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Monday, May 29, 2023 — Private wells
Monday, May 29, 2023 | ☀ High 23C | Forecast
Every Saturday in our members-only weekend edition newsletter, we include a poll asking our best readers their thoughts about something pertinent. A week ago we asked people about their favourite local staple food. And the results were surprising: local berries were far more popular than corn. Chicken, milk, and salmon all came in far behind.
The unpopularity of milk was a little surprising to me, initially. But I guess no one really gets excited about milk. Nobody except my family that is. We love our milk. Maybe a little too much. I’ve never broken a bone, which is good. But I also sink in water. (Floaters don’t realize this is something that afflicts a decent chunk of people, especially men.) I wonder how many of you also can’t just gracefully float on the top of a lake—and whether all the milk I guzzled as a kid left me with these leaden bones of mine.
Meanwhile, If you want to get our weekend round-up newsletter (each of which includes a mini-essay connected to our journalism), you can become a member here. Next weekend, I’ll be writing about AI’s impact (or lackthereof) on local journalism. And at the bottom of this newsletter, I’m sharing the most-interesting scientific thing I came across last week: legit orca fads.
Thanks to all the community organizations who have become members!
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NEWS
Langley’s wells aren’t all safe
Hundreds of Langley Township water wells in the last decade didn’t meet Canada’s safe drinking standards when last tested. A half-dozen may have had unhealthy lead levels. But whether those problems have ever been corrected remains unclear.
Water wells in Langley Township are privately owned and not the responsibility of the municipality to maintain. The township does, however, encourage well owners to test their water quality by offering a discount to those who agree to have test results published online.
But because testing well water is voluntary, some property owners may unknowingly be consuming unsafe water.
Related story
Need to know
🎄 Learn about growing Christmas Trees at the Christmas Tree Growers Conference being held this year in Salmon Arm, BC from Thursday, Sep. 7 to Saturday, Sep. 9, 2023. More info here.*
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The Agenda
The Clarke Theatre needs a series of upgrades; council will consider Monday whether to add some or all to its new capital plan. | 📷 Clarke Theatre/Facebook
A $9 million question
Mission has no shortage of ways to spend $9 million.
City politicians will consider Monday how to spend $8.8 million in unexpected infrastructure money it was provided by the province this spring. Staff have prepared a long list of possible projects, along with their potential costs.
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$1 million—Clearing five city-owned properties and turning them into parks. Properties are located at: Hillcrest; southwest corner of 14th Avenue and Cedar Street; northwest corner of Heritage Park and Mound; Macchel Street; and 32313 7th Avenue;
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$8.6 million—A new community building at Centennial Park that could be used for curling in winter; and a refurbished lacrosse box.
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$95,000—picnic shelter at Centennial Park
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$35,000—bike lockers at four sites
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$600,000—three years of grants for arts and culture inititiatives
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Up to $2.5 million—various Clarke theatre stage, audio, seating and visual equipment upgrades
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$455,000—an indoor basketball court area at the arena
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$1 million—housing initiatives
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$1 million—foundry
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$90,000—pickleball courts (Mission’s last pickleball project failed after angering neighbours)
Farmland should be used for farming, province says
Abbotsford looks set to reject a plea to legalize the storage of trucks and commercial equipment on a Fraser Highway farm property.
City staff have recommended council reject an attempt to legalize an illegal truck parking and equipment storage site on Fraser Highway. Council will decide Monday whether to forward a non-farm use application to the Agricultural Land Commission, but staff have recommended it not do so.
The property in question is just one of dozens around the city used in contravention of agriculture land use rules. In a 2015 letter to the city, the owner noted that property owners to the east and west were also using their properties for commercial use and that the cost of water for agriculture was too high. But the Ministry of Agriculture noted that using farmland for commercial reasons creates an unfair tax situation, because legal competing businesses on industrial land must pay more in property taxes. The ministry also noted that other owners have managed to farm similar parcels in the area.
Council will consider the matter at its meeting Monday afternoon.
Things to do
👉 New arts season: The Chilliwack Arts & Cultural Society celebrates its 2023-24 season Tuesday with entertainment, information booths, and a featured arts exhibition. Details online.
🗓 Yarrow Days: The 51st edition of Yarrow Days returns this weekend. Saturday includes a pancake breakfast, fun run, parade, party in park, show and shine, and dine and dance. Details online.
🗓 Lepp Anniversary: Lepp Farm Market in Abbotsford celebrates its birthday on June 3 with a barbecue, kids activities, and music from Ryan McAllister. Details online.
Find more events in our members-only weekly calendar.
Catch up
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About those orcas
You may have heard that orcas near Portugal have begun attacking boats. Over the last three years, groups of orcas have sank three different vessels and scientists are trying to figure out why.
One possibility? It could be the same societal habit that caused orcas near BC to swim around for months wearing dead salmon hats.
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