News Leader News for January 15, 2008
WILL HOMELESSNESS HIT PRINCETON?
People need homes, but what do you do if you cannot afford to buy a home and there are no places to rent?
If you have a low fixed income, as many of our seniors do, what can you do?
This is a concern of a group of citizens whose residences are about to become strata titled. They have the option of purchasing their apartment, but if they cannot afford to purchase, then they must find other accommodation. Safe, affordable rental units are becoming scarce in Princeton.
An appeal was made to Town Council last month, but Council has not offered any solutions to the problem.
Concerned citizens are needed to show strong support for finding a solution to the problem, particularly as another landlord has petitioned Town Council to strata title Riverside Motel property.
A meeting will take place this Thursday, January 17, at Riverside Centre gym at 7:00 PM to strike a committee to find a solution to the problem of lack of affordable housing in our town.
Anyone unable to attend the meeting but willing to work on the problem can call Sylvia at 295-4464 to leave name and phone number.
LOCAL NOTARY RECEIVES LIFE MEMBERSHIP
An Honourary Life Membership in the Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia is bestowed upon Notaries who have "exemplified the spirit of The Society's founding membership and who have distinguished themselves in the pursuit of improving and promoting the status of Notaries Public in our province."
The quarterly publication of the Society, The Scrivener, features a two-page spread congratulating Larry Stevens, Sr. on being named an Honourary Life Member of The Society. The announcement was made at the BC Notaries' Fall Conference in Whistler to which Stevens replied, "I wish to thank The Society for bestowing this award upon me. It is a great honour."
Stevens was born in Vancouver and grew up in the East End and North Burnaby. He met his future wife Janice at Burnaby North High School and chose a career that saw him in the banking field. In fact, Stevens spent eight years working for a chartered bank in various branches in BC.
In was in 1969 when he happened to mention his dissatisfaction with his work to his mentor and father-in-law, the late James L. Robinson Sr., a Notary Public for the District of Coquitlam and President of Brunette Agencies Ltd., a real estate and insurance agency. As the story goes, Robinson suggested on that day that Stevens leave the bank and work for him and Robinson promised, "I'll give you a $100.00 a month raise."
Stevens took the offer and became a conveyancer (one who prepares documents for the transfer of property) in Robinson's Notary office. This led to years at night school taking the Urban Land Economics course as he set out to achieve the goal of becoming a BC Notary Public.
One setback followed his application for membership in the Society of Notaries Public of BC when he was told there was no possibility of another Seal being placed in Coquitlam, where he wanted to practise.
That changed in 1976 when Stevens' father-in-law, a Board member of the Society at the time, called to say the Board would assign a Seal to Port Coquitlam if he could be ready to sit for exams in four months. It was the start of a career that saw Stevens practice in Port Coquitlam until he transferred his Seal to Princeton in 1994.
In 2001 Larry Stevens, Jr. was sworn in as a member of the Society of Notaries Public of BC and took over his father's practice while Larry Sr. took the vacant Keremeos Seal.
Larry Sr. was President of The Society from 1986 to 1988 and has served as a member of the Board from 1980 to 2000 and from 2001 to 2007. He was also a member of the Board of the Notary Foundation from its inception in 1986 until 2000 and again from 2003 to 2007.
Locally he is active within St. Paul's United Church, Princeton Rotary Club, Town of Princeton Board of Variance and is a Director of Valley First Credit Union.
Larry Sr. and Janice have been married 44 years and have three adult children and six grandchildren.
