Nephelometer to continue sniffing local air for one more year
The University of Victoria has agreed to let Grand Forks borrow their nephelometer for one more year to continue gathering data on local air quality. The nephelometer has been sniffing around the major byways of Grand Forks since June 2012. It measures particulate matter in the air caused by things like dust and exhaust. It...
COMMENT: Who Really Owns City Hall? Referendums, good and bad
In my last column we examined the referendum and its role in a democratic local government. When talking about referendum we cannot afford to ignore the importance of the rules that govern the referendum’s application. As with elections, the rules determine the efficacy of the referendum. Efficacy for the purpose of this...
Ag society looking for city support on new Food Charter
Food is the focus of a new charter the Grand Forks and Boundary Regional Agricultural Society (GFBRAS) hopes will influence local policies and projects for the city. “It is a big picture document that sets the tone around food within the chambers of our leadership,” said GFBRAS director Sheila Dobie during a presentation she...
Dog bylaw meeting addresses confusion about rules
It was standing room only by the time they started the Kootenay / Boundary Pet Dog Association town hall about the proposed changes to bylaw 1511 at the Seniors Centre hall in Grand Forks last night. Over 100 people packed in to hear what was happening, and why, and express their concerns and fears about this bylaw. They...
Roxul to start emissions upgrades in June
A $6 million upgrade is hoped to help reduce odour and blue smoke emissions from the Grand Forks Roxul facility. Roxul announced the plans to have a Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) installed to help improve local air quality late last week. The RTO is a type of high efficiency afterburner that includes desulfurization...
Arts Council questions SD51 on censorship of DECK over mooning scene
The Boundary District Arts Council (BDAC) is accusing School District 51 of being “inconsistent” when it chose to censor the DECK presentation because of a bare-bottomed scene but not The Vagina Monologues, which was performed at the same Grand Forks Secondary School Centennial Auditorium in 2003. Three of the society’s...
Barking dogs, fine schedule to put more bite in animal control bylaw
Barking dogs and new fines are among the revisions made to the Regional District Kootenay Boundary animal control bylaw up for approval by the board of directors at the end of March. The new bylaw had first, second and third reading at the regular board meeting in late February. Now stakeholders are being consulted for input...
COMMENT: Canada’s reckless banks inflate house price bubble
The whole issue of the housing bubble, its extent and whether there will be a soft landing as predicted by many wishful thinkers has resulted in many interesting headlines in recent weeks – including some high on the delusional scale. One suggested that house prices are a mere 20% overvalued (if you believe that, I have a...
Area D residents to expect nearly 8 per cent tax increase this year
Increased costs at the Aquatic Center and a new regional park among reasons for a 7.95 per cent tax increase to Regional District Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) Area D property owners in 2013. A $200,000 property can expect to pay $606.06 – or $44.61 more than they did in 2012 to help offset some changes coming for the area, if the...
Build a house for the Boundary’s bats this Sunday
The Boundary Woodworkers Guild is joining forces with the Boundary Habitat Stewards and the City of Grand Forks to increase awareness around bats and to provide summerhouses for our local bats. There are many misconceptions around bats that negatively label them as pests, but these creatures are one of the most magical creatures...
