THURSDAY, JANUARY 12 2017 VOL. 74, NO.2
SERVING FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES
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First week of McDonell trial ends MATT PREPROST editor@ahnfsj.ca
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Min Hannaford speaks about her mother’s life and legacy in the community during a memorial tea at the Fort St. John Senior’s Hall on Jan. 6.
Hannaford touched lives across B.C.
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Education and arts communities mourn loss of former trustee and advocate
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ALEISHA HENDRY ahendry@ahnfsj.ca
The arts, education, and environment communities have lost one of their biggest advocates with the passing of Heather Hannaford. Hannaford, who passed away Dec. 26 at the age of 75, was one of the founding members of both the North Peace Potters’ Guild and the Fort St. John Community Arts Council. She was also a School District 60 board trustee for 29 years and was the first member of the BC Arts Council board to come from Northern B.C. “Her motto was ‘take a risk, make a pot, and if it doesn’t work out, there’s always another pot where that came from,’� said Rosemary Landry, president of the arts council and treasurer of the
potters’ guild. “She’s going to be fantastically missed.� Hundreds of people gathered at the Fort St. John Senior’s Hall on Jan. 6 for a memorial tea to honour Hannaford’s life and the impact she had on the community. “If Heather were here, she’d probably be wondering what all the fuss was about,� said Sandy Troudt, who acted as MC for the memorial. Hannaford was born in 1941 in Wales, and came to Canada in 1965. She found her way to the Peace Region after getting a job driving a van for the Anglican Church, where one of the stops was the Hannaford Ranch. Troudt said she noticed the horses, as well as John, whom she married in 1966. They raised five children and ran the ranch together, which
is still going strong to this day. Hannaford was a founding member of the North Peace Potters’ Guild, along with Edna Adlard and Vonnie Dixon. In 1968, the trio established the first pottery studio in Taylor, where they learned the craft together. “Pottery and clay was as much a scholarly pursuit as it was a creative passion,� said Troudt. Hannaford taught pottery at Northern Lights College in the early 80s until the program was shut down. The potters’ guild spent 15 years without a permanent home, but Hannaford arranged to have all the equipment put into storage—interest in clay and pottery never waned in the community. See HANNAFORD on A16
City unveils draft capital plans for 2017 MATT PREPROST editor@ahnfsj.ca
Fort St. John plans to begin four-laning a portion of 100 Street, pave a pair of downtown alleys, upgrade the North Peace Arena, curling rink, and field house, and complete the paving of all gravel streets in Matthews Park in 2017. Councillors got their first look this week at the city’s draft $49.8-million capital budget for next year, an 18 per cent increase from last year. “You’re looking at a very
ambitious $49.8-million capital projects (plan). That’s a very significant capital program,� City Manager Dianne Hunter said during a presentation to council Jan. 9. “One of the questions that I have asked the directors and GMs on a number of occasions is that if we intend, or are planning, to do these projects, can we actually handle $49 million worth of capital projects? That’s always something to keep in mind.� The draft sets aside roughly $17.3 million for roads and transportation, including spending $3.3 million this
year to begin the first phase of four-laning 100 Street between 110 and 119 Avenues. The first phase would encompass improvements north to 112 Avenue, and begin as the city seeks grants to help fund the $9.5-million project. The city has also budgeted $1 million to pave two sections of downtown alleys as part of its revitalization plan, including the lane north of 100 Avenue between 100 and 102 Street, and the lane south of 100 Avenue between 98 and 100 Streets.
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Cody McDonell broke down in tears and was briefly excused from court to compose himself as testimony continued during his manslaughter trial last week. McDonell’s reaction came Friday, Jan. 6, as Judge Rita Bowry viewed the second of two videotaped interviews McDonell had with police following his arrest in 2015, which Crown prosecutors submitted as evidence during two days of voir dire hearings. In the video, McDonell told Fort St. John RCMP Cst. Devin Huff he was defending himself in an altercation with Travis Waite during a barbecue gathering at a Fort St. John home on May 18, 2015. McDonell allegedly punched Waite during the altercation, with Waite sustaining serious head injuries after falling to the ground, which eventually proved fatal. McDonell has pleaded not guilty to the charge. “That’s what it was, absolutely,� McDonell told Huff, also describing Waite as being agitated after he was told to leave the gathering because of some heated discussions with other attendees. Voir dire is a trial within a trial in which the judge considers the admissibility of evidence. Information usually cannot be published during voir dire hearings in a jury trial. But since McDonell’s trial is by judge alone, voir dire evidence can be published when presented in court. McDonell’s comments to Huff on June 9, 2015, following his arrest for manslaughter appear to contradict earlier statements he made to police after his initial arrest for assault after the incident on May 18. McDonell was rearrested for aggravated assault after Waite was flown to Vancouver General Hospital due to the severity of his injuries. He was rearrested again for manslaughter after Waite died while in a coma 12 days later on May 30. The day after his first arrest, McDonell denied punching Waite in the face and told officers he did not know what happened when he found Waite lying unconscious on the front landing of the home. He told officers he’d prove his innocence in a case against him. “I brought him in from outside and brought him to the couch,� he said during a May 19, 2015, video also shown to Judge Bowry last week. See MCDONELL on A13
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