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Kimberley council receives RCMP detachment update
Kimberley City Council Report
By Nowell Berg
On February 10, City of Kimberley council held its regular bi-monthly meeting.
Councillors Kevin Dunnebacke, Diana Fox, Woody Maguire and Sandra Roberts were present along with Mayor Don McCormick. Coun. Sue Cairns and Jason McBain attended by video link.
An archive of the meeting can be viewed on the City of Kimberley YouTube channel. Watch it here.
RCMP 3rd Quarter Report (Oct. to Dec.)
Sgt. Steve Woodcox reported on Kimberley RCMP Detachment activities from October to December 2024 (Q3).
Woodcox told council calls for service were up seven per cent in Q3 2024 compared to 2023.
Of the 469 calls in Q3, 98 dealt with traffic and vehicle incidents.
During the quarter, 175 information checks were done, along with over 100 vehicles stopped, 11 immediate roadside prohibitions undertaken and 75 tickets written.
Last fall, RCMP officers conducted 62 school visits.
Woodcox reported he had received calls about the crosswalk at the Marysville school. Last fall, he was on site several mornings. The issues he observed were vehicle speed, a lack of lighting and signage. He sent these concerns to the Ministry of Transportation. “We’ll see where that goes.”
Coun. Dunnebacke pointed out that with the new daycare opening, there could be an “enhanced danger” at the crosswalk.
Woodcox added, “I stood out on the road many times to slow people down.” He concluded saying, “The last thing we want to see down there is for a child to get hurt.”
Heritage Society Standing Grant Request
Marie Stang, Kimberley Heritage Society (KHS) Administrator, made a presentation to council requesting a standing grant.
Stang noted the KHS now counts almost 12,000 artifacts and 12,000 archival photos in its collection. All photos are available online through the Columbia Basin Institute of Regional History.
The biggest challenge facing the society according to Stang, “We are experiencing a lack of volunteers.” The board is discussing what can be done differently to “attract people.”
She noted, “We are on the Volunteer Connector website, but have yet to recruit new people.”
Last year’s exhibits included a winter sports salute, Platzl 50th anniversary, Remembrance Day and the on-going Mining presentation. She mentioned the KHS’s work with author Keith Powell on the book, “Forgotten Kimberley.”
Upcoming this year, the KHS is planning to prepare and install heritage panels in the Platzl. They will start with six panels that will be located in the planters.
Kimberley Arts Council (Centre 64) Update
Ed Alm, Board President, stood before council to report on Centre 64 activities over the past year.
As a businessman, he said, “I don’t think Centre 64 should run at a loss.” He added, it should be “managed like a business.”
He noted the board is now more focused on better financial control and understanding where the money “was coming from and where it was going.” To that end, the board has implemented monthly cash flow projections and monthly budget updates.
Alm noted that facility user groups “don’t contribute to our general and administrative expenses.” The board tried to get these groups to assist with a “contribution to over-head” as part of their program budgets.
Alm admitted that “leaning on user groups was a mistake.” He added, “You’ve all heard the alienation of the community and members toward Centre 64. I apologize for that. It’s my watch. It shouldn’t have happened.”
A survey was conducted to determine what the community wanted from Centre 64. There were 269 responses. The bottom line finding, according to Alm, was that the community wants access to the building seven days a week until 8 p.m. He told council it seems like respondents “want a community centre, a place to hang out.”
Alm concluded saying that Centre 64 will be “looking for more sustainable funding,” and a way to open the centre for more community involvement with classes, activities and collaboration with other community groups.
With over 50 years of association with the Centre, Coun. Roberts said, “I feel the pain you are going through.” Saying the arts has been historically “ignored” compared to sports resources, Roberts added arts and culture make “a real dynamic impact on community.” She concluded, ‘We need to support” the arts and Centre 64.
Kimberley city council assembles twice monthly starting at 7 p.m.
The next regular council meeting: February 24.
e-KNOW file photos
e-KNOW
