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Year in review - Voters put MP Alex Atamanenko back in the hot seat

Part 2 of the annual countdown to the year’s memorable moments

May

2 – Greater Trail’s two-decade old efforts at mitigating the health and developmental impact of toxic industrial  chemicals emanating from local industry have been recognized as among the best examples in the province.

The Trail Health and Environment Committee, which entails co-operation among local governments, Teck and several provincial ministries, received a Premier’s Award as the best partnership in the Interior and Northern B.C.

2 – Southern Interior voters return MP Alex Atamanenko for a third term in the federal election. Atamanenko received 50.9 per cent of the votes followed by Conservative candidate Stephen Hill, who garnered 38.8 per cent of the votes.

6 – B.C. Minister of Education George Abbott visited J.L. Crowe Secondary for the new school’s official opening celebration.

8 – Aftin Jolly is named the Trail Ambassador for 2011 with Megan McIntyre chosen as Trail princess and Miss Congeniality.

15 – Trail RCMP arrested and later charged a 17-year-old Trail resident in connection with the death of a 25-year-old Trail man. The victim was brought to the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

26 – The results of a survey on the Old Trail Bridge had half the respondents wanting a replacement but a clear majority did not support a tax hike to finance it.

28 – Jack and Pauline Jablonsky were recognized as Beaver Valley’s Citizens of the Year at a special ceremony during the annual May Days celebration.

 

June

2 - After 39 years to the day he joined Trail Operations, Mike Martin retired from his position as general manager and passed the torch to a fellow employee. Greg Belland, former manager of production in Trail, took over for Martin on July 1.

 

 

7 - Amber Oosthuyzen, a Grade 12 J.L. Crowe Secondary student, is one of 20 students from across Canada chosen to receive the prestigious TD Community Leadership scholarship. The TD Canada Trust scholarship includes up to $10,000 for tuition per year and $7,500 a year toward living expenses.

11 – The Montrose ball park was renamed Bernie McMahon Field during Montrose Days.

13 - A leak in the lead refinery building of Teck Metals Trail Operations released approximately 25,000 litres of lead refinery electrolyte solution into the ground. Richard Deane, manager of energy and public affairs with Teck, said preliminary indications are that the sealing system in the electrolyte holding area failed. Deane said there’s no indication that the acidic solution has affected adjacent land or water and doesn’t pose a risk to people, fish or wildlife.

14 - Hillcrest avenue in Fruitvale will receive paving reconstruction and storm drainage work now that the village has secured a $400,000 grant from the province.

19 – Marc Cross of Trail made a hole-in-one to win a cool $30,000 – but what’s even more incredible - he agreed to share it with two golf partners at the third annual Garret Horbul Fathers’ Day Golf Tournament at the Champion Lakes Golf Course.

28 - Trail and Rossland residents saw letters in their mail boxes again, as Canada Post said mail delivery will resume following back-to-work legislation passed by Parliament over the weekend.

 

July

3 - Two Beaver Valley residents were once again honoured for their contributions to the community. Richard and Heather Hamer both received awards from Scouts Canada, recognizing their actions that go above and beyond regular volunteer service.

Richard received the Silver Acorn while Heather was the recipient of the Bar to the Silver Acorn, the highest award a regular volunteer leader can receive.

7 - A late snow melt, low temperatures and steady rain throughout June caused the Columbia River to swell, closing walking trails and reducing the size of the beach at Gyro Park.

11 - Rossland council came down clearly in favour of the southeast corner of the Emcon lot for a skate park, opening the door for the Rossland Skatepark Association (RSA) to embark on a design process and fundraising campaign.

12 – The Royal Canadian Legion Trail Branch #11 celebrated its 85th anniversary. An open house saw more than 100 people filter through the building perusing through photos, newspaper articles and other pieces of the branch’s history.

21 -  About 150 residents sat on the edge of their seats listening to the pros and cons of amalgamating Trail and Warfield, as the consultants hired to complete the first phase of a merger study presented a financial snapshot. A meeting held at the Trail Memorial Centre left many hungry for more critical information and a few with a bad taste in their mouth. By year end, Warfield puts Phase 2 of an amalgamation study with Trail on hold due to the uncertainty of industrial taxation.

 

August

4 – After pulling the plug on Spokane channels, Shaw listened to its West Kootenay customers and switched back to the southern feed.

17 – The 2011 B.C. Seniors Games begins with a torch ceremony at Haley Park.

18 –Trail pulls its swim buoy toward the shore 20 metres at Gyro beach following a near drowning.

18 – New Line Skate Parks is selected as the design firm to complete a $25,000 design of the city’s first wheel park in the Gulch.

23 – MP Alex Atamanenko remembers late NDP leader Jack Layton, who passed Aug. 22.

25 – Montrose’s Sam and Lynda Clarke cope with the loss of their belongings and home that perish in a house fire Aug. 17.