TSN/Kraft Celebration Tour comes to Kaslo

To view this page ensure that Adobe Flash Player version 9.0.124 or greater is installed.

Please login or register to make a comment!

August 26, 2009 The Valley Voice 1 Volume 18, Number 16 August 26 , 2009 Delivered to every home between Edgewood, Kaslo & South Slocan. Published bi-weekly. cYour independently owned regional community newspaper serving the Arrow Lakes, Slocan & North Kootenay Lake Valleys. d Visitor Information - page 12 SERIOUS SUMMER CLEARANCE SALE SEPT 1-15 by Jan McMurray In celebration of Kaslo 9s big win of $25,000 in the TSN/Kraft Celebration Tour contest, the community came out on Saturday for a huge picnic extravaganza in Kaslo Bay Park.

TSN anchors Darren Dutchyshen and Jennifer Hedger hosted their SPORTSCENTRE sportscast live from the park, and Kraft paid for the barbecue, served up by local volunteers. There were many activities for kids of all ages in the park, including the dunk tank, hula hoops, face painting, table hockey, beach volleyball, tug of war, and of course a mini logger sports. An excellent promotional clip for Kaslo during the TSN broadcast also included Sandon.

Just before the live broadcast was to start, Kathy Freeman and Glenn Erickson from Kaslo 9s Logger Sports Committee were presented with the $25,000 cheque. Erickson told the crowd that when he joined the committee in 2007, he promised that they ... more. less.

would be on TSN within three years 3 cand it only took two and a half! d He said there is no end of things to spend the $25,000 on 3 a new log rolling pond, new climbing trees and an equipment trailer to start. Dutchysen and Hedger also addressed the crowd. cYou have a beautiful community 3 it 9s stunning, d said Hedger. cIt 9s been fantastic to stay here. d Kathy Freeman read about the TSN/Kraft Celebration Tour contest, in honour of TSN 9s 25 th anniversary, in a Kraft recipes magazine in the spring. She entered the contest by sending in an essay and picture of Kaslo Logger Sports. Of 400 communities that entered, Kaslo made the top 20. The top 20 were then paired up and pitted against one another in an intense online vote. Up against Williams Lake with a population of 11,000, Kaslo (population 1,000) put on a show of Kootenay community spirit and beat TSN/Kraft Celebration Tour comes to Kaslo them with 52% of the votes. The TSN/Kraft Celebration Tour continues across the country with a stop in each of the 10 communities that won the contest. Kaslo was the Lrst stop on the tour. by Jan McMurray The area 9s Bear Smart program has landed some Columbia Basin Trust funding and is now launching a regional public education campaign in efforts to reduce bear/human conMicts throughout the area. Regional Bear Smart program offers help to homeowners cWe have expanded the program to the Nakusp and Arrow Lakes, and are working together with the programs in the lower Slocan Valley and Kaslo area to co-ordinate our efforts regionally, d explained Wayne McCrory, the lead for the area 9s Bear Smart program and bear biologist with the Valhalla Wilderness Society. He added that they were also coordinating with the Community Fruit Harvesting Project in the upper Slocan Valley. McCrory said that the CBT funding would cover part-time wages for the volunteer Bear Smart coordinators in the Arrow/Slocan Lakes and Slocan Valley. cThe volunteer coordinators will now be more available to help people out with their bear problems, d he said. The program has bear proof residential garbage bins for sale and for loan, and some electric fencing for people to install around their fruit trees, compost piles and chicken coops. McCrory said they 9d be setting up displays of the garbage bins and electric fencing at the transfer stations in Nakusp, Rosebery, Slocan and Kaslo. cThere was a huge berry crop this year, so we 9ve had very few bear problems, but I expect once the berries dry up at the lower elevations, we 9ll be getting some of the bears back, poking around the fruit trees B0,= ;=::f b4ns ,n/ 0l0.?=4. f0n.4ng ,=0 n:w ,v,4l,bl0 ?3=:@g3 l:.,l B0,= Sm,=? .::=/4n,?:=s ?3=:@g3:@? ?30 =0g4:n. in the villages, d said McCrory. cIf people can control their garbage, that 9s the number one issue. We encourage people to pick their fruit 3 we 9re not telling them to cut down their trees. d In the past, VWS has been successful in obtaining funding under the provincial Bear Smart program. A bear hazard study and a bear/ people conMict prevention plan for the upper Slocan Valley, now almost completed, were funded under this program. However, no funding from the Bear Smart program was granted to VWS this year, so they applied for CBT funding instead. They received $10,000 from CBT 9s Environmental Initiatives program, and a total of $1,200 under CBT 9s Community Initiatives program. People who want to order bear proof garbage bins or electric fencing, or who are having bear problems can contact their local coordinator: Upper Slocan Valley & Nakusp Area: Daniel Sherrod, Erica Mallam, 250 358-2333, daniels@vws.org Slocan and Lower Slocan Valley: Evelyn Kirkaldy, 250 359- 6611, eekbears@hotmail.com. Kaslo and Upper Kootenay Lake: Gillian Sanders, 250 353- 1137, kaslohomestead@yahoo.com. photo credit: art joyce K,sl: L:gg0= S;:=?s .:mm4??00 m0mb0=s Gl0nn e=4.ks:n ,n/ K,?3D F=00m,n ,..0;?0/ , $25,000 .30q@0 f=:m K=,f? c,n,/, ,? ?30 tSN/K=,f? c0l0b=,?4:n t:@= 0v0n? ,? K,sl: B,D p,=k a@g@s? 22. t30 V,ll4.,n W3:l0 9s 100-M4l0 m,=k0?, w4?3 4?s w4/0 v,=40?D :f l:.,l w,=0s, w,s ?=@0 ?: ?30 ?30m0 f:= ?30 0v0n? 3 8a c0l0b=,?4:n :f L:.,l ab@n/,n.0. 9 The Valley Voice August 26, 2009 2NEWS FLOAT YOUR BOAT! WIN PRIZES! ROSEBERY REGATTA LABOUR DAY, SEPT 7, 2009 3 ROSEBERY BAY Rain or Shine " Trials begin around 11 am This year, we celebrate the OfLcial Grand Opening of Rosebery Parklands Regional Park BOAT BUILDING WORKSHOP on Sat. Sept. 5th; 11 a.m.; Silverton Gallery with Shipmasters Bearham, Dorsey & Johnson. Bring your ideas, any special materials/decorations and sense of fun. Race classes: various lengths and sizes (depending on number and variety of entries) "Most outrageous/improbable "Best organic/edible "Most poetic "Mechanized propulsion " The Viking Prize (most unlawful) "Cutest/Smallest Dinghy prize Rosebery Cup, Commodore 9s Cup, other possible assorted maritime prizes Bring lunch or snacks, assorted Rx-it kits and prepare to indulge in nautical antics. Sea shanties and maritime ballads will be sung! Family fun for one and all! The highlight of the social season in the Silvery Slocan! The Commodore 9s contingent gratefully acknowledges the support of our corporate sponsor, the Valley Voice . In accordance with regatta tradition, the decision of the judges may be Rnal - depending on incentives offered! ATTENTION LAST YEAR 9S WINNERS! PLEASE, PLEASE BRING YOUR LAST YEAR 9S PRIZE BACK TO THE REGATTA ON RACE DAY TO BE RE-AWARDED TO THIS YEAR 9S WINNERS. THE COMMODORE THANKS YOU! TSN-KRAFT CELEBRATION TOUR PICNIC IN KASLO Awesome is the best word I can think of to describe the festivities at Kaslo Bay Park on Saturday, August 22 nd , 2009. It was the culmination of the TSN-KRAFT Celebration Tour Contest and the setting for the presentation of the $25,000 prize to Kaslo Logger Sports. The huge TSN Live Broadcast Stage overlooked Kaslo Bay where boats and kayaks drifted by with TSN boldly painted on them. Logger Sports Events like the axe throw, the cross cut saws and log rolling were set up on the beach so everyone could have the opportunity to be a lumberjack. The Kraft Bull 9s Eye BBQ prepared by the Kaslo Volunteer Fire Department served up delicious hamburgers and smok- ies. The Kid 9s Fun Zone was a beehive of activities such as Hula Hoop, Parachute Game, Relay Races, Rocking Horse and the Kraft Creations Tent. The Sport 9s Zone featured Soc- cer Kick, Beach Volleyball, Slap Shot and Tug 8o War. Kaslo 9s own BODYCHECK Table Hockey Games went full out during the entire event. Mid-afternoon on this glorious sunny day was the presentation by Kraft Canada to Kaslo Logger Sports of the $25,000 cheque which will be used to refresh the Logger Sports Grounds. Right after that Kaslo went live on the TSN SportsCentre Broadcast which was seen by millions of viewers across Canada. Many fabulous shots of Kaslo were shown and everyone can view them on the TSN.ca/Kraft Celebration Tour website. After the broadcast, SportsCentre personalities Jennifer Hedger and Darren Dutchyshen were swarmed at the Celebrity Autograph Tent by all of their fans from the Kootenays. Last but not least, there are way too many voters and volunteers who made this exciting event happen to thank you individu- ally. You know who you are and please know that your many hours of effort, your enthusiasm and your community spirit is truly appreciated by Kaslo and Logger Sports. We hope to see everyone again at next year 9s May Days Event in Kaslo. This invitation is also extended to everyone at TSN and Kraft who sponsored this very generous and community minded contest. For many of us in Kaslo it was a once in a lifetime experience. Thanks everyone once again. Sincerely, Kathy Freeman by Jan McMurray Concerns that the Glacier/Howser independent power project would damage critical bull trout habitat seem to be conLrmed in a joint submission to the Environmental Assessment OfLce by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), the Ktunaxa Nation Council, and the Okanagan Nation Alliance. cThis report proves beyond a Fisheries concerns continue to plague Glacier/Howser project shadow of a doubt that this project would damage critical bull trout habitat. It 9s not good environmentally, socially or economically, d says Lee-Ann Unger, West Kootenay EcoSociety. The joint submission states that the Glacier/Howser application cdoes not provide the information necessary to justify the potential impacts to the Lsh and Lsh habitat resources in both Glacier and Howser Creeks under the proposed project design and Mow regime. d Simon Gourdeau of AXOR, the Glacier/Howser project proponent, says that there has been clots of back and forth on Lsheries d as part of the environmental assessment process, and that the company has proposed modiLcations to the project to address Lsheries concerns. One of the modiLcations to the project is the removal of the Birnam Creek intake from the Glacier Creek facility, due to the higher Lsh habitat quality in Birnam Creek. The company has also proposed to use different intake structures, which will eliminate the risk of very young Lsh being carried along in the Mow. Finally, the company is coming up with ways to compensate for the loss of Lsh and Lsh habitat 3 something that was completely missing from the original application. Gourdeau said they wanted to discuss appropriate types of compensation with DFO before including it in the proposal. Gourdeau reported that the company planned to submit its responses to all the public comments on August 24. The EAO will review the responses before posting them on the EAO website. by Katrine Campbell Tourism BC, the crown corporation which works with the tourism industry and funds Visitor Infocentres, will be rolled into the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts effective April 1, 2010. The move surprised everyone, eliciting outrage from the NDP and bewilderment from other tourism organizations. cThe BC Liberals 9 sudden decision to eliminate Tourism BC has left the industry reeling just as it struggles to deal with the blow from the government 9s HST [harmonized sales tax] betrayal, d the NDP says. Tourism BC swallowed by Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts The Wilderness Tourism Association says the decision came as a shock. cTourism BC was an award- winning organization which had developed a world-class destination marketing model that was the envy of the world&This move could be very detrimental to BC 9s overall marketing effort and have a further negative impact on our current economic contribution to the province&The Ministry of Tourism doesn 9t have a track record for this type of major marketing effort. d Noting that the Winter Olympics are so close and the province is just coming out of the economic downturn, WTA director Evan Loveless says, cWe are in dire need of stability and major moves like fundamentally shifting our lead marketing agency and implementing the new HST & doesn 9t bode well for tourism businesses throughout BC. d There is no information on how the change will affect Visitor Information Centres, which depend on Tourism BC money to open every summer. submitted Interior Health is about to award a contract for construction of the $1.9 million Children 9s Healthcare Initiative at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in Trail. Through its Children 9s Healthcare Initiative, the KBRH Health Foundation is funding 60 per cent of the renovations to the fourth-Moor maternity and pediatric areas of the hospital, with the West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District providing the Construction will start soon on Trail hospital renos remaining 40 per cent. Renovations include updated labour/delivery suites, a nursery, private in-patient rooms for maternity and pediatrics, treatment spaces and clinical spaces. Additionally, for the Lrst time, pediatrics will have a negative pressure isolation room. Site preparation has already been started by hospital maintenance staff. The Foundation is currently in the Lnal push for its portion of the funding and still welcomes donations at its ofLce in the hospital lobby, by phone, or online at www. kbrhhealthfoundation.ca. In related news, Kootenay Savings Credit Union has announced its support for a proposed heliport at the hospital. The proposal is a joint venture between the Lower Columbia Community Development Team and the City of Trail. The KSCU says its employees plan to raise money which will be matched by KS Community Foundation, for a total, they hope, between $90,000 and $100,000. The Valley VOICE Try our FLYER service! Target your customers from our 7400 CIRCULATION Pick and choose where you want your Myer to go Contact us for details 250-358-7218 valleyvoice@netidea.com August 26, 2009 The Valley Voice 3 Invitations to Tenderers Sealed bids marked cNew Denver Office 3 Addition and Renovation d will be received by the ofRce of the Corporation of the Village of New Denver before 2:00 pm local time on September 11, 2009. Bids submitted by facsimile will not be considered. 1. The Owner invites tenders for: The addition of approximately 1,000 square feet of ofRce space and the renovation of an additional approximately 1,000 square feet of the main ofRce for the Village of New Denver. 2. Contract Documents are available, including for viewing, during normal business hours at: Village of New Denver Main OfRce, Pennco Engineering Ltd., 204-625 Front Street, Nelson, B.C. V1L 4B6 Or can be couriered upon request, courier charges are to be covered by the party requesting the documents. 3. Preference will be given to local Contractors and the use of local Sub Contractors. 4. Bid Bonds, Performance Bonds, and Labour and Material Bonds are required. 5. The lowest bid or any bid or any portion thereof a bid may not necessarily be accepted. 6. A mandatory visit to the site is required to satisfy the Tenderer of any local conditions. The site visit has been scheduled for August 31, 2009 at 11:00 am. 7. Technical Inquiries by Bidders are to be directed to Mr. Gerry Sawkins at (250) 354-0112 at Pennco Engineering Ltd. 8. Tenders are scheduled to close at: Tender Closing Time: 2:00 pm local time. Tender Closing Date: September 11, 2009 at OfRce of the Village of New Denver, 115 Slocan Ave, New Denver, BC, V0G 1S0 Telephone: 250-358-2316 9. Tenders received after the closing time will not be accepted. 10. Once the Tender has been awarded, the name of the successful Tenderer(s) will be available upon request. NEWS Slocan Valley Fall Fair Winlaw Hall Sunday August 30th 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Come join us for a day of family fun. Only a toonie for adults, kids 12 and under free. We will have a full day of country music with local talent, car show, antique engine show, agricultural exhibits, over 40 vendors. All kinds of games and prizes for all ages. No pets please. by Katrine Campbell The former Valhalla Lre crew camp will be leased to Ecozy Micro Homes, Slocan council decided last week. Both Ecozy and the Sinixt Nation had put in proposals for using the lands. Ecozy 9s plan is to build four to six cabins, to start with, and to use them for visitor accommodations and as a showcase for potential buyers. The cabins are all built from local wood, and are environmentally friendly. Marc Septav appeared before council August 12 to speak to the proposal. He noted that there were more visitors to the village and area but there was a lack of places to stay. The site is beautiful, he said, and could be used to attract corporate retreats. cWe want to establish low-impact accommodations and showcase what people here are capable of doing. d The Lrst step, Septav says, is to plan the work on site. cWe 9ll have to take a look at infrastructure repair and landscaping. If all goes to plan, we 9ll prepare four initial cabins over the winter season. Once the weather improves we 9ll get two to four more ready for next summer. cThere 9s a lot of work to be done getting everything that 9s already there in order. d The site contains a commercial kitchen, and the Lre crews previously stationed there created stone walkways and wooden bridges, Lshponds, a sauna and a 10-person hot tub. Much of that is now deteriorated and overgrown, and Ecozy wants to renovate and restore it. Ecozy is looking beyond Ecozy Micro Homes wins lease for former Valhalla 3re crew camp in Slocan City accommodations and showcasing its products, however Septav says he sees the project as a nucleus for spurring more business ideas and start-ups. cEveryone is concerned with Springer Creek [Forest Products] going down for an undetermined period. Forestry is important but we have to look at diversifying. We can use this to educate, to show what 9s possible for affordable housing and alternative energy. cWith the people, the landscape, the opportunities 3 there 9s lots out there but we 9ve got to start off on the right foot to encourage people to get involved. We 9ve got a lot of opportunities but we gotta get the ball rolling. d Although Ecozy was successful, Village CAO Shana Paivarinta said council was impressed with the Sinixt proposal. cWe have other properties. If they want to have other cultural events, we would be interested in working with them. We appreciate the culture they would be bringing with them. d submitted Are you a fan of public libraries? Want to stop any cuts to library funding? You 9re invited to a letter-writing event, with MLA Michelle Mungall in attendance, on August 28 at pm at the Nelson Library. In tough economic times, Provincial cuts threaten BC libraries libraries traditionally see a sharp spike in usage. Unfortunately, in tough economic times governments traditionally look for things to cut. According to a BC Government and Service Employees 9 Union press release, the government of British Columbia will cut library service by 22 per cent, or $4 million, in the September budget. This move will likely jeopardize service at a time when it 9s needed most. The Nelson Library, with other libraries across the province, is engaged in a proactive campaign to stop the cuts 3 hence the letter- writing campaign with Mungall and Chief Librarian June Stockdale. Public libraries offer accessible resources such as information to help people find jobs, access government services, foster early childhood literacy development, and support for learners of all ages. The proposed cuts will seriously impact job seekers, people with low incomes, and families with young children, but all library users will ultimately be affected. Programs up for the cutting block include open access, online resources, the collaborative reference service AskAway, BC OneCard, and literacy. The Nelson Library receives 10 per cent of its total budget from the provincial government. Should the library lose this funding, a reduction of programs and services, and possibly a reduction in hours of operation could result. Says Chief Librarian June Stockdale: cMunicipal tax dollars do support local library operations, but co-operative province-wide programs are the lifeblood of a strong library system, expanding the range of services beyond what a single library can provide. These cuts not only restrict service, they don 9t make economic sense in the long run. d Concerned citizens are encouraged to go to www. stopbclibrarycuts.ca to become informed and to sign the online petition, or download a postcard to mail or drop off at the library. These postcards, as well as further information, are also available at stations set up in the library. The Nelson Municipal Library website at www.nelsonlibrary.ca will post links, campaign updates, and additional information. submitted Children, parents, and teachers are celebrating after the Whole School has found its own permanent facility to carry on its mission of providing affordable, independent, alternative elementary level education. Located on the highway just south of Sleep is for Sissies in Winlaw, the small acreage and unique 8pyramid 9 building will convert quite smoothly into a new, permanent home for the Whole School. After initiating the 8Build a Legacy 9 campaign to raise funds for the purchase of a property for the school, a generous business owner from Nelson has stepped in to purchase the building, lease it to the school at an affordable rate and sell it back to the school at the same purchase price when the Lrst phase of the fundraising is complete. The contributor, who is represented by Ron Bogusz of Nasmyth, Morrow Whole School moves forward with permanent home and Bogusz, wishes to remain anonymous. cFor me the Whole School has always been a part of what makes the Slocan Valley special, d the contributor said. cAlong with many other people, I was upset two years ago when the school lost its home of over 30 years at the Vallican Whole. Here was a chance to set that right, perhaps for another 30 years. The Whole School board of directors is extending a very public and deeply heartfelt appreciation to this unanticipated new partner, who has enabled them to keep moving full steam ahead and launch a stronger than ever Whole School this September. In turn, the Whole School, energized with this immediate generous support, will be continuing its 8Build a Legacy 9 campaign in order to take over ownership of the property in the near future. In the meantime, school organizers will commence renovations and the building will be up and running as the new Whole School in early fall. The Whole School is happy to offer our valley small class sizes where each child is honoured to be themselves as well as a curriculum that is exciting and hands on. The school 9s philosophy also promotes a family- like atmosphere and structure that helps each child to feel safe and secure away from home. Any families interested in enrolling children from kindergarten to grade six are invited to contact the school. School registration will be on September 8 at the new Whole School property in Winlaw. Look for signs. The school opens on September 14. Our school coordinator, Jane Medlar, is available for further information at 250-226-7737 or by email at wholeschool@gmail.com. The Valley Voice August 26, 2009 4OPINION The Valley Voice B:x 70, N0w d0nv0=, Bc V0G 1S0 p3:n0: 358-7218 F,x: 358-7793 e-M,4l:v,ll0Dv:4.0@n0?4/0,..:m W0bs4?0: www.v,ll0Dv:4.0.., Publisher - D an n icholson " Editor - J an M c M urray " Food Editor - a nDrew r hoDes " Arts & Culture Editor - A rt J oyce " Contributing Writer - K atrine c aMpbell Published and printed in British Columbia, Canada The Valley Voice is distributed throughout the Slocan and Arrow Lake Valleys from South Slocan/Playmor Junction to Edgewood and Kaslo on Kootenay Lake. Circulation is 7,200 papers, providing the most complete news and advertising coverage of any single newspaper serving this are a. SUBSCRIPTIONS: CANADA $54.60, USA $84.00, OVERSEAS $126.00. E-Mail Subscription $21.00 (Prices include GST) Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement #40021191 EDITORIAL / LETTERS POLICY The Valley Voice welcomes letters to the editor and community news articles from our readers. Letters and articles should be no longer than 500 words and may be edited. We reserve the right to reject any submitted material. Please mark your letter cLETTER TO THE EDITOR. d Include your address and daytime phone number for veriLcation purposes. We will not knowingly publish any letter that is defamatory or libelous. We will not publish anonymous letters or letters signed with pseudonyms, except in extraordinary circumstances. Opinions expressed in published letters are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Valley Voice . continued on page 5 Solutions to traf3c problems Whose job is it? It is time to act, regarding the trafLc congestion on our highways. Solutions vary and I would like to propose a few: a) signs posted at both ends of 31A (the Kaslo/New Denver run- way) indicating the statistics on deaths/accidents; b) efforts by tourist associations to inform newcomers to the area about the twisting, narrow roads with deep ditches; c) information by the IHA about the costs of health care/ambulances for trafLc accidents; d) straightening/widening the roads just seems to make people go faster 3 perhaps cars should be made to go slower? I tend to favour education and information; however, if nothing is going to be done 3 e) organ collection/harvesting facilities located at our local hospitals could also encourage economic development. Suggestions can to be sent to related agencies. Carol Bell Silverton Re: Meadow Creek pot bust 3 RCMP tolerance waning The people happiest about these busts are the 90-95 per cent of growers who will never be caught. Think about that 3 if the police busted twice as many grows every year, they would still only get about 20 per cent of them. A Lfth! Probably less. And every time they bust one grow 3 indoor, outdoor, small, or big 3 all they do is make the ones they don 9t catch that much more valuable. Not only is the illegality of pot the very thing that makes growing it so lucrative, the police are subsidizing the entire industry by busting a minority of them. And while kids and women are still missing, and child porn runs rampant, the cops are wasting a lot of time and money on this outrageously counter-productive policy. They like to tell the public that this is somehow preventing pot from reaching their kids, but every year they bust more and more people, and every year pot becomes more widely available. All over a medicinal plant that recent science suggests actually helps healthy cells resist cancer invasion (www.webmd.com/cancer/ news/20071226/pot-slows-cancer- in-test-tube ). Is this the Canada you want to live in? A country where cops help gangsters and deprive people of valuable medicine? Because that is the Canada you live in right now. Russell Barth Nepean, Ontario Response to Don Scarlett re: KDCFS I read with interest Don Scarlett 9s response to my letter concerning the Kaslo and District Community Forest Society in the August 12 edition of the Valley Voice . But rather than addressing my points concerning the Lnancial future of the Kaslo & District Community Forest Society (KDCFS), he chose to divert the reader 9s attention by claiming that community forests are different from others in the forest industry as they focus on the community, not shareholders. He goes on to state that the KDCFS is developing a long-term plan and implies the board is eco- sensitive and they employ eco- sensitive woodlands managers. Well, they are different from others in the forest industry, because, despite the fact there is no money coming in, they continue to spend money. And with a projected deLcit of $201,890 this year, there will be no money in next year 9s operations account. But changing plans mid-year so they can clearcut an ancient cedar forest in the Bjerkness Creek watershed looks like something any other licensee in the forest industry would do. At this moment better planning, not long-term planning, is needed to ensure that there will be a legacy left for future boards. Patrick Mackle Kaslo RCMP endanger public by pursuing two pot plants Kaslo RCMP have announced that anyone caught growing any amount of cannabis, even a couple of plants, will be charged. What an absolute pathetic waste of valuable police time and resources! Two measly pot plants in a garden and the police are going to investigate, arrest, charge and show up for multiple days in court. How much is this going to cost? And who 9s paying? First answer: we 9ll never know; it 9s a well-guarded secret. Second: we the citizens. What happens when a serious, potentially life-threatening situation arises and multiple officers are busy with a two-plant grow? This scenario is inevitable. With ofLcers preoccupied, our highways will become even more unsafe than they are currently, our homes and businesses more vulnerable to theft and damage, and public safety jeopardized. This is a grave and dangerous situation. I urge people to take extra precautions, knowing that the RCMP are tied up busting two-plant cannabis grows. Our area is now less safe thanks to misguided police priorities. I 9m not sure what effect writing our MLA & MP will have, but I 9m going to do it nonetheless. Lives are at risk and something must be done about this. We already have so few ofLcers due to cutbacks and now the ones we do have are busying themselves with the most petty of cannabis busts. What a recipe for disaster. Alan Middlemiss Nelson Certi3ed organic As certiLed organic growers we are disappointed to see the national organic standards described as cpossibly compromised d in the August 12 Valley Voice article 8Growing organic in the Kootenays. 9 We see no reason that the integrity of local, certiLed organic growers should be questioned. Many of these growers have been growing excellent quality, certiLed organic produce for years, sometimes decades. This produce is sold at local stores and farmer 9s markets where knowledgeable customers ask for certiLed organic products. The national standards that local certiLed organic farmers adhere to are not simply a list of prohibited substances but a working document offering guidelines on animal health, buffer zones, compost production, and organic soil management. The standards are a dynamic document, and amended as better, more environmentally friendly solutions are discovered. Becoming a certified organic farmer is a several-step process in which a farmer must demonstrate an understanding of the organic Letter to MLA Katrine Conroy re: budget cuts As one of your constituents I hope you will oppose the current round of BC Liberal budget cuts to your utmost strength. The Ministry of Forests, 230 job cuts. Ministry of Environment, 30-40 jobs. Both ministries already skeleton crews, barely hanging together. Cuts to the BC Parks budget for park stewardship. Well, we can either pay for this up front with staff or pay for it with expensive LreLghting operations when there 9s no one to check up on careless campers. These cuts are death knells to these ministries and represent a fundamental collapse of infrastructure for civilization. And on top of all that, cuts across the board for the IHA, though this has been their modus operandi from the beginning, as part of the on-track schedule to privatize healthcare in BC. Oh, and let 9s not forget the 40- 50% cuts to the BC Arts Council, which administers funds to all the smaller regional arts councils across BC. cAh, who cares, d I can hear some of you saying. Well try this on for economic sense: Would you knowingly pull the plug on an industry that generates $5.2 billion dollars and 80,000 jobs a year 4more money than either forestry or mining ($3.8 and $4.3 billion respectively; see BC Stats http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca and the Alliance for Arts and Culture http://www.allianceforarts.com/). Aside from the fact that the arts directly support other critical BC industries like tourism at this time of year. Without the music festivals, artwalks, heritage tours, museums, galleries, etc. you 9d have a lot fewer people coming out to the places like the Kootenays. Not everyone wants to go camping or canoeing, lovely as that is. And the fact is that without the arts we are not civilized at all. It 9s the Vandals in Rome, all over again. Only this time they 9re doing it with more elegance: with suits and ties and lawyers. As I told a friend of mine: in the new Webster 9s Dictionary under 8docile 9 it should read: cCanadian public; see: Olympics 2010. d SOMEBODY has to pay for this giant billionaire 9s party in Whistler, and sure enough it 9s going to be all of us out here in the hinterland that Victoria and Vancouver think have fallen off the map. And many other taxpayers 4at the expense of many vital services to society. Even the people who save our lives 4 ambulance paramedics 4have to go begging for money nowadays. Shame on the NDP for not working with the Greens to win the last BC election and rid us of these thugs, instead of splitting the vote. And shame on you for voting with the government on the bill that allowed the bailout of Olympic village. You are letting us down. In times of crisis we ought to pull together, not pull each other apart. The Vandals are busy in Vancouver and Victoria and Washington and Ottawa. You can hear them laughing all the way to the bank. I repeat: a fundamental collapse of the infrastructure for civilization. Wake up. Get angry. Do something. (Start by emailing our MLA, Katrine Conroy at Katrine. Conroy.MLA@leg.bc.ca and go to the Alliance for Arts and Culture website for further actions http:// www.allianceforarts.com/) Art Joyce New Denver Correction In our August 12 issue, we published a letter called 8More on what 9s wrong with New Denver 9 and attributed it to Sabrina George from Calgary/New Denver. However, Sabrina has contacted us to say she has not lived in Calgary for at least 25 years. Also, the title of that letter was not of her choosing. August 26, 2009 The Valley Voice 5 LETTERS continued from page 4 standards, submit records, go through a transition period, and have annual, independent farm inspections. This means that a trained, non-partisan inspector comes to the farm and does a thorough inspection. The inspector then makes a recommendation to the certifying body, which grants organic status if they are satisLed that the farmer will adhere to the standards. Casting doubt by calling the organic certification system that has been developed by growers and is well known and trusted by consumers cpossibly compromised d does not further an honest debate. Eva Johansson, Judi Morton Slocan Valley Sad for Sabrina So sad for Sabrina D. George that she Lnds it necessary to demean the Village of New Denver just because she has an axe to grind against a few individuals in it. Unfortunately, hers is a really dull axe and it 9s never clear who she is so sour on. On one hand she calls for raising taxes and the other she worries about the plight of seniors. Council probably recognized that it would be some seniors who suffer from paying those higher taxes. Maybe she doesn 9t like the experienced and capable mayor who works so diligently with the skilled Village administrator to ensure that tax dollars are spent wisely, that our water is the best in the world and that we receive a healthy share of available government grants. New Denver is a terriLc small town, not unlike others in our area, and the main reason is the volunteer villagers who work tirelessly for the community. People who labour to ensure that the hospital and ambulance services are maintained, that the real needs of people are remembered and that capitalists without conscience don 9t destroy the beauty that attracts so many to our shore. Yes, people like Rhonda B. and many others who work rather than whine. Every small community has some happy, hard-working people who spread good will, a larger number who live placidly and appreciate what they have and a small number of malcontents who whine and complain. We have to accept that there will always be uninformed, negative people who want to make others miserable too. That 9s just human nature. It 9s also our nature to expect people who criticize to offer some alternatives of their own. Maybe the critic of New Denver will run for council in the next election and give us all the beneLt of her experience in Calgary. Kevin Murphy New Denver Lost employment and prosperity The community of Kaslo and Area D have amazing opportunities handed to them by the Wildfire Interface Project and the Glacier/ Howser Power Project. The WildLre Interface Project provides the opportunity to make our town area safer from the wildLre disasters that happened in the past year in Australia and in Kelowna in 2003. In the meantime the project is creating needed employment for the community in this recession that 9s hit the forest industry and almost every other industry with major job loses. Mayor Greg Lay 9s group should be applauded for their good job developing this program. The negativity in the community should stop and positive ideas brought forward to improve the process to make the project a success, not to break it down. The people employed in this project will be off EI or welfare, spending more money in the community and paying taxes 3 all positive. The Glacier/Howser power project is a huge opportunity for the area 3 a $300,000,000 investment in green power, with all the government and private spin-offs 3 an investment that has never been seen in our area. It would provide 100 to 200 short- term jobs over three years during the worst recession in my lifetime, and 6 to 15 long-term, full-time and part-time jobs. This is all positive for our community, but what we get is the negative opposition governing rhetoric of Andy Shadrack, RDCK Director for Area D and our MLA, Michelle Mungall. This entrenches more negativity in the community. The easy way out is to turn the project down when the ENGOs that have no connection with our community put pressure on you. The problem is that you don 9t have a back-up plan to replace this investment and your constituents need employment to live with respect, pay taxes and keep our community viable. Our government representatives should be doing their job by promoting investment in our area, recruiting new local business and creating jobs. Quoting an old phrase, clet 9s not throw the baby out with the bath water; d do your job and work with the intergovernmental Glacier/Howser working group to take care of the legitimate concerns of our community, not with people from the outside that have a political axe to grind. Let 9s get this area back to being prosperous, not a welfare state. We should be using our renewable resources to employ our people and rejuvenate our community as long as it is done responsibly. Rowland McCulloch Kaslo Looking for considered response to concerns about KDCFS 3nancial situation I was surprised to read Don Scarlett 9s response to Pat Mackle 9s recent letter to the editor, a letter that was also sent to the board of the Kaslo & District Community Forest Society. I was surprised because Scarlett 9s response was published before Mr. Mackle 9s letter had been received by the directors at their regular monthly meeting. Scarlett does not make it clear whether he is speaking on behalf of the board, or himself alone. I rather hope his reaction to Mackle 9s letter was his own. I would hope that the board would choose to make a more considered, direct and thoughtful response to a resident 9s concerns about the society 9s current Lnancial position. I believe, and I know that I am not alone in this, that Mr. Mackle 9s concerns are legitimate. These are tough times in the forest industry. In retrospect, quite a number of the board 9s decisions over the last few years (Pat points out a few) have reduced the available capital today, at a time when projected income is next to impossible to predict. At the August 12 board meeting, the treasurer noted that so far this year they have spent $144,000 more than they have earned. At the end of July there was only $131,000 in the operating account. The plan was still to spend $120,000 more this year on timber development. Add normal operating expenses, specialist fees etc. and it is easy enough for anyone to see the bottom of the operating account. When Bruce Freeman finished his report he asked for questions from the board, but there weren 9t any forthcoming and his Lnancial report was simply received. If the operating account cannot absorb the planned-for expenses, where do the directors think the money will come from? Rob Mitchell, chair of the society board, is quoted in the same Valley Voice issue as saying he is c...hopeful that we 9ll Lnd a combination of raw material and harvesting methods that will be agreeable to someone out there. d In other words, he is hopeful that the society will succeed in making a timber sale which will generate some cash Mow. If they cannot make a timber sale, the alternative to a bottomed out operating account is to pull funds from the silviculture account, an account that has been accruing money since 2003 and thus far has been restricted to funding the planting of the future forest, and to the tending to young and growing stands. Mitchell claims that cwe are nowhere near broke. d That really depends on how you define both cnear d and cbroke. d An analogous situation is the homeowner who Lnds himself without an income, and a rapidly draining savings account. His day-to-day-operating account may be fast disappearing, but he is not actually facing bankruptcy because he knows he can cash in his retirement savings, or the college fund he has accumulated for his children. This is what Scarlett fails to recognize, in print at least 3 the interdependence between short-term decisions and long-term planning (the silviculture fund is an example of long-term planning). Since the directors are entrusted to manage well such a valuable (in so many ways) public asset, I would hope that they would examine very carefully, and with due caution, what development must be done and paid for in the short-term, and what could wait for when the market for wood improves. Since community forests are no longer expected to cut a minimum quantity of trees in a given period, there is suddenly more breathing room 3 some space to reconsider development and harvesting timetables. And when times in the industry are as bad as this, it is also a time to reach out for help, to rebuild some bridges with former directors, concerned community members, and certainly local people who have expertise in the forest industry. I look forward to the next KDCFS quarterly report. I hope I will Lnd myself reading a considered response to the concerns expressed by Pat Mackle about the society 9s current Lnancial situation. Erika Bird Kaslo Sad day for local democracy in East Kootenays 3 Jumbo decision On Friday, August 7 we were witness to a disgusting display of backroom political sleaziness. This occurred at the RDEK monthly board meeting in Cranbrook. The subject of discussion was a motion put forward by Director Wilks of Sparwood to have the RDEK request the provincial government declare the Jumbo resort project a Resort Municipality. By so doing, the board would voluntarily give up any local decision making powers in the matter. After lengthy discussion, including detailed and passionate arguments by three of the Columbia Valley directors, as to why the motion should be defeated, the vote was taken with it being carried by an 8 to 7 margin. The main focus of these arguments against the motion was the potential loss of local decision making, with opposition to the Jumbo development being of secondary importance. As a result of this vote, the citizens of the Columbia Valley, the area most affected by the proposed development, have lost their right to have input. In addition the RDEK has abrogated their responsibility to make land use decisions. Of even greater importance is the precedent which this motion sets. People have fought long and hard to have decisions made locally. This has now potentially been lost. This Lasco raises a number of very troubling questions: 1) Why was the motion put forward by the director who represents the area farthest from the development? Why not by a Columbia Valley director? 2) Why was there no chance given for public input? The public was not even allowed inside the RDEK building, with a security guard at the door preventing anyone other than preauthorized delegations to enter. 3) Why was the motion put on the board 9s agenda with such short notice? What was the hurry to pass it? 4) Why, when four out of Lve of the directors in the Columbia Valley were opposed to the motion, did a majority of the other directors disregard this? What do they know that the rest of us don 9t? 5) Why, when there has not even been a request for resort municipality status from Jumbo Glacier Resort was the RDEK even willing to entertain such a motion? 6) Whose interests does the board of the RDEK (speciLcally those directors who supported the motion) represent 3 the citizens of the regional district, the provincial government or the proponent? 7) What has changed since 2006 when Director Wilks tried to have an almost identical motion pass? In that case it was defeated 13 to 2. 8) Is it a coincidence that all but one of the directors supporting the motion are in Bill Bennett 9s riding, and that he is the Minister of Community and Rural Development? It is difLcult not to come to the conclusion that some underhanded political deal-making had gone on before the meeting. We would suggest that those citizens of the RDEK who are represented by the following directors (those who supported the motion) need to thoroughly question their directors as to their position about local decision making. The directors supporting the loss of local decision making were: David Wilks (Sparwood), Mike Sosnowski (Area A), Rob Gay (Area C), Scott Manjak (Cranbrook), Liz Schatschneider (Cranbrook), Jim Ogilvie (Kimberley), Dean McKerracher (Elkford), Dee Conklin (Radium). Thank you to the following directors who value and support local decision making and who voted against the motion: Heath Slee (Area B), Norman Walter (Area E), Wendy Booth (Area F), Gerry Wilkie (Area G), Ute Juras (Canal Flats), Cindy Corrigan (Fernie), Gerry Taft (Invermere). Friday was a very sad day for local democracy in the East Kootenay. Oberto Oberti, the JGR proponent, was the last delegate to speak on August 7 before the directors made their decision. He asked for justice to prevail. His determination and his frustration with the required approval process for the project have culminated in an injustice to the East Kootenay residents. We believe justice will prevail. Our voices will be heard. Norm and Loni Funnell Edgewater The Valley Voice August 26, 2009 6 COMMUNITY NOTICE OF BY-ELECTION 2009 DECLARATION OF OFFICIAL BY- ELECTION RESULT I, Ms. Junko Ida, Chief Election OfRcer, do hereby declare Ms. Leah Main, elected by acclamation. Ms. Junko Ida, Chief Election OfRcer Silverton, BC August 21, 2009 The Corporation of the Village of Silverton P.O. Box 14, 421 Lake Avenue, Silverton, British Columbia V0G 2B0 Phone: 250/358-2472 Fax: 250/358-2321 Email: cao@silverton.ca by Art Joyce " A letter from Rob Lang at the RDCK regarding Village boundary expansion into Denver Siding made for considerable discussion around the council table. Lang reported that a poll of Denver Siding residents returned seven out of 10 questionnaires, with three in favour, three against, and one requesting further study. Councillor Kevin Murphy felt these numbers did not warrant the Village proceeding with expansion. Councillor Bunka New Denver council, August 11: Council debates costs and merits of Denver Siding expansion said at the last meeting with Denver Siding residents, not one wanted to join the Village for fear of higher taxes. CAO Carol Gordon pointed out that in any case a restructuring feasibility study would have to be done before proceeding, and terms of reference for the study would be done Lrst. Councillor Greensword objected, saying she made it quite clear from the Lrst meeting with the Regional District that she would not be in favour of the Village having to spend even one dollar of taxes on expansion. cI have a problem with our taxpayers having to pay for this when it 9s the Regional District that approached us on this. I 9d like to do this for our neighbours, but not for our taxpayers to have to pay for it. We 9ve left our tax rates low because we know we 9re entering tough times, so it 9s not the time to add another burden. d Mayor Wright said estimated costs in a 1991 study for New Denver boundary expansion were about $12,000 but are likely closer to $24,000 now with inflation. Administrator Gordon said the Village could make application for 50-50 cost coverage through a government restructuring grant. Gordon added it 9s a chicken-or- the-egg question because cuntil you do the restructuring study you don 9t know the exact costs. d Councillor Campbell said her concern is that, cwe put the money out on the study; and then people turn around and say, 8No we don 9t want to do it. 9 Then we 9ve paid the money for no beneLt. d Mayor Wright said he felt it was worth spending the money to take in the YRB yard, for the beneLts to administration, and for the future tax base. Greensword noted that the Village would inherit not just taxation income but expenses for infrastructure maintenance. A motion to proceed with a call for the terms of reference for a feasibility study was deferred to the next council meeting, while the mayor investigates with Area H Director Walter Popoff and the Regional District office whether there 9s funding available for a 50% share of boundary expansion costs. " An RCMP delegation headed by Corporal Bowden was present to provide council with a quarterly policing report for April-June and to introduce new Constables Kelly Barrie and Kent Kryzanowski. There were 37 calls for RCMP service, averaging 12 per month. This included one assault, two disturbances, two thefts, one lost property file, two property damage calls, one animal call and eight miscellaneous assistance calls. There were no motor vehicle collisions or other signiLcant criminal matters reported. Constable Drouin left the detachment in early April for his next posting, followed by Constable Sheets 9 scheduled transfer from Slocan Lake. The annual May Days event cwas a peaceful and positive event, d and Bowden said he looks forward to the Garlic Festival, another cmodel event from a policing perspective. d " The Village of Slocan has proposed a sub-regional economic strategy to include Slocan, Silverton, New Denver and Area H North. Slocan received funding for a transition study due to the Springer Creek mill shutting down but weren 9t using all the funds so their council decided to test the interest of neighbouring villages in developing a regional economic strategy. A meeting in September will be held to explore support for the idea, likely to include representation from the councils, the Slocan Valley Economic Development Commission, the Chamber of Commerce, Village CAOs, a Healthy Housing Society representative and the Area H Director. " Councillor Ann Bunka reported that she has received 8Stop Idling 9 street signs, flyers and bumper stickers from the provincial/federal Idle Free program. Bunka wasn 9t ready to propose an anti-idling bylaw yet but would like to do a community campaign to raise awareness of the pollution and waste of idling engines. She will bring some examples of bylaws she has researched to the September meeting of council. " Councillor Bunka reported that volunteer Emergency Social Services director Valerie Piercey attended an Interior Health workshop on preparations for a possible swine Mu pandemic. " Mayor Wright addressed the issue of whether the Village wishes to participate in the RDCK Development Services 2010 program. It has recently been discovered that this RDCK service is not mandatory, so all municipalities and electoral areas in the RDCK must decide whether or not they want to continue to contribute the tax dollars to keep the service going. Castlegar has said it does not want to participate and Nelson is unsure. Wright said in a straw vote, 17 of 20 RDCK board members had concerns about the costs of the GIS component, which provides mapping services to the municipalities and electoral areas of the RDCK. A motion was passed that council is interested in participating provided there is an acceptable tax cap and that the GIS component is set up with a cost recovery program by making it user pay. " In his report for Recreation Commission 6, Chair Kevin Murphy wanted to know why the Village was expected to deal with speed bumps at the entrance to Bigelow Bay when it is a Regional District park. There is need for a higher speed bump and it 9s possible the Village works department has a pre-made version. Murphy will communicate with the Regional District to discuss the matter. " A resolution was passed to approve payment of $399 for the Kohan Garden myochi lantern in honour of the garden 9s 20th anniversary. " A resolution was passed regarding travel costs while on Village business. Village staff will compare the costs of car mileage versus airfare and the Village will pay whichever is cheaper. " The Eldorado Bigway application for a waiver of development permit was granted; they will also receive a facade assistance grant for the Village 9s Downtown Revitalization program. " Staff was directed to recommend bylaws that need to be added to the existing ticketing bylaw. by Leah Main " The Public Works report noted that major aspects of the waterworks project are on target: pumphouse work has been completed, and the foreman is now awaiting conLrmation of a delivery date for the new reservoir. " Council passed a motion brought by Councillor Barber to write a letter to BC Parks expressing concern with the diminished park ranger service, particularly in Valhalla Park. " Permission was granted to the Jonathan White Client Support Group Society to use the bocce court area behind the curling rink for a September 19 outdoor fundraising event. The request was also referred to the Silverton Community Club for permission to Silverton council, August 18: Water project progressing nicely use some of their equipment. " In response to a letter from Genex Mining Company asking council to support the Glacier/ Howser power project, council stated that cwe support Genex, but are currently unable to support this project. d " Accounts payable and disbursements for the month of July, totalling $76,193.74 were approved. This figure includes normal transfers to other levels of government, including RDCK, BC Assessment, and West Kootenay- Boundary Regional Hospital Board. " A motion was carried to continue support for the RDCK 9s Development Services, as long as the service remains as it is currently structured. August 26, 2009 The Valley Voice 7 COMMUNITY S mokey C reek S alvage 24 HR TOWING New & Used Auto Parts, Back Hoe Work, Certifed Welding & Repairs, Vehicle Removal WE BUY CARS & TRUCKS 359-7815 ; 1-877-376-6539 3453 YEATMAN RD, SOUTH SLOCAN SLOCAN VALLEY RAIL TRAIL Notice of temporary closure of 5 km stretch North of Crescent Valley between Kosiansic Road and Evin Road, Monday to Friday until September 25 due to trucks and heavy equipment on trail. by Katrine Campbell " Two proponents of projects for the Village-owned Valhalla Crew Camp lands appeared as delegates to speak for their projects. The councillors decided they needed more information and asked to meet at a later date with the proponents, Marc Septav for Ecozy Micro Homes Ltd. and Joseph (no last name available) for the Sinixt Nation. This meeting was held, and the Ecozy proposal was accepted. (See full story elsewhere in this paper.) " Cpl. Todd Bowden, of the Slocan Lake RCMP satellite detachment, attended to give his quarterly update to council. There were 26 calls for service to the Village of Slocan between April and June, averaging eight per month: one assault, one threat, two disturbance, one break and enter, two theft, four property damage, and seven miscellaneous assistance calls. The detachment is now covering the valley as far south as Cunningham Rd. due to staffing problems with Slocan council, August 12: New life for 3re crew camp Nelson detachment. The Slocan Lake detachment is back up to strength with constables Kelly Barrie and Kent Kryzanowski. " Council decided to become a participant in the RDCK building inspection service; the current contract will be cancelled upon adoption of the RDCK Building Inspection Service Amendment Bylaw #2074, 2009. " Council decided to contribute financially and participate in the services of the RDCK Development Services budget for 2010, at the present rate of contribution. If either the rate or the services changes, council will re-evaluate. Development Services provides mapping and planning to the village, and recently created a data model for the water system. " Councillors Jessica Lunn and Hillary Elliott were appointed to participate in the development of the proposed Sub-Regional Strategy for Community Sustainability. " A request from Ray Caouette to trade land next to the former Slocan Hotel for the Village-owned laneway between the two lots was deferred until council could meet with him and talk about it in more detail. A second request, to remove a covenant on the eight northern lots of the hotel property, was also deferred to the same meeting. Council wants more information on density and the proposed use of the property. The covenant, registered in 1984, restricts use to open space and landscaping, and for the operation, repair and maintenance of a sewage disposal system. " The Slocan Lake Stewardship Society 9s request to install a bulletin board at the lakeshore was referred to the Waterfront Committee. " Council approved a request from School District #8 to hold a joint board/ council meeting November 24. " Public Works Supervisor Tim Hill reported that the computer at the water plant had to be sent in for repairs and the monitoring system was therefore down for two weeks. Hill attended every day to ensure the plant was running smoothly. He has now added a second hard drive as back-up to the system. " There is an ongoing problem with a path that cuts through two sites at the Springer Creek campground. On July 25 a motorcycle drove through the site, narrowly missing people as they tried to get out of the way. The campsite attendant cmanaged to calm them down and convince them that it would not be a good idea to string a clothesline across the path, d Hill reported. To solve the problem, he blocked the path with large boulders then roughed out a new one outside the entrance gate. " Mayor Madeleine Perriere was appointed as the Village 9s voting delegate to the Municipal Insurance Association AGM in September, held in conjunction with the Union of BC Municipalities AGM. Lunn was appointed as alternate. " The Waterfront Committee has come up with four recommendations which will be on the next agenda. These are: painting the launching dock with sand, and erecting a sign stating the maximum parking time for loading and unloading; hiring two youth to be waterfront ambassadors; contacting a landowner regarding using his land for parking; advertising for an expression of interest to form a boating society or marina. " Only three people turned up for the August 11 meeting of the OCP Review Advisory Committee. The village will continue to advertise for more members. " The Library Committee 9s report was accepted, with a request for the committee to bring forward recommendations so council can deal with its concerns. by Jan McMurray Slocan 9s Village ofLce is now wheelchair accessible, energy efLcient and generally spruced up after a two-month renovation project. The grand re-opening of the ofLce was held August 13 in the newly renovated council chambers. cIt 9s a real improvement, d said Mayor Madeleine Perriere in her brief speech at the celebration. She thanked the funders and all the contractors involved in the project 3 K2 Contracting, Comfort Zone, Bergevin Electric and Wolfgang 9s Slocan Village of3ce gets a makeover Plumbing. Village ofLce staff re-located to the Public Works ofLce while the renovations were underway, and Perriere thanked Foreman Tim Hill for sharing his clittle domain. d She also thanked their very neighbourly neighbours, Springer Creek Forest Products, for the use of their bathroom during the project. The renovations were made possible by a grant from the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund and gas tax funding. The total cost was $209,000. t30 g=,n/ =0-:;0n4ng :f Sl:.,n 9s V4ll,g0 3,ll w,s 30l/ a@g@s? 13 ?: .0l0b=,?0 ?30 .:m;l0?4:n :f , b0,@?4f@l =0n:v,?4:n 5:b. by Katrine Campbell A symposium to inspire young people to get involved with humanitarian issues was a huge success, says organizer Katelyn Jmaeff from Crescent Valley. Twenty-two young people from the West Kootenays met at Selkirk College in Castlegar for the one-day event August 21, hosted by the Red Cross. Five resource leaders aged 18 to 22 offered four workshops, designed to help students cbecome active global citizens. d In the morning, participants attended one workshop on land mines, and a second on children at war, including child soldiers. In the afternoon, they were told how to become active global citizens. There were practical tips, including an events planning workshop on setting objectives and goals and how to implement them. Red Cross youth symposium draws young activists cThey had some cool ideas, d said Jmaeff. cOne group wanted to adopt a landmine Leld the size of a school soccer Leld, raise money and show visually on the soccer Leld what they 9ve raised to de-mine a Leld. cTwo girls from Castlegar want to hold a competition for local musicians to write a song about a global issue, then have a concert to perform the pieces. People would pay admission and get to vote on their favourite song. d The money raised would go to help girls, speciLcally child soldiers. Others were interested in starting clubs in their communities, or holding letter-writing campaigns. Jmaeff, who worked for the Red Cross this summer, says they 9ve also contacted teachers at each school represented by a participant to act as a mentor, and there are also community mentors available to help. The Valley Voice August 26, 2009 8KASLO & DISTRICT FERN IS RETIRING September 9, 2009! A great big thank you to all my wonderful customers for the support you 9ve given me over the last 10 years. Fern 9s Flowers will continue to serve you under the able #ower - ship of Corry Robinson of Rossland. Corry brings

less