Looking back, 2013 has had its share of news stories for the year here in the Cariboo Chilcotin.
The year kicked off on a sour note with school board trustees announcing the closures of two beloved elementary schools and the consolidation of our local high schools much to the protest of teachers, parents and students.
Meanwhile the City of Williams Lake had its own share of troubles.
The city’s year started off with a fire protection dispute stretching over the holidays with the Cariboo Regional District, as well as city labour disputes and a change of heart in hiring a CAO, not to mention a little rebranding controversy.
It was also an election year provincially, and we all bared witness to the surprise majority victory won by Christy Clark and her Liberal government after months of campaigning.
In the local forest industry, West Fraser announced plans to upgrade its Williams Lake sawmill planer to the tune of $25 million.
Thompson Rivers University North campus received more than $1 million from the government to support skills training.
Much to the delight of hockey fans the Williams Lake Stampeders brought home the Coy Cup last spring for the second year in a row.
Let’s hope it will be a three-peat since we are hosting the cup in 2014.
Truth and Reconciliation hearings were held in the lakecity in May, allowing area First Nations a chance to share their heartbreaking stories of attending residential schools and the aftermath that has followed in their lives as a result.
The events were part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, however, Williams Lake and First Nations leaders took the opportunity to a whole other level with the St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School Commemoration Project — an emotional journey intended to begin the healing between First Nations and non-First Nations locally.
Ironically, just a few months later the federal review panel came to town to hear from those for and against the New Prosperity Mine proposal.
The mine faced strong opposition from First Nations, and support from local business leaders.
And that just takes us to June!
See our Jan. 3 edition for continuing coverage of our Year in Review.