Evacuation Alerts and COVID Tracking Apps

Ash-Creek News Episode 8 May 22 Yesterday morning, the Village of Cache Creek issued a new evacuation alert for 175 residential and commercial properties along the Bonaparte River. Water levels have been slow to recede and the Village has been asked by Environment Canada to monitor water levels. A tree fell into the river behind the Sandman Hotel in Cache Creek, taking quite a bit of river bank with it. The Cache Creek park flooded over the weekend, residents are asked to stay away from the park.

School District 74 has released a tentative schedule for students to return to school on a part-time basis. Elementary students can return to school 2 half days and High School students can return one day per week. Return to school is voluntary, and any student choosing to stay home will continue to be supported by their teacher for home learning.

The Federal Government is looking at releasing an app that will assist people with all the different streams of funding available. They are also looking at using a COVID tracking app, which would see anyone who test positive have to register with the app, which would then send out an alert to anyone that may have had contact with the affected person. Similar apps have been used effectively in some Asian countries. There is concern over individuals right to privacy.

MLA Jackie Tegart shared on Twitter that BC Parks will be limiting campsite reservations to the residents of British Columbia. Anyone with reservations from out of province are being asked to cancel their reservations.

The Ashcroft HUB is working hard to work towards a June 1st re-opening. There will be a limit on the number of people allowed in Merv’s Gym, as well as a time limit for users. The Ladies Health Auxiliary Thrift Store is working to comply with the new Work Safe BC guidelines to be able to re-open to the public. Some of the changes will be limited store hours, limiting the number of people in the store and installing hand sanitation stations. Cache Creek Council had a budget meeting last night, which was hosted by the HUB Online Network. 13 people watched the event live. Due to time constraints, all three readings of the budget bylaw had to be read and approved that evening. Councillor Annette Pittman expressed concern over the fact that the budget did not show a line by line itemization of how funds are being used. There is a major concern over a $50,000 shortfall of unpaid taxes. Questions from the public included asking about hope for the Cache Creek pool, with the reply being that there was potential for the pool to open for the 2021 season. There are funds to maintain the pool while it is closed for this season.