Along with choosing regional district, school board and city councillors and the mayor, voters will have a chance to decide on two other issues.
Voters within the city of Port Alberni will be given the opportunity to decide whether or not they want a 10th Avenue crossing over Roger Creek for a cost of $5 million. The crossing, proposed by retired logging engineer Jim Rhodes, is replacing the earlier $14.6 crossing on the ballot sheet. The $5 million crossing will be a lower level crossing with a road starting behind the fall fair grounds, winding down to the creek bed and up to the end of Cherry Creek Road. The crossing will have a 30 metre bridge over the creek.
The official non-binding public opinion question will be:
“Are you in favour of a 10th Avenue crossing from the north end of 10th Avenue to the junction of Cherry Creek Road and Johnston Road for a cost of $5 million? Yes or No.”
General voting day is Saturday, Nov. 15 from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. at:
• Alberni Athletic Hall, 3727 Roger Street, Port Alberni.
The second referendum question will be open to all regional district residents in Port Alberni, Beaufort, Sproat Lake, Beaver Creek, Cherry Creek and members of the Uchucklesaht Tribe Government. They will be deciding whether or not the Sproat Lake Marine Patrol should become a service, rather than a grant based system.
The official question on the ballot will be:
“Are you in favour of the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District enacting Bylaw E1057 to provide the following:
“Establish the Sproat Lake Marine Patrol Service for the purpose of providing a seasonal marine patrol program at Sproat Lake with the following areas participating in the service: City of Port Alberni, Uchucklesaht Tribe Government, Electoral Areas “B” (Beaufort), “D” (Sproat Lake), “E” (Beaver Creek) and “F” (Cherry Creek); and
Annually requisition the service area up to a maximum of $30,000 or $0.0101 per $1,000 of taxable value of land and improvements, whichever is greater?
YES/NO.”
The marine patrol has been funded by government grants since its inception in 2002.
It’s the only safety patrol at Sproat Lake and provides everything from free lifejackets and boat launch help at the lake and education programs in school.
General voting day is Saturday, Nov. 15 from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. at:
• Cherry Creek Community Hall, 3767 Moore Road, Port Alberni
• Harold Bishop Fire Hall, 7667 Pacific Rim Highway, Port Alberni
• Gill Elementary School, 5520 Beaver Creek Road, Port Alberni.
reporter@albernivalleynews.com
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