Mayor of Abbotsford Announces Zoning Violation that may Lead to Conway's Departure!

Image source Abby News - submitted by Vikki Hopes

By Heather Lemieux, Editor

Bradner BC - The City of Abbotsford have stepped up for the community of Bradner and determined that this rural area is not zoned correctly for a half-way house. A giant step to getting Conway out of here!

A three-time sex offender who victimized children a decade ago may not be the risk fearful neighbours in Abbotsford believe, says the man who rented his house out to the agency that houses him.

James Conway, 40, mentally handicapped and heavily medicated, is monitored by an electronic bracelet, and has 24-hour supervision in a house equipped with alarms and cameras, said Brian Vos, who wants cooler heads to prevail in the tense rural community.

“I’m a little disappointed because the message isn’t getting out,” said Vos. “He’s got health issues. He’s mentally challenged. He’s not a threat like they’re talking about”. He also added “I don’t condone his actions. I would hate it if it were my own kids, but now I realize, where is he going to go? He is in the safest position possible”.

Conway was convicted back in 2000 of a sexual assault, and in 2005, of sexual interference of a person under 16. He has breached his probation conditions several times, including as recent as February 2015.
He was released in August 2015 to a house on Juanita Place in North Bradner, which is owned by Brian Vos and rented by WJS Canada, which is an agency working for Community Living BC.

Since he arrived in North Bradner, Conway has not been caught breaching his conditions. But police have dealt with 12 complaints of vandalism, including pouring concrete on the Conway's house, putting padlocks on doors, throwing rocks and painted signs hanging on public and private property that warn of a sexual predator.

At the second rally on Sunday, dozens of residents of Bradner carried signs and chanted along Juanita Place. "Residents are scared for their children", said organizer and neighbour, Kim Iverson. She also said “It’s horrible! We’ve been living in a prison here”. Another resident of Bradner, Trevor Alderliesten, wants Conway back in jail. “Put this guy in the general prison population,” he said. When asked if he meant that would result in Conway getting stabbed, Alderliesten replied, “Nobody likes a pedophile”!

Abbotsford Mayor, Henry Braun, arrived to address the group and said he has received a legal opinion that putting Conway into this residence is in violation of Abbotsford’s zoning rules. Braun said “This property isn’t zoned for this. It’s an agricultural area, zoned for single family use. This is more of a detention than anything else,” Braun said. The City of Abbotsford has informed the province it believes its bylaws are being violated, and expects Conway to move on. But the mayor had no answers about where Conway would move to. “It’s not up to me to say where he goes. There’s a court order that allows him to live here. It’s unfortunate the city wasn’t consulted before the fact,” he said. It is the opinion of city staff that using the property to house two convicted offenders and a supervisor places it in a commercial-use category, which means it is operating in contravention of zoning bylaws, he said. He said city staff looked into the matter and came to this conclusion. The landlord, Correctional Service Canada and BC Corrections have all been notified. It is hoped the matter can be resolved without court action. “I will take this as far as I have to”, Braun said, adding that it could take weeks or months for a resolution. Braun said he was disappointed that the city hadn’t been notified ahead of time that Conway would be living in Abbotsford.

After the Mayor's announcement, rally organizer, Kim Iverson, said she was pleased to hear the news from the mayor that action was being taken to remove Conway from the neighbourhood. “I’m super, super excited. I think it’s a really good start. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my chest”!

Bradner residents are hopeful that this will result in Conway leaving the community for good, but it is bittersweet, when thinking of the next community he will be moved to... the matter of where Conway would live if he leaves this place is not a municipal government decision. The laws need to change to keep such offenders from being bounced from one community to the next.