The Chilliwack Progress from Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada • Page 1

Aire teachers bead BCTF Board ponders cost of 60-bed facility moderates Chilliwack "it is generally true that authority is applied in a loving and reasonable way. "Talk about revolution makes great speeches, but it does not change much," he said. Mr. Steinson suggested Chilliwack delegates were concerned that the federation president acted "unilaterally" to decline to invite a British Columbia School Trustees' Association representative to bring greetings to the meeting. That action represented to many delegates the sort of "confrontation" tactics Mr.

MacFarlan has used throughout his term of office, Mr. Steinson suggested. Mr. Guenther expressed similar views on the "repression" statements. "Certainly there needs to be greater opportunity given to children who are culturally (Continued on Page 7) in keeping with that espoused by most Chilliwack delegates, Mr.

Guenther said. He indicated Mrs. Dailly had described "the struggle for control of education" in British Columbia. "She made it clear she believes some are eager to take educational leadership from elected officials," he stated. Mr.

Guenther said the first part of Mr. MacFarlan's retirement speech had consisted of a fair amount of "Marxist" terminology. During his speech Monday, Mr. MacFarlan had described the school system as "one of the most successful forms for the repression of whole sections of society." Asked to comment on that statement from the Chilliwack perspective, Mr. Steinson suggested that in any classroom a higher authority is applied and that in Chilliwack delegates to this week's British Columbia Teachers' Association annual general meeting appear not to be particularly enthralled by the "radical" stance enunciated Monday by outgoing federation president Jim MacFarlan.

In a telephone interview with The Progress, delegates Victor Guenther and Doug Steinson both stressed that Chilliwack delegates are doing what they can this week to help get more "moderates" on the federation executive. Mr. Guenther, chairman of the eight-strong Chilliwack delegation, said the outgoing president had confirmed Monday that he believes in a revolutionary approach to education. Education Minister Eileen Dailly on the other hand had expressed a "moderate but firm" stance, much more in Hawaii was constructed at a cost of $45,000 per bed and wondered why a 60-bed intermediate care facility is likely to cost more than per bed. "I just wonder if there's not a more economical way to go about it." Aid.

Eric Butcher, hospital board chairman, assured Mr. Branson that the building committee will look into all possible methods of constructing the facility at a lower cost. Board member J. M. Maclachlan cautioned, however, "we have to follow certain requirements if we build on hospital grounds and there is nothing we can do about it." Wat (OMltttmrk Inwras COPY 32 PAGES EIGHTY-FOURTH YEAR, No.

50 THE CHILLIWACK PROGRESS, Wednesday, April 2, 1975 PER Work to start this summer? ml mmmilm few q7sfl tw Dcafl' Chilliwack General Hospital's board of directors will be looking for the most inexpensive way of constructing a new 60-bed intermediate care facility, but the final cost figure could still be in the $2 million to $3 million range. Board members discussed that possibility on Thursday after trustee T. L. C. Branson suggested, "it is important that we do something to break away from the cut and dried methods that architects lead us into." Mr.

Branson, lamenting the high cost of hospital construction, noted, "institutional architects worry me they design buildings as if money is no problem." He noted that a luxury hotel a major project, he added. Material must be brought in from outside the district and a great deal of fill will be needed to acquire a gentle enough grade for the trains. One of the first projects will be to build a "diversional track" to accommodate trains during the construction period. The highways spokesman indicated a temporary level crossing will be installed near the present line and will be fully equipped with electronic warning devices. The diversional track is included in the grading contract.

Once work under the first contract is complete, tenders will likely be called for the bridge contract, which will include the seems to be a use that is largely compatible with the reserve, he said, but the commission has no jurisdiction over the department in any case. He suggested the HND's nntirp nf thp nlan tr thp commission was largely a matter of courtesy on the part of the department. David Way, director of Fraser- (Continued on Page 12) XALirflt'c SncirJo VVIIUI IliaiUC Section A Editorials 4 Obituaries 6 Sports 12-15 Section Women's news 2-3 Video farmer 5 Religion 6 First steps towards the elimination of the B.C. Hydro Railway level crossing on Highway 1 could be taken this summer. Tenders for the grading contract are expected to be called within the next couple of months.

A department' of highways spokesman in Victoria said negotiations are being conducted with property owners along the railway line right-of-way. The proposed grade-separated crossing would allow trains to pass over top of the highway. The right-of-way must be widened considerably, he said, because of the length of the approaches to the crossing. The grading contract is itself Columbia Valley Half land plan, petition urges now enjoying a short break from classes the school year begins. before the final stretch of Photo by Tony Sevcik SKIPPING INTO SPRING These youngsters took full advantage of the warm weather and sunny skies that have brought a touch of spring to the district.

School children and their teachers are fff(b manufacture and placement of beams for the crossing. The grading project is expected to take about six months to complete with another 10 to 12 months before work on the bridge begins. The fill must completely settle before any construction can start. Extra fill will be preloaded to help reduce the settling time. The spokesman said it is conceivable the grade-separated crossing will be completed by late 1976, if everything goes according to plan.

There are a number of factors involved, he said, not the least of which is the weather. A department of highways engineering study was apparently conducted to determine the most feasible way of eliminating the level crossing, which has been the site of several accidents. Soil conditions and drainage problems in that area were likely the major factors involved in the department's decision to raise the tracks over, top of the highway rather than raising the highway over the railway line. Fred Bryant for CPRC? Subject to township and city council approval, Fred Bryant is ne new Chilliwack and District Agricultural Society represen- tative on the Civic Properties and Recreation commission. Mr.

Bryant was picked by society directors, Thursday, to replace Neill MacGregor who resigned suddenly from the CPRC and its chairmanship two weeks ago. For Mr. Bryant, who is currently president of the socie ty, the posting represents a return to CPRC work. He was on the commission for several years, serving part of that time as chairman. Mr.

Matthews explained the park board is hoping for a "top class restaurant." It will be difficult to operate such a facility if liqueurs and hard liquor cannot be served with meals. He noted that was the main reason the board requested ajotal liquor plebiscite. "Our only reason for wanting the total plebiscite is so we can cater to a broad cross-section of customers," he said. "If we are restricted to only beer and wine our facility will not be used to the fullest." Residents at the north end of the lake will vote in the Cultus Lake Community Centre. Lindell Beach and Columbia Valley residents will cast their ballots at the home of Leonard Belgrove on Frost Road in Columbia Valley.

The plebiscite must, have a 55 per cent affirmative vote in order to pass. Hours' of polling are 8 a.m. 8 p.m. SecraottBCDim reffeireiradlwiinni wtthin tfwo It might be safe to believe once more, that a recreation referendum is not far off. Alderman Les Russell, chairman of the joint recreation facilities committee emerged from a committee meeting Thursday in an optimistic mood about the propsects for an early referendum.

He suggested a vote could be held as early as six weeks to two months from now. At the meeting, committee members moved to have architects begin work on plans for an ice rink now proposed for a nine-acre site just east of Vedder Junior Secondary School on South Sumas Road. Then followed a lengthy discussion about the siting of the proposed swimming pool. The discussion centred on long- The weather Murray Wood Growers Ltd. Vedder Canal Max Min Prec Wednesday 8 (47) -1 (30) -Thursday 12 (53) 1 (33) -Friday 14 (58) -1 (30) -Saturday 13 56 3 38) .20 Sunday 10 50) -2 28) -Monday 8 (47) -3 (27) -Tuesday 11 (51) 2 (36) .54 Rainfall in inches 74 Note: (Figures in Celsius with nearest Fahrenheit equivalent given in brackets.) "Yes" vote in plebiscite would benefit cabaret A petition asking the department of national defence to discontinue its land acquisition plan in Columbia Valley is apparently receiving support from many valley residents.

D'Arcy Baldwin, president of the Columbia Valley Ratepayers' Association, said people are not being requested to sign the petition but residents who wish to do so are more than welcome. He stressed the residents want to hear all the facts before developing any definite plan of action. "We want to hear the whole story," he said. "We want to go about this in a reasonable and practical way." The ratepayers are hoping to contact a DND official on Ottawa to find out what the plans are. Department of national defence is attempting to acquire options on about 700 acres of land in Columbia Valley.

The property is slated for use as a general military training area. DND leases on their present training areas expire in 1980 and the department may not be able to renew them. The Columbia Valley property would be used to replace the present facilities. Mr. Baldwin noted that the ratepayers' petition also' questions the manner in which some valley residents were approached by the DND property teams.

One of the two teams allegedly used threats of expropriation to "pressure" landowners into signing options. "We also want to know what the provincial government's stand is," said Mr. Baldwin, noting some of the land is in the agricultural land reserve. B.C. Land Commission chairman W.

T. Lane told this newspaper that the commission was advised of the DND proposal several weeks ago. As a federal body the department of national defence is not subject to the provisions of provincial law, he said. Mr. Lane noted the commission was given a very general outline of the plan and there will apparently be" a minimum of disruption to the soil or irreversible action taken.

The proposed use mmomiillhs? range planning for Chilliwack Exhibition Park, with some members expressing pessimism that a suitable location for the pool could be found at the park. At one point ChairmanRussell wondered if the committee, after finally resolving the ice rink site issue, was to be stymied over the pool location. Soon after, however, Aid. Andrews reminded committee members that township and city councils as well as CPRC were on record as being committed to putting the pool somewhere at Exhibition Park. The consensus was to urge the other bodies to stay with that decision, find a pool site at Exhibition Park quickly with the help of their planners and leave the long-range planning of the park until later.

and Dennis Sash of Rosedale, Alister McNaughton of Sardis and Charles Thomson. Mr. Morrow and Mr. Dyble are also likely to compete at the Lynden Horse Plowing Match on April 19. The Chilliwack Plowing Match has now been set for May 10, and will convene for the second year in a row at Agassiz Research meeting.

He is Wesley Simpson, brother to township Mayor W. G. R. Simpson. Aid.

Russell noted the mayor had been very careful to disassociate himself from any discussion and votes related to the decision. Mayor Simpson, in fact, has been continuously on record as favoring the municipally-owned Watson Road gravel pit for the ice rink location. The option on the Simpson property calls for a $100 deposit refundable if the recreation referendum does not pass, and a purchase price of $15,000 per acre (total cost about Aid. Russell noted city Alderman Bill Perry had handled many of the details involved in drawing up the option. Neill MacGregor, school board representative to the committee, commenting on the price said, "I hope somebody appreciates what is being done for the community here.

That site would be worth $60,000 to $75,000 an acre to the owner since it is subdividable." Added Alderman J. J. Andrews; "we would never get another one like it." Both he and Aid. Russell cited its proximity to schools, location on a wide road and near a main artery (Vedder Road). Aid.

Russell also noted that if a Highway 1 overpass is eventually built at Evans Road, there would be additional easy access from north of the freeway. The final act respecting the Simpson property was a motion "to thank Wes Simpson and his family for their expressed generosity." The committee also urged city, township and CPRC to confirm previous decisions to site the proposed swimming pool at Chilliwack Exhibition Park. Thursday's meeting was informal in nature because none of the city representatives on the committee were able to attend. Aid. Russell viewed the session as an important marker, however, noting it represented the point when the committee "could begin to wind down its activities after 13 months of operation." The name of the owner of the South Sumas property on which township and city now have an option was released at the only one major power outage reported as a result of winds.

Residents on Chilliwack Lake Road and Auchenway Road were without power for several hours on Sunday morning as a large, dead tree was blown across power lines. Mr. MacDonald noted Hydro crews worked throughout the morning and power was restored around noon. There were apparently some small power failures reported as well. Chilliwack city and township RCMP detachments indicated there were no reports of serious wind damage during the weekend.

Chilliwack escapes full Force of storm On Vancouver Island Seven from Chilliwack to B.C. plow match Cultus Lake Park Board members are hoping Columbia Valley and Cultus Lake residents will vote "yes" in the upcoming liquor plebiscite. Park board chairman Les Matthews explained the board would like the Cultus Lake cabaret and restaurant to be able to cater to a cross-section of the public. The cabaret is under renovation and the concept of selling only beer and wine in a dining hall is just not sufficient, he said. Presently only beer and wine can be served in the cabaret.

The plebiscite has been set for Saturday and residents will be voting on four questions. Voters will be asked to indicate whether they favor liquor sales under public house, dining room, dining lounge and lounge licenses. If only public house and dining room licenses are approved liquor sales will he restricted to beer, ale. stout and wine. Chilliwack appears to have escaped the brunt of the storm which caused widespread destruction throughout many parts of the province on Sunday.

Winds apparently gusted to 75 m.p.h. in some parts of British Columbia and at least four people were killed in a boating accident which resulted from the high winds. The storm has been described as the worst since Typhoon Frieda and total damage is expected to run into the millions of dollars. In Chilliwack damage was slight and Kent Aviation reports winds did not exceed 45 m.p.h. B.C.

Hydro district manager I. A. MacDonald said there was At least seven Chilliwack people are expected this weekend (April 5) at the British Columbia Plowing Championships at Saanich on Vancouver Island. Taking heavy horse teams to the match are Norman Morrow of Agassiz, Irwin Child and Bill Dyble of Sardis. as well as Corny Verdun of Lynden, Washington.

The four tractor competitors from the Chilliwack area are Jim i.