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- Wednesday, June 14, 2023 - The pitfalls of the McKee Peak Plan
Wednesday, June 14, 2023 - The pitfalls of the McKee Peak Plan
Tyler Olsen
June 14, 2023
Wednesday, June 14, 2023 | Today: 🌦️ High 20C
Good morning!
A good friend of mine was at the Canadian Open golf tournament in Toronto last weekend. She wasn’t watching or playing. In fact, like me, she doesn’t know a whole lot about golf. She’s an archivist-in-training and was tasked with guarding the Canadian Open trophy—and helping present it to the winner at the end of the competition.
The winner this year was Abbotsford’s Nick Taylor, the first Canadian to hold the title since 1954. His win was an exciting moment that wasn’t lost on the uninitiated (like my friend and I). I had fun hearing about that moment from the perspective of someone who appreciates its historic significance, if not necessarily the sport itself.
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WORTH KNOWING
🌤 Local forecast: Langley | Chilliwack | Abbotsford | Hope
⚠️ Here’s the current smoke forecast / Check the BC Wildfire Dashboard here
🚘 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google, and find DriveBC’s latest updates.
NEWS
The pitfalls of the McKee Peak plan
Semá:th First Nation remains opposed to Abbotsford’s plans to allow development across a large swath of Sumas Mountain.
The city has failed to appropriately consult with the local First Nation and plans could jeopardize culturally important sites, critical species, and the ongoing use of the mountain by the Semá:th people, council was told Monday at a second public hearing on the controversial proposal.
Meanwhile, the largest landowner has declared that a commercial area at the heart of the plan will never be built.
Related story
Need to know
🏒 The Stanley Cup is coming to the valley: Aldergrove’s Shea Theodore lifted the Stanley Cup as the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Florida Panthers; Vegas assistant coach Ryan Craig, who hails from Abbotsford, also held the cup [TSN]
⛳ Ledgeview Golf Club’s former president hailed Nick Taylor as a ‘family man’ in the wake of his Canadian Open victory [CBC]
🍾 ‘I was a plain-clothed, hoodie- and jeans-wearing guy coming in hot’: Adam Hadwin is still getting asked (and not upset) about being tackled while trying to celebrate with Taylor [Toronto Sun]
⛺️ The end of a problematic homeless camp in Abbotsford comes with the promise of housing [Vancouver Sun]
🔥 The Chehalis River fire west of Harrison Lake is still out of control but has not grown significantly [BCWFS]
🚜 Preparations are underway for the Aldergrove Fair’s 111th year [Aldergrove Star]
🏦 A BC security guard allegedly used a master key to rob banks in the Fraser Valley; he and his wife spent the illicit profits on land in Nanaimo, guns, and comic books [Vancouver Sun]
👉 Abbotsford police impounded a sloppily-loaded (and uninsured) trailer on Sunday [Fraser Valley Today]
🌍️ An Abbotsford teenager was selected for a trade and development mission to Peru and needs help funding the trip [Abbotsford News]
🎺 Chilliwack high schoolers held their year-end jazz concert outdoors for the first time [Chilliwack Progress]
➡️ The friend of an alleged hitman is fundraising for his legal defence in Thailand [Vancouver Sun]
🌡️ Colder weather could help control Harrison wildfires [Agassiz-Harrison Observer]
📚️ Can libraries save the world—and should they be trying? [The Walrus]
🏘️ New townhomes and single-family houses could be on the way to Aldergrove [Aldergrove Star]
👩🎨 Abbotsford high school students in an Art Activism class focused on women’s issues this term [Abbotsford News]
✈️ Canada’s aging fleet of firefighting water bombers could take a long time to replace [CBC]
🛫 Swoop will merge with its parent company, WestJet, spelling the end of its discount options [CBC]
SPONSORED BY FORT LANGLEY JAZZ & ARTS FESTIVAL
Jazz legends open Fort Langley Jazz Fest
Kick off the 2023 Odlum Brown Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival with a concert you won’t forget, featuring Phil Dwyer’s Connections Quartet.
Phil Dwyer’s Connections Quartet brings together premier musicians in a one-of-a-kind concert including JUNO-award winner, saxophonist and pianist, Phil Dwyer; Juno-award winner Brad Turner on trumpet and piano; renowned international drummer Alan Jones; and Phil’s son, Ben Dwyer on bass.
The quartet will perform new and other works from over 40 years of playing in various configurations together. This illustrious group of artists will perform as two trios and a quartet, all in one with Phil and Brad taking turns at the piano with their alter egos performing on saxophone and trumpet.
Thursday, July 20, 7-10pm at Chief Sepass Theatre! Get your tickets today!
The Agenda
The trail to Chadsey Lake is a difficult 10.6 km trek. 📷️ EB Adventure Photography
Better signs needed for Chadsey Lake trail
A beautiful-but-difficult local trail on Sumas Mountain is made harder by a lack of signs that send hikers in the wrong direction, according to a local politician who recently encountered the difficulties first-hand.
Cory Cassel, the electoral area director for Area G, told his fellow Fraser Valley Regional District board members that he and his husband recently sought to hike to Chadsey Lake, in Sumas Mountain Regional Park.
“It was a beautiful day for a hike…which became more difficult when we decided to spend four hours to complete a two-hour hike,” he said wryly. Cassel said two missed turns led to the longer hike. “One of the signs we missed was missed by a number of hikers that we met up with.”
Google set Cassel back on the right path. Cassel, who represents an area that includes the park, said he would be able to suggest better sign placements along the trail. He added that he hoped “others will have the opportunity to experience the spectacular scenery at the top of Sumas Mountain and Chadsey Lake.”
Provincial funding coming for Chilliwack work program
A pilot program in Chilliwack that employs unhoused people to clean streets is expanding.
Individuals staying at Ruth and Naomi’s Mission are hired to clean streets, remove snow, and clear drains in the downtown area. About 40 people have participated so far in the program run jointly with the Downtown Chilliwack Business Association.
The province is pitching in $125,000 to help the program grow.
Scott Gaglardi, the executive director of Ruth and Naomi’s Mission, said the program helps their guests “grow in their self-confidence and esteem…Far beyond the obvious value of clean streets, we are seeing the program strengthen a sense of community in our city,” he said in a statement.
🤝 Now hiring
• Public relations co-ordinator at JELLY in Fort Langley
• Urban forest watering at Horizon Contracting Group in Langley
• Constituency engagement co-ordinator at the Mennonite Central Committee in Abbotsford
• Line cook at Fortis Wine Bar in Chilliwack
• Campground host in Agassiz
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? Fill out this form with your best guess—or with a picture we can use in a future edition.
Things to do
🏃 Three Peaks Recreational Outreach is hosting its Better By The Vedder fundraiser race on Saturday. Run a 5 or 10km route to raise money for at-risk youth. More information online.
🥑 Vegan food trucks: A vegan food truck festival is happening in Central Community Park in Chilliwack this Saturday. More information online.
🃏 Poker run: The Fraser Valley Cider Company will host its first ever poker run on Saturday. Collect a playing card—and samples and snacks—at each participating local brewery for a chance to win a gift card. Tickets online.
Have an event to tell us about? Fill out this form to have it highlighted here.
Catch up
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