Every year the Peak asks representatives of the community for their thoughts on the new year.
City of Powell River
Time to work together
We live in and respect the traditional territory of the Tla’Amin (Sliammon) First Nation. We foster relationships with Tla’Amin as well as with Powell River Regional District, School District 47 and Vancouver Island University, our independent school system and the many committee groups—the heart and soul of our region.
As your new mayor, I wish to acknowledge the many years of service to our community by Stewart Alsgard not only in his capacity of our longest standing mayor, but for his many years of devotion to the chamber of commerce movement within BC and Powell River, the BC Coroners Service, sea cadets—the cadet movement in general, and his many years of service to our country in the Canadian Navy.
To all the citizens and elders in our city and greater community, we appreciate your current and past service to us all. You deserve our respect and thanks for your contributions to the ongoing building of our society and neighbourhoods.
City staff: thank you for all your hard work throughout the year. It is a big job to keep all the services running for the citizens of Powell River in all the many conditions you may encounter given your specific posts. We all appreciate you. I and the new council look forward to working together with you to bring about positive change, prosperity and hope to our great and beautiful community.
Though we live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, we must not forget that we are isolated and reliant on others for our basic needs. We need to work together to build a successful, prosperous and safe community. The citizens of Powell River know how to come together to make things happen. More than ever, we need each other to work collectively to build our economy in these difficult economic times and to take the time individually as well as together to be prepared for the future.
Again, to all the citizens of our beautiful city, I take great pleasure in acknowledging you all and would like to extend a happy, healthy New Year from my family to yours.
David J Formosa, Mayor
Powell River Regional District Board
Completion of projects started
Powell River Regional District is not planning any new significant projects for 2012. We need to complete a number of capital items as well as develop programs we started in 2011.
Capital items to be commenced will be the Northside Volunteer Fire Department fire hall and the complex care facility to replace Olive Devaud residence. The cemeteries at Cranberry and Woodlands on Texada Island will see improvements and significant changes. Cranberry has to be expanded and Woodlands needs further upgrading.
In order to reduce the amount of solid waste we produce in the area we will see a composting advisory committee make recommendations to the board this year. Food waste is still a large component of our garbage and any answers for reduction will be welcome. Our new parks and greenspace advisory committee is about to be activated and it will also be making recommendations on implementing the 2011 plan.
2012 will see a regional emergency management plan started as City of Powell River has joined with the regional areas to ensure we approach any disasters on a region-wide basis.
As far as planning is concerned we hope to finish work on official community plans (OCP) for Areas B and C and start the OCP process for Area A. We will also be interested in the census numbers when they are published in March.
If the people of Tla’Amin (Sliammon) First Nation ratify their treaty in 2012, the board expects this will occupy our time with various agreements for servicing. We also hope to develop a communications agreement with the Klahoose First Nation.
On behalf of the seven directors of the regional board and our staff, I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year in all parts of our wonderful region.
Colin S. Palmer
Chair
West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country
To serve and protect
Happy 2012 to you. It is with enthusiasm and gratitude that I greet this brand new year. The enthusiasm springs from a love for new challenges, for meaningful service, and from a recognition of great possibilities for the people of Powell River. The gratitude is grounded in the deep understanding that election to service is a lending of trust; I am honoured to represent you and to work alongside you as we each contribute to the ongoing success of our community and our country.
You are well aware of the recent accomplishments in Powell River and just how much there is to celebrate. Certainly one of the highlights for me was attending the opening of the south harbour and the wharfinger building in October, a project representing the perseverance and hard work of countless community leaders and volunteers as they brought a dream to fruition. Together we’ve marked the opening of the new Vancouver Island University trades facility, as well as seen welcome additions to the recreational infrastructure of the city with the construction of an athletic track and sports field.
Together, we’ve kept our eyes focused on sustained economic recovery, service and infrastructure upgrades, fisheries, health and well-being, encouraging trade and commerce with the Pacific Rim, and protecting the environment. I have promised to be your voice on Parliament Hill, and please know that you are being heard every time I write a letter, meet with a cabinet minister, or stand in the House of Commons to speak.
All achievements reflect the passion and abilities of elected leaders and appointed public officials in Powell River who make countless personal sacrifices for the community they love and serve. I appreciate every member of the team that makes it all possible—mayor and councillors, Powell River Regional District directors, first nations leaders, business and community representatives and tireless volunteers.
Thank you for your support, for being forthright in your opinions and for keeping me on track. We may not always agree on policy, however we all want to see Powell River grow and prosper. Together, we will make 2012 a year of good health and safety, success and stability.
John Weston
Member of Parliament
Powell River - Sunshine Coast
Hopes for the future and milestones met
Happy New Year to residents, family and friends of the Sunshine Coast, from the islands to the inlets of the Salish Sea.
It has been a busy year in both constituency offices, trying our best to provide assistance to hundreds of people who come seeking help. I would like to thank Kim and Maggie, my constituency assistants who do their best to keep me organized.
This year was a milestone for Sechelt First Nation which celebrated 25 years of self-government. It was also a big year for Tla’Amin (Sliammon) First Nation which initialled a treaty for ratification. I hold my hands up to the chiefs of all nations in the constituency.
I congratulate all new and re-elected members of our regional and municipal governments, the Islands Trust and school board trustees. I would also like to acknowledge and thank each one of their predecessors.
My hopes for the new year include relief from skyrocketing ferry fares, a better way to test senior drivers, expansion of local training and educational opportunities to meet looming skills shortage and jobs related to federal shipbuilding projects. I hope that policies will ensure we have a good, sustainable forest industry, that people with developmental disabilities can live full lives and that our water is protected for fish and drinking.
I continue to meet new residents who have chosen the Sunshine Coast as a place to raise their children and to start their businesses. We are a dynamic community with well-known creativity in the arts and business, innovation in social services and economic development and hope for the future.
The beauty of the land and the people make our home an attractive place to live. We will continue to grow and welcome newcomers to our unique coastal and island communities.
Nicholas Simons
Member of the Legislative Assembly
Powell River Chamber of Commerce
Meaningful jobs lead to prosperity
One of the most important things I feel for the prosperity of the community is the creation of economic development and diversity. As a chamber, our philosophy is “let’s help create new meaningful jobs and tax diversification.” All directors of the board are very active and dedicated to working with me as president on this initiative.
As a past director on the board for the last four years and now leading as president, I can assure you we will continue to work on many initiatives already begun, such as community beautification and bylaw enforcement. Our aim is to beautify our city.
One of our objectives has been to heighten our visibility with other groups in the community. Our message is simple: we want to be part of the planning process, not just be the group that gives support and benefits to business. We will continue to make this a priority, so that our members have a voice in the future of their community.
The chamber is a non-profit organization led by a board of volunteer business people dedicated to the economic vitality of its members. The businesses and organizations that see fit to join the chamber are the very best providers of goods and services available in Powell River and area.
I urge you to utilize chamber members, knowing you can count on the high quality of their products and services. Chamber member decals can be found on business windows and doors. Our membership directory can be found at www.powellriverchamber.com.
Our chamber is proud to continue making contributions to our community, working together with businesses, service organizations, residents and local government to shape our community’s future. If your business is not part of this vital organization, I urge you to join. Your investment will help make our collective voice stronger and help ensure a quality community for all.
In closing, I want to wish all our members a happy New Year. I would like to thank our past president, Dave Formosa, for the energy and direction he has shown, and wish him well in his new role as mayor. As well, I thank Kim Miller, chamber manager, for her tireless dedication to both our chamber and the community. Finally, last but not least, I wish to thank my fellow directors for their time and dedication to our chamber business and the community as a whole.
Jack Barr
President
Powell River Board of Education
Students take the lead
This year, in addition to the many curricular activities which inspire and transform our students, and those extracurricular activities which promote healthy living and positive interpersonal relationships, there have been significant opportunities for students in this school district to demonstrate that they are also concerned and committed citizens.
In April, students who contributed to the Peace Poetry project presented an evening’s entertainment at Max Cameron Theatre. In May, students at Brooks Secondary School challenged the community to commit 10,000 acts of compassion. More recently, Grief Point Elementary School students participated in the We Day of silence; students at Edgehill Elementary and Kelly Creek Community schools created greeting cards for children in Japan; and both secondary and elementary students have raised money to support the local food bank.
With initiatives such as Farm to School lunches and eco-immersion at James Thomson Elementary School, Facebook pages for the Edgehill and Grief Point communities, the iPad project at Kelly Creek, programs such as Coast Mountain Academy, summer ESL Eco-Adventure and Leadership Ecology Adventure, as well as the creation of the wilderness camp at Haywire Bay, the environmental project at Lang Creek, the building of school gardens and the on-going success of Mountain Ash Preserves, our students are clearly learning what it means to live in and to contribute to a sustainable, global community.
On behalf of my fellow trustees—Steve Formosa, Mary James, Aaron Reid and Doug Skinner—I wish everyone a joy-filled New Year.
Jeanette Scott
Chair
