BCNE Asks City for Break
Prince George, B.C. – The Prince George Agricultural Historic Society, 
which hosts the BCNE may have had its best fair in a long time this past August, but it is still planning on asking the City to give it a break.
The Society will be making a presentation to Prince George City Council tonight, asking the City to forgive the balance of a loan. Although the fair made money this year, it is carrying debt from 2014 which saw the fair end up deep in the red.
Also on the agenda for this evening’s regular meeting of Council, City Manager Kathleen Soltis will update Council on the plans to accept Syrian refugees. In her report Soltis says those who are known to be coming, have been privately sponsored. While none of the refugees under the Federal Government’s plan are expected to arrive in P.G. before Christmas, it is not yet clear if there will be any coming during the second wave expected in Canada by the end of February.
The issue of bowhunting within City Limits could well be up for discussion. There are two letters on the issue in the correspondence section of the agenda. One if from the group PETA ( People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) which calls on the City to ban the practice of bowhunting on private, or crown lands within the City limits, the other is from the President of the Prince George rod and Gun Club suggesting the City do more to define areas where such activity is allowed. The issue will only be discussed if a member of Council wishes to pull the specific letters for discussion.
Council will be asked to pass a bylaw that would create the necessary Local Area Service for the installation of City sewer service to residents on Killarney-Sussex- and Wildwood in the Hart Highlands. There has been a sufficient number of residents representing 71% of the total assessed value to warrant proceeding with the project, which is estimated to cost no more than $1.94 million. That amount will be shared by the property owners to the tune of just over $23 thousand dollars per lot.
Comments
City Manager Kathleen Soltis will update Council on the plans to accept Syrian refugees. In her report Soltis says those who are known to be coming, have been privately sponsored.
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Why is the city expending any time, effort or money on this issue? The city is just looking for a pat on the back but this is a federal initiative and the refugees are be privately sponsored; the bureaucracy that is the city is not needed here.
Bcne… Maybe ask for an extension, not forgiveness. U must pay back what u borrowed so that the city can afford to send certain people back to China! Everyone in pg is expected to pay there loans in full, what makes u any different. Just my opinion!
I want a break on my property taxes and utilities.
The BCNE is put on for the benefit of all people in Prince George and the surrounding area.
They should be commended for doing a good job and trying to make this fair make some money or break even, however when they come up short the City and taxpayers should be able to step forward and help.
People should keep in mind that those who do all the work for functions like the BCNE are volunteers and do not get paid.
Time for us to step up and pull our weight. We need to have a first class exhibition in this area and we cant get their by being penny pinchers.
Having said that, I don’t endorse carte blanche funding to any organization without oversight.
The City should be able to make the right decision in this case.
I got a break on my property taxes by moving into the regional district…
Money for bike lanes is more important for the few rather then the BCNE used by a much larger crowd. Is it okay to park on a imploded bike lane since they are not plowed or sanded?
The common sense solution to the (so called) biking problem in this town is easily fixed by the City passing a bylaw (as other cities have done) to allow bikes on sidewalks.
Once you are allowed to ride on the sidewalk you can then use the bike lanes, and when parking impedes your progress revert to the sidewalk until the bike lane is cleared again., The number of times you would have to do this would be negligible and would allow the maximum use of this roadway space.
All we need is some co-operation from those (few) people who ride bikes, and some initiative from the City.
Ride on a sidewalk great idea? Hope the bike speed then matches walking speed.
my opinion is that the BCNE did a great job. I actually was impressed. got there early morning, and had enough activities during the day. We did not leave till about 9 that evening. Good Job.
Should the city forgive the loan. NO. The society went to the city for help, must have asked for a loan, not a grant. otherwise, it opens the doors to everyone to get access to the city money, under the premise of a loan, with no intentions of paying it back.
In 2014 it claims it lost money. They made money this year! how much did they make? have they paid anything back? Sure the BCNE is fragile, But they still need to honor the responsibility. They could ask for the interest to be frozen. and work out a payment plan from years that are profitable. I thought they borrowed $45k.
I’d like to see a balance sheet showing me which parts of the Fair were revenue generating and which parts weren’t. Do they make money filling the Kin centers with sales people? Do they make money from the rides, games or over priced inedible food?
PETA should be banned from PG they are extremists.
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