ERIKSDALE LOCATIONS • Grocery • Hardware ARBORG LOCATIONS • Food Store • Gas Bar • Card Lock BULK PETROLEUM 204-376-5201 or 204-376-5245 VOLUME 4 EDITION 7 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017 SERVING LUNDAR, ASHERN, ERIKSDALE, MOOSEHORN, FISHER BRANCH, RIVERTON, ARBORG, GIMLI, WINNIPEG BEACH, ARNES, MELEB, FRASERWOOD EXPRESS PHOTO BY PATRICIA BARRETT Students at Winnipeg Beach School downed tools last Wednesday and took up the cudgels of literacy in honour of I Love to Read month. Camp Read A Lot kids in Room 7 threw some logs on the fi re and settled in for a good afternoon’s read. Pictured, left to right, Asher, Kailyn and Mya. news > sports > opinion > community > people > entertainment > events > classifi eds > careers > everything you need to know Pick up your seed starter sets today at Gimli Rona. We have everything you need to make your BUILDING CENTRE GIMLI growing season www.rona.ca a success. 1-877-770-7662 HOURS: OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK MON-SAT 9 am - 6 pm • SUN 12 - 4 pm 2 The Express Weekly News Thursday, February 16, 2017 Gimli council votes in favour of snowmobiles on Goldfi eld Dr. By Patricia Barrett “Goldfi eld years ago used to be a Gimli councillors voted four to one snowmobile route,” said Chudd, who in favour of permitting snowmobiles helps run a family-owned dealership to drive through a residential neigh- in town that sells snowmobiles and bourhood close to the central busi- other vehicles. “There were no issues ness district despite strong objections back then. If this goes through, there from multiple homeowners. will be very few to no issues now.” Bylaw No. 17-0001 authorizes snow- Chudd said allowing snowmobiles mobiles to use the road or its shoulder to drive on the two streets will sup- on Goldfi eld Drive and Second Ave- port Gimli’s economy in the winter nue between 7:01 a.m. and 10:59 p.m. when business “drops off drastically” for fi ve and a half months of the year and will make it easier for snowmo- (Nov. 1 to April 15). Sleds are allowed bilers to get into town. to travel up to 50 km/h. “This is being done to bring more The RM had attached to its Feb. 8 tourist dollars in from outside the agenda six letters from residents op- community,” said Chudd. “That’s good posed to the bylaw and heard from for the businesses that do, by the way, a spokesperson representing 32 resi- pay taxes.” dents who “just don’t want it.” He dismissed residents’ concerns Spokesperson Mike Gielas, whose about safety, noise pollution, lack of EXPRESS PHOTOS BY PATRICIA BARRETT home abuts Goldfi eld Drive, said enforcement and sled emissions. Three days after a majority of Gimli councillors passed a bylaw allow- people are concerned about pedestri- “Emissions is not an issue,” said ing snowmobiles to use the road or its shoulder on Goldfi eld Drive, a an (including middle school students) Chudd. “We probably have more is- snowmobile left a discernible track on the boulevard where they’re safety and a lack of RCMP enforce- sue with possible oil leaks from Mer- prohibited. ment. cedes-Benzes out on the lake over the “We know [about] and are frustrated last few weeks. Nobody complained by the lack of enforcement now, and about that.” we feel it will be the same in the fu- Chudd suggested residents’ claims ture,” said Gielas. “The speed of ve- about snowmobiles driving on side- hicles — constantly over the speed walks may be a tall tale because he limit. Sidewalk use still happens and himself hadn’t heard any complaints. boulevard [use] still happens.” “I haven’t seen any proof of it,” he Gielas also said the noise of snow- said. “Having said that, I haven’t mobiles disturbs residents at all looked for proof of it. I haven’t heard hours. of any complaints. Snowmobilers “We’re not mobile; we can’t leave tend to follow the trails that have been the area,” he said. “We don’t have any provided to them.” choice.” Mayor Randy Woroniuk permitted Goldfi eld Drive has one stop sign questions from residents — with a between Seventh (Highway 9) and proviso they not ask any question that This town-owned parking lot, which snowmobilers can now access via First Avenue. It has homes bordering had already been asked or answered. two residential streets, is two blocks from the Lakeview Resort. it on both sides right down to Third As to residents’ concerns that the Avenue, where a daycare is situated. routes will not be monitored for in- Mike Chudd, vice-president of In- fractions, Chudd said the RCMP had terlake Snow Trackers, an organiza- provided him with a letter of support, chooses to keep anonymous, begged The mayor told residents this is “only tion that grooms trails and which had and that, furthermore, they’ll be able to differ. a trial period.” petitioned the RM for the two routes, to enforce the routes now that a bylaw “It [Goldfi eld] already has extreme There is no clause within or appen- attended the meeting to rebut letters is in place. noise pollution. I have small children dix to the bylaw stating that the routes written by residents and fi eld objec- “Yes, you do have a few bad eggs out at home,” she said. “I have an autistic are subject to a trial period. tions from about 15 of them. there,” he said. “You’re never going to child who’s very sensitive to smell change that. But if you make things and noise and a four-year-old as well. more structured, it gives them [snow- My bedroom is right on the [street]. It Arborg Ag Society mobilers] less wiggle room. With less does affect my quality, and I think it wiggle room, it gives the RCMP a bet- affects all the people’s quality of life Fundraiser Social that have to live there.” Correction ter a chance to enforce the laws that Saturday March 4 are in place.” The resident said she has video of In the Feb. 2 edition of the Ex- 8:00 pm -1:00 am Resident Ingrid Roed asked coun- sleds breaking the law and convoys press Weekly News, we published Live Band: cil what value it places on residents’ travelling down the street. the article “Eriksdale Winter Car- Greg Arcade & Wildfi re Band quality of life versus the “entertain- “Five, 10, 15 at a time — this isn’t nival packs in the activities” and Silver Community Centrea ment of people who may or may not one little snowmobile going by your reported that the cost for a week- Late night PEROGIE BAR! be residents.” house.” end pass was $40. Silent Auction & 50/50 ! The mayor said he lives by a snow- The mayor said that up to this point However, in light of information mobile trail, hears them all weekend in time, there have been no com- that came to us after the inter- and is woken up at midnight “a lot of plaints from residents. view, the cost is actually only $30 times” by sleds travelling at full tilt. The mayor, Deputy Mayor Peter for a weekend pass. “My quality of life is still great. ... I Peiluck, Coun. Richard Petrowski and The Express apologizes for any don’t see the impact on the quality of Coun. Thora Palson approved second confusion this may have caused. life.” and third reading of the bylaw. Coun. $15 Another resident, whom the Express Danny Luprypa voted against both. The Express Weekly News Thursday, February 16, 2017 3 Camp Read A Lot at Winnipeg Beach School sizzles By Patricia Barrett and grab a straw to spritz it on. Then Students at Winnipeg Beach School you put Mod Podge on it and let it dry downed tools last Wednesday and overnight.” took up the cudgels of literacy in hon- Maddie, who’s in Grade 2, took part our of I Love to Read month. in the Fairy and Gnome home-build- Dressed in shorts, T-shirts, hats and ing project to ensure the diminutive sunglasses, students turned their beings were made as comfortable as school into a summer camp dedicated possible on move-in day. to the written, spoken and pictorial “I made a table, a chair, a garden and word. a pool,” she said. Representatives from kindergarten Maddie then read a letter the stu- to Grade 7 held a press conference dents received from Uncle Wilbur, in the principal’s offi ce to discuss the a kind old soul who wraps books in merits of their school-turned-camp. parcel paper and has them delivered “We have this theme for our school,” to each classroom. said Jada, grades 3-4 spokesperson. “It “Dear Campers, It’s Uncle Wilbur [is] Camp Read A Lot, and we [are] here. I’ve been thinking of you little dressing up for a couple of the days. rascals lately, so I thought I’d write ya And this one is a very, very hot day.” a letter,” she said, delivering the words Kindergarten students in Room 7 as though they were the notes of a took things to the extreme, pitching a song, using pitch changes, pauses and tent and building a blazing campfi re emphasis. “How’s camping going? I before settling in with a mountain of sure did enjoy my days in camp when books for a sizzling hot day of read- I was a little fella like yourselves. Of ing fun. course, way back then our camp days Students get each day underway by were spent outdoors and with books, singing a camp song such as Sally the not with — what do you call them Camel and Baby Bumble Bee, said things? — the eyeglads [iPads]?” Jada, before they break into groups.