~ from the city’s ticket-wiclding by-law enforcer, Frank '
- Bowsher,

“: “Is all about keeping traffic moving in the

" cause of the Credit Union and employment office.

half later from I marked a tire and that’s just too long.”’

‘advising them that they have broken the law’’ said

“Walker, are McConnell, Hal- wamings and tickets issued from

_ A Frank look .
at parking

By DANA HUBLER
A WHITE VAN is spotted circling downtown Terrace
and the Frankie patral moves into action.

Stores empty as people rush to save their vehicles

“Business people say they watch for me so they can
let their customers know I’m on patrol and it will soon
be time for them to find a new parking spot,” said
Bowsher,

While he is responsibiec for the enforcement of ail city

by-laws, Bowsher estimates parking enforcement takes
up almost half of his time.

downtown core,’”? he said. ‘‘This is by far the biggest
part of my job.’’

‘Bowsher usually takes on the role of parking patroller
three times a weck, targeting Terrace’s ‘rush minutes”
at ncon hour and 4:00 p.m..

‘While Terrace does not have the parking problem
some people claim there is, Bowsher said, spring and
early fall are the most congested times of the year.

He says Lazelle is the busiest street for parking be-

One of the most common infractions Bowsher sees is
parking in orange zones.

- "People in this town want to park right in front of the
establishment they’re going into,’* be said, “They
don't want to walk any farther than they have to,”’

When checking for parking time limits, Bowsher
patrols on foot to mark vehicle tires with a chalk.

He records the time of tire marking and returns
within 75 minutes to check for vehicles excceding the
one-hour time limit.

*'T always try to give 10-15 minutes lenicncy because
people may be at the dentist or getting their hair done,’’
said Bowsher. '‘But when F come back aa hour-and-a-

‘To promote and keep tourism, the city has advised
Bowsher to be especially lenient with out-of-province
vehicles.

"Tnstead of automatically ticketing visitors, I put a
notice on their window that welcomes them to Terrace,

Bowsher.

When Bowsher started ticketing in 1991, he ticketed
an average of 14-16 vehicles per day.

Now, in part because of the Frankie patrol, Bowsher
hands out about 10 tickets per day.

‘A ticket reminds people that there are laws out
there,”’ he said. ‘‘It’s not meant to be a money-making
venture — it’s meant to keep traffic fowing.””

, Since Bowsher starled parking enforcement in 1991, |
he has written over 1800 tickets.

City traffic is
freeway traffic

AT LEAST nine freeways bisect you would by issuing a ticket, I’
Terrace, according to city traffic usually opt for the warning,” he

officer Constable J.R. Walker. said, adding that there is 50-50 °

Among the local freeways, says Split between the number of

liwell, Keith, Lakelse, Graham, the Terrace RCMP.
Queensway, Old Lakelse, Krumm There is one segment of the

and Kalum Lake Drive. population that Walker says
“Some people drive on these receives tickets more often than

roads as if they were on a major
fTreeway or a drag strip,’” said
Walker, who patrols almost haif
the year on bicycle. ‘‘Residents
on these roads complain a lot and

~< their complaints are completely

founded.”

Walker and Constable Shaw
make up the two-person cily traf-
fic division at the local RCMP

. detachment,

While they are responsible for
Speed enforcement, seat belt
checks and parking control,
Walker says speed enfarcement

’ takes up at icast half of their time.

A motorcyclist was clocked
going 200 kph on McConnell
through the ‘intersection of

“Thomas, said Walker.

Another driver faces a charge of

dangerous driving aftcr he was
caught going upwards of 132 kph
on McConnell.
"That type of driving is not
unique to Terrace,’’ Walker said.
“The kind of driving infractions
we sce here are just a microcosm
of larger centzes.’”

Walker said be usually tries to
be lenient, handing out warnings
rather than tickcts when possible,

“Tf you can accomplish the
same goal by giving a warming as

‘doing the same thing, a warning

. their vehicles, he said.

waming.

“With the ‘high-spirited’ youth
downtown il often seems a verbal
or written warming has no ef-
fect,” said Walker. ‘‘When we
sec the same person an hour later

obviously had no impact.”
Terrace is small enough for the
RCMP to get to know people and

“We know who the chronic
driving offenders are and they
will probably be ticketed. Unlike
in large cities, we know their
names, their vehicles, their li-
ceuse plates because it’s the same
name over and over again.’

Walker said at least 50 per cent
of city traffic violations are com-
mitted by young adults.

While he eslimates that 70 per
cent of those violations are by
young males, Walker said that
split is rapidly on its way to 50
per cent.

‘Some people are annoyed by
those kinds of generalizations but
it’s a fact,’* he said. “It would be
good for parents to come down to
Lakelse some evening and just
watch - I like to call it willful
parental blindness.”

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 21, 1994 - AS

CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD

The Mail Bag

Needs to learn respect
Dear Sir:

In response to Bill Homburg’ s letter to the editor, Sept. 14, 1994.

The judgmental statements made regarding The Terrace Women’s
Resource Centre could be reversed and used against him. For exam-
ple...He could be a woman hater...etc.

Tn the future, perbaps Mr. Homburg should realize that because he
believes something, it does not make it fact. We are all entitled to
our own opinion.

Further, one thing Mr. Homburg could learn from feminists is
respect. It goes a long way in understanding and not judging others.

L. Bangay,
Terrace, BC,

Disgusted by letter |
Dear Sir:

I was disgusted when I read Bill Homburg’s letter in The Terrace
Standard, Sept. 14,

What gives him the right to deride and crilicize a women’s group
about which he obviously know nothing? His comments make his
ignorance obvious. Docs he feel threatened or intimidated by
women? ;

Tam not a member of the Terrace Women’s Resource Centre but I.
know many women in this town have reason to be grateful for their
help — women with alcobolic and abusive husbands; women who
are left with families to bring up single handed. The resource centre
provides help and information in both financial and legal matters;

_ friendship and counselling to enable women to re-educate them-
selves and to find a way to get their lives back on track.
| Many of the members are married or they are single parents wha
know how hard life can be when a husband or partner just walks out
the door. The resource centre is a lifeline to many women.

To be honest I am rather tired of so-called Christians like Mc.
Homburg with their self righteous opinions. To me his letter was
the epitome of bigotry. The Bible says ‘‘Let him who is without sin
among you cast the first stone.'’ Does Mr. Homburg consider him-
self free of sin?

I may not always agree with cerlain lifestyles or abortion but I
feel very strongly that people should have the right to choose, _

Recently the Terrace Women’s Resource Centre organized the
wonderful children’s festival in Lower Little Park. Mr. Homburg
should have been there to see for himself the emphasis on the fam-
ily unit.

Children having fun with their parents, so much fo do, see and en-

“ joy. Best of all it was free, a very rare happening these days.

These people are not all lesbians, nor are they biased man-haters
alihough believe me many of them have every reason to be. They
are not pro-abortion they are pro-choice which is a very different
matter.

Hopefully Mr. Homburg will try and get his facts straight before
stooping to mud-slinging and such undeserved criticism in the fu-
ture,

_ Dorothy Alway,
Terrace, B.C,

~ Discriminating shoppers in 1 Terrace undoubtedly have become
aware of the ever increasing cost of dairy products within our
region. Our weekly trip ta the supermarket is becoming a guessing
game as to how much we will be gouged from one week to the next.

One of our most basic necessitates in life is milk. I have tracked
the price of this item over recent years especially since if is one
commodity that has suffered litde price relicf In January 1989, 4
litres of 2% milk could be purchased in Terrace for $3.89, By year
end the price had climbed to $4.39 for the same product.

Over the course of the next five years, the price has been steadily
climbing, At the start of 1994, 2% milk retails at $4.80 for 4 litres,
For one month between mid-February and mid-March the price
dropped to $4.59 however these losses were quickly recovered
when the price was hiked to $4.90 in March.

The continual greed of producers and retailers has remained un-
abated and today the price has climbed to $4.98 for 4 litres of 2%
milk. This is a 21.8% increase since January 1989. Unlike Prince
George and other areas close to us, the Terrace market is considered
‘soft’ by retail standards. In other words, whatever the market place
will bear, that is what the consumer will pay. Dairy World admits
that there bas been little price fluctuation in this area. -

Local consumers should be aware of prices in other areas. In
Prince George, Dairy World milk retails between $2.88 and $2.97
for 4 litres of 2% milk, a tremendous price saving over Terrace
prices, SuperValu in Kitimat will occasionally retail 2% milk for

. $2.98. The same applies to their Prince Rupert outlet.
Dairy World appropriately calls these regions ‘“‘hot’’ arcas or war
‘zones for consumers’ enjoyment. Is it any wonder that more and
mare Terrace residents make their weekly pilgrimage out of town to
shop?
* ‘What needs to occur? Consumers need to become aggressive and
voice their opposition to ever rising prices. The more complaints
- that are registered, the sooner producers and retailers will listen.

Dairy World, the major supplier of milk products to this area has a
1-800 number (1-800-665-5077) appropriately called, Consumer
_Complainis and Enquiries. Call this number, toll free, and voice
your opposition to the ever increasing milk prices in our area. Fur-
ther, express your dissatisfaction to the retail chains that sell dairy
products, .

It should be in the interest of all consumers to make the Terrace
region a ‘‘hot’’ region and bring the price relicf that our neighbours
enjoy.

Bob Petras,
Terrace, B.C.

THE START IS FOR
PEOPLE LEARNING
TO READ |

The
‘Start

Low
prices

PINE MUSHROOM prices
have dropped because of
mushrooms from other
countries,

When the season started,
the best pine mushrooms
sald for $50 a pound.

But in early September,
North Korea put 50 tonnes
of pine mushrooms on the
market and the — price
dropped to $12 a pound,

Snakes allowed

THE GREAT SNAKE debate is over in Terrace.
Terrace.

Little Park. Some people didnot think snakes should be al-
lowed in the park.

to ban snakes.
‘‘silly’’ because there has been no problem with snakes.

banned from public Parks.

City council voted on September 12 to not ban snakes from

This all started when a youth took his pet snake to Lower

But people with pet snakes were angry about the city trying
Councillor David Hull said the snake issue has become

Councillor Ruth Hallock still thinks snakes. should be -