News Leader News for April 15, 2008
DOWNTOWN MARKS ARTS & CULTURE WEEK
The Paint Princeton Challenge begins on April 20 and runs to April 26.
Three local businesses, Cloverdale Paint, Irly Bird and Home Hardware have donated supplies to help spruce up the downtown area with a coat of paint.
Council gave official proclamation of Arts & Culture Week in Princeton. The week is a project of Princeton Community Arts Council who are asking local downtown businesses to "Please join us and paint a door, a window or a wall, make it observable, achievable and affordable."
At the April 7 Town Council meeting, Arts & Culture Week Chair, Del Hall, introduced the owner of Cloverdale Paints, who offered to supply free enough paint to do Town Hall. (Council did not feel free to commit to that project at the meeting.)
Hall told Council, "Art begins with a well-kept town."
The Potter's Guild will have a display at the former Goldion Restaurant, with Shirley Low joining the Guild to show the works of her young potters. Vermilion Artists will have a display at the Re/Max office.
Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists are preparing their wildlife banners for hanging from lamp posts, and Bunchgrass Quilters will have a quilt on display to be raffled for the Weekend to End Breast Cancer.
Princeton Traditional Music Society will aim to clean up and paint the base of the steps at the bottom of the trail from First Bench to Billiter Avenue at the rear of CIBC.
The theme of BC Arts & Culture Week this year is to raise awareness of the importance of arts and cultural activity to the social and economic well-being of BC communities.
Estimated revenues to all levels of government generated by the 300 organizations who shared the $9.5 million in 2004 BC Arts Council grants is $34 - $41 million. Growth in cultural employment in Canada from 1981 to 2001 was 81 percent, more than double the 32 percent growth in the overall labour force during the same period.
TOWN DISCUSSES AIRPORT, ATVs, OCP AND BUDGET
Planes will refuel here
The first step has been taken at Princeton Airport to make it more appealing to air traffic. A fueling system is being installed which will include both Avgas and jet fuel. The system includes two trucks to deliver the fuel.
The overall plan for the airport will eventually provide business opportunities for more services for air traffic. ATV group plans to dunk Mayor
Two representatives from ATVBC attended the April 7 Town Council meeting to share plans for a poker run in June. Approximately 400 riders are expected to participate. They will be camped at the fairgrounds from June 19 to 23.
Council was asked to give permission for an ATV parade from the fairgrounds into downtown Princeton on June 19. The plan is to have the riders come to town for supper at 4:30 PM and return to the fairgrounds at 6:00 PM. Council had no objections if the RCMP would agree.
The other request to Council was cooperation with a dunk tank charity fundraiser. The ATV group asked if Mayor Randy McLean would go into the dunk tank. As Mayor McLean was absent on April 7, Councillors happily volunteered his participation in the fundraiser. Council deplores poor turnout
The first draft of the Official Community Plan was shown to the public at a meeting held two weeks ago. At the April 7 Town Council meeting, Councillors remarked on how poor the turnout was for that meeting.
The Official Community Plan is a document which, when adopted, directs future development. It spells out the zoning and thus determines whether an apartment block can be built in a certain area or whether the area will be limited to commercial or industrial or single family dwellings.
Copies of the draft are available at Town Hall. Town reveals 2008 budget
The Town of Princeton budget will show a two percent increase due to financing a doctor/nurse recruitment and retention plan and a further one percent for environmental sustainability and energy efficiency initiative. The total operating fund comes to $5,509,231, excluding the water and sewer funds, which are separate.
Commenting on the budget, Deputy Mayor Maria Sadegur said Council hopes to see the Veteran's Square project completed this year, as well as the park located across from the curling rink.
Councillor Jim Manion added Council has done its best to meet all of the grant requests, but perhaps not to the level of every request.
PXA KEEPS IMPROVING FAIRGROUNDS
More work is being done at the fairgrounds in Princeton. Princeton Exhibition Association (PXA), which manages the fairgrounds, is putting new electrical power underground, which requires removing the old ticket office by the main gate. A new one must be built. Terry Inglis is going to construct the new ticket office.
Wayne Hooper, a local professional painter, has once again volunteered to do two weeks of painting. He suggested the "old west" facades be done this year, and wondered if some work could be done to repair some of the storefronts.
Bob Lind and PXA President John Bey worked last week to level the former motorsports track constructed many years ago in anticipation of annual motorsports events and Snocross. As the motorsports group disbanded and Snocross is no longer viable, the racetrack infield has been levelled. Bey said he hopes to have it grassed.
Rodeo Club President Mike Theal stated at the monthly PXA meeting that the BC bullriding finals will be held at Princeton fairgrounds on September 13 and 14. The event will take place in the afternoon. The annual rodeo takes place May 10 and 11. A fundraiser trail ride will take place July 6 and 7. This will be a weekend ride up China Creek with an overnight camp-out. Theal warned it is three-quarters signed up. Anyone interested should sign up soon.
PXA members gave the go-ahead to John Bey to have 100 copies made of the DVD showing last year's Princeton rodeo. The DVDs will go on sale at the May rodeo. Three television stations will receive copies to be used for promotion of Princeton events. These DVDs will make great souvenirs or gifts for former residents and visitors who want to show what goes on in Princeton.
Three user groups report monthly to the PXA. Fall Fair reported contracting for lawnmower racers and a monster truck. Racing Days reported working on funding for the annual race meet.
Maintaining and improving the fairgrounds is a year-round activity. Expenses have been climbing steadily in the past few years. The PXA has raised the barn rental rates, and at the April 8 meeting, raised the user group fees to $1,200 a year. This is the first time in more than 20 years the user group fees have been raised.
The PXA and the Town of Princeton are working out a new lease deal. The fairgrounds facility is owned by the Town, and is leased to the PXA, whose members are volunteer managers and workers who keep the grounds in condition, and who have worked hard for more than 40 years to build the fairgrounds into an outstanding facility for a small town. Details of the lease agreement will be made public when the lease is signed.
The next meeting of the PXA will be held at Town Hall at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, May 13.
