Sewer Update

Reliable sources have informed Tofinonews that the stage 3 liquid waste management plan has been completed.

Still Waiting

Sorry for the lack of posts....I'm still waiting for the District to provide information from a Freedom of Information request filed months ago.I am sorry to say that John Fraser and Bob Long were much more forthcoming with information than the current administration.Feel free to write in with anything you would like to post. tofinoblog@gmail.com

Subsidized Housing Corp. Disbanded !!

 After spending hundreds of thousands of tax dollars the Tofino Housing Corporation has been disbanded.

 http://www.canada.com/Tofino+council+meeting+July/6956660/story.html

Clinton Fire Hall

email submission submission:

clinton ,bc ..700 people ,cheap water ,,sewage treatment ,,4 new paved streets in town .2 village works employees ..and a nice new fire hall ...
 comments: tofinoblog@gmail.com

More on 4th and Campbell Upgrade

http://www.jti.gov.bc.ca/research/IndustryPerformance/pdfs/Value_%20of_%20Tourism_%202011.sflb.pdf

Good Morning.

I would like to weigh in on the question of the 4th St. upgrade and beautification slated for Sept. 2012. The reality of lower visitor numbers in 2011 and now more pronounced in 2012 has many business owners, including myself, deeply concerned. As told in the attached files, visitor count on BC Ferries show the largest decrease in 13 years! The gov't report on tourism 2011 shows declines since 2009. I would be very interested to see this years report, because although we in Tofino were not affected as quickly as the rest of the province, in fact we had a good 2010 season...2011 and 2012 have now caught up to the general declining trend.

In 1985-1995 we had a cafe in Hawaii.  What sank tourism then, and why I came to Tofino in 1995 to buy the Alleyway Cafe, was  the Japanese Yen and Canadian dollar fell against the American.  This large segment of tourists looked at a 25% increase to the cost of their holiday, and stopped coming. CDN and YEN remained depressed,  Hawaii was already pricing itself out of the market and did not recover from this huge drop in traffic/ revenue  for years and years. 

With America's Great Recession, and now Europe's financial woes, added to the beginning of a prolonged  Retirement Boom in Canada from 2009 onward...see Statistics Canada, people are more cautious with their finances.  Tourism is based on discretionary spending, and the demographics are against us as is being reported by business here in Tofino.

The 4th Street upgrade will improve the entrance to our Village. If we are looking at paving anything, what about Main Street first.  And the look of the fire department in the heart of the village is a disgrace...just paint it a nice bright colour for now.  Tofino had the great good fortune in that Tourism Tofino did an excellent job of marketing from its inception. This we assume, will continue and the District  within its mandate and with input from the business community is called to efficient use of the AHRT funds. 

Lore Rowland    

editor's note: unable to attach files.working on links
comments: tofinoblog@gmail.com

Update on 4th and Campbell Spending

Hi Folks
I have been asking some questions, and from what I can divine it sounds like staff are driving the Fourth street debacle forward arguing that the RMI money can only be spent within highly specific parameters. I have no issue with this argument so long as council makes sure that what staff is feeding then is, in fact, the only version of the truth.

Tofino staff cost the taxpayers of our province the better part of a million dollars over Yewwood because they did not have all their facts sorted out, and did not bother to check their work.
How RMI money can actually be spent would be worthy of an independent opinion. I have found that few things in life are carved in stone when one has a viable alternative, and one makes the effort to have the rules changed or adjusted.

Before you spend this mountain of money please make sure that this spend goes down as a truly smart decision and not another debacle like our almost roundabout.
Sincerely
George Smith

   comments :  tofinoblog@gmail.com

Letter to Council

Dear Mayor & Council

July 13, 2012

I had a stroll this evening down McKenzie Beach road, and the formerly paved road is now reduced to a dusty gravel track. This road is used almost exclusively by our most important resource, tourists. Hellesen drive is not much better but much less utilized.

As we prepare to spend $1.5mil on shaving a hill and fixing an intersection which is substantially not broken, would it not be possible to spend RMI money on fixing dirt tracks which tourists use? I am sure the rules for fixing a road downtown or one that is used primarily by our guests would be substantially similar.

Not a very sexy way to spend money, but a hell of a lot more useful than what you are proposing to spend the RMI money on.

It's not too late to rethink and refocus on what needs to be done as opposed to what looks nice and feels great because of some silly award.

Sincerely

George Smith

Tsunami Debris Update

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/07/12/stub-video-5-gyres-tsunami-debris-expedition.html

Westerly Council Report

http://www.canada.com/Tofino+council+meeting+June/6921214/story.html

RCMP Report July 6,2012

On the morning of July 6th, 2012 the Tofino RCMP received a report of a theft on South Cesterman Beach, in Tofino, BC.  A female visiting the community reported that she was laying on the beach between 7:00 am - 7:30 am.  The female had a bag containing several cameras wrapped up in a jacket, and was using the jacket as a pillow.  It was reported while laying on the beach, a male approached her and snatched the jacket and camera bag out from under her head then quickly ran off.

 

The suspect is described as male with an athletic build, shoulder length dark hair, wearing knee length dark shorts and a colourful t-shirt primary white, red and blue.

 

If anyone has any information regarding this incident, they are encouraged to contact the Tofino RCMP at 250-725-3242 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

 

As summer is upon us, and the weather continues to improve, the Tofino RCMP would also like to remind people to mindful of their belongings while at the beach.  Please keep your vehicles locked, with valuables, and back packs out of sight.  While on the beach ensure your cameras, wallets, money  and valuables are kept on your person.  We understand keeping items on your person could be challenging while in the water, however we ask that you think ahead and only take what is necessary to the sand.

 

 

 

 

 

Cst Jordan MacKELLAR
Tofino RCMP
BC RCMP "E Division" - Island District

Salt Water Classic this Weekend

http://www.ctvvancouverisland.ca/2012/07/cup-winner-willie-mitchell-gives-tofino-charity-a-boost/

http://www.tofinosaltwaterclassic.com/

More Money for Subsidized Housing ??

http://www.canada.com/news/postmedia/Multiple+meetings+Tofino+council/6853022/story.html
 After wasting hundreds and hundreds of thousands of tax payer's dollars Tofino Council is still talking about subsidized housing !!! With the amount already spent Tofino could have bought a waterfront condo on Cox Bay !! Please encourage Council to stop the madness !!
http://www.tofinohousing.ca/attainable-housing-updates.php


email comments to tofinoblog@gmail.com