KAMLOOPS THIS WEEK TUESDAY
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30 CENTS AT NEWSSTANDS
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DECEMBER DECE CE EMB MBER ER 2 2,, 20 2 2014 01 14 4|V Volume olume 27 No No. 143
CRIME IS DOWN, WAY DOWN
HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS
It was bitterly cold, but many flocked downtown to greet the Jolly Old Elf
National rate lowest since 1966
B16
B4-B5
MAYOR PETER MILOBAR
COUNCILLOR KEN CHRISTIAN
COUNCILLOR ARJUN SINGH
COUNCILLOR DIETER DUDY
COUNCILLOR DONOVAN CAVERS
COUNCILLOR DENIS WALSH
COUNCILLOR MARG SPINA
COUNCILLOR TINA LANGE
WEATHER
Sunshine High -12 C Low -15 C SUN PEAKS SNOW REPORT Mid-mountain: 64 cm Alpine: 71 cm Snow phone: 250-578-7232
COUNCILLOR PAT WALLACE
THE NEW TERM BEGINS
KAMLOOPS COUNCIL MEETS TODAY TO BEGIN A FOURYEAR TERM. KTW REPORTER ANDREA KLASSEN LOOKS AT THE ISSUES FACING COUNCIL AS IT BEGINS A TERM THAT WILL RUN UNTIL THE FALL OF 2018
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amloops’ new city council officially assumed office last night (Dec. 1) at a swearing-in ceremony at Interior Savings Centre. Today, however, it’s down to business for Mayor Peter Milobar and councillors Ken Christian, Arjun Singh, Dieter Dudy, Donovan Cavers, Tina Lange, Denis Walsh, Marg Spina and Pat Wallace. While the new council will develop a strategic plan over the next few weeks and set out its priorities for the four-year term, there are plenty of items already in motion that need to be dealt with in the coming months. Here’s a look at a few of the projects and debates on council’s plate heading into 2015: • A performing-arts centre was
a constant topic of conversation during the municipal election and council will see the project back on the agenda early in its term. Byron McCorkell, director of parks, recreation and cultural services, said consultations are on schedule and, by the spring of 2015, council will have a business plan and feasibility study for the centre, with the possibility of a referendum next fall if it chooses to move the plan ahead. • The parks department is also hoping to move forward on an indoor soccer facility on McArthur Island, which would be spear-
headed by the city’s various youth and adult soccer associations. The city is in the process of tendering for the demolition of the McArthur
Island Youth Centre, recently vacated by the Kamloops Boys and Girls Club, which would free up land for the project. McCorkell said the soccer groups are still keen to see the project move forward, noting a concept and business plan could come to council by
the middle of 2015. • Once the new council begins to make decisions about the performing-arts centre, another dormant city project could get some more attention. Corporate services and community safety director David Duckworth said the city has held off on making plans for a new downtown parkade because the Seymour Street site it purchased for $4.8 million when the Kamloops Daily News closed is still in the running as a possible location for the arts centre, as is the current home of Lake City Casino (set to move to Versatile Drive by the fall of 2015) in Hotel 540 on Victoria Street. Once a site is chosen for the arts centre, Duckworth said the
city will know whether it has to start looking for another parkade site or if it can begin working on a parking centre on Seymour Street. • Two big capital-works projects are on the books for the new council’s first year: the $9.3-million upgrade of Overlanders Bridge and a $3.8-million widening of Columbia Street. See SECONDARY, A4 �
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23 Years in Kamloops
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