Creston Valley Advance, March 05, 2015 by Black Press Media Group

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Volume 67, No. 10 | Thursday, March 5, 2015

Visit us online at www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca

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THINK PINK — Staff and students at Canyon-Lister Elementary School did their part for Pink Shirt Day on Feb. 25, wearing pink in a worldwide initiative

to speak out against bullying. The day before, the School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake) board approved a policy amendment intended to protect students from discrimination and bullying due to their sexual orientation or gender identity (Nelson Star story at www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca/news).

Election spending didn’t guarantee success

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Popular youth groups like Beavers, Cubs and Scouts are in jeopardy unless new volunteers step up, said leader Casey Holden. Holden, who started up the Beavers program with some other parents nine years ago, said that most of the recent volunteer leaders have children who have moved on to other activities, or surpassed the age requirements. “Without new leaders, the Beavers (age 5-7) and Cubs (age 8-10) will fold. The Scouts (age 11-13) will soon be in jeopardy, too.” Holden said the rich tradition of Scouting has had a positive influence on many youngsters. “As an international movement, Scouting offers a variety of experi-

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ences for youth locally, regionally and internationally,” she said. “Our local group has benefited and enjoyed experiences in Creston, in the Kootenays, attended a Canadian jamboree in Alberta and an international jamboree in England, to name but a few experiences.“ The program has evolved over the years, adding flexibility so that each group can control what activities it wants to pursue. “It isn’t only the badge-oriented group it once was,” she said. “The younger kids really like that, but the older members have done a variety of things, from the popular annual cub car rally to shooting off rockets that they made themselves (under the supervision of a local expert).” SEE SCOUTING, PAGE 2

BY LORNE ECKERSLEY Advance Staff

Newly released lists of donations and expenditures in the 2014 local government elections indicate that campaign spending isn’t a guarantee of success. Incumbent Mayor Ron Toyota, vying for his third term in office, outspent his four opponents’ combined total of $5,068 to get 47 per cent of the vote. By contrast, newcomer Karen Unruh took second place in the council race and reported no spending (or donations) at all. Toyota’s expenditure of $5,870 included about $1,000 to rent and use a campaign office on 10th Avenue North. He was the only candidate to do so. His financial disclosure lists 17 donors of more than $100. G. Lane and M. Chaplin ($300 each), G.F. Oliver Funeral Chapel ($250), W. Marshall, T. Marshall, A. Tremblay and Create Painting ($200 each) and H. Haberstock ($150) were the only donors to contribute more than $100. He spent $6.89 per vote earned.

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Second-place finisher to Toyota was Bill Hutchinson, who listed $736 in expenses, revealed three donors of $200 each — he and his wife, A. Cherowka, and B. and R. Wigen. Two more supporters donated $100 each. Hutchison ran the most costefficient campaign, spending $1.76 per vote gained. Third-place finisher Tom Mann spent $6.32 for each of his 343 votes. His expenses totaled $2,168 and his top contributors were J. and M. Kettle, who each donated $500 to the campaign. D.J. Gardner and T. Parnell each donated $375. Fourth-place finisher Rhonda Barter averaged $11.20 per each of her 148 votes in a campaign that was supported with a $350 donation from the East Kootenay Labour Council. She self-funded the remainder of her $1,658 expense. In last place, Jared LeBlanc spent $7.55 per vote and he listed C. Franklin as his sole contributor of just over $400.

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ust how happy is our community? In December, more than five per cent of people in the Creston Valley took the Better Life Project happiness survey. Hundreds of people answered a long list of questions about their own well-being — everything from physical health to satisfaction with the natural environment. The survey was carried out by the Community Directed Funds committee as part of their work to enhance quality of life from Yahk to Riondel. Next week, the committee will release a Happiness Report Card that will give the results. Three free public events are being hosted to celebrate. Each event will include a results presentation, a film screening and a community conversation about what comes next. The movie is an awardwinning documentary,

Happy, that travels the world in search of the keys to personal and community wellness. The committee hopes to get feedback from the community on what has been learned and what can help make the district a happier place. Events are running 7-9 p.m. March 9 at the Tivoli Theatre, March 11 at Crawford Bay Elementary-Secondary

Scouting FROM PAGE 1

High ropes camp, a jamboree a year, curling, golf, movie nights, bowling, first aid courses, archery aad hiking the Cody Caves are among the activities recent members have participated in. “Scouting is a unique program in that it is not a solitary activity or defined skill set but rather endeavors to provide a variety of diverse experi-

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eyond Country is celebrating the coming of spring with music we all know and love at the Snoring Sasquatch on March 13. The group of five well-known Creston musicians — Eric

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ences guided by a common Scouting philosophy,” said Holden. “The intent is that youth work on their own personal development, develop an appreciation of the world around them and a responsibility to serve others.” Among the attractions for newcomers, she lists: •there is support for new leaders from Scouts Canada; •the Royal Canadian Legion donates a meeting location; •there are funds in the bank and supplies (craft, camp, uniform, badges) on hand; •there are ready-made programs for any interest (templates have been developed by Scouts Canada and the previous leaders); •the groups have access to local camps on Kootenay Lake and in Kimberley; •meeting times can be tailored to the leaders (after school or evening); •if leaders start now they will be mentored by the existing leaders; and •there is only one fundraiser for one day per year (sandbags). Without new leaders coming forward soon, the programs will likely to come to an end later this year. “Scouts Canada mandates a leader training program for new leaders and this takes some time to complete, although now the majority of it can be done online,” she said. “In addition, an RCMP police record check needs to be completed, as well as interviews. All of this is required for the safety of the children in the program.” For more information about becoming a leader, contact Casey Holden at 250-866-5458.

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School and March 12 at Yahk-Kingsgate Community Hall.

Creston Museum manager Tammy Hardwick (right) hosted historical tours during Heritage Week (Feb. 16-21), one of which focused on the 1925 robbery at the Imperial Bank, now home to the Advance.

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Creston Valley Advance Thursday, March 5, 2015

www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca 3

LOCAL NEWS

RCMP may ask council for extra office help BY LORNE ECKERSLEY Advance Staff

Paperwork, not crime, is Staff Sgt. Bob Gollan’s biggest headache these days, he told Creston town council at the Feb. 24 regular meeting. Gollan was making his quarterly appearance to present council with an update on RCMP policing in the Creston Valley. A new provincial policy that requires all police interviews with suspects and witnesses to be transcribed is overwhelming his current staffing contingent, he said.

Election FROM PAGE 1

Top finisher in the race for town council, with 1,126 votes, was Kevin Boehmer, who also had the highest costs. Boehmer spent $3,083, with only himself and his parents’ business, Creston Top Potato Farm ($500), contributing more than $100. Third in the race was Jim Elford, who spent $771 with two contributors adding $100 to the coffers. To finish fourth, Jen Comer spent $990, self-funding the majority. She declared three donors of $100 each. Joanna Wilson, the only incumbent in the race, spent $827 of her own money. Former major and councillor Joe Snopek earned the last available seat, and declared spend-

Gollan said that less than 20 per cent of interviews were transcribed before a policy change last year. The new requirement takes up the time of at least one full-time clerical staff, he said. In addition, a new scheduling system has proved to be so time-consuming that it is being done by police officers and not clerks. “I will be coming to you at our fiscal year end with a proposal to add an office support staff position so that we can handle the workload,” Gollan said. After the meeting he said that it is possible to contract out

transcription production to firms with security clearance, an option that council could consider. Among other spending priorities, some of which can be handled within his present budget, are replacement of badly discoloured carpet in the police station and the acquisition of a thermal imaging device that could be shared with Creston Fire Rescue, he said. Mayor Ron Toyota said later that with the number of calls for police service holding steady or declining in recent

ing of $286 with no donations. Arnold DeBoon (seventh), Lon Hansen (ninth) and Penny A.P. Anderson (12th) each declared expenses of $2,168. In each case, they reported receiving donations of $600 from J. Kettle, $500 from M. Kettle and $375 each from D.J. Gardner and T. Parnell. Other unsuccessful candidates were Ed Vondracek ($307), Daniel Geurts ($156), Evelyn Bradford ($982) and Myrna Johnson (0). In the only contested race for Regional District of Central Kootenay director, Area B winner Tanya Wall outspent opponent Jared LeBlanc, $4,530 to $686.65. Wall said that a listed contribution of $2,650 from J. Kettle came in the form of signs from his previous campaigns, which she changed and reused. She also listed donations of $500 from J.H. Huscroft Ltd.

and $250 each from G.F. Oliver Funeral Chapel Ltd., and G. and T. Guthrie. LeBlanc’s declaration shows a $337 contribution from L. LeBlanc and $105 from C. Franklin. Wall and LeBlanc each selffunded the remainder of their costs. The two largest spenders for the Creston seat on the School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake) board of trustees both failed to win a spot. Ken Vaughan-Evans used $500 donations from the Kootenay District Council and West Kootenay Labour Council to cover most of his $1,043 in expenses and Verna MayersMcKenzie spent $548 of her own money in a losing effort. Top vote-getter Cody Beebe reported spending $148 of his own money to win a seat at the table and incumbent Rebecca Huscroft listed $500 in expenses, with no donations.

Need a Hand With Your Taxes?

years, the town could lobby the provincial government to reduce the number of police officers to offset the cost of additional office support staff.

Council Briefs •Bylaws to define shipping containers and to allow the town to issue temporary use permits for businesses were adopted. •Valley Community Services requested that council reconsider its policy to consider permissive tax exemption applications only every three years. Executive director Serena Naeve said that municipal taxes ($5,600 last year, prior to extensive renovations) on the organization’s new premises on Pine Street would be better spent on providing services to its clients. •Engineering manager Colin Farynowski reported that work on the Pine Street-Northwest Boulevard intersection, a Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure project, is on track for spring construction. •Preliminary work to prepare for an updated Official Community Plan is underway, and an advisory committee will soon be named, along with its terms of reference. •The closing of town hall on Dec. 21, 22 and 23 was approved. •An exception to the policy that bans the use of alcohol on townowned properties will be made for the building beside the fire hall,

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where the fire department’s work experience crew is housed. •A letter requesting support for a demand for a review of the Site C dam project was received for information. •A request from the BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society was referred to committee so the Lower Kootenay Band can be consulted. •At the recommendation of Coun. Kevin Boehmer, the issue of funding future annual Family Day celebrations (this year’s successful Children’s Winter Festival was held at the Lower Kootenay Band’s hall) was referred to the Creston Valley Services Committee, with the LKB invited to participate in discussions. •A request from the Creston Community Band for funding to assist with storage costs for music and equipment was received. •An amendment was passed to the cemetery policy, clarifying that the costs of a burial being incorrectly placed in the cemetery will be borne by the town. •Coun. Jen Comer informed council that Volunteer Appreciation Day will be held on April 11. •The meeting concluded with each staff member giving a brief report on what they are working on, a process designed to give council some insight on the inner workings of town hall.

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Thursday, March 5, 2015 Creston Valley Advance

LOCAL NEWS

RCMP called to fight over dying man’s iPad BY LORNE ECKERSLEY Advance Staff

Creston RCMP responded to 62 calls for service from Feb. 23-March 1, many of them frustrating, untraceable 911 calls, Staff Sgt. Bob Gollan said on Monday. February 23 •Police were called to the hospital, where two females were arguing about the ownership of a dying man’s iPad. •No injuries were reported after a vehicle collided with a deer on Highway 3A. •A female driver reportedly fell asleep on

Grant Applications Invited

Highway 3A. Her vehicle drifted off the road to the right, hit a soft shoulder, then veered across the road and into a rock cut. She was checked out on the scene by paramedics but did not go to the hospital. February 24 •The first of about a dozen untraceable 911 phone calls came through the Whimster Road cell tower. •A Cook Street resident turned in a rifle for destruction. •An intoxicated male was arrested on Scott Street for his fourth breach of no-alcohol court conditions. He was remanded in custody until he could appear before a judge. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 days in jail and given two years’ probation. •A Kubota side-by-side RTV was discovered to be missing from a Northwest Boulevard business. •When police responded to a report of a toddler riding a bike in traffic on Canyon Street at

The Creston-Kootenay Foundation invites applications for grants from not-for-profit organizations based between Riondel and Yahk. The Foundation’s fields of interest are: arts and culture, education, the environment, social welfare, the aged, youth and heritage. Application forms may be downloaded from the C-KF website: www.ckfoundation.com (on home page, click on “grants”) or contact Vern Ronmark at 250-428-9183 for more information. Applicants must be registered with the Canada Revenue Agency.

BUDGET STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING at 1:00 P.M. FINANCE & OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING at 2:30 P.M. BOARD MEETING at 5:00 P.M. (times are PST) Tuesday, March 10, 2015 Salmo Secondary School, 715 Davies Street, Salmo, BC

Deadline for receipt of applications is March 31, 2015

Video Conferencing to Creston at: Creston Education Centre, 617-11th Ave S, Creston Public Welcome

Like the Advance on Facebook at facebook.com/cvadvance SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 8 (KOOTENAY LAKE)

Do YOU have LAND to lease that has cherries, had cherries, or may produce cherries?

Please contact Ashley Freeman, River’s End Farm Manager on mobile at: 250.938.6070 or e-mail at: ashley@riversendfarms.com Ashley Freeman is new to Creston from the North Okanagan, where he was managing 200ac of export cherries at a leading cherry producer voted “Grower of the Year for 2014” by the International Fruit Tree Association (IFTA).

16th Avenue, they found him to be in the company of his father, who was spoken to about supervising his children. •Food items were stolen during a break-in to a 10th Avenue South residence. A thief gained entry by breaking through a side door window. February 25 •A vehicle that stopped at a Hillside Street intersection was struck by another vehicle on its left front. The offending driver didn’t stop. She was located a few days later and issued tickets for failing to remain at the scene, driving without due consideration and making an improper left turn. •Police spent time trying to trace 911 calls through cell towers on Sylvester Road, Riley Road, Whimster Road and Thompson Mountain. Then, tracing another call from the Topaz Creek Forest Service Road tower, they were told by the female phone owner that she had fallen asleep on her phone and must have dialed 911 accidentally. •A complaint was received about a black Mustang with dark tinted windows roaring up and down Canyon Street. •Another untraceable 911 call came through the Sylvester Road cell tower. •Another report came through about the black Mustang. This time, three individuals had driven up to an 11th Avenue residence in it, then tried to contact a male resident. He jumped off a balcony and fled to another residence, at which his pursuers kicked in the door. He was able to escape into the bush before police caught the three suspects. Two males and a female were arrested for break and entry and assault. •An intoxicated male who was found lying on Mallory Road was taken to hospital for treatment, then arrested and held in police cells until sober. February 26 •No charges resulted from a hair-pulling fight between two

females at Prince Charles Secondary School. •A grey truck from which garbage flew off on Highway 3/95 was not located. •Police are investigating a shoplifting incident on Canyon Street after video surveillance captured the image of a theft of an electronic item. •A Third Avenue South resident reported a suspicious male at the door. Police soon determined he was a Telus representative. February 27 •A driver on Kootenay River Road complained about the intensity of a headlamp worn by a female jogger. The driver also commented that pedestrians and joggers who don’t wear reflective clothing at night are very difficult to see. •Police assisted Nakusp RCMP by serving a summons on Vancouver Street. •A 28th Street resident reported being bothered by a male over a 17-year-old financial dispute. •Dirt bikes and quads were reportedly being driven on Pogany Road. •Police were unable to locate a male who was reported to have staggered down Canyon Street before entering a white GMC Sierra and speeding off. •Another “suspicious” male on 12th Avenue was also a Telus representative. •Untraceable 911 calls came through the Riley Road and Whimster Road cell towers. Another 911 caller was traced, but the cellphone user denied having made the call. February 28 •When police conducted a wellbeing check on 11th Avenue South they learned the resident had left town. •Of 21 vehicles checked in a check stop on Northwest Boulevard, only one was issued a warning. •An erratic purple Intrepid reported on Highway 3 near Yahk was not located.

YOUR IDEAS YOUR COMMUNITY Official Community Plan Review The Town of Creston is undertaking a review of the current Ofﬁcial Community Plan (OCP) in 2015. Part of the year-long process will include establishing an Advisory Committee that represents a broadspectrum of the community. Successful appointees demonstrate a commitment and interest in the future of Creston along with strong relationships with other residents, businesses, or community groups within Creston. Members of the Advisory Committee will attend a meeting once a month over the next year and will actively promote public input opportunities. Applications are being accepted until March 20, 2015 To learn more about the OCP Review and to apply to be a member of the Advisory Committee, visit the Town of Creston website “Ofﬁcial Community Plan Review”or contact Jamai Schile, Town Planner jamai.schile@creston.ca Contact:

238 - 10th Avenue North Creston, BC Tel: 250.428.2214

www.creston.ca

Creston Valley Advance Thursday, March 5, 2015

Evil forces must be defeated To the Editor: During the Second World War, when the Allies were being evacuated from Dunkirk, France, on June 4, 1940, British prime minister Winston Churchill delivered his famous “We shall never surrender” speech. The words that he spoke are just as relevant today as they were 75 years ago, except now the enemy is terrorism rather than fascism, which is no less sinister but with the same goal in mind: achieving world domination. This evil force that is upon us must be defeated at all costs for the sake of democracy, freedom, liberty and Islam itself, which is basically a religion of peace that has been perverted and corrupted by ISIS. Our greatest strength is for everyone to stand united together, regardless of social, economic, financial, political, ethnic and cultural status, as well as religious faith. We must never allow any type of extremist ide-

www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca 5

OPINION LINE

ology to take hold in society through propaganda, brainwashing and radicalization, especially with our young people, who are the most vulnerable. Although protecting national security is of the utmost importance, I am not suggesting we start a witch hunt by pointing fingers at certain individuals and accusing them of subversive activities or putting them under surveillance for expressing views and opinions that happen to disagree with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his policies. This would take us backwards in the wrong direction toward McCarthyism. Instead, what we need to do is progress forward. This is a dark hour for mankind. But all is not lost because good will eventually triumph over evil. To conclude on a completely different topic: I would like to wish a belated happy 50th birthday to our Canadian flag, and in my next letter, which I will write during the month of June, I am going to talk about, among other things, our upcoming 42nd federal election, which is now 228 days away. I’m conservative myself — but don’t tell anyone! You take care of yourself, keep thinking positively, be optimistic, never give up hope and always have faith. Allan Clement Creston

50 Shades gives wrong message To the Editor: 50 Shades of Grey glamorizes pornography, domestic violence and exploitation of women. In my opinion, this message is extremely damaging to viewers. Recently, in response to the film’s release, Kildonan-St. Paul MP Joy Smith released a statement asking individuals to oppose violence against women by boycotting the movie declaring, “It is another film set to warp the minds of a new generation. … One survivor of sexual violence shared that ‘50 Shades is a horrible reminder of my own abusive relationship, repackaged in a love story.’ ” This is not the message we want released to the people of Creston. Please consider boycotting this movie, and definitely do not encourage young people to see this film. Lynn Reeb Wynndel

Hospitality part of valley life

Thank you, Creston, for the friendliness and hospitality. I have enjoyed this community very much. One of the things I have benefitted from here is taking breaks to have lunch with the folks from the Therapeutic Activation Program for Seniors (TAPS) on Wednesdays at Trinity United Church. I experience quite sensitive people who greet one another with great joy or real anger depending on their experience of the morning. I had a friend who lived in a L’Arche community for a number of years and she experienced great healing there because Larch is about people of many different abilities and levels of functioning living together to support one another. It’s as if the reason for our differences might be that we can fulfill different parts of a community’s needs. In my simple process of a day, I can overanalyze what is going on between people and it is refreshing to come in for Wednesday lunch and have Robert yell hello across the hall. It breaks all the social tension of needing to text, then reply and do several back and forth missives in order to plan a meeting. A simple, direct good to see you and a smile. I’m excited about the plans for Spectrum Farms. It is an incredibly beautiful property with a vision for community development and support for all sorts of people and food sustain-

ability projects. I wish we could have moved our church there and been subsumed as part of that large mission. It was a bit of a dream.

This being my first opportunity to write a column for the Creston Valley Advance, I would like to thank the residents of Creston for supporting me in the election. My task now is to listen to you and do what I can to bring your comments forward. I have had many phone calls and I take most issues forward to staff or council for discussion or clarification. Before we took our oath of office, we had a two-day orientation/training period with Dr. Gordon McIntosh, president of the Local Government Leadership Institute. The “What is Black and White, and Grey All Over”? sessions provided us with the basic roles and responsibilities we have as a town council. Simply put, we make policy, set direction and represent the public inter-

est. We need adequate information and good debate to move forward. After the inaugural meeting, we

Shelley Stickel-Miles Another dream has been brewing about green alleyways, which might dovetail with the community trail project in some way. Google “green alleyways Montreal”, then also Chicago. There are great ideas to change our city environments for the better by making our alleyways greener places to walk, play, share space together and allow the earth to soak up rain rather than repel it. This idea needs a leader and legs! Many people have learned the lesson that communal projects create safety, more energy, health and recreation. Montreal citizens got together in neighbourhoods to talk about what changes they could help with, what they needed

city support for and then got at it. Many alleys had pavement removed, with grass, pavers and sometimes gardens put in. Lots of Montrealers have enjoyed quieter walks and bike rides, as well as seen the backs of their properties be more attractive and cooler places to be in the summer. Creston has a high level of volunteerism, which may demonstrate the belief that we are truly are each other’s keeper, or at least that we depend on one another to some degree. Many I see at our church offer their time because they care for each other and have also realized how good it feels to be useful. Communal projects create more safety because people know each other; they have more energy because people experience full days of relationship building and better health because they’ve been active. Thank you to Robert who yells hello across the hall to me when I come in for Wednesday lunch with the TAPS folks. That instantly breaks all the tiredness I might feel and opens me to grace. My thanks to the Wednesday lunch workers who come from various churches: Linda, Judy, Claudia, Dode, Alice, Carol, Tammy and Trudy. They love to offer kindness and care. The food is just your bait; I know your blessed tricks. Rev. Shelley Stickel-Miles is an ordained minister working alongside all the delightful ministers at Trinity United Church in Creston.

Pet Adoption & Welfare Society

Annual General Meeting

at Claudia’s Place 2805 Lower Wynndel Rd. Animal Shelter Thursday, March 19, 2015 at 7pm

Followed by a General Information Meeting • Refreshments Served

WYNNDEL IRRIGATION DISTRICT

ANNUAL GENERAL

MEETING

Thursday MARCH 19, 2015 7 PM

WYNNDEL COMMUNITY HALL Capital Projects on the Agenda

Residents of Wynndel are encouraged to attend

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Mocha says batteries are better recycled! Columbia Bottle Recycling Tuesdays to Saturdays 9:30 - 4:30 250-428-2929 • 1420 NW Blvd

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Busy time for new council Council Comment Karen Unruh jumped right into budget discussions. We have preapproved some budget items for work to begin and we continue to have discussions at meetings that are open to the public. The budget must

be finalized by mid-May. Staff is continuing to work on their budgets for our approval and apply for grant funding to offset the costs of infrastructure projects. Councillors have been appointed to several boards. My appointments include director on the Kootenay East Regional Hospital District board, alternate director on the Creston Valley Forest Corporation, a liaison to the School District No. 8 (Kootenay Lake) board of school trustees, and representative on the Creston and District Library Board and the Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce. It is important that we attend the meetings and report to our colleagues on a regular basis. SEE COUNCIL, PAGE 9

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OPINION LINE

Thursday, March 5, 2015 Creston Valley Advance

Money isn’t everything

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It was an interesting exercise to go through the recently realized 2014 election candidates’ donation and expense filings last week. It was heartening to see that in local elections, money spent does not necessarily correlate with success at the polls. Yes, Mayor Ron Toyota spent more than his four opponents combined, newcomer Kevin Boehmer topped the polls and the spending list, and in the Area B race former town councillor Tanya Wall vastly outspent her largely unknown opponent. But the second-place finisher in the race for town council, Karen Unruh, declared that she received no donations and spent nothing (there had to be some costs associated with the printing of her simple brochure at home, but they were not stated). Think about it. Boehmer was raised in Creston and has a large extended family here. Unruh moved away in the 1960s, I think, and returned only recently. Her name was largely unknown. Her campaign focused on going door to door. Boehmer did, too, but he also spent considerably on signage. Unruh finished only a couple dozen votes behind him. The good news for Creston voters is that both are already making a strong impression with their work on town council. They are bright, well prepared and have no fear of asking questions. The other five successful candidates for town council were pretty small spenders, comparatively. None reported as much in donations and costs as the three unsuccessful candidates who ran as part of the Action Creston team. Jim Elford, Jen Comer, Joanna Wilson and Joe Snopek each spent less than half of what Action

Creston candidates Arnold DeBoon, Lon Hansen and Penny A.P Anderson declared. School board candidates were a stingy bunch, with only fourthplace finisher Ken Vaughan-Evans

A couple columns ago I mentioned how we were invited to the Zamboni challenge in Cranbrook to compete against some of the other Kootenay towns in order to raise money for local charities. With Our Man Flint at the controls (actually, it was Our Man Joseph) we took on the challenge to the wild cheering of a bunch of staff, family and friends. With just a few seconds separating all the challengers, we were close, however not quite there, but represented the Creston Valley in a grand manner. The Pet Adoption and Welfare Society, which was the charity we had paired up with, was also there representing our valley and got a lot of good press as well as $250 donation from the organizer, East Kootenay Credit Union, and along with donations from the public at their display table, I think were crowding the $500 dollar mark by the time they left. No matter the outcome, it was great exposure for Creston and fun for everyone attending. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel in maintaining ice as the grand melt is set to happen following the free skate day, which runs 3:30-5 p.m. March 29, (sponsored by Creston Valley Early Years). I’ve heard the rigours of constant icemaking compared to those who burn wood for heat; it’s kinda fun at first, starting up something new, maybe not as exciting by Christmas or New Year’s, and by March you are getting a bit weary of packing in wood, tracking crumbs

all over and cleaning ash so it feels great when you stop. Then by end of summer, you start getting excited about it all over again. Well, in theory, anyway. So, in a few weeks, we park the Zamboni but before that I will

Lorne Eckersley spending more than $1,000. It is interesting to note that the candidates finished in reverse order of their spending. Top vote getter Cody Beebe was the lowest spender, declaring only $148 in expenses. Vaughan-Evans was also the only candidate who didn’t fund his own campaign — most of his expenses were covered by unions. Conflicts are always a concern with campaign donations at any level of government. But in the Creston area races no donations of more than $500 were reported (excluding the $2,650 listed from John Kettle to Tanya Wall’s campaign — she says the donation was in the form of Kettle’s old election signs, which had to be declared at their cost). If you can buy influence with $500, even at the local level, well, we are in pretty bad shape, I would think. Toyota had by far the longest list of donors, with 17 contributions of $100 or more. M. Chaplin, the man behind the plan to put a distillery, restaurant and other businesses where the “bunker” now stands, donated $300, and

G.F. Oliver Funeral Chapel, which does a lot of business with the town, kicked in $250. Pretty small potatoes if they were looking to buy influence, I think. I was surprised when, in discussing the donations with Toyota, he pointed out that campaign donations are not tax deductible. Why would that be, I wonder, when donations to provincial and federal parties are? Wouldn’t be that the feds make the laws, would it? I can’t think of any good reason why donations to campaigns for senior levels of governments should get a tax break while local candidates’ supporters don’t get the same break. It’s an anomaly that should be addressed, but I can’t see it being a priority for the current federal government. I am on record as being a big fan of local government that encourages independence and I can’t imagine that it would be improved by the involvement of political parties or smaller alliances. To this point, my faith has been rewarded with what I have seen of this town council, which has four members who are completely new to the Creston political scene. There is an enthusiasm and determination that exudes in every meeting, and I haven’t seen any evidence of closed minds or disinterest. It’s good to see Joe Snopek back at the council table — his experience is a great asset and he seems to be enjoying himself. I think there were other candidates who also would have been assets on council, too, and that is a reflection of what a good community we share. Lorne Eckersley is the publisher of the Creston Valley Advance.

Time for Zamboni trivia From the Centre Neil Ostafichuk dazzle you with all kinds of useless Zamboni trivia you can share around the campfire this summer to impress your friends. •At approximately three-quarters of a mile per resurfacing, if there are four resurfacings per game, the machines travel an average of three miles during each hockey game. •On average, a Zamboni machine travels close to 2,000 miles each year in the course of resurfacing. •In 2001, a Zamboni machine was driven from the East Coast of Canada (St. John’s, N.L.) across to the West Coast (Victoria). At about nine miles per hour, the journey took approximately four months. •Over 10,000 Zamboni machines have been delivered around the world. •Prior to the invention of the

Zamboni machine, the manual resurfacing of the ice sheet required three or four workers and took over one hour to complete. •The blade on the Zamboni machine is designed especially for ice resurfacing. It is sharp enough to slice through thick stacks of newsprint, weighs 57 pounds and is a half-inch thick. •When the machine resurfaces the ice, it is capable of removing close to 2,500 pounds of compacted snow, while it can leave behind about 1,500 pounds of water. •In April 2005, Road & Track magazine performed a road test on the Zamboni Model 500 ice resurfacing machine. They determined the machine’s top speed to be 9.7 miles per hour and that the machine would go from zero to 0.25 miles in 93.5 seconds. •The Zamboni machine does not measure its travel in miles. Instead, the hours in use are monitored as a point of reference. •Each tire on the Zamboni machine is hand-studded, with around 400 tungsten carbide studs used for each machine’s full set of tires. Don’t forget to check out the spring leisure guide, which you should have by now in the mail, with lots of upcoming programs and schedules that will prove useful over the next few months. Neil Ostafichuk is the recreation supervisor at the Creston and District Community Complex.

Creston Valley Advance Thursday, March 5, 2015

www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca 7

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