Nanaimo Daily News from Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada • 3

Friday, November 29. 2002 Dally News A3 rl Daily Eera City Desk: Scott Bonnell 729-4229 E-mail: dnewsisland.net More local news on pages A4 and A5 InBrief UlU I mm I 1 II -J nii(steD By Robert Barron Daily News Constable OK after accident A police officer hit while driving an unmarked vehicle on Haliburton Street Wednesday night suffered no serious injuries. The 45-year-old officer, said police, was backing the pickup truck onto Haliburton Street when it was struck on the passenger side. The force of the collision pushed the truck onto its side. The officer managed to scramble out the passenger window.

There will be no criminal charges against the man driving the 1998 Grand Am. He was given a 24-hour driving prohibition and a ticket under the Motor Vehicle Act. Police were unable to provide any estimate of the amount of damage. Female change rooms possible The city's parks, recreation and culture department is looking into building female change rooms at Frank Crane and Civic arenas. Neither arena has female change rooms, which means girl hockey players must change in the women's bathrooms.

The city has money set aside for female change rooms in its 2004 budget. But staff say they may be able to move the project ahead, if the Nanaimo Minor Hockey Association is able to contribute. Staff will be looking at both arenas to see where female change rooms might be built. Remember referendum: city The next time city officials discuss the sharing of regional services and facilities with the Regional District of Nanaimo, the city's parks, recreation and culture commission wants them to remember how Nanoose and Lantzville voted on funding for the Port Theatre. Both communities noted in a Nov.

16 referendum against contributing towards the theatre's costs. Other electoral areas approved the funding. Wednesday, the commission passed a motion urging council to take that into consideration when dealing with the RDN on regional services issues. Parks and Rec to inspect toilets Members of the parks, recreation and culture commission want to do an on-site inspection at Harry Whip-per Park before they approved new washrooms facilities there. The city wants to replace the existing portable toilets with a washroom building, at a cost of $70,000.

The building would be designed so it could be expanded at a later date to have change rooms. Property owners on Hammond Bay Road have complained, saying they don't want washrooms near the property, which they are in the process of subdividing into three lots. Woodgrove donation Marketing director Nola Dunn, left, of Woodgrove Centre, along with, Darryl Racine and Juli Stevenson of the Nanaimo Association for the Mentally Handicapped, Renee Bohun, Child Development Centre and Kathleen Houghton and Shirley Keno with some of the $1,450.70 in coins collected at the Woodgrove lighthouse fountain and water clock. Clay Tree, a branch of the Nanaimo Association for the Mentally Handicapped counted, sorted and rolled the coins. Proceeds from the water clock were donated to the Child Development Centre and Clay Tree.

Youth CAN, a volunteer arm of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Clay Tree received proceeds from the lighthouse fountain. (Submitted) Christmas celebrations in School District 68 will be the subject of a special open school board meeting on Dec. 4. John Garenkooper, chairman of the board, said he never expected a memo sent by the district to schools to honour cultural diversity would receive such a reaction from the community. "The guiding theme for this district is to respect all the cultural diversity in our schools which is also in compliance with the School Act," he said.

"I think the community was caught by surprise by the memo and I see this as a 'wake-up' call. We see this all around these days and other school districts have taken it even further. Homes and churches are the place to teach religion, not public schools." Earlier this month, the district sent the memo to school principals requesting they refrain from using 'Christmas' to describe concerts and other seasonal activities usually held at this time of year. After the ensuing weeks of public controversy, the board decided Wednesday that matter should be discussed by the newly elected school board as soon as possible, i Trustee June Harrison said she understands the need for the district to honour and recognize diversity, but she disagrees with the manner in which the district handled the matter. "I think we need a healthy discussion about what is meant by inclusion," she said.

"The memo said schools shouldn't include 'Christmas' when referring to seasonal concerts, but said it's OK for carols to be sung and Santa Claus to be involved. I "However, some carols are ancient and religious in nature and Santa Claus is also St. Nick, a Christian saint. I think how far we intend to go with this needs to defined." Jack Doan, who will be sworn in as a trustee on Dec. 2, said he hasn't seen the memo, but if it forbids the use of the term 'Christmas', he would take issue with it.

"However, if the memo is meant to honour all religions and diversity in the schools then I would support that," he said. "Personally, I support having Christmas in schools as we're a Christian society, but we must recognize other traditions as well." Movie proceeds Administrative assistant Judy Crossley of Woodgrove Centre presents a cheque for $453 to president Patrick Han-ney, of the Nanaimo chapter of the Kidney Foundation of Canada recently at Woodgrove. The proceeds are from the centre's monthly seniors movie donation at Avalon Cinema Centre. (Submitted) CRIME Police waif for break in city murder cases By Paul Walton Daily News City to save water MOTDN? 2003 Property Assessment Notices will be mailed to all property owners in British Columbia by December '31, 2002 If you still own a property and have recently moved, please ensure that BC Assessment has your new mailing address. Please contact your local Assessment Office, as listed in the Blue Pages of your phone book.

BCAssessment no reason to think there is a connection between Young and Banman, but all possibilities are being considered. "If there are any areas of connection with Lisa Young, we will be in contact with investigators in Nanaimo," he said. Anyone with information on either case can call police or Crime Stoppers. family to search for Lisa Daily News Before a vigil is held for Lisa Young on Dec. 7, her family and volunteers will do their own search this weekend.

Joanne Young, Lisa's mother, said they will return on Saturday to an area at the top of Doumont Road which police searched several months ago. "I was getting very anxious; I really wanted to keep the public aware Lisa's still missing," she said. The search, she said, will be headed by experienced searchers from the Long Beach area. They are looking for anything, said Joanne Young, that may be a clue as to what's become of Lisa. The Dec.

7 candlelight vigil, to begin at 7 p.m., will be held at The Unity Church at 2231 McGarrigle Road. All are welcome. Police are no closer to solving the disappearance of a young Nanaimo woman missing now since July, or the murder of another young Nanaimo woman whose body was found outside of Campbell River in May 2000. Lisa Young, 21, went missing on the Canada Day weekend this year. So far, despite the belief she has met with foul play, police have been unable to determine her fate.

The remains of Laura Lee (Raven) Banman, 23, were found on a logging road outside of Campbell River five months after she was reported missing in January of 2000. While it is known that Banman was murdered, Mounties have been unable to find out who killed her. "We're still hoping for the big break," said Sgt Dwight Dammann, with the Campbell River RCMP. Banman was known as a drug addict and sex trade worker in Nanaimo. Dammann said earlier this year he forwarded information about Banman's murder to the Missing Women's Task Force in Vancouver.

He said they have established there is no link. "We don't think there's any connection between Laura Banman and the matters being investigated by the Missing Woman's Task Force," said Dammann. While Young does not fit the same profile, not being a drug addict or in the sex trade, both woman were about the same age and of aboriginal heritage. Dammann said police have until snowpack Daily News City officials will take extra water conservation measures this year, until they are convinced there is a significant snow pack, says the city's water commissioner. Mac MacKenzie says the city's Jump Creek reservoir is brimming full, thanks to all the rain received a couple of weeks ago.

"It filled up in six days," says MacKenzie, commissioner of the Greater Nanaimo Water District. "We're over the top. We're good for the rest of the year." However, because the snowpack is still non-existent in the Island's mountains, the city will take precautions to make sure it conserves water. The city will simply retain more water in its reservoirs, rather than letting it spill over dams until MacKenzie is satisfied that there is a significant enough snow pack. Province pushed to reject cougar cull By Nelson Bennett Oaily News A Vancouver Island conservationist is hoping a petition tabled in the Legislature Tuesday will help convince the provincial government to implement a conservation plan to address the wolf and cougar population on Vancouver Island.

NDP Leader Joy MacPhail presented the petition to government Tuesday. It asks the province to reject proposals for a wolf and cougar cull. Spearheaded by the Sierra Club of B.C. and the Rain-coast Conservation Society, the petition was signed by 700 people. Another 3,300 signed online versions.

The cull was proposed earlier this year to address the decline of the Island's deer population. Their numbers have dropped from an estimated 200,000 in 1980 to 55,000 in 2001. Public Information Open House Wednesday, December 4 starting at 6:30 p.m. Moose Hall 1356 Cranberry Ave. Chase River, B.C.

The Snuneymuxw First Nation and the governments of Canada and British Columbia are engaged in negotiations towards a modern treaty under the British Columbia Treaty Commission process. The chief negotiators invite you to attend this public forum session. For more information, contact: Spirit of community Partnership jCFUJSJi Canada For every stateroom holiday booked during the week of Nov. 25 to 30 HMD -Brttkh UXUNiBt MBH "-v r'f Federal The problem is loss of old growth habitat, says Sierra Club spokesperson Jill Thompson, not wolf and cougar over population. "This is the wildlife crisis we've been warning about for decades," she said.

"When you wipe out 75 per cent of the ancient forest, as we have done now on the Island, it's obvious wildlife is going to suffer." Annette Tanner of the mid-Island branch of the Western Canada Wilderness Committee said restoring a balance between deer and predators should be left to nature. "It will balance itself out," she said. Ted Barsby, an active member of the Nanaimo Fish and Game Club, is skeptical. The current imbalance between predators and deer has been going on for about a decade now, he said, and he wonders how wildlife corridors and protected areas would work. don't know how you're going to direct wild animals to go where you want them to go," he said.

"It's not practical." Treaty Negotiations Office Snuneymuxw First Nation Treaty will be donated to the United Way Cruise certificates also appty. 7 ii 'Hi in Negotiation OfTke KiLVrme Beavts SOO 65 9320 (604)775 5199 http gov.be. catno Jeff Tbotnas (250)40 2332 Bill Sevmcra 800 Sb 1322 (250)356 6149 United Way of Nanaimo i.