Wednesday, April 19, 2023 edition — After two years, still no plans to rebuild Lytton's health centre

Wednesday, April 19, 2023 | ⛈ High 12C | Forecast

Good morning!

Quite the cloud action yesterday, wasn’t in it? This photo kind of blew my mind.

In non-cloud action: since launching our membership program, we have heard from several people wanting a dual membership for both themselves and their spouse. The tech is a bit tricky to create, but we have come up with a solution that essentially ends up getting you and your household member a second membership for just a small additional cost (about $2/month or $20/year on top of the normal price). If you are one of those interested, please email us with the subject line ‘Household Membership.’ In the email, tell us whether you are already a member or not. We’ll then reply with a special link just for you.

Thanks for all your support and to new members Kyle, Peter, Denise, Margje and Holly. You can join them and get the normal one-person membership here.

NEWS

After two years, planning yet to start on Lytton health centre replacement

Nearly two years after Lytton burned down, the local health authority still hasn’t committed to rebuilding the community’s cherished health centre. In fact, it hasn’t even begun planning what comes next for health care in the village.

And for some remaining residents, those indecisions and delays are causing them to rethink their future in town.

• Today, Tyler follows up his coverage of the Lytton rebuild (or lackthereof) by looking at the wait for health care services, and the uncertainty faced by residents.

Need to know

🚍 Neither party in the ongoing Fraser Valley transit strike have accepted offers for a mediator to intervene, BC’s Labour Minister says [Mission Record]

🗺 Langley will get one of the six new provincial election ridings to created this year [Global]

👍 Three young Ukrainians say they are thankful for the reception from Chilliwack residents and their Rosedale hosts [Chilliwack Progress]

👶 Chilliwack’s maternity unit is expected to close for several days in May because of staff shortages [Fraser Valley Today]

✈ Check your travel plans: WestJet pilots have approved possible strike action; they could go on strike or be locked out as soon as May 16 [Yahoo]

👉 Commercial products supplier company Cintas will be the first occupant of a massive new Abbotsford industrial park [Abbotsford News]

❓ A Langley lawyer who harassed two subordinates with a self-described ‘creepy uncle routine’ has been suspended [Vancouver Sun]

🔎 A Mission 16-year-old is missing and RCMP are seeking help finding her [Mission Record]

🐱 A local pet food producer donated a huge load of cat kibble to the Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven [Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven/Facebook]

🌳 A Chilliwack organization has turned an old broccoli field into a new wildlife habitat [Nature Chilliwack/Facebook]

🤖 Two Langley brothers are in Texas for a championship robot-building competition [Langley Advance Times]

☺ TODAY’S WOW: Melting glaciers are expected to raise global sea levels, but water levels near Greenland itself are expected to decline, in part because of the shrinking gravity of the massive ice field. [New Scientist]

🎸 The countdown is on. Early Bird weekend passes for the Fort Langley Jazz Fest Cool Blues Show, July 21-22, are available until April 30 at $100. Get your tickets now!*

*Sponsored Listing

TOGETHER WITH TANA MCNICOL

Fraser Valley Realtor Tana McNicol volunteers at Kensington Prairie Farms

Dee became passionate about farming when she was 8 years old and first learned about alpacas and the wonderful world of textiles from her grandmother Catherine. Over 20 years later, the family runs Kensington Prairie Farm together in Langley, BC. They're passionate about natural fibre and educating the public on the process ‘From Fibre to Fashion’.

The farm has rescued over 50 llamas and alpacas in the last two years and donates proceeds from all farm experience to Quechua Benefit, a children's charity in Peru.

KPFarm loves welcoming volunteers, giving people a chance to experience 'farm-life', while also giving back to their community. For more information or to book a tour please visit the website KensingtonPrairie.ca.

The Agenda

Coffee to go, kids to stay?

Some Abbotsford residents might be able to pick up a coffee and drop off their kids at the same building.

A developer hopes to build a commercial building that would house a Starbucks drive-through, while providing space for a childcare centre. Abbotsford council voted Monday to send the project to a public hearing.

The building would be located just south of Highway 1 near the McCallum Road exit. It would have a 1,345-square-foot restaurant and a 6,500-square-foot childcare centre. The childcare centre would also have an outdoor (walled) play area located on the building’s roof. Council voted Monday to allow the proposal to proceed to a public hearing. No date has been set yet.

Mission looks to slow rural traffic

Several rural Mission roads will get new signs to hopefully improve safety.

A speed reader board will be installed on Dewdney Trunk Road across from the Mission & District Rod & Gun Club to try to encourage drivers to slow down.

And signs will be installed on Keystone Avenue near its intersection with Jacobson Street in the Silverhill area.

The city will spend $200,000 for the improvements at those and 16 other locations around the municipality following complaints from residents.

Coun. Jag Gill asked if there is evidence that speed reader boards actually work, or whether drivers just use them to see how fast they are actually going. Mayor Paul Horn said they do function as a ‘nudge’ to encourage better behaviour “although there are those folks who use them to see what the power of their cars are.”

One 2012 study found that while the reader boards are effective at first, their ability to slow drivers diminishes over time. But a more recent meta-analysis—a study of studies—suggests that most research backs their effectiveness.

“Across all types of vehicles and different installation locations, the clear majority of studies found significant reductions in speeds,” the report declared. “These results support installation of [speed reader boards] at locations where other traffic calming measures may be costly or difficult to implement.”

Correction

Monday’s Community Profile of Dave Holbrow was formatted incorrectly and while our editor caught it, a technical problem ended up making it look like his favourite place to eat was… Dave Holbrow. That was not intended! Dave’s favourite place to eat is actually Ann Marie’s Cafe. Sorry Dave!

You can be our next Local of the Day by telling us a bit about yourself here.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY

Flourishing: A global food fair to end poverty

Delight your taste buds and hear from global visitors at the same time! Join Food for the Hungry Canada on May 10 in Abbotsford, for a global food fair featuring dishes from seven countries. What's the best bit? You’re helping end poverty simply by attending! With live music and conversations with international poverty experts, you don't want to miss it!

Register here today!

🤝 Now hiring

• Heavy duty mechanic at the City of Abbotsford

• Travel coordinator at Kiewit in Hope

• Restaurant manager at Lakeview Restaurant in Harrison Hot Springs

• Victim support worker at Langley Township and the RCMP

• Inventory controller at Silver Hills (a large Abbotsford bakery and food production company)

• Road safety specialist at the City of Chilliwack

Hiring in the Fraser Valley? Reply back and let us know!

📸 Current Cam

Each week we showcase a different photo from across the Valley and invite readers to share their best guesses about where it was taken.

Any guesses as to where this week’s Current Cam was taken (last summer)? Fill out this form with your best guess—or send us a picture we can use in a future edition.

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