H
THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2014
YOUR NO. 1 SOURCE FOR NEWS, SPORTS, WEATHER AND ENTERTAINMENT
THENOWNEWSPAPER.COM
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @THENOWNEWSPAPER
SOUTH SURREY - WHITE ROCK EDITION
2007 HonD a ac
LEATHER FULLY LO, NAVIGATION, LOW KM ADED, S!
oNLY
Inside Viewpoint Letters Sports Classifieds
They’re rich!
12 13 29 33
Surrey couple plans trip back to Ethiopia (and more) after winning $5 million
3
White Rock
City seals controversial Fir Street building deal Coun. Helen Fathers decries lease process, calling it ‘sketchy at best’
Now staff Twitter @questionchris
The City of White Rock owns this former church building at 1174 Fir St. and will lease it out to private interests, council decided on Monday night. (File photo)
Bill Lawrence
Helen Fathers
process. Fathers said the building had been purchased with the intent that it would complete the block owned by the city and to now turn around and lease it out to a commercial enterprise simply would not make sense. “To enter into a commercial lease is
lewood K ia
“It’s all go od at App lewood! 162 9
Price does9 fraser h ighway not include Vehicle ma y not be extax or doc fee of $5 actly as illu 95 strated. .
”
DL#10659
Politics
Watts and Baldwin will run for re-election
counterproductive as dozens and dozens of empty properties are awaiting a tenant,” she said. “We should not be in competition with the business community.” While the leasing opportunity would bring the city some revenue, Fathers wondered why other members of council felt it necessary to lease out what little cityowned property there was when there were so many community uses to be had. see BOTTRILL SAYS › page 4
WHITE ROCK — Mayor Wayne Baldwin will run for re-election in this fall’s municipal election. Asked Monday if he had made a decision about re-election yet, Baldwin affirmed his intent to seek a second term as the city’s top politician. Baldwin was first elected as mayor in 2011 and had previously served as White Rock’s city manager for 23 years. According to Baldwin, there are still several large initiatives started during his term that he’d like to see finished up, including the rail safety and relocation issue, the purchase of the water utility from EPCOR and numerous capital projects. “We just haven’t finished all the stuff that we wanted to get done so I feel like if I leave now things would be half done and that would be a shame,” he said. “There’s a lot of things that are still out there that I’d like to see through and get them done.” Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts says her team is also gearing up for the election. “I’m planning on running,” Watts said Wednesday. With Marvin Hunt winning his bid as Surrey-Panorama MLA, there will be at least one spot on the slate to fill. When asked if anyone else on the Surrey First team planned to leave, Watts said “not that I’m aware of.” The 2014 municipal election will take place on Nov. 15. With files from Amy Reid
2013 MAZDA 3 GS SKYACTIV SEDAN & SPORT MODELS!
4,000 DISCOUNT
$
dL2555
#29827
11,85 0 604-5963250 App $
Now staff Twitter @questionchris
Christopher Poon
LAST STOCK IN BC
v-6
onl 75,000 y Kms!
Christopher Poon
EMAIL YOUR LETTERS WITH
WHITE ROCK — A former church building now owned by the city was given final approval to be leased out to private interests Monday, much to the dismay of one councillor. Purchased by the previous council in order to bring the entire block under city ownership, the building (located at 1174 Fir St.) had originally been intended for civic uses and was even destined to be site of a new council chamber. However, that changed late last summer when Coun. Bill Lawrence rescinded his vote on the matter, triggering the discussion and eventual decision to rent the building out for private use. Those against the decision were councillors Helen Fathers and Alan Campbell, of which the former had been an outspoken critic of the entire
corD eX-L
ONLY 5 L E F T!
OR
0
18,915
$
%
for 84 MONTHS
Net of Discount
surrey’s home of zoo}-zoo}!
freeway mazda
154th st & 104th ave, surrey
604-227-5579 freewaymazda.ca