September 2019
• Nearly 40 new daycare spaces were created in Hope in 2019, filling a major need for families in this community.
The new spaces are thanks to a jointly-funded effort to build a new, group-licensed children centre. The new centre also now provides two preschool sessions for three and four year olds.
Swetexel Daycare and Preschool celebrated with an open house on Sept. 10 and the Read Right Society. The centre was made possible with funding from the Ministry of Children and Family Development’s child care major capital funding program, and Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, the Read Right Society, and partners Grace Baptist Church and Yale First Nation.
• An assault investigation in Hope led police to the execution of search warrants at three residences, the recovery of stolen goods, a firearms seizure and an arrest.
It all began on Aug. 31, when a call was made to the Hope RCMP that someone was assaulted and dragged along the ground in a wooded area near Lake of the Woods. Police quickly identified a possible suspect linked to a vehicle reported stolen on Aug. 25 from Flood Hope Road, and who earlier on the morning of Aug. 31 failed to stop for police on Douglas Street.
That suspect was arrested in the 200-block of Robertson Crescent on the morning of Sept. 3. Jacob Sihata now has trials scheduled for April 28 and May 7 in relation to these events.
• The Run for Hope was held for the first time, to help the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation. The funds raised through this run and other events held in and around Hope in 2019 were to help pay for four new trauma beds in the emergency room, which have reached the end of their expected lifespan. Fundraising efforts are continuing into the new year.
• The Tashme Museum at Sunshine Valley was in the news several times over the year. But one of the biggest developments that took place was a heavy move operation.
Very slowly and carefully, they moved the kindergarten schoolhouse to the museum’s property.
It wasn’t far, but took meticulous work to keep the building intact, and took about four and a half hours.
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