vol3issue1

Your Weekly Source for News and Events

Vol. 3/Issue 1

The Upper

Columbia

P IONEER

January 6, 2006

FR

EE

Serving The Upper Columbia Valley including Spillimacheen, Brisco, Edgewater, Radium, Invermere, Windermere, Fairmont and Canal Flats

New Year’s Baby

Mother Crystal Coles and father Brad Varga of Fairmont Hot Springs are the happy parents of the 2006 New Year’s baby Dylan Bradley Varga, who was born at the Invermere Hospital at 12:45 p.m. January 2nd. The baby boy is little brother to Dakoda-Dawn, aged one.

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2 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer

January 6, 2006

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Valley News

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Spring spent some time during the holidays working on the books for her business The Mustard Seed.

By Adrian Bergles Pioneer Staff Spring Hawes continued her brave battle to overcome a broken neck at home in Invermere over the holidays.

Spring broke her neck in a mountain biking accident in August. She’d spent the past several months at Foothills Hospital in Calgary before being discharged before Christmas.

Spring and her two children Tyler, 15, and Jesse, 13, spent the holidays with Spring’s parents from Kelowna and her sister.

“My family was all here for Christmas,” said Spring in a telephone interview this week. “We just kind of stayed home around the fireplace.”

The young woman, who has lived in the valley for seven years, insisted on being released from the hospital in time for the holidays. She called her doctors in Calgary “very conservative,” and was eager to escape hospital confines and return to her family.

Over the holidays she let her family know just how important they are. “I keep saying ‘Wow. I feel like a person again.’ In the hospital you’re just a patient.”

At home Spring has been trying to live as normally as possible. Since returning to the valley she visited her store, The Mustard Seed, once and has been doing the shop’s bookkeeping from home. “I feel really well,” she

said, “but I do get pretty tired sometimes.”

Throughout the interview Spring’s voice was upbeat and her outlook very positive. Asked if her arms were getting stronger, she said: “I’m working on them right now.” While speaking on the telephone, Spring was rolling on two bicycle trainers on which she had suspended her chair - like a stationary wheelchair.

At home over the holidays Spring had a standing platform built in order to get used to putting weight back on her legs. With her feet and legs strapped to the board Spring can be tilted forward so her body weight will rest on her legs.

“There are nerve pathways that have to be reminded of themselves,” she said.

On Tuesday Spring returned to Calgary to continue her rehabilitation there. She said she plans to spend a month in Alberta and has tentative plans to spend March in San Diego to do even more rehabilitation at a centre called Project Walk. Project Walk’s specialty is getting people who have serious spinal cord injuries out of their wheelchair and back on their feet. “I’m trying to do an awful lot of rehab,” she said.

Spring said she intends to return to the valley fulltime at some point this upcoming spring.

“Something like this takes a long time to recover from,” she said.

“You never stop recovering and that makes you hopeful.”

The Upper Columbia Pioneer • 3

January 6, 2006

Public packs Waterside meeting

By Elinor Florence Pioneer Staff What was to be a working meeting between the building services committee and the Waterside developers turned into a public forum Tuesday night as an unexpectedly large crowd packed council chambers.

Although committee chair Gerry Taft explained that the meeting was not a public hearing, many members of the audience were eager to learn more about the proposed development, and to make their views known.

Waterside includes plans for a 144-room hotel, a 22,500-square-foot conference centre and 590 highdensity multi-family residential units covering 12 acres of waterfront property. This would increase the number of dwelling units in Invermere by 40 percent.

The original application to amend the town’s Official Community Plan was made by the developers at the December 13th council meeting. Council did not accept the application, instead kicking it over to the development services committee - Gerry Taft, Bob Campsall and Sarah Bennett - for further review.

At Tuesday’s committee meeting, Director of Development Services Meredith Hamstead presented the staff’s recommendations for amending the proposal, including knocking back the height on five of the proposed buildings and reducing overall density by about

Valley businesses enjoy good season

By Adrian Bergles Pioneer Staff The coffers are full at many valley businesses after a successful holiday season.

“I did great,” said Grant Kelly, who operates Grant’s Foods in Invermere. “People eat a lot around Christmas.”

Retail sales were strong up and down the valley before and after Christmas. Boxing week was particularly good for many.

“We’re quite pleased with how the week went,” said Larry Koss, who owns Pieces from the Past antique shop with his wife Judy. “It was just like summertime for us.”

An influx of visitors, particularly after Decem-

14 percent.

Currently the town’s Official Community Plan, adopted in 2001, restricts building heights to three storeys. Ms. Hamstead said the staff would be comfortable with allowing an eight-storey hotel rather than the proposed 10-storey hotel.

After she concluded, the developers took the floor and presented an amended plan which incorporated some of staff’s requests including reducing the height of several buildings and attempting to reduce the “mass” of the development by breaking it into smaller sections. The hotel, which would be the first building to be constructed, remained unchanged at ten storeys.

The developer explained that a minimum number of rooms is needed to make the hotel financially viable, and expanding the hotel sideways to the north would “eat up” some residential units.

Mr. Taft then opened the floor to questions from the public. A variety of comments were made ranging from specifics regarding the exact height of a four-story building plus a roof, to general questions about the effect of the development on the town’s infrastructure.

Ian White raised the question of water. “There’s been an effort to deal with water issues for quite some time and it still hasn’t been dealt with,” he said.

Director of Municipal Works Brian Nickurak replied: “We don’t have a water problem right now, we have a situation where development is getting slightly

ahead of supply. We can ramp up the supply if that is what is decided.”

Added Chief Administrative Officer Chris Prosser: “We don’t have a shortage of water, we have a shortage of cash.”

Other questions were asked about the impact on the fire department and the hospital from a large number of temporary residents who are expected to purchase the resort properties.

Mr. Taft explained that resort property owners pay full taxes but do not make full use of services. Neither developers nor staff were able to estimate what percentage of the new dwellings would be occupied by permanent residents.

A recurring theme in the discussion was the public’s right to become involved in the process.

“You’re saying that the developers have been in discussion with the staff for a year and a half and this is the first time the public has been able to comment,” said Dwayne Cameron.

Another audience member suggested that the public should be working with the developers on their plan rather than leaving it up to the staff.

Mr. Taft defended the process, saying that the public will have an opportunity to comment at the public hearing. Before the change is approved, a public hearing will be held and public comment will be considered when council makes its final decision.

ber 23, the last day of school for students in Calgary, helped spur the strong sales.

“I was kind of worried because of the tourists not being able to come out until the 23rd that we would be down but we weren’t,” said Karen Coggins, manager of Dave’s Book Bar in Invermere.

Diana Moore took ownership of the Fairmont Village Gift Shop last November. She says that sales there over the holidays exceeded her expectations.

“We were well supported by valley locals,” she said.

“I think a lot of people realize the importance of shopping locally.”

Al Miller, owner of Home Hardware with his wife Lucy, said sales at his new store at the Invermere crossroads were strong throughout December. He said the valley’s hot construction market is a main factor in the success. “Our economy here is very strong due to a strong construction market employing a lot of people here.”

Among valley businesses, Christmastime is the most important period throughout the winter when business in the valley typically slows down.

Paul Christy, owner of The Monkey’s Uncle toy

shop in Invermere, said the holiday season helps many business survive. “It’s nice being a smaller community and having two busy seasons,” he said.

“It makes surviving here possible.”

Mr. Christy said his season was the strongest he’s had in his four years as shop owner. The strong sales helping him overcome a December break-in.

“The only downside to the season was the free stuff that went out the back door,” said Mr. Christy.

Some businesses did report slower-than-expected sales. “We were down,” said Joyce Nixon, manager of the Dollar Store in Invermere. She said her business wasn’t able to overcome the late arrival of the Albertans.

Tiffany Gulbe, owner of Tiffany’s Thredz in Invermere, said her business was busy over Boxing week but overall December was slow.

“I don’t have trouble selling Callany The Blind Guy!when there are a lot of out-of-towners here,” she said.

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Nominations are now open for the Invermere Rotary Club’s annual Citizen of the Year Award.

Anyone who wants to nominate a person they feel has made a significant contribution to the community is asked to write a letter outlining their reasons. All nominations are to be mailed to the Rotary Club of Invermere, Box 877, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0.

Anyone can be nominated. Contributions to the community can mean many things. It does not have to mean someone in the public eye. Many contributions to the community are accomplished in quiet unassuming ways.

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4 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer

Panorama gala to benefit library

January 6, 2006 go towards the Invermere Public Library’s expansion project.

The facility will include space to more than double the library’s collection, offer additional public Internet access terminals, an enhanced children’s area and new reading area.

The Panorama Foundation Quiniscoe Homes Mountain Gala raised about $40,000 last year for the Pynelogs Cultural Centre, and in 2004 the funds were donated to Mount

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Nelson Athletic Park. Since 2001 the foundation has raised and donated $155,000 to community projects.

The gala is an evening of entertainment, culinary delights and includes a popular live auction featuring artwork and holiday packages.

This year’s gala will feature a sixpiece Latino salsa band called Manjar. The live auction portion will be shortened and a silent auction will be added, said Jami Schaeffer of the foun-

dation.

Among the prizes to be auctioned are a Canadian Mountain Holidays heli-ski trip and a Whistler-Blackcomb ski package, pieces of art and plenty of reading material.

A limited number of tickets are available at $125 per person. For tickets call Lindsay Fehr at 341-3008.

For more information on the Panorama Foundation or the Mountain Gala visit www.panoramaresort.com.

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The public library expansion will see the building increase from 2,000 square feet to more than 6,500 square feet.

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Plans are afoot to expand Invermere’s little red brick public library.

The Invermere library board intends to raise $750,000 to upgrade the library. If things go according to plan, the expansion should be done by the end of 2007, said board chair Sandy McIlwain.

“We’re really excited,” said fellow board member Sheila Bonny. The expansion will triple the library’s size, from just over 2,000 to more than 6,500 square feet.

Architect Chris Fairbank of Nelson, who’s done other projects around town like the recent hospital expansion and the improvements to the Invermere provincial government buildings, designed the new library.

His completed design will be unveiled at the Panorama Foundation gala next week. Funds raised at the gala will be contributed to the expansion.

The building’s south and east side will be expanded, said Mrs. Bonny. The library’s red brick fascia will be kept, said Mr. McIlwain. “Part of the new inside will be the old outside,” he said.

A basement could be excavated, and Mrs. Bonny said the building will include an expanded children’s

area, a multipurpose meeting or reading room, and a more working area for the librarians.

The decision to expand rather than rebuild was made because of the high cost of land in town, said Mrs. Bonny. “It means we don’t have to buy any more land,” she said.

The library will now begin a fundraising campaign to pay for the construction. “We expect to do the fundraising over the best part of this year,” said Mr. McIlwain.

He said the library will exhaust every available means to fund the project including: grants from foundations, the Regional District of East Kootenay, the District of Invermere, the community at large and the province.

“The province seems to be supportive of libraries at the moment,” said Mr. McIlwain The expanded library will need new materials like books and videos. “Those will be added gradually,” said Mrs. Bonny.

Mrs. Bonny said the expansion is necessary because Invermere’s library is the smallest per-capita in the province.

The building’s small size and the large appetite of library users in the valley make our readers the highest users of interlibrary loans in the province, said Mrs. Bonny.

The Upper Columbia Pioneer • 5

January 6, 2006

‘Canada: a fraud all through’ Editor’s Note: Pioneers who arrived here in the early days would be amazed to see the amount of real estate development in the valley today.

Here’s an excerpt from an article in The London Truth, contributed by a man named J.E. Griffin when Canadian Pacific Railway was launching its idea of a coast-to-coast railway in the 1860s. This was reprinted recently in the Creston newspaper and made its way to us from a local Pioneer reader.

The Canadian Pacific Railway Company has begun, I see, to launch its bonds. A group of Montreal and New York bankers have undertaken to float $10 million worth of the company’s land grant bonds, and the Bank of Montreal, with its usual courage, has taken one-fourth of the loan.

The announcement looks as if the Canadians are going to raise the necessary capital on their side of the water, but I have a shrewd suspicion that they have no intention of doing anything of the kind.

The Canadian Pacific Railway will run, if it is ever finished, through a country frost-bound for seven or eight months of the year, and will connect with the western part of the Dominion, a province which embraces about as forbidding a country as any on the face of the earth.

British Columbians, they say, have forced on the execution of this part of the contract under which they become incorporated with the Dominion, and believe that prosperity will come to them when the line is made. This is a delusion on their part. British Columbia is barren, mountainous country that is not worth keeping.

It would never have been inhabited at all, unless by trappers of the Hudson Bay Company, had the Gold Fever not taken a party of mining adventurers there;

and ever since the gold fever died down the place has been going from bad to worse.

Fifty railroads would not galvanize it into prosperity; nevertheless, the Canadian Government has fairly launched into this project, and I have no doubt the English public will be asked to further it with their cash.

A friend of mine told me what he was talking about, that he did not believe the much-touted Manitoba Settlement would hold out for many years. The people that have gone there cannot stand the severe winters. Men and cattle are forzen to death in numbers that would rather startle the intending settler if he knew, and those that are not killed outright are maimed for life by frostbites. Its street nuisances kill people with malaria or drive them mad with plagues of insects, and to keep themselves alive during the long winter they have to imitate the habits of the Esquimous.

It is through a death-dealing region of this kind that the new railway is to run. Canada is one of the most over-rated colonies that we have, but it is most heartily “Loyal,” and makes the loyalty pay. As for the country as a whole, it is poor and it is crushed with debt. The Supreme Government owes about $35 million altogether, and each province has its own debt.

One of these days, when the debt load gets too heavy, Ontario is pretty certainly going over to the United States, which it dovetails and has the best trade outlet with. When that day comes, the Dominion will disappear. With no contingency ahead, and with the prospect of another million or so being added to the debt, can it be said the Canadian unguaranteed bonds are worth their present price?

The Dominion is, in short, a fraud all through. It is destined to burst like any other fraud.

Out & About The Pioneer is pleased to offer this free weekly feature for coming events around the valley.

Please call 341-6299 or Email upioneer@telus.net with your events.

Toby Theatre • Jan. 6 and 7 - 7:30 pm Chicken Little • Jan. 11/12/13/14 - 7:30 pm Yours, Mine and Ours

January 6 • 7:30 pm Columbia Valley Rockies vs. Creston

January 7 • Saturday morning, Jan. 7: Kinsmen of Windermere Valley will once again pick up Christmas trees from the curb, so please leave your trees out on Friday night. Pickup is by donation.

• 10 am-3 pm Jan. 7: East Kootenay Wildlife Association, Heritage Inn, Cranbrook.

• Noon-2 pm, Toby Creek Nordic Ski Club annual open house at Beckie Scott Nordic Centre, Panorama. Jackrabbit and intro for kids five and up starts 10:30 am. For more info call 342-7023.

January 8 Sunday, Jan. 8 - 6:30 pm, Best of the Banff Mountain Film Festival at RK Heliski (Panorama Resort). Tickets $27. Call 342-3889 for info.

January 14 Saturday, Jan. 14 - 3rd Annual Panorama Foundation Mountain Gala. An evening of culinary and artistic delights, featuring music by Manjar. For tickets and info, call 341-3008.

January 29 Sunday, Jan. 29 - 2 pm, Symphonie of the Kootenays performing Mozart’s Symphony #39 and his Requiem at Christ Church Trinity. Tickets from Dave’s Book Bar, Stober’s and Pynelogs.

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Thaddeus Enns, 19 months, enjoyed a visit to the lake where he tried playing hockey for the first time.

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• Do you have knitting needles and/or yarn to donate? DTSS has two keen knitting groups that meet Wednesdays and Thursdays at lunchtime. Drop off donations at the high school or we can pick them up!

Call Fiona at 342-9213, ext. 114 for info.

• Sundays, 5:45-6:45 pm, public skating for all ages.

• Fridays, 11am-noon, adult skating at the arena.

• Fridays noon-1 pm, parent/tot skating at the arena.

• Climbing Wall, J.A. Laird Elementary School gym.

Fridays, 3-6 pm, Saturdays and Sundays, 5-8 pm, $5 drop-in fee. Call 342-6232 for info.

• Senior Men’s Hockey League (55 and over), Tuesdays and Fridays, 9:15am to 10:45am.

• Adult Indoor Soccer - Tuesdays, 8:30-10pm, high school gym. $2 drop-in fee. Use college entrance.

• Lake Windermere Rod and Gun Club - archery every Wednesday at 7pm, Invermere Community Hall.

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6 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer

January 6, 2006

PERSPECTIVE

Historical Lens

Public wants to get involved

By Elinor Florence Pioneer Publisher

Whether founded or not, there is a perception in the community that the people are being shut out of major decisions about their own future.

There is a public process in place, and it goes like this: a developer approaches the town planner with a proposal, who looks at the plan and suggests changes that will bring it closer to existing regulations. When satisfied, the planner makes a recommendation to council. A public hearing is then called so councillors can hear public opinion before making a decision. It’s a process that has worked well in the past for smaller projects.

But as council has stated on several occasions, times have changed.

Land prices have risen and the pres-

sures from developers have increased.

The entire preliminary process requires more staff time, work and responsibility as they deal with huge development proposals.

Discussions between the Waterside developers and town staff have taken place off and on for about 18 months, at both the developer’s and the taxpayer’s expense. By the time it finally gets to the public hearing stage, the project will have taken on a life of its own.

The process needs to be changed, to allow the taxpayers to have an equal opportunity with developers to express their views to staff and council.

People need time to consider the various and complex aspects of the project, and they also need to be involved at a much earlier stage.

One public hearing held late in the process isn’t enough.

Percy Lake poses with shovel in hand in a snowy barnyard on the Lake farm back in 1935. There were three feet of snow and temperatures of minus-40 that year.

Photo courtesy of the Windermere District Historical Society

‘Is the tail wagging the dog?’

Dear Editor: I was encouraged to see the outstanding public turnout at the Development Committee meeting held on January 3, 2006. Clearly the public concern was relevant to the discussion about the proposed amendments to the Official Community Plan for the Waterside development. The Committee is to be commended for welcoming so much public input.

Since, in general, I favour the Waterside Development, my concern is less for the development and more for the process that is being followed. Despite the assurances of the committee members and staff, it is clear that District Staff are working in harmony with the developers to create a proposal that is acceptable to them and to Council. It is equally clear that the public are being excluded from these discussions.

During her presentation, the Director of Development Services told the Committee that staff was of the opinion that it was time to “push the envelope” when considering current height restrictions under the OCP. She further outlined the Staff concerns with the current proposal from the developer. Clearly, the Staff position had been presented to the developer even before it was presented to the Committee since the developer was there with a revised proposal based upon the Staff report.

Further, it is clear that neither the Committee,

nor the developer were expecting such a strong public attendance. The developer, not having formally presented a modified proposal, was still looking for a recommendation to the full Council for approval of the verbal modifications.

Although the Committee was uncomfortable in passing the appropriate resolution, both Councillors Taft and Bennett went out of their way to assure the developer that, when they present the formal amendments, they will be approved to go to the entire Council.

Is it the place of District Staff to decide that they think it is time “to push the envelope” on height restrictions? Is this not a decision for the citizenry, through the elected representatives? Since when does Staff have the opportunity to present their opinion ahead of the public? Are we less important? Is not the “tail wagging the dog”? If Staff feels it is time to throw out the OCP height restrictions, should this not be brought to the public BEFORE it is brought to Council?

I wonder, is it proper for District Staff to negotiate changes with the developer even before the Development Committee is aware of their report? Is it proper for these reports to be made available to the developer ahead of the Committee and the Public? Do Staff not work for the citizenry rather than for the developer?

Changes to the Official Community Plan must follow a clear process including Public Hearings.

From this meeting, it is clear that Staff are prepared to undermine that process by working closely with the developer, in advance, to come up with changes that meet with their approval. Once the developer and Staff have come to a comfortable agreement, Staff then gets an inordinate amount of time to present their proposals to Council. Only after all of these steps are taken, do we the taxpayers get to be part of the process. By then, the deal with the developer is consummated.

Since District Staff are paid with our tax dollars, they should not be acting as consultants for the developer. If they are to be consultants for developers, they should resign from District Staff and open a consultancy.

Clearly these OCP amendment proposals are not being processed as transparently as is required by law.

When Staff consult more with the developers than they do with Council or with the Public, clearly there is “something rotten in Denmark.” Perhaps now that Staff has had the opportunity to privately negotiate with the developer, the citizenry might be given that same opportunity.

I look forward to attending the next Development Committee meeting to watch the pre-negotiated bylaw amendments get “rubber-stamped.”

Micheal Meehan Invermere

The Upper Columbia

P IONEER is independently owned and operated and is published weekly by Elinor Florence.

Box 868, #8, 1008 - 8th Avenue, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0 Phone (250) 341-6299 Toll Free 1-877-341-6299 Fax (250) 341-6229 Email: upioneer@telus.net www.uppercolumbiapioneer.com The material, written or artistic may not be reprinted or electronically reproduced in any way without the written consent of the publisher. The opinions and statements in articles, columns and advertising are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff of The Upper Columbia Pioneer. It is agreed by any display advertiser requesting space that the newspapers responsibility, if any, for errors or omissions of any kind is limited to the amount paid for by the advertiser for that portion of the space as occupied by the incorrect item and there shall be no liability in any event greater than the amount paid for the advertisement.

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The Upper Columbia Pioneer • 7

January 6, 2006

The

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D A O R to

GOLD

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Christine looking for sponsorships

The team is starting to actively pursue sponsorships, something they didn’t do too much before winning their trip to Torino. “We were focused so much on getting to the Olympics,” said Christine.

At the Olympic trials in Halifax the team was asked to give the names of up to five sponsors to sports broadcaster TSN. “They laughed at us,” said Christine, because the team was able to come up with only two sponsors - the law firm that employs Amy Nixon and Glenys Bakker; and a curling equipment company. The slight surprised the team.

“We said: ‘Wow, we’re a favorite at the Olympic trials and we only have two spon-

By Adrian Bergles Pioneer Staff

Canadian women professional curlers make much less than their male counterparts, according to Olympic-bound curler Christine Keshen of Invermere.

“We don’t have the big money events like the men do,” said Christine. She said top men’s teams earn well over $100,000 versus about $25,000 for top women’s teams.

“The winnings from women’s curling are not enough to live on,” says Christine, who is on leave from her job at Imperial Oil in Calgary.

Christine said she and teammates Shannon Kleibrink, Glenys Bakker and Amy Nixon RCMP officers Derrick Francis and Dale Morgan, who are also curlers, were pictured with Christine. have won $20,000 in combined en. “Otherwise the men have way more opportunity,” prize money so far this season. To some that may seem sors?’” she said. like a lot, but with the travel and expenses associated Christine said winning gold in Italy would help With funds tight, the team hopes corporate sponwith curling, that money doesn’t last long. the Kleibrink team attract new sponsors. “I think for sorship will help make up the difference on the way to Christine said the Strauss Canada Cup, which individual team sponsorship it will be great,” she said. the Olympics and throughout the rest of the season.

Team Kleibrink won last March, and a tournament “But I don’t know what it will do for women’s curling “We’re looking for corporate sponsorship to help sponsored by a Toronto accounting firm, are the only in general.” get our families to Torino,” said Christine. A trip to two in which prize money is equal for men and womVisit their website at www.teamkleibrink.com. the Olympics costs $8,000 per person, she said.

Your Local COLUMBIA VALLEY REAL ESTATE

Professionals PAT BROWN-JOHN 342-1262

Box 943 #4 Fairmont Village Mall Fairmont Hot Springs, BC Phone (250) 345-5000 Fax (250) 345-4001 www.rockymtnrealty.com pat@rockymtnrealty.com paul@rockymtnrealty.com

INVERMERE

1022B-7th Ave.

Independently Owned and Operated

Serving The Upper Columbia Valley including Edgewater, Brisco, Radium, Invermere, Windermere, Fairmont and Canal Flats

To advertise in this feature call Bob Friesen at 341-6299

Bernie Raven Representative

(250) 342-7415

braven@cyberlink.bc.ca

Daniel Zurgilgen �������������������� Office: (250) 342-6505 Fax: (250) 342-9611

Representative

(250) 342-1612 landman@telus.net

Invermere

Independently Owned and Operated

PAUL GLASSFORD

PAUL

250-341-1395

ROGGEMAN 341-5300

Dedicated to all your real estate needs.

Ed English

Jan Klimek

Sales Representatives

Cell: (250) 342-1194 Cell: (250) 342-1195 edenglish@telus.net janklimek@telus.net

www.edandjanslistings.com

Rockies West Realty

Box 459, 1022 B 7th Avenue Invermere, BC V0A 1K0 Bus: (250) 342-6505 Fax: (250) 342-9611 Toll Free: 1-888-258-9911 www.ReMaxInvermere.com

Independently owned and operated 230 Laurier Street DIRECTOR’S Invermere, BC V0A 1K3 PLATINUM E-mail: paul@rockieswest.com AWARD Website: www.PaulGlassford.com

Ray Ferguson “I Sell Real Estate”

Rockies West Independently Owned and Operated

Kim Collens Sales Representative

Rockies West Realty

Toll Free 1-866-342-9450

5003 Hot Springs Road Fairmont, BC V0B 1L0

Independently Owned and Operated

Cell (250) 342-1774

5003 Hot Springs Road Fairmont, BC V0B 1L0 Bus: 250-345-0333 Fax: 250-345-6353 Cell: 250-342-1671 E-mail: kim@rockieswest.com www.kimcollens.com

Business (250) 342-9450

PRESIDENT’S GOLD AWARD

realtyray@wvrealestate.ca An Independently Owned and Operated Member Broker of Coldwell Banker Affiliates of Canada™

Windermere Valley Realty

P.O. Box 579, 201-375 Laurier Street, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0

Ken Becker Sales Representative

Bus: 250-345-0333 Fax: 250-345-6353 Res: 250-342-3599 Cell: 250-342-1161 Email: ken@rockieswest.com www.rockieswest.com www.kenbecker.com

8 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer

January 6, 2006

Reid Mitchell: made

By Adrian Bergles Pioneer Staff

The Pioneer ������������� ������������ ��������� �������� ���������

�����������������������������������������������

Reid Mitchell, 17, of Invermere learned to play hockey on the idyllic rink behind his family’s home.

“My dad’s been flooding it for years,” said the Columbia Valley Rockies centre and assistant captain.

For the past two seasons Reid, son of Ken and Janice, has applied the skills he’s honed on the backyard rink as a boy to the local Junior B team.

Most of the time those skills have served the young man well.

Reid got his nickname “Clutch” after scoring a goal in a game in Creston last year. “I scored a goal to tie the game and go into overtime,” he said. In overtime Reid had another chance to score - on a breakaway - and missed the net completely.

The embarrassing moment hasn’t carried over to Reid’s play this year. He is fourth on the Rockies in scoring. Reid has 14 goals and 16 assists in 28 games playing on the team’s first line with talented scorers Josh Renaud and Matt Tremblay.

Unlike those players, Reid grew up here in the valley.

“It’s a lot more pressure being a local than coming from out of town where nobody knows you,” he said.

A Grade 12 student at David Thompson Secondary School, Reid will graduate this spring. Because he is the only player from Invermere on the team, he is in a unique position and serves as a kind of a liaison at school, introducing his old friends to some of the outof-town Rockies players who attend the high school.

“It helps that most of the guys I’m friends with play

hockey, too,” he said.

Hockey comes naturally to Reid, and he hasn’t had to put in the time into conditioning his body that many other players need to be successful. “I’ve never really lifted a weight in my life,” he says.

The young man, who has aspirations of playing Junior A hockey - a notch up from the Rockies - and hopes to one day play professionally, knows he will have to begin to develop his strength and endurance as he moves up in the ranks and the competition gets stiffer. Reid has been selected by the Penticton Vees of the B.C. Junior Hockey League and will attend their training camp next year.

After the playoffs this spring, Reid will spend two weeks in Calgary training, and playing in a summer league with other junior, professional and even some NHL players.

Reid said the Rockies, who are currently in third place in the Eddie Mountain Division, are a close team with good chemistry, something he attributes to second-year Rockies head coach and general manager Matt Hughes. “Our coach is pretty strict,” he says.

During the season Rockies players are put on a curfew. “We have to win four straight to get a night out,” said Reid.

Reid said the Rockies have a strong shot to win the league trophy, the Cyclone Taylor Cup, that goes to the best Junior B team in the province. “We want to win the whole thing,” he says. “We have the depth to do it.”

Watch The Pioneer’s Out and About column to find out when the Rockies play at home.

Sears Catalogue

IS HERE! Quality antique furniture and collectibles from Canada, Europe and Asia.

Architectural items for home & garden.

Tel. 342-0707 Email: klein@nucleus.com www.tepapanui.com Invermere Industrial Park (just off the road to Panorama)

OPEN Friday 10 am - 5 pm Saturday 10 am - 5 pm Sunday 11 am - 5pm

514-13th Street

342-6901

The Upper Columbia Pioneer • 9

January 6, 2006

e in Invermere

CHILL CHASER

Propane Delivers the power. We deliver the freedom.

Box 669, Invermere, B.C. Business: (250) 342-0123 • Fax: (250) 342-0262 www.superiorpropane.com A division of Superior Plus Inc.

Reid practices shooting in his backdoor rink.

Our sincere

THANKS to the

TOBY THEATRE SUPPORTERS.

UPCOMING MOVIES

Golden Rock Products �� ������������������

CHICKEN LITTLE Jan. 4-7 YOURS, MINE & OURS Jan. 11-14

January at WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY DJ

6

“highball and shooter specials”

7

DJ FREE POOL LADIES NIGHT BAND NIGHT ‘So Be It Union’ “highball and shooter draft beer specials martini specials and hockey on plasma 11

NO COVER

12

house/rave/trance band from Vancouver

13

specials”

14

DJ FREE POOL LADIES NIGHT BAND NIGHT “highball and shooter martini specials ‘Red Fish’

draft beer specials and hockey on plasma 18

19

FREE POOL LADIES NIGHT draft beer specials and hockey on plasma 25

martini specials

26

rock band from Kelowna

20

specials”

21

PANORAMA DJ ‘Staff Appreciation’ “highball and shooter prizes/drink specials

27

specials”

28

Country Band coming in February Kitchen Opening Soon! Phone: 341-7333

View the Pioneer online at

www.uppercolumbiapioneer.com

���������������������������������� �������������������������������� ����������������������������� �������������������������������� Invermere Local Agent and Installer: Ray Vowels 250 342-5676 Cranbrook & Alberta Sales: Dan Packer 250 421-3542 Sales Manager: Vince Simonson 250 344 8119 Email: office@goldenrockproducts.com

~

www.goldenrockproducts.com

10 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer

Totem Travel

7 DAYS

January 6, 2006

Wendover

March 19th March 25th, 2006

Departing from Kimberley, Cranbrook, Yahk Junction and Creston

TOUR INCLUDES: Transportation by fully equipped motorcoach 2 nights accomm. at the Wildhorse Resort & Casino in Pendleton, Oregon 4 nights accomm. at the Peppermill Hotel & Casino in Wendover, Nevada Tour Escort Side Tour of Salt Lake City Casino stops in Wells and Jackpot, Nevada

All for only

419 double/twin

$

$409 triple $549 single

Call Travel World for Tour Conditions and Itinerary.

TRAVEL W RLD LTD. #3 - 755 - 13th Street, Invermere, BC • tvlworld@telus.net

Phone: 342-6978 Toll Free: 1-888-982-8888

ENJOY A GREAT

New Year of Savings with

20% OFF

• Interior Lighting* • Awnings: 4’, 6’ or 8’ - UV & Mildew Resistant • Storage Containers • Air Purifiers and Humidifiers

*excluding Track Lighting

410 Borden St., Invermere • 342-6226

panachesuites.com The 3rd Annual

Mountain Gala will take place on

Saturday, January 14 Funds raised will benefit the Invermere Library.

A limited number of tickets are available for this evening of culinary and artistic delights, featuring chefs from many of the best restaurants in the Columbia Valley.

Featuring music by “Manjar”, a full energy band spiced up with influences of Spanish Flamenco and a rich mix of Rumba, Samba, Salsa and Jazz, all combined will make you dance until your shoes wear out!

Contact Lindsay Fehr to purchase your tickets at 250-341-3008

Invermere Library... recipient of funds raised at this years Gala.

The Old Zone

By Harold Hazelaar Foreign Correspondent

A layover or stay in Toronto demands a trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

I had this opportunity last week on our way to Venezuela.

The 20-minute wait in the line-up to get into the place makes one appreciate how quickly you can get into an Old-Timers’ game! This wait is made worthwhile by the goalie mask exhibit. The courage guys like Ed Giacomin, Ken Dryden or Jacques Plante had with the pathetic masks they wore just boggles my mind.

Once inside, there are hundreds of exhibits that can keep a person occupied for hours: Hockey Milestone memorabilia, Hockey History, Women’s Hockey, Hockey Cards, The Montreal Canadiens Dressing Room, Junior Hockey memorabilia, Hall of Fame Inductee Bios, International Hockey and interactive areas such as a goal-tending challenge, where Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier take game speed shots on net. No shutouts in these games, just like in Old-Timers!!

The Trophy Room is something else! In all honesty, I can only remember players from the late 1960s onward, but the names from earlier eras on these trophies speak volumes about the hockey legends this country has produced in the past 100 years. Did you know that Denis and Martin Brodeur are the only father-son tandem to have hockey Olympic medals? Martin in 2002 and Denis was goaltender for the 1956 bronze medal Canadian Olympic team.

Did you know that 802 pucks (the number of goals Gretzky needed

to break Gordie Howe’s record) barely covers the bottom two inches of a regulation size net?

Did you know the Stanley Cup is now fully engraved and therefore needs another tier added to accommodate this year’s winning team?

And here are the two most interesting tidbits I learned: First, John Davidson, (our favorite, almost-local hockey broadcaster) was the Lester Patrick Trophy winner in 2004. The trophy is awarded for “Outstanding Service to Hockey in the USA.” Secondly, John is one of the 18 Selection Committee Members for the Hall of Fame. Ed Chynoweth, owner of the Kootenay Ice, is another one of the members.

I wonder if I can get Murray (Davidson) to ask John if the committee would consider adding an “Old-Timers’ Hockey” category to the Hall?

On December 21 the C.V.O.H.A. members voted on a new executive.

We would like to congratulate Brent Raven, Harold Hazelaar and David Oaks. All three were voted in unanimously.

Jan. 11th 6:45 pm - Warick Wolves vs. Lake Auto Mustangs 8:00 pm - Huckleberry Hawks vs.

Petro Canada Killer Tomatoes 9:15 pm - Inside Edge Black The Old Zone is brought Smoke vs. Valley to you by: Vision Vultures 10:30 pm - Dale Christian Mudders vs. HiHeat Batters

PLAYER PROFILE Name: Lyle Barsby Nickname: Sweet Knees Hometown: Nanaimo Years in league: 6 Favorite Memory: I enjoy listening to the crowd cheer every time I score Hobbies: Hunting, fishing, horses and pleasing my lovely wife Leanne

Feeling good about yourself all starts here.

Experience our sassy new attitude: make some time for yourself today at Trims and Treasures!

Haircut . Highlights . Massage . Pedicure Manicure . Facial . Waxing .Tanning .Tinting

For more information on the Panorama Foundation please email: panoramafoundation@telus.net or call Jami Scheffer at the Foundation office at 250-342-0133.

PRESENTED BY

250.345.0077 Fairmont Village Mall Suite 3 . 4992 Fairmont Frontage Rd Fairmont Hot Springs, BC

The Upper Columbia Pioneer • 11

January 6, 2006

P IONEER C LASSIFIEDS THANK YOU

TIME SHARE RENTAL

The Live Nativity Program Committee would like to thank the Don McKeen and Greg Downey families for supplying the animals for our Christmas pageant.

Everyone enjoyed them!

Spring Break in Mexico - Timeshare rental - Grand Mayan.

Grand Master suite, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, kitchen, dining, living room. March 18 to 25 at Nuevo Vallarta, or March 25 to April 1 at Mayan Riviera. Call 342-6761 or contact: ez_let@shaw.ca.

The Windermere Community Association would like to thank the following businesses and individuals for their contribution towards our very successful Children’s Christmas Party held at the Community Hall on Sunday, December 18. We could not have done it without your help.

Our sincere apologies if we have forgotten anyone. Dianne & Ron Davidson, Timko Developments, AG Foods, Be Gifted Baskets, Candyland, Columbia Valley Trading, Dairy Queen, Dee’s Ceramics, Dollar Store, Fields, Fiona Brooks, IGA, Interior World, Invermere Photo, Lambert Kipp Pharmacy, Mike & Teresa Rogal, Monkey’s Uncle Toy & Gift, Pharmasave, Radio Club from the Windermere Elementary School, Lynn Barry - Radio Club, Valley Alley, Windermere Family Foods, Windermere Elementary PAC, Cheri Hann, Vice President WCA, John Cain, President, WCA. Look for this event again next year!

THANK YOU to all who expressed their sympathy to the families of Lillian Godlien. To friends, neighbours and relatives for flowers, food and cards and many offers of help. Special thanks to the ambulance crew, Dr. Magier, and nurses Velma and Louise. To Dr. Louw for understanding and respecting Lillian’s wishes, thank you. The Godlien Family.

NOTICE

WORKSHOPS Understanding Your Dreams - a dynamic 6 hour workshop of personal, practical tools, Invermere, Saturday, Jan. 14th at 10am, OR Wednesday, Jan. 18th, 6 to 9pm and Friday, Jan. 20th, 6 to 9pm. $65 pp or $110 for 2. Crisanna MacLeod, Facilitator, 342-8947, crisanna@tygproductions.com (subject Dreams). Limited enrolment, $20 non-refundable deposit to reserve your space.

Dreams: understanding, not interpreting, the quiet guidance and answers.

SUITES FOR RENT New 2 bdrm walk-out basement suite for 2, 10 minutes to Panorama, $750/mth + DD, utilities included. W/D, N/S, N/P, furnished possible. 342-2100.

Bright, new 2-bedroom suite in Fairmont, all appliances, N/S, $800/month includes hydro, available Feb. 1, 2006, call 345-0276.

FOR RENT STEIN APARTMENTS - residential and commercial. 342- 6912.

HOMES FOR RENT 3 bdrm townhouse in Invermere, one 4-piece bath, two 2-piece baths, F/S, D/W, laundry hookup, attached garage, small yard, pet okay with pet deposit, $950/mth plus utilities and damage deposit,

#112 - 626 9th Avenue. Available January 1st. 403-283-1724.

3 bdrm lakefront home, Indian Beach Estates. Furnished, 2 bathrooms, 2 fireplaces, available for 2006, $1400/mth. 403-240-0167 or dougjoan@telus.net.

SERVICES Flooring installations, lino, carpet, laminate, hardwood, vc tile, 28 years experience. 342-8762 or 341-1234.

MISC. FOR SALE Custom cut rough lumber, dry fir beams, fence boards, etc. Firewood - fir, birch or pine - split or unsplit. Top quality hay, grass/alfalfa mix, round or square bales.

346-3247.

Red metal bunk beds with mattresses, excellent condition, $250.

342-0477.

John Deere collector’s china, 4 each large and small plates, bowls and mugs. Brand new, $50.

341-6183.

8-inch cedar bevelled siding, prestained, natural cedar, transparent Olympic 716, very nice product, $1.20/lineal foot, 342-8773.

MOBILE HOMES FOR SALE Clean 14x70 manufactured home, F/S, W/D, Windermere, close to school, $43,000 OBO. 342-9646.

VEHICLES FOR SALE 1992 Nissan Pathfinder 4x4, 80k on rebuilt motor, new tires, asking $3500, 342-0223, ext. 1034.

2004 F150 4x4 SC, short-term lease, will pay first month. 3472303.

2001 Neon, in good condition, asking $5,000. Call 342-6479.

CAREERS ROCKY MOUNTAIN TRAINING, BC - Licensed Employment Agency.

NEED A JOB?! RMT Staffing Services - Bring us your resume and we’ll find the Right Job For You! NEED EMPLOYEES?! Headhunters - we find the Right Person For You! Call 342-6011, toll free, 1888-737-5511, email rmti@telus. net, website www.rockymountaintraining.bc.ca, 1006 7th Avenue, Invermere, BC, V0A 1K0.

WE ARE CURRENTLY RECRUITING FOR Sales, Warehouse, Chef and Reservations positions.

out-of-school program. Hours 3 pm to 6 pm, five days per week.

342-3168 or drop off resume, attention Arlee Romane.

CHEERS

Mountain Heights ~ 8 units ~

CHEERS for the New Year! - Linda Warner CHEERS to the person who left a note on my windshield to tell me that my tire was losing air! - SS

CopperSide ~ luxury condos ~

342-2536 local phone

866-342-2536 toll free

www.lakeviewmeadows.net relax@lakeviewmeadows.net

HELNA’S STUBE requires an experienced part-time evening waitress. Call 347-0047.

Roofer wanted for growing company, competitive wage.

250-489-8685 or 342-0812.

Windermere Valley Child Care Society requires staff to run

AFFORDABLE TOWNHOMES PHASE II NOW PRE-SELLING 2 bedroom 1494 sq. ft. including garage

from $175,000 + GST

*PHASE I (51 HOMES) SOLD OUT!* Sales Centre - Open 12 - 6 Daily at Crossroads of Invermere

John Newton ~ 342-5723 ~ john@blackforestvillage.com

Pedro Cebulka ~ 342-5724 ~ pedro@blackforestvillage.com

Guess who’s 40! Happy birthday from all your family!

LOST AND FOUND FOUND - Lady’s ring at IGA, Oct. 28/05. Call 342-9889 evenings to identify.

www.blackforestvillage.com

12 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer

January 6, 2006

HERE TO SERVE YOU Good advice, clearly explained

Pierre E. Trudel

Bennett Construction Growing with the Tradition of Quality

• Custom Homes • Renovations • Decks

Pierre E. Trudel Bus (250) 347-6938 Fax (250) 347-6948 pierre.trudel@clarica.com

Kristoffer Bennett (250) 341-5030

Associated with Clarica Financial Services Inc. and Clarica Investco Inc.

bennettconstruction@shaw.ca • POOLS • HOT TUBS • CHEMICALS • FIREPLACES • BBQʼS • HEATING • VENTILATION • AIR CONDITIONING • RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL

Dan Emms General Manager

Residential and Commercial Lighting

P.O. Box 1079 Invermere, BC V0A 1K0 Ph: 250.342.1666

385 Laurier Street, Invermere, BC PO Box 117, Windermere, BC V0B 2L0 Phone: (250) 342-7100 email: info@diamondheatingandspas.com Fax: (250) 342-7103 www.diamondheatingandspas.com

dan@valleylighting.ca www.valleylighting.ca

Invermere Dry Cleaners Ltd. Dry Cleaning • Laundry • Alterations Repair • Bachelor Service

Phone: 342-6610 • 507A - 7th Ave., Invermere

CAIRN CARPENTRY

• Flooring • Finishing • General Carpentry

Reasonable Rates Exceptional Quality

Invermere

(250) 270-0390

Competitive Rates Quality Guaranteed JESSE PAHL

Canal Flats, B.C. Phone: 250-349-5449 • Cell 341-5449

READY MIX CONCRETE

A.R.K. Concrete

Concrete Pump • Sand & Gravel Heavy Equipment Rentals • Crane Service Proudly Serving the Valley for over 50 years

Residential • Decorative Concrete Floors, Decks, Patios & Sidewalks

For competitive prices and prompt service call:

342-6522 Office 342-6512 Fax 342-5465 Aaron Karl 342-1457 Ryan Karl

Sewer/Drain Cleaning

NEW

Septic Tank Pumping Portable Toilet Rentals • Complete sewer/drain repair • Reasonable rates - Seniors’ discount • Speedy service - 7 days a week • A well-maintained septic system should be pumped every 3-5 years • Avoid costly repairs

Bruce Dehart 347-9803 or 342-5357

342-3268 (plant) 342-6767 (office)

LAMBERT-KIPP PHARMACY LTD. J. Douglas Kipp, B. Sc. (Pharm.)

Laura Kipp, Pharm D. Your Compounding Pharmacy Come in and browse our giftware.

Open Monday - Saturday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm 1301 - 7th Avenue, Invermere

342-6612

Avion

Construction Ltd. CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS - GENERAL CONTRACTORS

DESIGN/BUILD CUSTOM HOMES • MULTI-FAMILY & COMMERCIAL PROJECTS

INVERMERE

STEVE GUTSCHE, Project Manager

Cell: (250) 341-1965 Fax: (250) 347-6429 Email: guts64@telus.net www.avionconstruction.com

Columbia Valley District

HEAD OFFICE

Phone: (403) 287-0144 Fax: (403) 287-2193 #200, 6125 - 11 Street S.E. Calgary, AB T2H 2L6

Floor Covering & Cabinets Blinds & Paints 335 - 3rd Ave., Invermere, BC Telephone 342-6264 • Fax 342-3546 info@warwick–interiors.com www.warwick-interiors.com

The Pioneer - Your Weekly Source for News and Events

The Upper Columbia Pioneer • 13

January 6, 2006

Winter driving woes Everybody has one an experience with winter driving that left you stranded, stuck or just plain mad.

What stands out as the worst winter driving story you can remember?

Call us at 341-6299 or Email it to us at The Pioneer (upioneer@telus. net) so we can share it with our readers.

The story below comes to us from Pioneer advertising salesman Bob Friesen: I was driving from Calgary to Saskatoon with three other guys on a warm, sunny Christmas Eve in 1967.

It was 47 degrees Fahrenheit when we left at 2 p.m. with all our luggage, Christmas presents and two spare tires.

Along the way we had two flat tires, because of the old-style poorquality inner tubes, and I was exhausted.

At Drumheller it started to snow and temperature dropped to minus-10. By the time we got to Zena, which had a small ser-

vice station and coffee shop, it was minus-20 and snowing so hard I couldn’t see to drive. While we were stopped there, I struck up a conversation with a semi-truck driver who offered to tow me as far as Kindersley.

He threw a chain around the steel plate on the back of his truck and attached it to my bumper and off we went. Instantly my car was covered with snow and ice thrown up by the tires on the truck and we had zero visibility. Then a few minutes later, my engine quit.

I had no way of attracting the driver’s attention. The temperature inside the car started to drop because we had no heat.

It was so cold in the car that we thought we might freeze to death.

The two guys in the back seat climbed into the front seat and the four of us huddled together, completely encased in a frozen metal shell, hurtling down the highway.

By the time we got to Kindersley two hours later, we were so cold we couldn’t stand up. The doors opened and we practically fell out of the car and hobbled towards the service station.

After I was finally warm enough, I went outside to look at my car. When I opened the hood, I saw that the engine was a solid block of ice. I couldn’t even see so much as the radiation cap. There was an imprint of the underside of the hood in the top of the ice block and that was it.

I had it towed into the shop and used cold water to thaw everything out.

We finally made it to Saskatoon at 5 a.m. on Christmas morning after a 15-hour trip.

It was the winter driving trip from hell.

Pioneer Briefs Christmas Tree recycling pickup The Kinsmen of Windermere Valley will once again pick up Christmas trees on Saturday, January 7th. The Kinsmen will pick up trees from the curb on Saturday morning, so please leave your trees out on Friday night. Pickup is by donation. The Kinsmen will drop off donation envelopes that can be mailed in with your donation, or catch up with them on Saturday morning when they come to pick up your tree.

Rod and Gun Club gearing up The Windermere District Rod and Gun Club has a busy few months ahead with all kinds of activities starting with the Youth Safety Program at the Invermere Community Hall on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. starting Jan. 12th and there are lots of openings. Willi Schmidt and Doug Degrazio are managing the program.

Archery is going well with good attendance every Wednesday night at the Invermere Community Hall. In the new year there will be videos and instructors as teaching aides. We have acquired three more styrofoam targets for our 3-D hunts in the spring.

The Annual General Meeting will be held Thursday, January 19th at the Chamber of Commerce meeting room at the crossroads. Plans are being made for chilli night, a wildlife banquet, slash and burn projects, goose-nesting projects and more.

For info, call Margo Daugherty at 347-9770.

HERE TO SERVE YOU UNBEATABLE RATES • LARGE CIRCULATION

Great Selection of:

*Wood blinds *Sunscreens *Woven Woods *Pleated Shades *Roller Shades and more!

Phone: 341-6299

Dave Sutherland Sales Associate

#8, 1008 - 8th Avenue Invermere, BC

For all your interior decorating needs.

www.uppercolumbiapioneer.com Email: upioneer@telus.net

Complete Automotive Repairs

Kitchen M ag

✽

ic

✽

(Beside the Petro Canada Car Wash)

Phone:

342-6614 • www.autowyze.com

INVERMERE GLASS LTD. Auto • Home • Commercial • Mirrors • Shower Doors • Window Repairs

Jeff Watson

#3, 109 Industrial Road #2, Invermere

Telephone: 342-3659 Fax: 342-3620

✽

Tamara Osborne Brenda McEachern

Phone /Fax

345-6422

INSURANCE AGENCIES LTD. BOX 2228 BOX 459 742 - 13th STREET 7553 MAIN STREET INVERMERE, BC. RADIUM HOT SPRINGS, BC V0A 1K0 V0A 1M0 PHONE: 342-3031 PHONE: 347-9350 FAX: 342-6945 FAX: 347-6350 Email: info@invermereinsurance.com • Toll Free: 1-866-342-3031

WE USE ONLY REAL WOOD

Resurfacing Specialists • Custom Cabinets • Counter Tops

FREE ESTIMATES CUSTOM CRAFTED BY:

Bob Ring

341-3311

SHOLINDER & MACKAY EXCAVATING Inc.

Septic Systems Installed ~ Pumped ~ Repaired Prefab Cement Tanks Installed Water Lines Dug Installed Basements Dug

WINDERMERE 342-6805

WE PRINT FOR THE VALLEY PUROLATOR DEPOT

342-2999

14 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer

January 6, 2006

FAITH

Valley Churches LAKE WINDERMERE ALLIANCE CHURCH Sunday, January 8th, 10:30 a.m.

Worship and Life Instruction. “Why the Church Exists”.

Communion will be served. Open Session Sunday School for ages 3 to Grade 3, during the morning service.

Senior Pastor Rev. Dieter Magnus Associate Pastor Rev. Jared Enns 326 - 10th Avenue, Invermere • 342-9535 WINDERMERE VALLEY SHARED MINISTRY Sunday, January 8th • Anglican Communion 8:30 - Edgewater - All Saints 10:30 a.m. Invermere - Christ Church Trinity Rev. Sandy Ferguson • 110 - 7th Avenue, Invermere • 342-6644 VALLEY CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY Sunday, 10:00 am Children’s church during the message part of the service.

Children 4 - 12 years. • Sunday, 7:00 pm Prayer Meeting Senior Pastor Rev. John Cuyler www.vcassembly.com Highway 93/95, 1 km north of Windermere • 342-9511 ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Canadian Martyrs Church, Invermere Saturday, 7:00 p.m. Mass • Sunday, 9:00 a.m. Mass St. Joseph’s Church, Hwy 93/95 Radium Sunday, 11:00 a.m. Mass St. Anthony’s Church, Canal Flats • Sunday, 4:00 p.m. Mass Father Jose Joaquin • 712 -12th Ave., Invermere • 342-6167 ST. PETER’S LUTHERAN MISSION OF INVERMERE Regular weekly worship services every Sunday at 1:30 pm Sr. Pastor Rev. Bryan K. Schinde • Assoc. Pastor Rev. Fraser Coltman at Christ Church Trinity 110 - 7th Ave., Invermere 1-866-426-7564 RADIUM CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP Every Sunday 10:00 am Pastor Wayne and Linda Frater • Radium Seniors’ Hall • 342-6633 THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS Sunday, 10:00 am President J.P. Tremblay, Columbia Valley Branch 5014 Fairway, Fairmont Hot Springs • 1-866-349-5772

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WATCH OUT FOR THOSE HIDDEN FEES!

The meaning of epiphany

By Fraser Coltman, Pastor St. Peter’s Lutheran Mission Sometimes people speak of having an epiphany experience. What do they mean? Usually they are referring to some kind of experience in which they have made a discovery, often an unexpected one.

Like the cartoon pictures in which a light bulb flashes above a person’s head, epiphanies are those “ahha!” moments when we suddenly understand something that was once hidden from us.

The word epiphany is also used by Christians to name a period of time following the season of Christmas. Epiphany is the season in which we celebrate God’s great determination to be known by us. God wants all of us to know who He is.

In a sermon preached in the city of Athens 2000 years ago, a Christian missionary by the name of Paul said this about God: “The God who made the world and everything in it; this Master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn’t take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don’t make him.

Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near.” (Acts 17).

While Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, Epiphany is the season in which we learn who Jesus is and why He was born into our world. Je-

New At The Public Library Review By Sheila Bonny Invermere Public Library The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana

by Umberto Eco

RESIDENTIAL BUILDING LOTS FOR SALE!

It has come to my attention that a number of residents in Invermere own pooled investment services with their financial institutions. While these pooled investments offer investors many nice features such as prudent asset allocation, automatic portfolio rebalancing and tax deductibility of fees, investors should be aware of potential hidden fees.

On the surface pooled programs will display very competitive fee structures that investors must pay out of pocket for the portfolio management. Fees generally range from 0.8% to 1.5% per year and are tax-deductible. While this may seem like a very good deal, investors must look deep into the product to find out if there are additional fees being charged to the returns of their pooled investments.

Investors will be surprised to learn that many pooled investment programs charge as much as 2.5% in management fees against the returns of their portfolio in addition to the 0.8% to 1.5% fees they pay out of pocket. These management fees are not tax-deductible and raise the total cost of maintaining pooled portfolios to as high as 3.8% to over 4.0%.

If you own a pooled investment program and are concerned about hidden fees please call us for a complimentary review of your investments.

sus is the son of Mary and the Son of God; He is true man and true God. Jesus chose to become a human being, to give God “a human face”, so that we might know God for who He truly is. Despite the fact that most of us sense that God exists and that we depend on Him in some way, we do not really have a clear picture of who He is. The history of religion is the confusing story of man’s futile attempts to know God through his own reason. The story of Jesus is the good news that God is able to cut through our confusion and enable us to truly know Him. In the New Testament stories of Jesus known as the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) we catch glimpses of Jesus at work, and we see very quickly that He is unique.

He spoke of God in ways that made Him real and approachable to people who thought they could never be near to Him. He acted in ways that made God’s love tangible – healing sick people and befriending outcasts.

Through Jesus, God was reaching out to people to let them know that He really cared for them, so that they might rely on Him. The word “epiphany” means “to shine upon,” and in this season we Christians rejoice in God’s great act of “shining upon” us the revelation of His care for us in Jesus.

As we hear the stories of the wise man led by a star to worship Jesus in Bethlehem and stories of Jesus’ truth-filled teachings and life-giving miracles God shines the light of His love upon us. He lets us know that He is not playing hide-and-seek with us. He is not remote; he’s near, and He wants us to know and rely on Him forever.

If you would like to know God more clearly, you are welcome to visit a Christian church this Epiphany season (or any other time of the year). Come join us in seeking God through Jesus. May a true epiphany experience be yours!

Get ready to build your dream home in the mountains! Newly offered residential building lots in the recreational neighborhood of the Radium Valley Vacation Resort. Level, treed, view lots with access to the year-round fitness centre and resort amenities. Be part of the growing village of Radium Hot Springs. Call today to view!

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A stroke has dealt Yambo a rare form of amnesia.

He remembers everything he has read in books and papers, but nothing of his personal or emotional life.

His family members and friends re-introduce themselves to him and tell him stories of his youth, but he yearns to understand what made him the man he has become, a pessimistic 60-year-old antiquarian book dealer in Milan.

Attempting to retrieve his memory, Yambo returns to his ancestral country home to which he was evacuated during the Second World War. Stored in the attic, he finds records, comic books, novels, newspapers, school books, magazines, photo albums and diaries that allow him to immerse himself in the culture of Mussolini’s Italy.

Yambo re-discovers a secret role he played in the resistance during the war, but he struggles through the fog of his memory to recover the face of Lila, his first love.

As the whole novel occurs in Yambo’s mind, this is not a book for those who love action thrillers.

It may appeal to those of a contemplative nature, those interested in political influences on literature and journalism, or those intrigued by how popular culture shapes the thoughts of youth.

The Upper Columbia Pioneer • 15

January 6, 2006

New charity NeighbourLink will sell used furniture Submitted by Dorothy Isted Chairperson, NeighbourLink Columbia Valley NeighbourLink Columbia Valley is an affiliate of World Vision’s Canadian Development branch. The purpose of this non-profit organization is to assist Christian churches in neighbourhoods to band together for the purpose of meeting a need in the community that is not currently being met by any other groups.

Where feasible, we can work in concert with other organizations to achieve the greater good. The congregations of Christ Church Trinity, Lake Windermere Alliance Church and Valley Christian Assembly are actively involved in NeighbourLink.

After several months of consultation with local agencies and individuals, our working group came to the conclusion that subsidized housing is the most pressing need. It should be understood that there is a great difference between subsidized housing and affordable housing.

Subsidized housing is usually comprised of rental units where the rents are based on the tenant’s ability to pay. Many valley citizens recognize this as a need, but the money and work required to make a project like this happen are mammoth, which discourages them from attempting it. Our NeighbourLink agreed that the best way to start was to open a used furniture store, thus providing for another unmet need in the valley and generating some income to direct toward our ultimate goal.

We have discovered that Whistler, which is demographically similar to our valley, had a used furniture store start up there a few years back. They have been financially successful and they use their profits to make grants to other charities in the region. We plan to use our profits to begin saving for the subsidized housing.

Some readers may wonder why we don’t just do Habitat for Humanity projects here. Logistically it cannot happen, as they do not operate in towns with populations of under 10,000.

The formation of a not-for-profit society is always a lengthy process. This has been complicated by World Vision’s decision to change the structure of their relationship with NeighbourLinks across the country.

Thus, it has taken even longer to satisfy all the legalities but we believe that we are now done.

Despite all the red tape our board has also been

looking for a suitable and affordable location. We believe we have found one. Lake Windermere Alliance Church owns the property located next door to it which has an oversized double garage. The church board agreed to lease the garage to NeighbourLink at the rate of one dollar per month.

All we need to open our doors is a business license.

However, there seems to be an almost insurmountable hurdle. We need to get a business license. The District of Invermere bylaws do not allow for business to be transacted from a property zoned as P1. In fairness to the District, they have expressed verbal support in order to make this happen, if they can just figure out how to do it.

In the meantime some people from the community have already donated furniture which has been stored in the garage. There has been a recent influx of persons working in the ski business who have a need for furniture. We decided that while we wait for the District of Invermere to accommodate us to operate we will hold a garage sale, thus matching the need with the resource. We do have room for more items to sell, such as living and bedroom furniture, so we are happy to receive more donated goods in decent condition. As part of our mandate is not to duplicate any existing services, we hope that small appliances and household items and linens will still be directed to the Thrift Store.

Personally this has been an interesting faith journey. We are a small board which needs to grow bigger.

There are days when I think that anyone in their right mind would not even begin to think they could make subsidized housing happen here. Having seen the opposition directed against the last attempt to build subsidized housing in Invermere, I know it will be difficult to accomplish. The barriers seem insurmountable: a lack of suitable land, cost factors, patent ignorance on my part of the many factors involved in construction projects. Then I remember that this is not about me. I am part of a Christian community who are committed to this idea. And we follow a Big God who delights in making the impossible happen.

Our first garage sale of used furniture and appliances will be held on on January 21, 2005 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the garage behind the yellow house next door to the Alliance Church on Tenth Avenue in Invermere.

Congratulations Nicole Fiveland and

Trent Heilman September 17, 2005

Cruising along with a bit of rum, Look out 50, here I come!

Happy Birthday Mickey!

Love, Your Wife & Family

Invermere Christian Supplies Invermere Christian Supplies

www.invermerechristiansupplies.com

1229-7th Ave., Invermere

342-6415

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Home Hardware Thank You

Building Centre 342-6908

TIP OF THE WEEK Bob says, “Don’t be fooled, winter isn’t over yet! Home Hardware’s rental department has propane heaters for all of your needs.”

WE’VE GOT YOUR LUMBER.

There are those who open their hearts to others . . . who never think twice about giving of themselves.

They are the wonderful, warmhearted people who make all the difference in our lives.

THESE ARE OUR VOLUNTEERS.

Thank you for all the ways you give so much of yourself.

The Residents & Staff of Columbia House

16 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer

January 6, 2006

Invermere

Independently Owned and Operated Wende Brash 342-1300

Bernie Raven 342-7415

Scott Wallace 342-5309

Andy Smith 342-1709

Daniel Zurgilgen 342-1612

Ed English 342-1194

Jan Klimek 342-1195

Ron Maciborski Bryan Hookenson 342-5704 341-1266

Recreation Headquarters

Rob Rice 342-5935

John McCarthy Lynda Kirkpatrick 341-1907 342-1758

Deborah-Kim Rice 342-5935

250-342-6505

At Panorama: 250-341-4898 At Radium: 250-347-0041 Timeshare: 250-342-2829 Toll Free: 1-888-258-9911

www.ReMaxInvermere.com

Mountain Home

Wonderful Opportunity

Imagine yourself enjoying the adventure at Panorama Mountain Village. Experience skiing, mountain biking, golfing and more at your fingertips. Hike the Purcell Wilderness and Jumbo. At this price itʼs affordable for all ages. One bedroom sleeps four. All assessments paid in full. MLS# 114539

Located in Timber Ridge II, this spacious home is fully developed on 3 levels. Enjoy the extra large yard and shaded veranda, 3 baths, 4 bedrooms, and fully developed walk–out basement. Access to all Timber Ridge amenities. Make this one yours today! MLS# 114538

Get into the booming Radium Hot Springs real estate market. Best location in the complex, siding onto a municipal park providing privacy and a front row seat for viewing Bighorn Sheep. Fully furnished unit, move in and enjoy all the benefits of living on the edge of a National Park. MLS#114019

Riverview North

Stunning Mountain Views

The Perfect Location

$117,500.00+gst

The perfect place to build your getaway home...spend your days in Riverside.

This .18 acre lot is fully serviced and offers mountain views from every corner.

Enjoy a Charter Golf Membership, a $15,000 value. This lot is priced to sell, so call quickly if Fairmont Riverside is your desire! MLS#106794

$79,900.00+gst

$479,000.00

Are you ready to build that dream home? This level treed lot in Columbia Ridge offers most 1⁄2 acre with stunning mountain views and backs onto crown land.

Beach access, parks, walking trail and tennis courts. Affordable opportunity to own lake access. MLS#113917

$159,000.00

Enjoy It All

Jade Landing

This fully furnished studio unit with a balcony has excellent views of Monument Peak and Paradise Ridge. The rental revenue from this unit will cover the condo fees. Located in the Upper Village you will be able to ski in and ski out, with the hot pools just steps from your door. MLS#112774

Canal Flatsʼ first ever “Condo Development”. This phase entails 9 suites (3-3 plexes), all 2 BR on a full undeveloped bsmt. with roughed-in plumbing. Enjoy the beach and public boat launch, golf, shopping, parks, schools and all the amenities. Possession is March 2006! REAL affordable housing! MLS#114214+

$125,000.00+gst

$149,900.00+gst

Golf Course Living

At itʼs finest on this Radium Resort golf course home. Large lot offers privacy from road, neighbours and the golf course.

Property is landscaped for minimum work and maximum enjoyment. Main level backs onto large morning deck and private, sunny back yard and sunken living room opens onto large front facing deck. BIS wood burning fireplace in living room for cozy nights and efficient heating. Lower level has a bright and spacious den, plus office, hobby room and laundry area. Comfortable and gracious living inside and out. MLS#113896

$469,000.00

$224,900.00+gst

This is it! This three bedroom, two bathroom strata titled town home is centrally located in downtown Invermere. Close to schools and downtown. Great investment for first time buyers. Terrific revenue potential. Call today for all the information. MLS#112775

$239,900.00

Your Special Retreat

You will be dazzled by the massive view of Monument Peak while enjoying a drink on the deck of this end unit. The hot pools, skating rink and ski lift are just steps from your door. This fully furnished condo in the Intrawest pool covers your costs. A great way to get in on Panoramaʼs growth! MLS#107957

$154,900.00+gst

Above It All

Spectacular setting with just over 35 acres overlooking the Windermere Valley and Columbia Valley Wetlands.

This 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom home offers great views and many upgrades. Fantastic location with large workshop, barn, machine shed, numerous outbuildings and a quaint guest cabin. Landscaped, fenced and paved driveway finish off this property. Call for details. MLS#111990

$1,800,000.00