Witness sought
Powell River RCMP are looking for a man who might be connected to the fire at a building on Ash Avenue in Townsite on Saturday, January 7.
The fire gutted a portion of the lower floor of the building that was built as the Powell River Company’s Powell Stores and later housed other businesses.
Through their investigations Powell River RCMP officers received a description of a man seen standing across the street, outside the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers’ Union hall, during the time of the fire. Police believe the man may be a witness.
The male is believed to be in his late 40s or 50s, approximately five feet nine inches or five feet 10 inches tall, with reddish-brown hair, balding and with a pockmarked and unshaven face. He was seen wearing a black jacket, grey pants and a fedora hat.
The fire is the fourth suspicious fire in Powell River in as many months. In September 2011 a small shed burned down next to a business on the 7000 block of Duncan Street. In October a fire gutted a vacant building owned by School District 47 on the former site of Max Cameron Secondary School on Joyce Avenue. In November the old clubhouse on the former golf course in Townsite went up in flames.
Police said there is no evidence linking the four fires but they are all still under investigation.
Police are requesting the public’s assistance in identifying this individual and ask that anyone who saw him, or has any further information about this incident, please contact Powell River RCMP at 604.485.6255 or CrimeStoppers at 1.800.222.8477 (TIPS).
Proponent proposes pedicabs
A Powell River resident is proposing to operate pedicabs on a number of streets within the community.
Leslie Schramm, owner of Cultural Calories Pedicab Company, has received a business licence from the City of Powell River. He is proposing to lease out pedicabs to individuals who would operate them on a variety of city streets, as well as on the Willingdon Beach trail and the seawalk. “These places are generally aligned with places for tourists to shop, galleries to visit, greenery and local food culture to be inspired by,” he said during a presentation to city council during a recent committee-of-the-whole meeting.
Of the proposed routes, only Marine Avenue, which is a provincial highway, has been opposed, by the ministry of transportation and infrastructure. Schramm said he doesn’t think Marine is dangerous. “A pedicab operates in places like Vancouver, where the density of traffic is exponentially greater than what it is here,” he said. “These pedicabs still help to alleviate and complement the burdens on public transport and automobiles.”
If anything, pedicabs will help reduce congestion on Marine Avenue, Schramm said. “It’s absolutely safe and able to get out of the way. It’s not a Flintstone’s car. It pivots, it turns on a dime, so it’s extremely safe and manoeuvrable in really any kind of traffic situation.”
His company will create jobs, Schramm also said. “Seasonal work in pedicab leasing gives people an employment option in hard times, while enriching their confidence and public relations with local businesses, artists, attractions and history, both past and present,” he said. “This, in turn, enhances my employees’ ability to maintain dialogue with their community in a way that educates them, exercises them and equates them with their previously unforeseen potential as tour guides and promotional agents.”
Stan Westby, the city’s chief administrative officer, explained to council that staff had asked Schramm to make a presentation because it was a “somewhat different business. This isn’t normal process for business licences, but we didn’t want to surprise council with pedicabs in our community.”
Carlos Felip, manager of development services, said staff are in agreement with the proposed business and wish Schramm luck with his business. “Hopefully it will be something new in the city to encourage tourism,” he said.
Mayor Dave Formosa declared a conflict of interest, because he owns a taxi company, and left council chambers during the presentation.
