Store décor
Winners have been announced for the 2011 Sea Fair business decorating contest. This year’s theme was “Seaside Extravaganza” and once again, many local businesses and organizations took part by creating displays in their windows, offices and retail locations.
“I would personally like to thank all the entrants for their hard work and dedication in putting up these displays every year,” said contest organizer Bonnie Krakalovich.
Judges awarded prizes in three categories. Best window went to Alpha Adventures-Outdoor Adventure Store, best small business went to Career Link and best large business was awarded to Olive Devaud Residence.
“I...extend my congratulations not only to the winners but to everyone that participated,” said Krakalovich. “Contestants have outdone themselves with very imaginative displays.”
Krakalovich encouraged residents to take a look at this year’s participating displays. “I hope that everyone will take time to stroll by some of the displays and admire the works of art.” Displays will remain through Sea Fair weekend and into next week.
Hogweed
Reports of giant hogweed plants growing in private yards are a reminder that residents need to be careful when dealing with the potentially dangerous invasive species.
Giant hogweed is a perennial plant that can grow three to five metres tall and can produce a seed head of up to a metre in diameter. The plant’s sap is phototoxic and can cause burns, blisters and possible scarring if it comes in contact with skin and then sunlight.
The ministry of forests, lands and natural resource operations works seasonally toward controlling the spread of the plant and removing known patches. The ministry is unable to deal with hogweed on private land, however, and asks that landowners deal with the plant on their own while keeping safety in mind.
Giant hogweed can be identified by a green stem with purplish-red spots and large, lush leaves with jagged edges and stiff hairs on the underside. The seed head produces white flowers and large, oval clusters.
The first method to dealing with the plant is to remove the seed head, bag it and throw it out with household garbage, which will prevent the seeds from spreading. The other method is to use a herbicide glyphosate. Cutting the plant down is not recommended due to possible harm through contact and because of the possibility of spreading seeds.
For more information on giant hogweed, interested readers can contact Blake Fougere, stewardship officer, at the ministry at 604.485.0728.
Council splits
By the narrowest of margins, City of Powell River council voted to keep the Westview waterfront project committee operating.
Council debated whether to disband the committee at a special council meeting held recently. The issue had been discussed last March at a committee-of-the-whole meeting and councillors decided at that time to refer the issue to the city’s strategic planning session. From there, it was referred to the special council meeting.
The Westview waterfront project committee is a select committee formed in September 2007 to assist the city with planning for projects on specific properties. Initially the projects were the north harbour reconfiguration, south harbour expansion, development of the Wharf at Westview, incorporating the former barge facility into the south harbour and linking the seawalk to the Wharf at Westview.
In 2009, the following properties were added to the committee’s terms of reference: Westview wastewater treatment plant; old arena site, on the corner of Marine Avenue and Abbotsford Street; vacant lot at the corner of Alberni Street and Marine Avenue; lower Millennium Park; and property across from Willingdon Beach Park.
According to a staff report by Stan Westby, chief administrative officer, dated March 17, 2011, the committee has fulfilled its responsibilities. He recommended council disband the committee. “As the waterfront projects have progressed from the design stage to the construction stage, the committee’s agendas have become primarily informative,” he wrote. “This was not the purpose of the committee and is time-consuming and costly.”
At the special council meeting, Councillor Dave Formosa made a motion to dissolve the committee, but have it reconstructed through PRREDS (Powell River Regional Economic Development Society). “We set up PRREDS as an economic development arm and the waterfront committee is looking at economic development issues of our waterfront,” Formosa said. “It seems like a duplication.”
Councillor Maggie Hathaway, who sits on the committee, argued in favour of keeping it. “I think probably we have too much staff participation and we could reduce that to one recorder,” she said. “We changed our terms of reference to encompass a larger area of development and I would like to see the committee continue as it is constituted at the moment.”
Councillor Chris McNaughton, the chair of the committee, noted that at one time PRREDS was frustrated to the point where it dissolved its waterfront committee and agreed to send some of the committee members to the city’s committee. He pointed out there were a number of issues the city’s committee still needed to deal with, for example the former barge facility. “We have a lot of work to do,” he said. “I think we can make referrals to PRREDS as necessary, but that would be a council responsibility.”
Councillor Debbie Dee said the city gives PRREDS “a good, serious amount of money. If this is economic development and if they had a waterfront committee doing economic development that they couldn’t handle, then maybe we need to rethink what we’re doing, as far as giving money to PRREDS.”
While he knows the committee is important to the chair, Mayor Stewart Alsgard said a number of meetings have been cancelled for a variety of reasons. “The issue of staff time has been brought to me by senior staff as well,” he said. “I really feel that this is the best opportunity to support the motion as it reads and get it back into that context [PRREDS].”
When the vote was taken, the motion was defeated by one vote. McNaughton, Hathaway and councillors Aaron Pinch and Jim Palm voted in opposition, while Alsgard, Dee and Formosa voted in favour of it.
