the King George Dragons has become just as daunting a task at the annual Towhee Invitational senior boys basketball tournament. The Dragons defeated New Westminster Hyacks 78-67 Saturday night to claim their second straight Towhee title. The Dragons, an AA squad ranked fifth in this week’s provincial poll, were competing in a 12-team tourney.
... Complete story on ■ 32
FINDER ■ Weather
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■ Ferry Schedule
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■ Arts
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■ Classified
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■ Sports
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■ Editorial
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■ Opinion
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Pending servicing and financing, construction could begin by summer at the CAYET project at the junction of the Inland Island Highway and the Comox Valley Parkway, says Trilogy Group president/CEO John Evans. He provided a project update Monday at a Cumberland committee of the whole meeting. CAYET is a 700-acre, mixeduse development, described as a commercial hub of retail, restaurants, hotels and housing at an acreage once owned by Comox Timber. Evans expects engineering drawings to be completed by April, “though these dates have a way of moving.” Financing to construct infrastructure is valued at about $50 million to service the land. Evans said servicing for water and waste management is proving to be a challenge due to a circular
TRILOGY GROUP CEO and president John Evans updated Cumberland council on Monday about his company’s large development within village boundaries. PHOTO BY SCOTT STANFIELD
system, which makes it difficult to build in phases. Another challenge is the Ministry of Transportation’s suggestion to incorporate roundabouts, not intersections. Despite the challenges, Evans remains “positive in a difficult economic environment. “We’re fortunate,” he said. “British Columbia and indeed the Comox Valley are very wellreceived as I speak with people literally around the world. There is a recognition and an acknowledgement of the attractiveness of this region.” He spoke about a “symbiotic relationship” with the village. “While we don’t always agree we can work together,” said Evans, noting an array of items — such as the location of the BMX track — with a project of this scale. “Our wish is that Village Park will be the best possible amenity to the village and to the community at large. We’re committed to working with you.” He said a major retailer that has opened in the Valley would have opened in Cumberland had rezoning been achieved in time. “But there are more opportunities, and I work daily on all of ... see CAYET ■ 2
Copeman comes forward, RCMP reopening case Scott Stanfield Record Staff
Based on new information provided last week by Conner Copeman, Saskatoon police are revisiting the 2007 assault that left the current Cumberland councillor in a wheelchair. Copeman, 23, returned to the Prairie city late last week to help police advance the investigation. “They’ll actively pursue it again,” he said. “It really has been the first opportunity to do this. I only got on a health-care program in August that I needed to get on to get trained people to be able to make this happen.” At age 18, shortly after graduating from high school in 2007 and moving to Saskatchewan, Copeman was found severely injured on a sidewalk on a Sat-
urday morning near a park in Saskatoon, where he had worked for a security company. He suffered a broken neck. He underwent surgery to rebuild vertebrae but did not regain movement in his legs. He has minimal motion in his arms. Copeman feels he was assaulted due to his sexual preference but until now he was not ready to discuss his orientation with police. He said the assault occurred after he had been flirting with some men he had just met. “There’s three individuals that highly contributed to my spinal cord injury,” said Copeman, who was elected to Cumberland council in the fall municipal election. “The police are going to follow up the best they can, and I don’t want to jeopardize anything.
RCMP ARE REOPENING an investigation into a vicious assault on Conner Copeman. FILE PHOTO “Giving them a statement in their office rather than in the hospital while trying to do therapies
and just being recently injured, I’m at a much more comfortable position.” reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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