$ 25 BEN’S HEART (incl. GST) ON STAGE TENOR HEPPNER CHARMS AUDIENCE 1 GISS THEATRE PAGE 17 Wednesday, STUDENTS DELIVER January 24, 2007 PAGE 13 47TH YEAR ISSUE 4 GULF ISLANDS DriftwoodYOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1960 Baby Album | 40 Who’s Who Reader Contest1st | 24 Baby of 2007 Lighten | 30 Up for• Baby2007 |Album 30 | 40 [email protected] www.gulfislands.net Trustees pledge fi re hall referendum Index Public opposition halts “It really doesn’t help the against the process during a the decision to Salt Spring the letter reads. “While we Arts ............................ 13 counter petition fi re department, trustees or SSIFPD public meeting. Island voters. were following the Ministry volunteers to have people Speakers cited concerns In a letter submitted to [of Community Services] Classifieds ................. 34 By SEAN MCINTYRE upset with the process,” said about the safety of neigh- the Driftwood by Wyatt on guidelines as an improve- Editorials .......................8 Driftwood Staff Mark Wyatt, an SSIFPD bours living near the pro- behalf of the SSIFPD, trust- ment district in initiating Health ......................... 33 –––––––––––– trustee, on Monday. “This is posed site, a potential $5- ees said construction of a fi re this process, in fairness to Horoscope .................. 37 Sirens of public alarm something that could present million price tag and a lack hall can only be supported if the community, we need to the entire department with a of community dialogue. the majority of island resi- take the time to complete the Letters ......................... 9 have convinced Salt Spring Island Fire Protection Dis- big problem.” Wyatt and SSIFPD chair dents are behind it. plan and initiate an informed Sports ......................... 31 trict (SSIFPD) trustees to Fire trustees voted unani- Ted Hinds said the district “On behalf of the trust- public discussion.” TV Listings ................. 15 halt the counter-petition pro- mously to restart the public will gather a fi re hall design ees, I would like to apolo- Under the revised process, process at a private meet- plan, budget, traffi c impact gize to the community for the $1.1-million offer will What’s On.................. 26 cess on the Ganges fi re hall proposal and hold a referen- ing last Thursday, three days study and other relevant prematurely initiating the dum instead. after 11 people spoke out information before leaving counter-petition process,” REFERENDUM 2 -/24'!'%15%34)/.3 ASK!RLENE ",/ *"/ Weather Things might dry out a bit with sun and clouds forecast today (Wednesday) and Friday, and sunshine all weekend. Highs to 7 C; overnight lows to 2 C. Inserts • Thrifty Foods • Ganges Village Market ON THE LAKE: Enjoying a brisk row on St. Mary Lake last week are, from left: Karen Hosie, Susan Grace, Jill Thomas and Jane Wither- North End Fitness spoon. The four are practising twice a week for a competition at Elk Lake coming up in February. Photo by Derrick Lundy 537-5217 Pillar problem is plaguing Lefebvre posts Rainbow pool construction bail at $5 million The Rainbow Road pool receiving an engineers’ last projected pool opening has experienced its first report on the matter. date of April 30, 2007. By SEAN MCINTYRE major construction glitch. “It has to be stressed that In a January 10 Drift- Driftwood Staff 25 years of buying Peter Lake, the Parks and this is not a question of wood Viewpoint piece, Lake Salt Spring Island resident Geoff Savage is stick- and selling property Recreation Commission structural integrity,” he said. reported that as of the end ing up for his close personal friend following John on Salt Spring. (PARC) member chairing “The structure is designed of November 2006, some Lefebvre’s arrest in California last Friday. the pool construction com- to national building code $3,186,121 had been spent “I’ve known John for a long time, he’s done a lot of Gil mittee, said that “without standard with a substantial on construction, servicing good work and I hope all that can continue,” Savage Mouat getting into a lot of technical safety margin. The struc- and other soft costs, which told the Driftwood Monday. “He’s done all sorts of 537-4900 detail of the possible causes, ture has been made and is about 5.5 per cent over good work from the Four Great Rivers in Tibet to Salt www.gilmouat.com the result is a slight defl ec- erected according to plan. budget. Spring and back.” tion in a couple of the [con- The consulting engineers However, he said, some of Lefebvre, 55, is scheduled to appear in a Manhattan crete] columns.” are working on the situa- the extra expenses came as courtroom today (Wednesday) where a federal court Lake said the unex- tion and remedial measures a result of upgrades chosen judge will review his bail conditions. A preliminary pected situation would no will be taken in due course. after the budget was set. hearing is set for New York next month. doubt “give rise to alarm- This will of course occa- The commission next The part-time Salt Spring Island resident was ist rumours,” which is why sion some delay and extra meets as a whole on Mon- PARC agreed to provide expense.” day, January 29 at 7 p.m. in LEFEBVRE BAIL 3 the preliminary facts before PARC will be revising its the Portlock Park portable. GANGES See Our New 10% off Tuesdays Party Section! (some restrictions apply) ILLAGE ARKET V M • party favours • theme plates • cutlery • printed balloons LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED • helium balloons • piñata’s OPEN DAILY 8am - 9pm 2 ▲ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2007 NEWSBEAT GULF ISLANDS DRIFTWOOD 77%347).$$ Skeena: same RAD as Gabriola ferry , 7"" Ê ° By STACY the “two stern right-angle to the TSBC indicated that media advisory announced CARDIGAN SMITH drive units rotated away since 2002 there have been the company was commit- #USTOM&LOORING Driftwood Staff from their normal ‘pushing several instances of erratic ted to installing audio-video 3PECIALIZINGINCUSTOM7IDE0LANK #LEAR$OUGLAS&IR One of the ferries serving in’ position. This resulted RAD behaviour caused by alarms on all nine vessels Salt Spring Island is outfi t- in the ferry breaking one of component failure.” equipped with RAD units. s"RANDNAMEmOORINGAVAILABLE ted with the same equip- its mooring chains and rap- One such incident took Marshall said company s/VER(ARDWOOD3OFTWOODSPECIESINSTOCK ment that malfunctioned two idly backing away from the place in 2002 while the engineers are currently work- weeks ago, causing a 3/4- berth.” Bowen Queen was discharg- ing with the manufacturer of £nääÈÈÇÓÓÇx ton truck to plunge into the xÊÊ£ä£nÊV >`Ê*>ÀÊ,>`]Ê-`iÞ]Ê The Skeena Queen, which ing vehicles at Gabriola the warning alarms but she water at Nanaimo Harbour. runs between Fulford Har- Island. did not know which ships According to fi ndings by bour and Swartz Bay, is also The Bowen Queen is cur- would receive the upgrades the Transportation Safety outfitted with RAD units, rently used as a relief vessel, fi rst. +POJTMPDBM*OWFTUNFOU Board of Canada (TSBC), a said B.C. Ferries’ director fi lling in for boats when they A second letter from "EWJTPSZ4FSWJDFIBT problem with the right-angle of media relations Deborah undergo refits, said Mar- Myers, dated January 18, BOFNQIBTJTPOUIF drive (RAD) units caused Marshall. shall. The vessel will fi ll in stated a visual examina- IJHIFTURVBMJUZ the incident involving the RADs are used to steer for the Skeena Queen next tion of the “wires, chains QSPGFTTJPOBMBEWJDF MV Quinsam. and propel the boat. A boat month. and securing arrangements” The truck was the final may have two or four RADs, Myers also wrote other used for mooring the Quin- BOETFSWJDFBMPOHXJUI vehicle being loaded onto depending on the vessel. vessels with RADs “have sam at the time of the acci- JOUFHSBUFEXFBMUI the Quinsam before the ves- Each RAD can turn 360 a similar history of erratic dent found that these means NBOBHFNFOU sel made its way to Gabri- degrees and is independently behaviour,” but did not spec- do not appear “suffi ciently ola Island for the 6:55 p.m powered by a diesel engine. ify which vessels she was robust to hold the vessel in sailing on January 9. As the They can only be controlled referring to or when the inci- dock.” B.C. Ferries person- 1SPUFDUJOH vehicle pulled forward onto from the wheelhouse or the dents occurred. nel stated they also agree BOEHSPXJOH the loading ramp at 6:57 engine room. Marshall was unaware of with this recommendation. p.m., the ramp fell. According to Myers’ the specifi c incidents Myers’ In addition, B.C. Ferries ZPVSXFBMUI Although the single pas- report, information indicated report referred to, but said released a 70-page safety senger was able to pull the RADs may have rotated B.C. Ferries’ engineers are review by former B.C. audi- himself to safety, the truck as a result of the malfunction currently working with tor general George L. Mor- slipped into the water. of the electronic or mechani- the TSBC to prepare a log fi tt on Monday. The report In a January 16 letter to cal components of the steer- detailing the history of RAD makes 41 recommendations B.C. Ferries president and ing control system or “the units on vessels in the fl eet. to enhance ferry system CEO David Hahn, TSBC inadvertent rotation of the Marshall said the report safety, but concluded “over- .FFU+POJ(BOEFSUPO director of marine investiga- RAD control joystick.” should be ready sometime all, the company is operating tion Yvette Myers wrote the Myers went on to write this week. a safe coastal ferry transpor- ,°ÊÊ>`iÀÌÊ Ê * ÛiÃÌiÌÊ`ÛÃÀÊ>`Ê>V>Ê*>iÀ accident was caused when that “information available Last week a B.C.