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June 11, 2013
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E N T E R T A I N M E N T abbotsfordtimes.com
Propane cannon battle heats up as growers protest ROCHELLE BAKER RBaker@abbotsfordtimes.com
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SCAN FOR PHOTOS – ROCHELLE BAKER/TIMES
Abbotsford Mayor Bruce Banman apologizes Thursday to Nick Zurowski, who lived at the homeless camp on Gladys Street where last week city workers dumped chicken manure in an effort to deter people from using the site, which is across the street from the Salvation Army’s Centre of Hope.
Mayor apologizes to homeless
ROCHELLE BAKER RBaker@abbotsfordtimes.com
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he stench of chicken manure still lingered strong in the air Thursday morning as Abbotsford Mayor Bruce Banman went down to a Gladys Street homeless camp to apologize to some people the city had tried to drive away days before. Last Tuesday morning, city workers pulled up to the green space along the railway tracks not far from the Salvation Army’s Centre of Hope and dumped a load of pungent chicken manure on the ground to deter the homeless from camping there. However, a firestorm erupted after longtime homeless activist James Breckenridge made the city’s tactic public on Wednesday.
City workers returned to the site that same “We’re reviewing how that decision was day to try and clean up the mess. However, made,” said Banman. “Regardless of how the smell of manure and widespread chicken it happened, we are going to learn to do feathers still remained. better.” Upon arriving at the camp, Nick Zurowski, 50, one Banman told the media he was First reported @ of the people living at the abbotsfordtimes.com dismayed by the incident. camp, accepted the mayor’s “I came to apologize to message graciously. those who were affected,” said Banman, “I thanked him for coming out and expressafter speaking with some of those impacted ing his apologies,” said Zurowski. by the city’s actions. “Like many residents, But he did describe it as a “rude awakenI’m embarrassed, deeply ashamed and sorry ing” when city workers arrived at the camp for what happened.” and started unloading the manure. Banman said he had no prior knowledge “I got a whiff of that first shovelful,” said about the plans to use manure to disperse Zurowski. “The release of ammonia was the homeless. enough to knock you over.” It’s not yet clear how the concept was see HOMELESS, page A4 chosen, he said.
he battle lines are being drawn in Abbotsford over a proposed propane cannon bylaw. Abbotsford city council held a public hearing Monday night on a bylaw that would increase the restrictions on noise makers used to scare birds from blueberry fields. The bylaw, developed following a motion by Coun. John Smith last year, is the result of numerous noise complaints over the years to city hall and repeated violations of the existing Ministry of Agriculture guidelines. However, local blueberry farmers say the bylaw will restrict bird scare devices to such an extreme that they will be near useless and cost the multi-million dollar industry dearly. Mike Makara, a former grower and the current chairman of the B.C. Blueberry Council, said the bylaw is draconian, especially in a community with an economy so heavily invested in agriculture. “I find it ironic Abbotsford council touts us as a great agriculture community and we are one of the greatest revenue generating industries, but makes it next to impossible for these farmers to operate,” he said. “The proposals they are making will end up in almost a total ban.” The bylaw proposes onerous new setback rules that means many farms won’t be able to use any cannons or bird scare devices, said Makara. Makara also noted starlings, the main culprit in crop losses, hit the fields at dawn and dusk and the new time restrictions would badly impact farmers’ berry crop yields. The bylaw requires cannons be kept a minimum of 300 metres from residential homes, up from the 200 metres required by the agriculture ministry. The proposed setback rules would also apply to buildings housing livestock, and new farmers would not be allowed to use the devices. The start and stop times would change to 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., whereas ministry guidelines allow cannons from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. According to Ministry of Agriculture data, nearly half of the Abbotsford acreages with blueberries wouldn’t be able use cannons with see CANNONS, page A4
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