Lakers fundraising for new community sports court

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Parents at Charlie Lake school are joining forces with the school district to build a new community court for a variety of sports, and they’ll need the public’s support to make the project a reality.

Representatives with the Charlie Lake PAC say the existing basketball court is old and unsafe, and overdue for improvements for students and the surrounding community.

“The court is cracked with grass overgrowing and running through it, which is a tripping hazard rendering the court unsafe, as well there are no longer painted lines, damaged fencing and nets,” says Lisa Jung, head of the PAC’s playground committee.

Bert Bowes dedicates Wall of Fame

Matt Preprost editor@ahnfsj.ca

Three nationally renowned athletes from Fort St. John are being honoured by their former middle school.

A new Wall of Fame outside the gymnasium at Bert Bowes school was dedicated this week, highlighting the careers of Paralympic basketball player Bo Hedges, downhill ice cross skater Adam Horst, and Team Canada national volleyball alum Dana Cranston.

“This cabinet is going to be here forever, plus it’s going to have new names in it,” said Christine Sutherland, who has been working on a documentary about Hedge’s life story and journey to the Paralympics.

Hedges was in town this week helping out at the family ranch in Wonowon before returning to Toronto, where he will continue training with his national teammates ahead of the World Championships in Dubai this June.

“It’s very cool to be here where we first started practicing in the evenings with family and friends and brothers and sisters, and other people in the community who had a disability,” said Hedges following the dedication.

Hedges mainly played hockey growing up as a farm kid but broke his back when he was just 13 years old, falling from a tree at his grandparents’ old farm in southern Ontario while on summer vacation.

He was later introduced to wheelchair basketball during his rehabilitation, and Hedges says the school was instrumental in putting him on the life path he’s on now.

“It’s a great community and the school itself was amazing in terms of supporting me especially right after my accident,” he said. “They embraced me and they supported me and they gave me all these opportunities that have laid the foundation for this path I went on afterwards.”

During the Wall of Fame dedication, Hedges spoke to a group of Bert Bowes basketball players and emphasized the importance of seizing opportunities especially in the face of a setback in life.

“I don’t dwell too much on what could have been but I definitely look at what was presented to me,” he said in an interview afterwards.

“It was a great opportunity in the sense of the path it led me on… I alluded to that earlier when I was talking to the kids, that there’s opportunities out there no matter what happens and you just got to seize them and challenge yourself, and who knows where it will end up taking you.”

“For me, this is where the path led,” he said.

The Wall of Fame also includes Adam Horst, a lo- cal firefighter and Red Bull Crashed Ice champion, a type of extreme winter sport event where competitors race over bumps and around curves to cross the finish line on hockey skates. has been set for summer 2024.

And the Wall includes Dana Cranston, a former Bert Bowes and NPSS graduate who joined Canada’s senior national volleyball team in 2013, where she spent five years with the program. A former outside hitter and AVCA All-American for Colorado State, where she graduated university, she is now an associate head coach for the University of Montana Grizzlies volleyball program.

“Coming from our community... if you put your mind to it, you can do it,” said Coun. Tony Zabinsky who was on hand for the dedication.

“We would love for our community to have a space for people of all ages to engage in leisure activities to improve youth engagement and the overall health of our community,” said Jung.

“We are actively working to raise the funds necessary but cannot achieve this target date without the help of our generous community members.”

A dance and silent auction will be held at the Charlie Lake community hall on Saturday, March 4 at 7 p.m., with the Sweetwater band performing. This will be an adults-only event and there will be a midnight snack. For more information, contact Jung at clpacsr@gmail.com.

Supply Drive For Spca

“It is our goal to establish a safe and usable community court that can be used throughout the year, by our 320 students and community members.”

Planned is a new accessible community court with six basketball nets of various sizes for all ages, and a smooth and safe surface for a variety of other year-round activities including pickleball, four square, ball hockey, and ice skating, Jung said.

The budget for the project is $138,850, and the PAC has partnered with the school district, which is covering the costs of removal, said Jung.

A target installation date

Also coming up, Lakers will be showing their kindness to both the SPCA and Peace Villa this Valentine’s Day. Students from Mrs. McCabe and Ms. Chartrand’s classes will be visiting care home residents at Peace Villa on Feb. 14 and drop off much needed supplies and donations for the local animal shelter. Among the wishlist of goods being collected for the SPCA are puppy pads, kibble, canned cat food, litter, and SD cards and USB drives to help the shelter work remotely. Monetary donations can be brought to the school and teachers involved as cash or as cheques written out to the North Peace SPCA.

Court Docket, Jan. 30 to Feb. 3

• Joseph William Wason (born 1990) was sentenced to 61 days jail for possession of stolen property under $5000 committed in Dawson Creek in November 2022.

• Bryce Daniel Hefner (born 2002) was fined $2000, given a one-year criminal driving prohibition, and ordered to pay a $600 victim surcharge for impaired driving in Baldonnel in August 2022.

• Sara Rose Hambler (born 2003) was fined $2000, given a one-year criminal driving prohibition, and ordered to pay a $600 victim surcharge for impaired driving in Baldonnel in August 2022.

• Calvin James Currie (born 1997) was ordered to pay $4000 in restitution, fined $250, and ordered to pay a $37.50 victim surcharge for discharging a firearm in a no shooting area, and was ordered to pay $2000 in restitution, fined $250, and ordered to pay a $37.50 victim surcharge for unlawful possession of wildlife, offences committed in Hudson’s Hope in October 2021.

• Ashley Antoinette Currie (born 1990) was ordered to pay $900 in restitution, fined $100, and ordered to pay a $15 victim surcharge for discharging a firearm in a no shooting area in Hudson’s Hope in October 2021.

• Curtis Randolf Steven Underwood (born 1991) was granted a conditional dis- charge with one year probation for assault committed in Fort St. John in August 2021.

• Colton Jacob Lepine (born 2000) was granted a conditional discharge with one year probation and ordered to pay a $100 victim surcharge for assault committed in Fort St. John in September 2021.

• Jared Benjamin Anton (born 1991) was sentenced to time served with 12 months probation for two counts of assault committed in Dawson Creek in June 2022. Anton was sentenced to one day jail and 12 months probation for uttering threats and one day jail and 12 months probation for mischief $5000 or under committed in Dawson Creek in November 2022.Anton was sentenced to time served with 12 months probation for uttering threats and time served with 12 months probation for causing a disturbance committed in Fort St. John in June 2021.

• Samuel Jr Archibald Capot Blanc-Acko (born 1997) was given a suspended sentence of six months probation for mischief under $5000 committed in Dawson Creek in November 2018.

• Shelley Marie Paul (born 1974) was sentenced to three months probation, fined $1000, and ordered to pay a $150 victim surcharge for driving without a licence in Chetwynd in May 2022.