July 2016
IN THIS
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Introducing the Class of 2016, page 14
Local makes it onto the silver screen, page 11
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Proposed gravel The 35th Jog for a Jug ... project sets off alarm bells By Meg Olson
(See Gravel, page 8)
s Despite a fair amount of rain, the 35th Annual Jog for a Jug was one of the biggest races yet with over 200 runners turning out to jog the 11.2 kilometer course and finish at Kiniski’s Reef Tavern. Photo by Louise Mugar
Parks board to offer voters one-year library levy By Meg Olson The Point Roberts Park and Recreation District will be bumping up against the limit of its taxing authority when they ask voters to approve a one-time levy to top up library construction funds. At the June 13 meeting of park district commissioners, Stephen Falk reported that a revised estimate from architect David King to transform the old Julius fire station into a new library came in at
$870,000. If a number of alternates were included in the project, the budget would run closer to $1 million. “That would be $330,000 more than the friends of the library raised,” Falk said. The Friends of the Point Roberts Library set a fundraising goal of $540,000 in 2011 based on the projected cost of the project at that time. To date they have raised $543,000. Commissioners agreed in April to ask voters to approve a one-time levy not to
Get ready for a lively July 4th (and July 1st) weekend A full schedule of events is being planned for this year’s Independence Day celebrations. The day will begin with the third annual Point Roberts Emergency Preparedness group’s fundraising pancake breakfast at the community center from 7:30 a.m. until noon. During the pancake breakfast, the parks department is sponsoring a flag-raising ceremony at 10 a.m. that will include the national anthems of the U.S. and Canada performed by the Point Roberts Winds.
A veterans honor guard from British Columbia will perform a drill and present the colors. The parade’s theme for this year is the Salish Sea, encouraging all participants to think about the history, ecology and beauty of our local waters. The parade will get started at the end of Gulf Road at noon and make its way along Gulf Road and Tyee Drive to the marina overflow parking lot. Following the parade the Point Roberts Marina is hosting an afternoon of fun including a beer garden, outdoor barbecues,
music and a family fun – including goldfish racing. The evening will end with a fireworks display and a laser light show. July 4 events at the marina will be a reprise of an all-day party held for Canada Day on July 2. Also following the parade, parks commissioner Doug Shier is organizing a community softball game at Baker Field. Beginning at 2 p.m. the game is open to all players, though targeted at adults. (See 4th of July, page 2)
exceed a certain amount. At that time the projected cost of the project was $689,000. The district has until August 2 to submit the language of the levy request to the county for inclusion on the November ballot. Falk said the current estimate included some items that might not be needed, such as a new septic system, but did not include other items, such as additional (See Parks, page 6)
Church . . . . . . . . 10 Classifieds . . . . . 21 Coming Up . . . . . 18 Crossings . . . . . . 14 Obituary . . . . . . . 22 Opinion . . . . . . . . 4 Seniors, Library . 22 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 17
INSIDE
Whatcom County will take public comment until June 27 on a proposal to reactivate the gravel pit off Roosevelt Road. The 50-acre property, owned by Lori and Jason McDougall, is bounded by Tyee Drive to the west and Province Road to the east, with Roosevelt Drive to the north. Whatcom County received a conditional use permit application on May 5 for a “one-time, low-intensity mining of gravel within an area less than three acres in the center of the property.” The project application specifies mining activity would involve the extraction of rock and sand over three to four months, with a proposed start date of July 2016. Between 50,000 and 100,000 cubic yards of gravel and sand would be extracted, loaded onto dump trucks and taken across the border to the Southlands development off 56th Street. In a phone interview with the APB, McDougall said he saw benefits to the project beyond his own financial gain. “The more we can save trucks from driving 25 miles, it’s better for the environment,” he said. He said some of the material extracted might also be used for projects on the Point, at Seabright and the marina, and local extraction would limit the impact of those projects on the environment and on traffic. The application projects 75 round-trips per day to the Southlands project, or one every four minutes. A new driveway from the property would enter Tyee Drive approximately 600-feet south of the border across from Point Roberts Realty. Sarah Lawley-Wakelin from Canada Border Services Agency said they projected the operational plan they had in place would be able to handle the extra traffic. However, Jason Givens with U.S Customs and Border Protection said, “It is anticipated that this project will have a considerable impact on the port of entry and increase wait times. However, until further
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