SETTING POLITICS ASIDE
As we all know the "Township of Spallumcheen" is one of the most scenic and largest municipality in South East British Columbia. Why change Armstrong, which has been used for 132 years, to Spallumcheen as a mailing address? Unfortunately, Spallumcheen never got the same name recognition as the City of Armstrong, which is located in the center of Spallumcheen. (see map) Many people don't know or acknowledge that they live in Spallumcheen, and people outside our area don't even know that Spallumcheen has existed since 1892 as an independent municipality. Why do I post this message? I love and care about Spallumcheen, which I have chosen as my home since 1982. It is a great place to live and raise a family. Spallumcheen and Armstrong residents are wonderful people and life is like living in one community. As a resident and former mayor of Spallumcheen, I also share many resident's concerns about Spallumcheen in which direction Mayor Christine Fraser and the Council of Spallumcheen are steering. To keep the Spallumcheen Valley as a beautiful natural Valley for future generations we need like-minded residents who appreciate and are willing to protect the beauty of Spallumcheen. Changing our mailing address from Armstrong to Spallumcheen and allowing more satellite communities, see proposed SouthEast Sector Development with up to 3,500 new houses, will not enhance our present lifestyle. Please don't get me wrong: I support growth, which is needed for a sustainable community while maintaining and preserving the rural character of the Spallumcheen Valley. What about the Armstrong or Spallumcheen mailing address? The mailing address changed effective July 15th, 2024 from Armstrong to Spallumcheen. According to Canada Post, it was requested by Mayor Christine Fraser and the Council of Spallumcheen. As a former mayor of the Township of Spallumcheen, I have like many residents of Spallumcheen, great concerns about the process of Mayor Christine Fraser and the Council by changing our mailing address, without any consent of residents of Spallumcheen or any public input. The big question remains? Why has Mayor Christine Fraser and the Council excluded residents, farmers, and the business community from such an important change.? Informing property owners of Spallumcheen with an insert coming with the Tax-notice of 2024 "After 132 years Canada Post is recognizing Spallumcheen as an independent community", is misleading and untrue. Mayor Christine Fraser and the Council of Spallumcheen requested Canada Post in conjunction with a Postal Code change, to change the mailing address from Armstrong to Spallumcheen. As a result, all legal documentation has to be changed during the next 12 months. Excuses 911 could not identify find some houses during an emergency are not valid, and don't justify changing our mailing address from Armstrong to Spallumcheen. To remind Mayor Christine Fraser and members of the Spallumcheen Council a mailing address is different from a physical address, therefore using 911 as an excuse in invalid. Changing a Postal Code does not change the entire address ( Armstrong to Spallumcheen) Let us keep in mind the Armstrong mailing address has served everyone in Spallumcheen very well for the last 132 years. Residents of Armstrong and Spallumcheen have lived together and worked together in harmony since 1892, which has unfortunately not happened for many decades between both Mayors and Councils. Spallumcheen, a rural/mixed farming community has No downtown, No community hall, No business center to socialize or shop. All social activities of Spallumcheen are joint efforts of Armstrong and Spallumcheen residents and have taken place in the City of Armstrong for the last 132 years. The last public function/open house of Spallumcheen was in Spallumcheen's municipal parking lot, located in Spallumcheen's industrial park. Very interesting. The mailing address change requested by Mayor Christine Fraser and the Council of Spallumcheen to Canada Post will not change anything between residents of Armstrong and Spallumcheen. Spallumcheen residents will still say I live in Armstrong. However, it will create more confusion and many people don't know Spallumcheen or its location. I know firsthand, serving Spallumcheen as mayor from 1989 to 1996 how difficult it can be to get Spallumcheen recognized. It is almost impossible. Changing a mailing address from Armstrong to Spallumcheen will create even more confusions for people and businesses from out of town, province, or country. Armstrong and Spallumcheen residents and businesses have lived and worked together as ONE strong community for the last 132 years, and it has worked very well. Just have a look at our Armstrong Spallumcheen Chamber of Commerce The Abbeyfield Armstrong Spallumcheen Houses Society is a typical example of a caring community. A bit of Friendly advice to Local, Provincial, and Federal Politicians. You have offered by letting your name stand in an election to SERVE THE PEOPLE. People DON'T have to serve YOU. Message to Mayor Christine Fraser and Council of Spallumcheen. We, the citizens of Spallumcheen own Spallumcheen, NOT YOU.! We, the citizens of Spallumcheen have given you our trust to manage Spallumcheen to the best of your abilities. I still believe that Mayor Christine Fraser and the Council of Spallumcheen can do better. However, personal interest or financial gain should never be a part of any decision made by any elected official. Apply common sense, and it will just work fine. Sincerely yours, Guenter A. Rieger, B.SC, AMB.
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The mailing address for Spallumcheen residents and businesses will change on July 15.2024 from Armstrong to Spallumcheen. Canada Post is assigning new Postal Codes for the Armstrong, Spallumcheen area. According to Canada Post new Postal Codes are designed to meet anticipated major development in Spallumcheen. ( Read below, the S.E, Sector could have up to 2,500 new dwellings, 2.5 people per household, and up to 6,000 new residents) Out of the blue without public consultations, Spallumcheen`s Mayor Christine Fraser and the Council requested that Canada Post recognize Spallumcheen as our mailing address, and residents and businesses located in Spallumcheen have to change their mailing address from Armstrong, used for the last 132 years, to Spallumcheen. Like many residents and businesses of Spallumcheen, we think the Armstrong mailing address has worked very well for the last 132 years. As of July 15th,2024, all residents and businesses in Spallumcheen have to use Spallumcheen as a mailing address. Spallumcheen`s Mayor and Council requests that we change our mailing address from Armstrong to Spallumcheen. Why Mayor and Council did not ask their residents about the mailing address change from Armstrong to Spallumcheen for Spallumcheen residents and businesses? Open government in Spallumcheen? Friendly message to Mayor Christine Fraser and the Council of Spallumcheen. Please remind yourself that you have chosen to SERVE us. WE DON'T SERVE YOU. Please let common sense prevail. How many residents in Spallumcheen say "I live in Spallumcheen?"Most of them answered, "I live in Armstrong." Armstrong is known for their famous cheese worldwide. Spallumcheen is known for what? How many people in British Columbia or Canada know about Spallumcheen? I am just wondering how many surprises the Mayor and Council of Spallumcheen have for residents of Spallumcheen. Development in the S.E. Sector of Spallumcheen could have some surprises too. Will the mayor or council members benefit from that development? Time will tell. I was reading about 1,000 or up to 2,500 new houses could be built, if a developer is willing to blast rocks to put services, like water and sewer into the ground. My question: "How many houses can be built in the S.E. Sector of Spallumcheen.?" The number of houses is inflated to justify costs to supply all needed services to the proposed S.E. sector development and be recovered from inflated numbers of houses. Former Mayor Brown made the following statement “I hope the financial cost recovery is not going to come back and show millions and millions of dollars in cost and take a long time for us to recover those costs,” said Brown Reprint from the Morning Star. “This is an enormous piece of property, a gigantic opportunity for Spallumcheen but also a giant challenge for a new developer,” said Funk. “We’ve come forward with a scheme that takes forward another generation of development planning for Spallumcheen into a more sustainable-style community.”
Skobalski told Spallumcheen Council (though Coun. Christine Fraser excused herself from the meeting as her family has property in the southeast sector) that the north sub-area is about 508 hectares and comprises 20 parcels including two gravel pits, a few rural residential homes on large properties and three manufactured home parks that, combined, have 74 pads.
“The purely conceptual plan,” said Skobalski, would see approximately 2,500 dwelling units built over time and, at an estimated 2.5 people per household, would house 6,000 people. Spallumcheen`s population to today is 5,050 + The proposed new development in the S.E. Sector could have 2,500 dwellings, which would house 6,000 new people. Will those new residents outvote the farming community? Just wondering if all Spallumcheen residents know about that proposed gigantic population increase. This is why Canada Post has to redesign new Postal Codes for Spallumcheen. The S.E. Sector in Spallumcheen is not a Strata Development. Spallumcheen property owners are responsible for future maintenance costs for roads, water, sewer, and other improvements for that new Development. How many houses will be built on that rocky hillside to recover all costs for servicing that new community.? Friendly Proposal to the Mayor and Council of Spallumcheen. Spallumcheen should allow property owners of the S.E. Sector to be excluded of Spallumcheen`s boundaries and be able to build their independent community. Madam Mayor could have her own "Fraser City" Will that proposed Development will enrich Spallumcheen?
Development proposal for the S.E. Sector of Spallumcheen in 2024 1,000 or 2,500 new houses?? This is a huge undertaken for Spallumcheen. Who will benefit? Spallumcheen or property owners selling vacant land?
High levels of Radon Gas and possible uranium deposits on that entire mountain site??? Check it out with the Ministry of Mining and Ministry of Environment,
It will be interesting to see if any member of Spallumcheen's Council has a financial interest or owns property in the Southeast Sector of Spallumcheen. A property owner of 160 acres or more located in the Southeast Sector could win the jackpot of up to $4.5 million dollars
Looking back: In 1995 Spallumcheen Council of the Day completed according to the Province of British Columbia one of the most comprehensive Official Community Plan with a 50-year vision, allowing a maximum of 450 new houses in the E.E. Sector of Spallumcheen, to keep Spallumcheen a rural community, but still enabling orderly growth. After almost three years of community involvement, standing committees, and public meetings, the Official Community was adopted, which would keep Spallumcheen as a rural community for generations to come without satellite developments. At that time Mayor Fraser's property and a few other properties were not included in that plan. After 2008, during Mayor Will Hansma's administration, Mayor Fraser's property was included in a very new Official Community Plan, which allowed up to 3000 new houses in the Southeast Sector of Spallumcheen. The most scenic properties in the S.E. Sector changed from country residential to light industrial. WHY? Nothing happened on that property for almost 30 years. Wonder why. The entire hillside is a rock formation and development could be difficult and expensive. Everyone should have a look at the Westridge Quarries at Hwy 97A. That Official Community Plan was a very different concept. At that time the real scope of a re-redesigned satellite community for the Southeast Sector of Spallumcheen was never truly explained to Spallumcheen taxpayers. Spallumcheen Council could not explain or confirm how many houses could be built in the future at that new re-designed development. During a by-election in 2009, Mayor Fraser won a seat as a councilor in Spallumcheen and was later elected as Mayor of Spallumcheen. The rest is history. We all know that Mayor Fraser and the Council are working very hard........ to make Spallumcheen a better place to live. Bringing the proposed development in the Southeast Sector to a final stage was very high on the agenda. Will it be in the best interest of property owners of Spallumcheen? Time will tell. If a foreign investor develops the Southeast sector of Spallumcheen, Spallumcheen will be forever changed. An impression is out that respective property owners are interested in selling their land with huge profits in mind.
Getting Spallumcheen on the map takes much more than putting up a sign or dictating for Spallumcheen residents to change their mailing address from Armstrong to Spallumcheen.
Welcome sign to attract new business for Spallumcheen. Some years ago Spallumcheen erected a sign to promote Spallumcheen, paid with tax dollars. Unfortunately, if anyone would be interested, they can`t contact Spallumcheen. WHY? Unfortunately, it was overclocked to put the most important information beside a photo opportunity of the Spallumcheen Mayor and Council. No phone number, no email, or website is placed on the sign, and no business address. Lack of knowledge of Madam Mayor and Council members of Spallumcheen? Spallumcheen's mayor passed the sign twice driving to Spallumcheen's municipal hall. And now the Council requests residents of Spallumcheen to change their mailing address Armstrong, used for the last 132 years, to Spallumcheen, to give Spallumcheen more recognition.???
With this page, I would like to share some information about Armstrong and Spallumcheen whose history dates back to 1892, the incorporation of the Township of Spallumcheen. I was honored to serve Spallumcheen as mayor from 1989 to 1996, during which time in 1992 the Centennial years of the Township of Spallumcheen was celebrated. Centennial celebrations were held in the City of Armstrong since Spallumcheen had no community hall or a city center. It was a wonderful experience to see how Mayor Hornby and I and both Councils including residents of both communities enjoyed the celebration, which lasted for one week. One of my election promises was to enhance communications between the councils of the City of Armstrong and the Township of Spallumcheen. I have initiated joint council meetings which was never done before. Both councils and mayors fully understood what was happening in each independent community. No time wasted exchanging letters etc. Therefore I have first-hand experience by talking about duplication of government, which is costly and time-consuming. In short, those joint council meetings enhanced the relationship between both councils and were reflected in the positive decisions of both councils for their respective communities. In 1994 both councils unanimously agreed to ask the Province to receive funds for a visibility study, to show residents of both communities the pros and cons, allowing residents to make an educated and informed decision before forming one community. One Council member of Armstrong who wanted desperately mayor of Armstrong was elected later as Mayor of Armstrong and was able to put the entire initiative on hold. Very sad. After I retired as Mayor communications slowly diminished and today almost no joint council meeting between the two councils exists, which is not beneficial for all parties involved.
Spallumcheen on the map/s. Can you find it? It will take some time for the general public to figure out that confusion.
Incompetence at best demonstrated again by the Spallumcheen Council.
The Mayor and Council of Spallumcheen created a big confusion. Nobody can find Spallumcheen on the map but Residents have to change their mailing address from Armstrong to Spallumcheen.
The Township of Spallumcheen.
Spallumcheen / "Beautiful Valley" Spallumcheen is a district municipality in Canada, incorporated in 1892, and located in the Province of British Columbia. The population is 5,055 the land area is 255 square kilometers, and Spallumcheen is one of the oldest and largest municipalities in South East British Columbia. Both Spallumcheen and Armstrong are promoted by the Armstrong Spallumcheen Chamber of Commerce. Spallumcheen and Armstrong operate with many joint departments, like the Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department, Armstrong Spallumcheen Park and Recreation, Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum, Armstrog Spallumcheen Cemetary and the list goes on and on.
Would ONE single community make sense?
The Township of Spallumcheen incorporated in 1892.
The City of Armstrong.
The City of Armstrong Armstrong was incorporated in 2013 and is located in the center of Spallumcheen, providing almost all amenities for both communities. Almost all shops, Churches, the Canada Post office, doctors, pharmacies, and much more are located in the City of Armstrong. In short, the City of Armstrong is the communication and social hub for residents of Armstrong and Spallumcheen.
Mayor and Council of the City of Armstrong.
The City of Armstrong located in the Center of Spallumcheen is the social hub for both communities. Many service organizations, have members of both communities, and therefore to name only a few of them Armstrong Spallumcheen Trails Society, Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum & Arts Society, Armstrong Spallumcheen Health Auxiliary , and many more. Again residents of both communities Armstrong and Spallumcheen provide excellent service and programs for both communities. The Interior Provincial Exhibition is another success story of Armstrong and Spallumcheen residents working very well together.
Taking politics aside,
Armstrong and Spallumcheen was and still is only ONE community, guided by two independent administrations and two independent Mayors and Councils, which can make things sometimes costly and a little complicated too.
Friendly recommendation to both Mayors and Councils. Both Mayors and Councils should be willing to work toward a feasibility study showing their residents the pros and cons of possibly forming one community again as it was in 1892. Voters should be able to make informed and educated decisions before being asked to form one community. I am 100% confident that the Provincial Government would support such a study with a grant. Don't blame other levels of government, look what is taking place in your backyard.
Closing Note: I am very disappointed with the Mayor and Council of Spallumcheen. Unfortunately, we have no Recall legislation for local government officials in British Columbia. However, The Community Charter already contains provisions including disqualification for ethical conduct and conflict of interest issues, among others. Can the Mayor and Council of Spallumcheen removed from office? The Community Charter of BC [SBC 2003] CHAPTER 26 This Act is current to July 16, 2024
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