Spring Thing Planning Meeting - Thu Mar 11

We are looking into co-ordinating with the Valleyview Community Association's garage sale in doing something special on Saturday, May 8. We believe this could be a great annual event and would encourage everyone to particpate. Let's have some fun and utilize this opportunity to bring people to Valleyview.

The idea is to have special sales and events that day throughout the business area of Valleyview. An idea similiar to the Fall Celebration we had but change the events from the park to the business areas.

We need to have a planning meeting to get this organized so if you are interested in participating or helping out, please give me a call.

Planning meeting on
Thurs, March 11 at 7:00 am
at the Edward Jones Investment office
158 Oriole Rd., in Valleyview.

Call Deryl at office 377-3885 or cell at 377-5205
or visit our website at kamloopseast.com

For further information, please contact Deryl Priebe at 377-3885.

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The King of Floors opens March 1st

The King of Floors has opened at 158 Oriole Road next to City Furniture in Valleyview.

There are now 20 stores in the chain, including Penticton and Kelowna.

King of Floors offers hardwoods and laminates.

City Furniture opens its Aberdeen store in April but will keep the Oriole outlet as a discount warehouse.

For further information, please contact The King of Floors at 372-2929.

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Kamloops call centre to create 50 total positions

A new call centre in Kamloops is expected to generate 20 jobs immediately and another 30 positions within three years.

Ontario-based Brookfield Lepage Johnson Controls is preparing to open an operation centre in Western Canada, and Valleyview has been selected as the location, said executive vice-president Gordon Hicks.

A building at 111 Oriole Rd. has been leased and renovated, telecommunications equipment is being installed this week and the centre should be ready for occupancy within weeks, Hicks said.

Before that can happen, however, Brookfield will recruit 20 full- and part-time staff members who are expected to be hired during the first week of March. Training will begin immediately, with the centre going live April 1.

A specific recruitment campaign will be launched next week at University College of the Cariboo.

The centre will act as a 24-hour call and dispatch centre for the company's largest client, the British Columbia Building Corp. (BCBC), as well as others such as Shell and Royal Bank.

The centre will hire some staff technicians but will rely primarily on contractors to provide clients with services such as maintenance, cleaning, security, snow removal, landscaping and repairs.

"We envision this centre growing and we anticipate within the first three years to be employing a full- and part-time staff of about 50 people," Hicks said.

Set up and operation of the new centre for the first year represents a $500,000 investment.

Originally, the company was eyeing a location on Victoria Street in downtown Kamloops. Hicks passed on that site, saying they opted instead for a single tenant building.

In addition to the North Shore site, a subsidiary of the firm, called BLJC Workspace Solutions Inc., is opening one of four regional offices in downtown Kamloops at the same time.

Workplace Solutions is taking over the property management functions previously provided by BCBC. A majority of the 24 BCBC employees headquartered in Kamloops are expected to move over to Workplace Solutions.

To accommodate this change, Workplace Solutions is expected to spend another $1 million to open four new offices being set up around B.C. - including one on St. Paul Street in Kamloops.

The other offices will be located in Prince George and Burnaby, with a joint regional and head office sharing space in Victoria.

Asked why Kamloops was selected for the operations centre and regional Workplace Solutions office, Hicks said there was a series of selling features. The biggest was telecommunications support available locally, but easy highway access to Vancouver and a wealth of educated and skilled workers were also factors.

"Overall, it's a good news story for Kamloops," Hicks said.

Roxanne Hooper Daily News Staff Reporter Sat Feb 21

For further information, please contact Kamloops Daily News at 372-2331.

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Dallas Development a big change

It's a piece of land with a lot of history.

Decades ago, it was a small golf course and driving range.

Then, part of it was subdivided and the remainder turned into a turf farm.

All that's left today is what some refer to as the "Dust Bowl."

Now, this parcel of land in Dallas is ready for development with the owner eyeing a townhouse project. It's big news in this quiet community known for its larger lots and country feel.

Daniel King's own impression is that it's a good thing.

"It's nice to see something happening in Dallas," says the resident, who is involved in the local community association as the treasurer.

He's also the editor of the community's newsletter, the Dallas Dateline, where he's already put the word out on "something developing in Dallas."

This something is a 44-unit townhouse project proposed for Dallas Drive beside the Petro-Canada service station.

While King feels positive about the prospect of something, anything, on the site, he admits there are those who have their concerns.

"The look and feel of Dallas is country, a wide-open feel."

Some worry, he says, about a high-density development like this, which would be the first of its kind for the community. It would bring with it more people and more traffic.

More people, though, are what would potentially bring about more development on the remainder of the site. In the mid-1980s, it was rezoned for a shopping centre, but since has sat vacant.

City planner Randy Lambright says it's a simple matter of economics. The population in the area cannot support a shopping centre on the entire site.

"Shopping centres need critical mass and densities nearby. Right now, that large lot country rural feeling is good, but it's not enough to lend itself support of a neighbourhood shopping centre."

What may push that, adds Lambright, is more residential development like the kind that's being proposed.

Developer Scott Bianco, whose parents purchased the property back in 1966 when it was still a golf course, says he is working to move something forward on the shopping centre end, but nothing is firm.

As far as his development, he says the design is based on discussions he's had in the community, with realtors and local residents.

He's optimistic he'll be able to develop the project in a way that will fit the character of Dallas.

Still in its early stages, the proposal will go through a rezoning process.

Darshan Lindsay Kamloops This Week Sun Feb 15

For further information, please contact Kamloops This Week at 377-7467.

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Call for young entrepreneur nominations!

Do you know an Enterprising, Dedicated, Dynamic Youth in your community? The EDDY Award nominations for young entrepreneurs are open and the deadline of March 19, 2004 is fast approaching. The organizers are asking for the community’s help in recognizing the achievements of young entrepreneurs.

The EDDY Awards is the premiere event at which young entrepreneurs in the South/Central region of British Columbia will be recognized for their achievements and success. Nominees for all categories, except the Supporter of Young Entrepreneurs Award, must be 29 years of age or younger as of April 30, 2004, and reside in the South/Central region of British Columbia.

The seven award categories reflect the many facets of excellence in youth entrepreneurship. The categories are:

• Innovation and Technology Award
• Community Involvement Award
• Service Excellence Award
• Promotion of Social Change Award
• Student Entrepreneur Award
• Creativity In Business Award
• Supporter of Young Entrepreneurs Award

Entrepreneurs may be nominated by anyone in their community, or they may nominate themselves. Nomination forms are available at Community Futures Development Corporation offices in Ashcroft, Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton and Salmon Arm, and online at www.cfdcco.bc.ca/eddy. The deadline for nominations is March 19, 2003.

For further information, please contact Rob Wycherley at 250-314-2975.

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If you want to get your Press Release in the Valley View, please contact Deryl Priebe.
If you want to advertise your business in the Valley View, please contact Ken Blunden.