UPDATE: November 30th, 2015
RE: Mt. Lehman Cemetery Expansion Project 
FROM: Scott Watson, Abbotsford City 

We will be delaying the construction of Mt. Lehman Cemetery until 2016, looking to get started early in the New Year. This delay is as a result of getting the Request For Proposal out late, reviewing the proposals, having all of the proposals exceed the allotted budget and then with the Christmas Season coming up quickly not wanting to have the cemetery in a disarray shape during the holiday season. As we were optimistic that the expansion would be completed by the end of November 2015, it is just not possible.
 
Your continued support in this project is appreciated. If you..

August 22nd, 2015 - Faces, Places and Traces by Mark Rushton
Republished by request to The Bradner Barker - August 26th, 2015

If ever there is a man inextricably tied to the Fraser River it must be Albert Gibson. He was born above its banks, lived his whole life beside it, and spent his entire working career on it.

Albert’s grandfather moved his family to what is now North Bradner/Mount Lehman in 1907, coming from Red Deer in the newly minted Province of Alberta that, until 1905 was part of the North West Territories.

By Heather Lemieux, Editor

Bradner BC - Summary of the August 18th, 2015 Meeting with representatives of the Abbotsford Police Force, and Corrections BC

About 25 neighbours who live near the home where Conway resides attended this meeting. 

Bradner BC - Residents in the community are posting warning signs in the community after it was learned that convicted criminal, James Conway, has moved into North Bradner. 

Bradner is described as a peaceful, rural area with families that have lived here for generations. 

Residents in the area are livid that Conway has been allowed to reside here and make shift signs have been posted at major intersections within Bradner and Mt. Lehman

The Abbotsford Police Department released a public notice on August 1st, 2015 that Conway, would be moving into Abbotsford. Privacy laws prohibited them from saying exactly where.

Conway has a long criminal history, including three sexual offences against children, as well as sexual interference of a person under 16, sexual assault and arson.

In addition to criminal offences he has breached his release conditions at least twice. In April 2014, he was caught staring at young girls on Sky Train, looking down their shirts and engaging them in conversation by producing a stuffed animal. He was later sentenced to 10 months in jail and 3 years of  probation.

In February 2015, BC Corrections released that Conway has a pattern of “sexual offending against female children in a predatory and opportunistic manner.” Conway was back in jail less than 2 weeks later, after allegedly breaching his conditions when he sat down on a bus beside a 14-year-old girl, even though other seats were available. He was released again in April, and planned to reside in Delta.

A concerned Bradner resident said to the Abbotsford News that “Nobody wants somebody like that around their children … It’s not a comfortable feeling knowing he’s there”. Another Bradner resident, Cherry Groves, has sent emails to Justice Minister Suzanne Anton, Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun and Police Chief Bob Rich questioning Conway’s residency.

Many warning signs have been posted in the area, and residents are planning to hold a rally on Sunday, August 23rd, 2015 - with the goal of having Conway leave Bradner.

BC Corrections spokesperson Amy Lapsley said Conway chose to live in Abbotsford and explained that “There is no legal authority for the province or any law enforcement agency or public body to tell offenders in which community they can or cannot live… In many cases, offenders choose to return to the area where they were living prior to their time in custody, or to where they have family or supports and resources, such as housing, in place, and BC Corrections’ probation officers work closely with local police and other agencies to identify support for offenders, including appropriate housing placements.

She said Conway is the subject of “intensive monitoring” by Corrections and the Abbotsford Police. He is under 24-hour house arrest, on electronic monitoring, must not leave his residence at any time without the supervision of an approved adult and must not be near anybody under the age of 18. Breaches of those conditions could result in him returning to custody.

Offenders under federal jurisdiction, with a jail sentence of two years or longer, often reside in halfway houses upon their release. These facilities often include structured programs and are manned by trained staff, but are not available to those serving Provincial sentences, as Conway is.

By Brian Kingman

Bradner, BC - Further to the August 5th, 2015 article on the Bradner Barker, you may also watch this February 10th, 2015, CTV news report.

Thanks to a Rural Ratepayer member to bring this news cast information to Bradner's attention. 

By Editor, Heather Lemieux

Bradner, BC - The City of Surrey Mayor mentions 27 conditions that the subject of the news story must adhere too. Perhaps our community of Bradner should also know what those conditions are, including that he not dress up like a firefighter, police officer, security guard, doctor or wear any other uniform costumes.

On February 9th, 2015 another CTV News article describes Conway as a high-risk offender with “a versatile pattern of sexual offending against female children” and according to the Corrections Branch of the Ministry of Justice, was at that time, moving to Surrey BC.

James Conway, 40, has a criminal history that includes convictions for sexual interference of a person under 16, sexual assault, and arson damaging property, among others, the ministry said in a press release.

Conway, who now currently resides in North Bradner, is described as Caucasian with brown hair and blue eyes. He is 6 ft, 4 in. tall and weighs 276 lbs.

Authorities closely monitor Conway to ensure that he doesn’t violate any of the 27 court-ordered restrictions placed on him.

Conway is prohibited from engaging in any activity that involves contact with people under age 18; prohibited from attending any public park, playground, school, daycare centre, or anywhere else children under age 18 may congregate; prohibited from possessing alcohol or controlled substances in any public place; prohibited from wearing any service uniforms; and required to abide by a daily 10 pm to 6 am curfew. 

Anyone who observes Conway in violation of any of the above conditions is asked to contact the Abbotsford Police immediately. 

By Myles Andrew 

Bradner, BC - Lost and found.... I was flying a DJI Phantom 2 Quadcopter near the intersection of Lefeuvre Road and Myrtle Avenue on August 1st, 2015 at about 4 pm, when it veered North and flew away... I was hoping that someone might have seen it flying by, make a controlled landing, a crash landing... or spotted it lying on the ground.

I am offering a REWARD if found...

If you have any information please email me at [email protected]

By Melissa Markle

Bradner BC - It has been brought to our attention from some neighbours that a dangerous offender has moved into our area. James Conway is living in North Bradner. 

Abbotsford BC - The APD issued a warning to the public about a convicted sex offender who has moved to the area. James Conway, 40, has previously been convicted three times for sexual offences perpetrated against children and is subject to a long list of court-ordered conditions. 

"If anyone sees him out there and he's by himself, he would be in breach of his court conditions," said Constable Ian MacDonald.

Conway is six feet four inches tall, weighs 240 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes.

Restrictions he's subject to include:

• Leaving his home only with supervision of an approved person.
• Avoiding contact with anyone under 18.
• Not consuming alcohol or being in an establishment where alcohol is for sale.
• Not wearing or possessing a uniform. 

Conway was also the subject of a public notice from Delta police in April 2015 when he moved to that community. James Conway, sex offender, released from custody, moving to Delta.

According to BC Corrections, Conway has "maintained a versatile pattern of sexual offending against female children in a predatory and opportunistic manner" and has a criminal history that includes arson. 

Conway had been released in February but was taken back into custody after allegedly violating the terms of his release by sitting next to a teenage girl on a TransLink bus.

Abbotsford Police Announcement -  http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/canada/british-columbia/abbotsford-police-issue-warning-for-sex-offender-james-conway-1.3176958