SVRA News and Events
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Current News Items |
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SVRA Directors Meetings are held the first Friday of the month in Sunshine Valley
Sunshine Valley 2008 Homecoming Committee hosts St. Patrick's Day TeaHistory was brought alive with witty stories and a fantastic display in a unique community event hosted by the Sunshine Valley
2008 Homecoming Committee. Many people turned out to hear guest speaker Tim Watkins, Royal Engineers & Associates Living History
Group, give a lecture in period costume depicting a Sapper. Also attending was Lisa Peppan from The Children of Fort Langley. A press
release with photos is provided below. FVRD provides comments to Ministry regarding mining applicationComments from the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) Electoral Area Services Committee regarding the quarry application by
Argus Aggregates Ltd. have been provided to the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. The quarry application is for
the removal of aggregate material from an area near Eleven Mile Creek north and west of the Hope Slide, along Highway 3. A copy of
the letter and prior correspondence has been provided below. SVRA membership elect new board at Annual General MeetingThe SVRA Annual General Meeting was on January 12, 2008. The board wishes to thank everyone who was able to attend. We
especially would like to thank Cal Stephenson (Cascade Lower Canyon Community Forest Corporation) and Fraser Valley Regional
District Area B Director, Arne Zabell for being our guest speakers. Also, by special resolution, the membership passed three
important changes to the SVRA bylaws. For complete details on these changes, please refer to the minutes below. The newly elected
2008 SVRA Board of Directors are: Barb Bell (President), Beata Korabek (Treasurer), Mernie Jacobsen (Secretary), Sharon Bender
(Director) and Norm Bell (Director). Sunshine Valley Community Committee documents are availableFour meetings were held between the Fraser Valley Regional District and members of the Sunshine Valley Community Committee during
the months of August, September, October and November of 2007. The committee was established during a March 10, 2007 meeting that
was held between Sunshine Valley residents, the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) and Sunshine Valley Developments Ltd. (SVDL)
for the purpose of discussing community planning opportunities. It was decided at the meeting that a committee be formed to
outline a vision for the future of Sunshine Valley that represents both the views and interests of landholders and residents.
Thirty-nine residents signed up to participate in this committee. On June 26, 2007 the FVRD mailed out an information package to
everyone who expressed an interest in serving on the committee. Contents from the June 26th package are provided below, including
the summary reports that have been distributed by the FVRD to the meeting participants. These documents can also be found by
visiting the Planning and Development Department web page of the FVRD web site. Hope Slide rock removal application not approvedThe quarry application submitted by 783567 BC Ltd. for the removal of surface rock material from the debris area of the Hope
Slide was not approved. According to the reasons for decision memo that was provided, the application was not approved due to the
fact that the subject lands are within a Provincially significant site known as the Hope Slide. This application was in addition to
the application made by D. Fredlund Manley for the removal of a 990 tonne bulk sample from the same area. A copy of the reasons for
decision memo along with copies of both applications are provided below in PDF format. New e-mail regarding SVDL water rate application
Photos from 2007 Canada Day celebration are online
Cattermole Timber to resume logging operations in Sumallo River Valley
Planning for BC's 150th anniversary in 2008
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The SVRA directors hold a meeting on the first Friday of
each month (except July and August) to discuss new and ongoing business of the SVRA, correspondence, the monthly treasurer's report, and at the option of the
board, may hear from an invited speaker. All Directors Meetings are open to the public (SVRA membership is not required). At the
conclusion of each Directors Meeting, there will be an opportunity for those in attendance to address the SVRA Board with any issues
or questions they may have. All SVRA Directors Meetings are generally held at the Sunshine Community Co-operative Club (SCCC)
Recreation Centre in Sunshine Valley, BC. Meetings begin at 7pm and end no later than 9pm.
New e-mail has been exchanged regarding the water rate
application by Sunshine Valley Developments Ltd. (SVDL). In an August 1st e-mail from Rick Couroux, Secretary to the Comptroller
of Water Rights, it was reported that SVDL has acquired the services of Urban Systems Ltd. to conduct an assessment of the Trites
Creek and Huckleberry water systems. SVDL expects a preliminary report from Urban Systems by mid September and will supply a copy
of the report to the comptroller's office for review along with their proposal on how they plan to bring both water systems into
compliance with the requirements of the Fraser Valley Health Authority. In August 2005 SVDL initiated the process to raise water
rates in Sunshine Valley from $14.50 per single dwelling family unit per month to $37.42 per single dwelling family unit per month.
In an initial response to their application, the Deputy Comptroller of Water Rights granted SVDL permission to charge an interim
rate of $30 per month per customer while their application is under review. According to the Deputy Comptroller, this interim rate
would be subject to change after a public hearing to address customers' concerns had taken place and the review process has been
completed.
Photos taken at the 2007 Sunshine Valley Canada Day celebration are now available online. Over 500 people either registered for
events or took part in this year's event. Thank you to all the volunteers who contributed their time and effort to help make this
year's event another great success. This year's event wouldn't have been possible without the generous support from our government
and corporate sponsors. Sponsors and contributors included Canadian Heritage, Fraser Valley Regional District, Emergency Social
Services, Hope and District Recreation and Cultural Center, Hope Search and Rescue, Haig Forest Crew Camp, Cooper's Foods,
Nestlé Waters, Spectra Energy, Envision Credit Union and our local volunteers.
On 1 June 2007 Cattermole Timber sent an e-mail to the
Sunshine Valley Forest Advisory Steering Committee announcing their intentions to resume road construction and logging in the
Sumallo River Valley as soon as possible. Logging operations will begin soon on block 4501 (near the first bridge of the Sumallo
River Forest Service Road) and will continue on the Silvertip Ski Hill Road. Recreationists are advised to use caution when using
either of these roads. On 29 March 2006, the Ministry of Forests, Chilliwack District, approved amendment 32 to Cattermole Timber's
Forest Development Plan. This amendment includes the proposed cut blocks near Sunshine Valley. A copy of the District Manager's
Rationale for Decision is provided in the links below. In October 2005 Cattermole Timber submitted an amendment to the Fraser Valley
Regional District (FVRD) on their 2001-2005 Forest Development Plan. The amendment included three new proposed cut blocks that are
located in the Sumallo River Valley near the community of Sunshine Valley, BC. Below is the information SVRA has received to date
regarding Cattermole Timber's proposed cut blocks.
The year 2008 will mark the 150th anniversary of the
founding of British Columbia as a Crown Colony. The Province of British Columbia has established a grant to assist communities in
funding public projects that commemorate this event. A formed committee is currently planning a homecoming event for current and former
residents of Sunshine Valley. Do you have an idea to contribute or would like to assist in this event? Come to one of our
Directors Meetings or contact any one of our board members for more information.