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

60 PAGES 25t PER COPY THE CHILLIWACK PROGRESS, Wednesday, April 11, 1979 EIGHTY-EIGHTH YEAR, No. 52 MMM it A report presented to the councils showed that the operating budget of the has been in a deficit position for the past several years, primarily due to the lack of an adequate facility in which to operate programs. The accumulated deficit to date is about $100,000. Mr. Cuthbert indicated the pool operation represents of a $220,000 annual operating budget on the total complex.

He stated regarding the requested subsidy, "we're not asking council to pay off the accumulated deficit, we're just asking for help so it does not become greater." As of March 31, more than 1,000 members have joined the Y. There are about 1,800 pool users a week. Board members emphasized to the councils they are running 87 hours of programs in the pool each week, of which 80.5 hours are for the public to become involved in one or various activities. offers swimming instruction to pre-schoolers, grade school children and teenagers from the non-swimmer to the instructor level. In addition to the pool the Hocking Avenue facility also offers a racquet ball court (one finished and one not), a gymnasium which is now being finished and a multipurpose room.

Councils were told that few complexes operate in Canada without an operating subsidy. It is usually provided by municipalities or through the United Way, the latter of which does not exist in Chilliwack. Mr. Bate reminded council that the pool is the closest Chilliwack has come to having a community facility. However he indicated they are expensive to operate, providing less than half the revenue of a complex and costing more than half the budget to operate.

Mr. Cuthbert added they see youth programs as an area of future responsibility for them. He added later that public swimming rates for non-members are the same as those which are used at Rotary Pool. Both councils sent the request to their finance committees. There was also an indication the issue will be discussed soon by the councils in joint session.

By BILL LILLICRAP and DEBBIE FIEGUTH Chilliwack YM-YWCA has asked both municipal councils for an annual grant to subsidize operation of its new indoor pool. board members asked city council for an annual subsidy of $10,484 on Monday evening. Tuesday afternoon township council was approached regarding a subsidy of $33,200. executive director Gerry Cuthbert said after the township meeting that the total request of $43,674 would be applied to the annual pool operating expense of $112,000. City's share represented 26 per cent of the request while township's was the remaining 74 per cent.

Township council showed a split on the subsidy question as Aldermen Jack Andrews and Eldon Unger had divergent views. Aid. Andrews questioned the public's demand for an indoor pool, noting the $2.5 million recreation referendum three years ago was defeated. It was to have included an indoor pool, second ice sheet and an agricultural show arena. He zeroed in on the summer season, questioning if council was justified putting money into the during the time that it is operating Rotary Pool, the outdoor facility near Chilliwack Senior Secondary School.

board president Bob Ames replied that a $33,200 annual grant could not be compared with the aforementioned referendum in terms of the public's attitude and added that comparisons should not automatically be drawn. vice-president Dick Bate added on the question of Rotary Pool that many times during the summer it is totally taken up with a competitive swim meet. Aid. Unger saw the question differently to his council counterpart. He stated that the YMCA "is one of the positive things to ever happen to the economy of Chilliwack." He said the complex has already started a local fitness revival and is making a healthy contribution to the area.

"A few dollars here are not too much compared to what our community gets back in return," he stated. He added that with Chilliwack's vandalism problems, the will help in a positive way by getting people occupied doing something for themselves rather than agaist their community. 'J I Y.f 1 gjt -tin innal 'iMk ih. li" dtMMMtJ illk. DISPLAY DAFFODILS Nicole Huitema of 48668 Prairie Central Road shows off some of the daffodils which will be shown this weekend in the Chilliwack Horticultural Society's annual daffodil and spring flower show.

The show opens Saturday at 2 p.m. and runs till 9 p.m. It is also open Sunday from 12 noon to 4 p.m. There will also be a plant sale and tea. Photo by Tony Sevcik Councils' support needed with CCTC UDeff, 1 rr Asked about the chances of extending service to Rosedale, Mrs.

McPhee said wiring into low density areas is very uneconomical. She said they need a minimum of 15 homes per mile to make an extension pay. She noted that although Vancouver, Abbotsford, Agassiz and Hope are all receiving channels 7 and 9, so far it has not been technically possible for Chilliwack to pick up the channels without microwave. Councils said they would comply with the requested letters in the next few days. Squiala reserve.

She said the band feels it is the only group which is attempting to keep the road up to standard. Mayor Kiernan said he and transportation committee chairman Alderman Fred Bryant would take a look at the problem later this week. Purse snatched A 73-year-old woman was knocked to the ground and her purse stolen early Tuesday morning. RCMP said the woman was on Mary Street near Chilliwack General Hospital, on her way to catch a bus at 2:15 a.m., when she heard someone running up behind her. She was knocked to the ground and her purse, containing $30, was snatched.

The woman sustained bruises to her face. join) Rena McPhee stated their plans are to seek channels 7 and 9. Total of 9,400 users received questionnaires last fall and 5.200 said they wanted the added She said they also hope to improve receptions on channels 5 and 13 and improve FM radio signals. She stated they feel it is important to keep the French language station on channel 11 for the Francophone population at CFB Chilliwack. She indicated they now have 10,000 subscribers and can see a potential in the next couple of years for 2,000 more.

agreed to act as a "backup" candidate if Mr. Block turned down the nomination at the convention, but he does not agree with the additional delays in starting the campaign. Therefore, he said, he is resigning from the nominating committee and has dropped his backup role, intending rather to challenge the nomination as a full-fledged candidate. "I am going to make sure there is a decent show on Tuesday night (the convention was adjourned from Monday until April founfoin-IoncS claims issue What's inside Section A Editorials 4 Readers' Forum 5 Arts 6-8 Section Sports 1-7 Religion 8, 9 Section Lifestyles 1-5 Other Days 7 TV Guide 8 Section Business 1, 10 is needed $150,000 $140,000 $130,000 $120,000 $110,000 $100,000 $90,000 $80,000 $70,000 $60,000 $50,000 $40,000 $30,000 $20,000 $15,000 $10,000 $150,000 $140,000 $130,000 $120,000 $110,000 $100,000 $90,000 $80,000 $70,000 $60,000 $50,000 $40,000 $30,000 $20,000 $15,000 $10,000 5,000 5,000 $41,956 Intermediate Care mmmmmmmmmmmmm I vvH Somethimi WgODf Fraser Valley East Liberals were all set Monday to nominate a candidate for the May 22 federal election but no one showed up to throw their hat in the ring. But party officials claim there is a "big name" waiting in the wings.

"We have to bite the bullet," Doug Steinson of Chilliwack told Fraser Valley East Liberals Monday night as they voted to adjourn their nominating convention while the "big name" candidate makes up his mind. That big name is none other than Henry Block, 52, who with his brother Arthur, created the real estate giant Block Brothers. Mr. Block, born in Saskatchewan, was raised in Yarrow. Although the Liberal association for the federal riding postponed the convention "for another night or two" to give Mr.

Block more time, it appears as though the retired realtor has rejected the idea of running locally. At Monday's planned nomination, Mr. Steinson told the sparse group, less than 35 people including reporters, that Mr. Block would make up his mind on Tuesday (yesterday) and let the association's nominating committee know of his decision. Tuesday night contact with Mr.

Steinson proved him to be still in the dark, offering a reporter the suggestion to try B.C. Liberal headquarters in Vancouver to see if anything was known there. A telephone call to that office produced no new information. Meanwhile Joe Erickson, a former provincial Liberal candidate in the Chilliwack riding, is fuming. He told this newspaper he is ashamed to be a Liberal (see Readers' Forum on page 5A) on the basis of Monday's meeting.

He said he had originally Chilliwack's cable television company has asked for the support of both municipal councils in its plans to centralize a microwave signal tower on top of Sumas Mountain. Valley Televue president Bill Wolfe told councils they are making application to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to remove existing towers on four locations and centralize on the mountain, just west of Chilliwack township. He stated the new microwave signal will cost subscribers more but should give them much improved service. He emphasized, "we are providing the best possible service, under the circumstances. He compared living in Chilliwack to being in a saucer surrounded by high ridges, or in this case the mountains.

Mr. Wolfe said mountains surrounding the community and seasonal climatic changes have a direct influence on the home television reception. He indicated a public hearing on the company's application will be held on June 19. Applications with accompanying letters from municipalities must be filed by April 20. Company general manager Murder charge A 27-year-old man was charged with second-degree murder in Chilliwack provincial court Monday following the weekend stabbing death of a Chehalis man.

RCMP said Wesley Allen Lenon was charged after William Andrew Williams 22. died as a result of an apparent stab wound received during an altercation on the Chehalis Indian Reserve. The incident occurred about 2 a.m. Saturday. The suspect was apprehended later that morning and taken into custody.

plaining that fault for the lack of nomination should be laid at the feet of both the nomination committee and Henry Block. "He is partly to blame for putting off his decision and not talking to his wife about it until tonight," Mr. Steinson said, adding "but we went about it too late as well. We got caught by the writ (of election issued on March 26)." Boy drowns A seven-year-old Chilliwack boy drowned in Cultus Lake Friday night. RCMP said Billy Jack, of 44683 Wolfe Road, had accompanied a group of canoeists to the lake, and was waiting for them on the beach while they practised for upcoming summer races.

The canoeists went out on the lake at about 5:15 p.m. and returned about 45 minutes later to find the boy missing. The boy's body was found at 10:15 p.m. floating of fshore about 30 to 40 feet. The body was recovered by a provincial parks patrolman assisting the RCMP in the search.

The Weather Murray Son Ltd. Vedder Canal Max Min Prec Wednesday 12.5 7.5 5.8 Thursday 14.5 5.5 1.2 Friday 12.5 3.0 0.8 Saturday 11.5 5.0 8.1 Sunday 7.5 4.0 8.1 Monday 11.5 3.0 12.2 Tuesday 10.5 0.0 0.6 Rainfall in millimetres 36.8 17 at the Rancho in Abbotsford)." Mr. Erickson told this newspaper he intends to tackle incumbent Progressive Conservative Alex Patterson "on his record of inactivity." And Joe Clark? "He does not have the respect of the people as a national leader," replied Mr. Erickson. But before the Chilliwack lawyer begins his campaign he first must win nomination at the Rancho next week.

Mr. Steinson apologized to the staunch few on Monday night, ex- He also suggested that crow nests be destroyed. Council voted to refer the matter to the inter-municipal council. Budget approved Chilliwack Municipal Airport's budget for 1979, totalling $98,100, has been approved by township council. Not included in the budget but granted recently by the provincial government was $50,000 in capital funds to resurface two taxi ways leading to and from the runway.

Alderman Cal Neetz indicated tenders have already been opened on the contract and the airport board will be meeting on Thursday to award the work. Township council was told on Tuesday that it may not have any authority to legislate bylaws on Chilliwack Mountain. James Harper, an official with the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, stated there is a question of ownership on the mountain and suggested native poeple feel they have the proper legal claim. Mayor Ken Kieman stated, "I am advised we have only jurisdiction to deal with land matters as identified with the land registry office. We can only accept this as valid advice." Question arose as Squiala band Chief Teresa Jimmie was voicing concern about what she believed to be a council attempt to pass a bylaw permitting development on the mountain.

Mayor Kiernan indicated council has recently drafted a policy statement on development permits, successors to land use contracts which were phased out last fall. He said the permits could ultimately relate to the mountain if and when development is allowed to proceed. Mrs. Jimmie expressed concern at the meeting about the condition of the southern end of Ashwell Road where it enters the Chilliwack has something to crow about. In fact, according to at least three city residents, there might be too much to crow about.

City council Tuesday was asked by Don Vickerson, who was also representing two other residents, to do something about crows in Chilliwack. Mr. Vickerson claimed that crows have become a problem to other birds, at least in certain areas of the community. He claimed that the crow population has increased while other species such as robins and swallows have decreased in numbers. Mr.

Vickerson said he noted the change in population by observing that there are more crows visiting his yard now than in previous years compared to other species. Council was asked to issue two or three permits to allow crows to be shot within city limits..