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Year in Review: A look back at Observer headlines from April 2024

April

With the new year around the corner, the Salmon Arm Observer is taking this time to share some of the stories that made headlines throughout 2024.

April

Council has pulled its funding from the Shuswap Water Council (SWC) but will remain a member. The decision was made at council’s March 25 meeting after much discussion over the participation of other players at the table. The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) ended its funding following a referendum on future taxation to support the SWC, which falls under the Fraser Basin Council. It was defeated by electoral area residents in February, and as a result the $160,000 contribution from the CSRD will not continue.

Former Salmon Arm mayor Marten “Marty” Bootsma will be memorialized at one of his favourite locations in the community – Canoe Beach. At its March 25 meeting, council approved a memorial bench with a plaque to be placed there by the Bootsma family in honour of Marty. “I know that Marty loved that place,” said Mayor Alan Harrison. “His family would like to have a memorial there.”

“We just want people to be able to grow their own food.” This, explained the Shuswap Food Action Society’s Melanie Bennett, was the underlying goal behind a planned downtown community garden. It was a sentiment John McLeod would have shared – which is, in part, why the garden is being named after the late Salmon Arm farmer and food-security champion. The John McLeod Community Garden will be taking root beside the red log Shuswap Agriculture Association building at 490 5th Ave SW – at the northwest corner of the south Salmon Arm fairgrounds. It is being created by the Shuswap Food Action Society (SFAS) in collaboration with the Shuswap Agriculture Association. “We’ve been talking about a community garden down here for a few years…,” said Bennett who, as McLeod did, sees in land not yet touched by asphalt

RCMP arrested three suspects during a break-and-enter investigation that led to a Salmon Arm residence on 27th Avenue SE. In the early hours of Thursday, April 4, Chase RCMP received a report of a break and enter at a business in the 1200-block of the Trans-Canada Highway. “A grey pickup truck with three suspects was seen leaving the area travelling in the direction of Salmon Arm,” said RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Vanessa Munn. Salmon Arm officers located the truck at a residence in the 400 block of 27th Street SE. “Police conducted call outs, but despite police efforts the occupants of the residence did not exit,” said Munn. “The residence was secured while police obtained a search warrant and the Emergency Response Team was called out to assist. Munn said the suspects were taken into custody around 10:30 a.m.

We must remember all the people from this area who fought and died at Vimy.” This was veteran, military historian and Salmon Arm Legion Branch 62 member Harry Welton’s closing remark for a ceremony marking the Battle of Vimy Ridge held at the city cenotaph on Tuesday, April 9.

A structural assessment of the SASCU Indoor Memorial Sports Complex recommended replacement over repair. On Thursday, April 11, the City of Salmon Arm shared a post on social media saying a detailed structural assessment of the facility had been completed and, “unfortunately, the building cannot be occupied in its current state.” “While the City hasn’t finalized its decision on the arena’s future and is awaiting the completion of a Lifecycle Analysis, we recognize its importance to the community and want to ensure you have the most up to date information,” read the post. “The City will be engaging the community in discussions about facilities and encourage you to participate.”

A Salmon Arm couple could build their home without having to contribute $31,462 towards a proposed trail bordering their agricultural property. On April 8, following a lengthy public hearing, city council voted unanimously in support of a development variance sought by Brandon and Vanessa Micku. The couple wished to waive the required frontage upgrades triggered by the development permit for the construction of a single-family dwelling on their property at 251 Hwy. 97B NE.

A man was facing a charge of failing to stop at the scene of an accident in connection to a December 2023 incident that left a woman with serious injuries. Salmon Arm RCMP Const. Andrew Hodges said the man, 31-year-old Eric Jones,was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. The charge he’s facing stems from a Dec. 8 incident in which a woman was struck by a sedan on 5th Avenue SW in Salmon Arm.

Uptown Askew’s Foods manager Heather Turner would rather see money go to community needs, and not measures to deter shoplifting. However, increasing difficulties with theft, and theft attempts, pushed the Shuswap grocer to invest in efforts to address product loss while protecting staff and customers. “We’ve always had shoplifters, but not this extent. It’s really been bad,” said Turner, suggesting incidents of shoplifting began to rise in December, and have been particularly prominent over the past few months. 



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