Remembering Jim English
Posted on September 15, 2009
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James (Jim) Wesley English of Coalmont, BC died on the ninth of September 2009 at the Princeton General Hospital of natural causes. At the time of his passing he was surrounded by loved ones. Jim was born on September 22, 1924 in Fort Vermillion, AB to parents Alvin and Mary English. He was the 4th of 11 children. Jim led an extraordinary life, starting when he left home at around age 11. At age 15, at the start of the Second World War, he joined the Canadian Armed Forces (Regimental Number K85494). He later transferred to the Seaforth Highlanders Read more
COMMUNITY PLAN REVIEW
Posted on July 27, 2009
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The Regional District is currently conducting a review of the Official Community Plan (OCP).
Christopher Garrish, the planner for RDOS, informs me that so far, Coalmont has the lowest return on the survey. In fact it is at a piddley 2.7%! We can do better.
Everyone should have gotten a copy of the survey in the mail. If you’re like me and don’t check your mail every week, then do it now. This is important to the future of our area and the control we have over it. Anyone who didn’t receive a copy can participate on-line, or call to get involved. Here is the press release which RDOS issued.
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Meeting Highlights Need For Change
Posted on April 25, 2009
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Our problem is that the new law can provide a loophole for excessive development. That is what would lead to health concerns and subsequent water and sewerage expenses beyond our means and desires.
It was an exciting meeting we had regarding wells, septics, and future development. There was a full house and it soon became clear that there was a lot of animosity in the community toward the new regulations. All the invited guests showed up. Harry Lally came in a bit later and gave a very encouraging speech from the floor. The minutes of the meeting are available here, but the main result was that our concerns were heard. Read more
Let’s Clear The Air
Posted on April 25, 2009
Filed Under Forum, Local Issues | Comments Off
Letter to the Editor
After our Town Meeting on April 21 it was clear that there were some town folk who were upset with some of the letters I sent out after the February meeting. I would like to address why I sent those letters and why I signed them as I did. Read more
MEETING WITH OFFICIALS
Posted on April 20, 2009
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Coalmont Town Meeting 7 p.m. April 21, Coalmont Hotel.
Citizens have organized a town meeting at the historic Coalmont Hotel with officials from the Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport, the Regional Health Authority, the District planning and engineering staff, the local elected representative, and a representative from the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors and Sewerage System Regulation Improvement Coalition.
Everyone with an interest in BC’s septic regulations and a concern for Coalmont’s future is invited. This is also an opportunity for press to learn more about this regulatory failure which is sure to be an election issue.
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RDOS COMMUNITY PLAN
Posted on April 15, 2009
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The RDOS Area H Official Community Plan is written to ensure that development is done with regard to the aspirations of the people and for the benefit of the whole community. How that applies to Coalmont is not exactly clear - especially after reading it. I know that many people won’t bother to read it themselves even though there is a handy link on the Webmont page, so here are some interesting parts - from a Coalmontian’s point of view.
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SPRING IS HERE
Posted on April 8, 2009
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The Coalmont Easter Bunny has worked it’s magic and the little trees in the park at the entrance to town are starting to bud.
Decorating trees at this time of year is an old practice in the west and traces it’s roots back to Germany. This festive tradition is both Christian and secular but nobody can deny that there is
magic in the air at this special time of year. Read more
COALMONT WATER THREATENED
Posted on March 27, 2009
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When regulations trump drinking water safety and quality, then what? The recent letter from Interior Health regarding our concerns highlights this problem.
Everyone in Coalmont has been concerned about the development of 25 foot lots on the old Works Yard. People have different views and are concerned about various aspects, but the real stickler is how can a developer get away with putting septics and wells that close together?
That is indeed a serious issue and we now know that the septic rules and regulations have changed to accommodate that kind of development. It turns out that this is a “tip of the iceberg” kind of issue. There are likely problems in other communities which just haven’t surfaced yet. Our concerns here have been presented to various authorities with little result other than they now know that Coalmont exists. Oh well. That’s a start.
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Never Say Always
Posted on February 27, 2009
Filed Under Local Issues, Uncategorized | Comments Off
Quite a few people here are using the internet now. It used to be that the only connection was through the phone line. The slow speed of that connection made it difficult for some people to get much out of it and, unless you got a second line, it tied up the phone. That all changed two years ago when we got the new tower and “always on” wireless radio link. Read more
Truck Traffic Concerns
Posted on February 25, 2009
Filed Under Local Issues | Comments Off
updated
Truck traffic through town is an ongoing concern. Both coal and logging trucks kick up a lot of dust, and make noise around the clock. They also pose a safety hazard when they speed, especially going through the stop sign.
The issue of dust does not have an easy solution as it is part of the normal operation of big trucks. Perhaps another route is better, and perhaps Argo could clean up the winter sanding better. To deal with noise and speed, we may get signs at the entrances to town asking truckers to consider our community. Not all issues can be solved overnight but it does look like our concerns are meeting with some response, and things are looking up. Read more
The Story of Similkameen
Posted on February 22, 2009
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On the Coalmont Community History page you will find links to the best and most comprehensive information on our past. However, the history of our area is mostly documented in old newspapers and a few key books which are not easy to get hold of.
Perhaps the best known is Don Blake’s book “Blakeburn, From Dust to Dust” which has been out of print so long that when the odd copy surfaces, it sells for well over $100.
The Story of Similkameen, by Rev. John Goodfellow is another key book. This little book was originally published in 1958 and has become almost impossible to find.
Read more
Basin Coal Mine
Posted on February 19, 2009
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We know it as Blakeburn, but it has many other names such as Basin Coal, Coalmont Colliery, Blakeburn Strip Mine, Mullin’s Strip Mine, Mount Carbon Colliery, Tulameen Coal, Columbia Coal, B.C. Coal, and Pacific West. Whatever you call it, it’s still our neighbourhood. The news is that it’s no longer Canadian. Read more
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