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THE
PRINCE
GEORGE
CITIZEN
MONDAY, JULY 27, 2015
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Family mourning reservist who died during training
Samantha WRIGHT ALLEN
Citizen staff sallen@pgcitizen.ca
When Kirby Tott, a private in the Canadian Forces Reserve, left Prince George for training at a Manitoba military base two weeks ago, he was excited about what it would mean for his ultimate dream to work with the RCMP.
His mother Michelle Tott remembered him playing with toy soldiers as a child.
“He was the kid that played with the little plastic army guy,” she said with a laugh through tears.
“He enjoyed the camaraderie and the dedication of soldiers and we’re going to miss him.”
On Saturday night she received the news the 25-year-old Prince George reservist died at Canadian Forces Base Shilo that afternoon.
The Department of National Defence offered no details on the circumstances of his death, only saying it followed “an incident during training.”
Kirby was taking basic reserve infantry training at Shilo with the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre, a month-long program required to become an infantry soldier.
“He was excited because he was going to use it to further his career in the RCMP for his resume and also he was going to get the dress uniform,” said Michelle.
It was a dream he shared with his dad, she said.
“His dad always wanted to be in the RCMP and it was just something that always appealed to him.
Kirby worked full-time at the Prince George Regional Correctional Centre and worked on the side as a reservist with the Rocky Mountain Rangers in Prince George since 2012.
“He was a great guy,” she said.
“Happy, good-natured. He liked to joke a lot and laugh.”
Michelle described him as an active person, who played hockey, slo-pitch and took to sports at a young age.
“He was supposed to be back on
KIRBY
the 16 of August,” she said, and had taken a month off work for the training.
Michelle said she doesn’t know much about his death.
“We don’t know any details yet, just that he had collapsed and that they’re doing an autopsy,” said Michelle, who wasn’t aware if Kirby had any previous medical conditions.
The military said the death is under investigation and that an autopsy will be conducted.
“This tragic news reminds us of the dangers that the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces must face, whether reservists, regular force, participating in training or deployed on operations abroad. I extend my heartfelt condolences to Pte. Tott’s loved ones as they cope with this tragic loss,” Lt.-Gen. Marquis Hainse, commander of the Canadian Army, said in a press release.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Minister of National Defence Jason Kenney both issued statements offering condolences to Tott’s family.
They made a tight-knit unit of four - Kirby, his parents and sister - but that family extended to a wide circle of friends, Michelle said. When asked how Kirby will be remembered, she said “Just how much he loved everybody.”
— with files from The Canadian Press
City still seeking Pine Valley partner Man set fire tQjai| cd|
Charelle EVELYN Citizen staff cevelyn@pgcitizen.ca
The city is still looking for someone willing to take on Pine Valley and handle its extra baggage.
During tonight’s meeting, city council will receive a staff report outlining administration’s plan to start the search for a new golf course manager before the current contract runs out next spring.
Though owned by the city, Pine Valley is operated by an outside contractor who is responsible for maintenance and daily operation.
The city is paid a base commission fee from sales, but only after a certain amount of revenue has been earned.
A two-year contract was signed with GNR Management last year, despite the city’s attempts to find someone willing to take the 18-hole, 3-par course on for a 10-year term.
But included in that decade would be the need to make the necessary capital improvements to the aging course, ranging from $750,00 to $1.2 million. This includes a new irrigation system, safety netting and putting in a driving range.
“The intent was that a longer contract period would provide more certainty for the proponent and encourage more investment for capital improvements from
The city only received one bid that met the overall criteria, but even that didn't include any meaningful investment, and "administration was advised by the proponent that it is difficult to obtain capital for financing given that the tenure was a ten-year lease," (community services director Rob) Whitwham's report said.
them,” said the report by community services director Rob Whit-wham.
The city only received one bid that met the overall criteria, but even that didn’t include any meaningful investment, and “administration was advised by the proponent that it is difficult to
obtain capital for financing given that the tenure was a ten-year lease,” Whitwham’s report said.
The new proposal is to get someone to sign on for a five-year contract to provide the course’s management, operation and maintenance.
It’s being suggested that agreement be made this fall, despite the months still left on the existing contract to allow “an operator to successfully market the course for the 2016 golf season.”
Last year, the city didn’t receive any money from Pine Valley since sales never reached the benchmark required for the operator to pay commission.
In 2014, 12,286 rounds of golf were played at Pine Valley, down from 13,977 in 2013. In 2004, more than 36,000 rounds of golf were played.
During core service review-related discussions about selling the course, members of council cited declining interest in golf overall.
Numbers at Pine Valley may also be going down because of the loss of the driving range in 2003 and the loss of the course’s trees, said the staff report.
A telephone survey conducted last year as part of the community recreation services plan identified golf as the second most-popular outdoor activity for seniors and among the top five in which the city has a direct role.
Samantha WRIGHT ALLEN
Citizen staff
Police are recommending arson charges after a 43-year-old man set fire to his cell at the Prince George RCMP detachment.
RCMP Cpl. Craig Douglass said the man, who was in the cell alone, used a lighter to start the Sunday morning fire.
“He wasn’t supposed have it, but he did have it,” said Douglass, adding he couldn’t say if the lighter was missed in the search before he was placed in custody. “That’s something that we’re looking into. We don’t have all the answers, but there was a lighter found.”
Officers discovered the smoke at around 10:30 a.m. at the Victoria Street location, the release said. They immediately put out the fire and evacuated all
the prisoners from the cell block, including the man.
Douglass couldn’t comment on why the man was originally arrested.
“He was there for a couple days and there were no problems with him, so it was kind of weird,” Douglass said.
While only the one cell was damaged, a “significant amount of smoke was generated.”
No one was injured and all prisoners were checked by paramedics, the release said.
They were sent to the Prince George Regional Correction Centre while the block is ventilated and cleaned, which Douglass said should be open by Sunday night or Monday at the latest.
“It’s not going to be a long term thing,” Douglass said. “There was no electrical or no plumbing damage. It’s just a matter of cleaning it up and airing it out.”
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