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Public helped catch gymnastics club arsonist: RCMP
Kimberley City Council Report
By Nowell Berg
On February 12, City of Kimberley council held its regular bi-monthly meeting.
Councillors Sue Cairns, Kevin Dunnebacke, Woody Maguire, Jason McBain, Sandra Roberts and Steven Royer were present along with Mayor Don McCormick.
An archive of the meeting can be found on the City of Kimberley YouTube channel. Watch it here. Video and audio does not start until 9:40 into the meeting.
RCMP Report
Sgt. Steve Woodcox presented a report to council covering the third quarter (Oct.-Dec. 2023).
His report noted that calls for service dropped compared to the summer months. This past quarter, the RCMP received 437 calls compared to 505 over the summer.
Of calls taken, 78 concerned traffic or vehicle incident. Another 74 calls referred to property, mischief, fraud or firearms.
Over the quarter, RCMP stopped 340 vehicles for road checks. Twelve drivers had their driver’s licenses “immediately” taken away and were charged with impaired driving. An additional 41 tickets were issued for various traffic offences.
Woodcox also updated council on the gymnastics club fire.
The man charged in that incident “has plead guilty to that arson. He is now out of custody, out on probation under numerous conditions,” which include a curfew at night and not being allowed near the gymnastics club.
Responding to a question from Coun. Roberts about the “sentence,” Woodcox said, “In this case, he was sentenced to time served. He was in custody over two years.”
Woodcox concluded his comments about the arson saying the suspect’s apprehension “was due to the public. It was simply one person calling us with some very specific evidence that led to his identification.”
Woodcox noted the importance of the public in policing, and thanked them for providing information that led to the arrest and conviction of this individual.
Nordic Club plans new ticket kiosk
The Kimberley Nordic Club requested a letter of support from Council for a planned new 600 sq. ft. welcome centre kiosk.
According to club’s General Manager Daniel Childress, the current temporary kiosk “is far beyond its capacity and needs to be replaced to meet the demands of our growing Nordic community.”
The club has already received at grant of $153,000 from Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The total construction cost is $236,000. The club will be submitting an application to the Tourism Growth Program for an additional $59,000 to help complete funding.
The new building “will include a heated indoor ticket office, expanded rental shop, year-round washrooms, and 600 sq/ft of additional basement storage,” said Childress. The club hopes to have construction completed before the next season.
As such, council approved the club’s request for a letter of support.
Rental units approved
Tyee Homes applied to council for a development permit to build 14 residential units and four commercial units at the southeast corner of 304th Street and 305th Avenue in Marysville.
Four separate buildings will be constructed and will include off-street parking for 14 vehicles. The complex contains a mix of rental unit sizes, two one-bedroom, 10 two-bedroom and two three-bedroom units.
The planning department recommended council pass the request noting it “will help to address the gap in Kimberley’s overall housing supply.”
Council unanimously approved Tyee’s request.
Kimberley city council meets twice monthly starting at 7 p.m., The next regular council meeting: February 26.
e-KNOW file photos
e-KNOW
