Latest news with #Ormiston
Herald Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Herald Sun
TAS First XV rugby's surprise packet players revealed 2025
The TAS First XV rugby competition is in the home straight following a round which saw St Columban's show why they have not been beaten since the 2022 grand final against Ormiston. STC beat John Paul College 57-5, flexing considerable premiership muscle ahead of its final game against St Paul's. The week prior, STC put up a similar scoreline when beating CHAC 57-3, taking their tally into the triple-figures over the past fortnight. This season, there has been coniserable improvement across Canterbury, St Paul's and WestMAC, with Ormiston College doing their best to stay in the premiership hunt after a false start against unbeaten STC in round 1. Ormiston currently sit second on the ladder (4-1, 17pts), with long-time rivals STC (5-0, 20pts) at the top with the premiership trophy to remain on school grounds for at least another year. Ahead of round 7, a weekend which will see Ormiston and Canterbury face off for second place, see who has been making waves as a surprise packet player — someone who has come on in leaps and bounds to be a key cog in their respective side. One of which is Ormiston College young gun Denham Radford, a Year 10 student who was thrust into the First XV earlier this season due to being a pinch too old for the Year 9/10 competition. Originally pencilled in as a winger, Denham stepped into the midfield alongside Eduard Welgemoed after a season-ending injury to Welgemoed's first centre partner. A season-injury to another Ormiston player, its fullback, meant Denham switched gears to fullback for round 2 and that is where he has found a home over the past month. In general play attack Denham has spread his wings like a fullback but off set piece play lines up at outside centre. In defence, he assumes an inside centre role, allowing his flyhalf to drop back and launch the counter attack. The energiser bunny in Ormiston's backline, Radford has relished his role this season with his talk, effort and team-first outlook an underrated feature of the side this season. Built like a greyhound — wiry and strong — the tough-as-nails Radford has shown next-to-no fear of self preservation as he muscles up in defence. In round 5 against John Paul College, the steadily improving teen threw a wonderful pass to release his winger for one of only a few tries scored in the 17-7 success in wet conditions. TAS RUGBY SURPRISE PACKET PLAYERS Max Everett (CHAC) The Cannon Hill prop has been a young tank, switching from position to new position and maintaining the same rage and ambition in attack. One of the team's top metre-eaters, utility Everett is a Year 10 youngster forging a considerable schoolboy rugby resume. He has played almost every minute of every game this season and has been both versatile and reliable. Charlie McIntosh (St Paul's) The hard-nosed McIntosh has been magic in defence. A young tone-setter who attacks with his defence, No. 8 McIntosh has made a statement with his toughness and has been a key linchpin bolstering the Pumas line. Angus Toovey (St Paul's) The St Paul's fullback has big match experience and it showed in a young Pumas outfit this year. A leader through his actions and with his words in behind the line, Toovey set a high standard and it has reflected in how competitive the team has been. He has been a handful running the ball, constantly sniffing around for opportunities to inject himself. Luke Harvey (St Columban's) Caboolture rugby junior Harvey has had a steady hand in STC's clean sweep of five rivals on its way to a three-peat of premierships. A forward every year he has played rugby at the school, Harvey switched gears to become a scrumhalf given STC's depth in the backrow. During the pre-season head coach Mosiah Christian asked the high-IQ Harvey to pass it to him and he found the breadbasket. The rest is history. Fergus Neish (WestMAC) The WestMAC hooker has come out of the woodwork to be one of the team's most dependable in an improved season. A workhorse who battled through niggling injuries to give his best for the cause, Neish has been smart with his decisions around the breakdown and accurate with his clean lineout throwing. Rohan Mendis-Galpin (Canterbury) Mendis-Galpin's game has gone up a notch in what is his second year playing First XV rugby. A swimmer first and rugby prop second, Mendis-Galpin has been all in on learning the dark arts of being a front rower. Effective carrying the ball and sound in his role, Mendis-Galpin scored three tries this season which was a just reward for his exhaustive effort in games. Max Newton (Canterbury) A big reason for Canterbury's successful campaign has been second rower Newton. A rugby league lover turned rugby second rower, Newton's growth has been his biggest asset in 2025. A big bopper, Newton has brought his toughness from league and, as an added bonus, he has been quick to learn the tricks of the trade as a rugby lock. A lifter in the lineouts and a key enforcer with the ball, Newton's tackling and physicality has given Canterbury a big boost. Tom Smith (Ormiston) The wiry Ormiston scrumhalf has been superb and the school will be hoping he can put it on a platter again this Saturday in an away game against Canterbury that will decide who finishes second. Smith's spot in the First XV wasn't guaranteed six months ago but the hard working and gutsy halfback has made every post a winner since honing in on nailing his core role. ROUND 5 PHOTO GALLERY Originally published as Named: TAS First XV rugby's surprise packet players of the season
Global News
06-05-2025
- General
- Global News
Lake Okanagan Resort condo owners left in limbo after West Kelowna, B.C fire
Two years after the devastating McDougall Creek fire burned down the majority of Lake Okanagan Resort, displaced residents struggle to rebuild as red tape delays recovery. Heather Ormiston called her second-floor condo unit, overlooking Okanagan Lake, her retirement plan. Now, all that remains of Ormiston's condo is a barren patch of rocks and gravel. 'It was an investment property — every dollar of our savings went into buying this for our future,' said Ormiston. The fire destroyed 90 per cent of the resort, and dozens of displaced residents, including Ormiston, are still stuck in limbo. Unable to begin rebuilding, they face red tape that has kept them from moving forward. Maria Hart, another condo owner, says, 'It's so frustrating. We're still paying condo fees and taxes, some people are paying mortgages, and we don't have a home we're paying for. We have so much money tied up in that.' Story continues below advertisement The stalled recovery is taking a financial and emotional toll on the residents. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy If the stalemate continues, the BC Homeowners Condominium Association warns the dispute could end up in court. 'After a year it usually means the parties affected will have to go into court to either get the courts to order the repairs to resolve this problem,' said Executive Director of the BC Condominiums Association, Tony Gioventu. Frustrated by the lack of action, Ormiston questions why the government isn't stepping in to force the resort owners to restore utilities. 'For the government to push us into litigating over something they should be enforcing is despicable,' she says. But BC's housing minister, Ravi Kahlon, says the province's hands are tied, calling it a private matter. 'We actually don't have any ability to compel the owners to comply with the strata council. We've recommended that the individuals impacted will need to resolve this through the courts,' said Kahlon. Lake Okanagan Resort was purchased by a buyer from China in 2014, and the current owners did not respond to a request for comment. Kahlon adds, 'In this case, an overseas owner has control, and we don't have the ability to intervene from the province.' Story continues below advertisement As the residents continue to wait, they are left with more questions than answers, wondering if they will ever see the support they need to rebuild their homes and their futures.
CBC
24-04-2025
- General
- CBC
Nearly 2 years after B.C. wildfire, Lake Okanagan Resort condo owners still can't rebuild
Social Sharing Nearly two years after a catastrophic wildfire tore through the Lake Okanagan Resort near West Kelowna, B.C., dozens of homeowners say they've been left in limbo — unable to rebuild and frustrated by what they call a lack of government support. Before it was destroyed by the McDougall Creek wildfire in August 2023, the 74-acre resort, located about 20 kilometres outside the city, was both a vacation destination and a year-round community. Several of the buildings on the property were condominiums with dozens of apartments either owned by Lake Okanagan Resort or by individual owners, either as investment properties or, in the case of Maria Hart, her primary residence. "This was our home... We were a really tight group of people who lived out here year-round," said Hart. Now Hart and other condo owners say they are stuck and unable to rebuild until basic utilities like water and electricity, which the resort provided to their buildings before the fire, are restored to the property. "It seems a bit like we're forgotten," Hart said. Lake Okanagan Resort was purchased in 2014 by a group of Chinese investors and is owned by a Richmond-based company named DHI Holdings Inc. CBC News has made repeated requests to speak with the resort managers and DHI Holdings. None have agreed to an interview. Today, Lake Okanagan Resort sits eerily quiet. Only one hotel building stands, surrounded by industrial fencing. The fire reduced several other condominium and chalet buildings on the resort property to their foundations. Unable to get utilities reinstalled While many other wildfire victims in West Kelowna and the surrounding area have begun rebuilding their homes, Hart and other condo owners are unable to move forward. "Rebuilding on the site cannot occur until critical infrastructure, including utilities like power, water and sewer, is restored," said a spokesperson for the Regional District of Central Okanagan in a statement to CBC News. "These utilities are privately owned and operated by Lake Okanagan Resort and regulated by the Province." Since the fire, the strata council that manages Hart's building has been asking the resort for updates on a rebuild plan. However, according to strata council member Heather Ormiston, the managers with the resort company have shared very little with the strata. "Extremely frustrating is actually an understatement," said Ormiston. "They seem to use all kinds of stall tactics." According to Ormiston, the resort stopped responding to the strata's emails and phone calls months ago, leaving her and other condo owners in the dark. Condo owners call for government action Ormiston and the strata have lobbied their MLA, the regional district and multiple provincial agencies for help. The condo owners want government intervention — either by forcing the resort to restore utility services or transferring ownership of water systems to the strata. "The holdup now is the lack of intervention by the government," said Ormiston. "It's the government ministries that issued these permits, and yet they're not doing anything to hold these utility owners accountable." Lake Okanagan Resort is located outside West Kelowna's city boundaries and isn't connected to municipal utilities. According to the province, the resort is considered the public utility provider for water and hydro, and in some cases, sewage treatment for the strata buildings located on the property. The B.C. Utilities Commission (BCUC) and the Ministry of Water, Lands and Resource Stewardship did not agree to interviews with CBC News. However, in written statements to CBC and in letters to the strata, the government agencies paint a bleak picture of the resort's future. "Lake Okanagan Resort has indicated that it has no plans to rebuild its wastewater system, and therefore, the extent and timing of future occupancy at the resort is unclear," wrote a spokesperson with the BCUC. In a letter to the strata last month, the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship said the province has no authority to force the resort to transfer ownership of its water systems to the strata. "The issues facing the residents of Lake Okanagan Resort are complicated, as there are multiple services that need to be restored," the letter reads. "Without confirmation that the resort intends to rebuild the wastewater treatment plant, there are uncertainties as to how many residents will be able to rebuild and return to the area." 'A very complicated situation' According to Tony Gioventu, executive director of the Condominium Home Owners Association of B.C., the situation is one of the most complex he's seen. "This is really the first one in British Columbia that's this extreme," he said. "Reconstruction in major tragedies is not a quick thing. It can take one, three, even five years." In a case like this involving multiple strata corporations and a private company, Gioventu said legal action might be the only way forward. "The quickest way to resolve this may be to get into the Supreme Court of B.C., which has a good track record of resolving strata issues," Gioventu said. 'I feel like I'm in limbo' In the meantime, Maria Hart and other condo owners are paying mortgages and strata fees on homes that no longer exist. "I feel like I'm in limbo. I'm not sure if I should try and find another place in Kelowna or if I should go to greener pastures or what I should do," Hart said. "Friends and family ask me, 'What are your plans?' I don't know. Can I move back into my home? Is it going to be rebuilt … ever? I don't know." For now, Hart and her neighbours are caught between the hope for a future rebuild and the reality of an uncertain road ahead.
