vol4issue20

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Vol. 4/Issue 20

The Columbia

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May 18, 2007

Valley

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2 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

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VALLEY NEWS U.S. Teacher of the Year born here in Invermere

By Brian Geis Pioneer Staff Invermere-born Andrea Peterson, who left here when she was just one year old, was recently named National Teacher of the Year in the United States.

“I don’t remember much of Invermere. My dad and mom lived there for seven years, but didn’t have me until the sixth year,” the 34-year-old commented in an e-mail to the Pioneer.

However, some might remember her father Vic Rahn, the basketball nut who took the Invermere boys to the Provincial Championships in the late 1960s.

“I grew up in a few small towns, starting with Invermere,” she said. “When you grow up in a small town you sometimes think that all you want to do is get out and see the world. Although there is so much to see out there, don’t ever forget where you came from.

Those small-town values of hard work and dedication to your community will help you succeed no matter where you end up.”

Andrea, along with parents Vic and Darlene and brothers Jason and Darren, left for the States when her

Andrea Peterson with George Bush. father joined the ministry. Ministerial positions took them from California, to Colorado and eventually to Washington state to be nearer aging relatives. She graduated from Onalaska High School in 1991.

Ms. Peterson became a permanent resident of the United States in 1981, but didn’t give up her Canadian citizenship until 2004, saying her greatest motivation in doing so was to be a political advocate for education — one who could vote for ballot measures, such as school district finance levies, that she supported and promoted.

For the last ten years, Ms. Peterson has been teaching vocal and

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instrumental music at Monte Cristo Elementary School in Granite Falls, Washington. As the Washington State Teacher of the Year, she was selected as finalist for the national honour.

As national Teacher of the Year, Ms. Peterson will serve as an ambassador for education and represent the teaching profession. For the next year, she will travel across the United States to visit schools, deliver speeches and serve on committees.

Ms. Peterson received her award from U.S. President George Bush in a Rose Garden ceremony at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 26.

“Teaching is more than a profession; it’s a calling,” Mr. Bush said. “And that calling came early to our Teacher of the Year.”

“Andrea Peterson knows the importance of education in her life. After all, as she explained to me in the Oval Office, her first role model was her dad, who has taught for more than 30 years. And we welcome you,” he said, acknowledging Mr. Rahn. “And we congratulate you on being such a fine dad that your daughter stands here in the Rose Garden as the National Teacher of the Year.”

The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 3

May 18, 2007

VALLEY NEWS

Cigarette in planter caused house fire

By Elinor Florence Pioneer Staff The fire that destroyed an Invermere home resulted from a cigarette butted out in a planter on the deck, the homeowner said this week.

Sydney-Anne Porter, owner of AG Valley Foods, said she had a cigarette on her deck and then put it out around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 8th before she left for a function in Fairmont.

When she and her daughter-in-law Sarah arrived home at 11 p.m., they found firefighters already working to contain the blaze, which gutted the house at 800-4th Avenue.

“The fire must have smouldered for hours before it started,” she said.

Sydney-Anne said she wants everyone to be aware that the potting soil in a planter may contain flammable materials.

“Just this week, we have seen so many planters around town with cigarette butts in them,” she said.

She said her goal in coming forward with the information is to ensure that others don’t make the same mistake.

“Both of my parents were volunteer firefighters

and I’ve seen them come home from fires where children died, so prevention was always a big part of my upbringing,” she said.

The home was occupied by Sydney-Anne, her sons Greg and Eric Lapointe, and Eric’s wife Sarah, who is expecting in November. Everyone was away at the time of the fire.

Sydney-Anne said her family has been overwhelmed with support since the accident.

Bob and Sandra Kelly, owners of the Lochend housing development in Invermere, have offered them a house until July 1st. After that date, a Calgary man who just purchased a new home in town has offered to rent it to them for one year.

“A lot of second homeowners who have furnished homes here offered their places,” Sydney-Anne said.

“It just emphasizes that they are part of our community, too.”

JoAnne Willox, owner of Details by JoAnne, has provided Sydney-Anne and Sarah with clothing. Both the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Radium Chamber e-mailed their members asking for support. Offers of clothes, food, furniture and cash have been pouring in, Sydney-Anne said.

“We have received calls from people we know

slightly, and people we have never met,” she said.

Sydney-Anne said she has turned down offers of a fundraiser benefit, since the family does not require cash. Fortunately, her insurance covers everything.

She purchased replacement value insurance from Rose Marie Ball, local manager of East Kootenay Realty in Invermere, and she said she couldn’t be happier with the service.

She said a house valued at $300,000 might cost $600,000 to replace once you include the contents.

“The adjuster told us accidents happen, and their job is to make things as easy as possible. They have posted security outside the house to protect anybody’s safety who wants to look around, and they are lining up people to have the house torn down.”

She said her intention is to rebuild on the same property. “We love the location and the neighbourhood.”

Sydney-Anne, who turned 50 last Friday, is determined to keep a positive outlook. “All our memories are in our heads and our hearts,” she said.

“People were coming up to me all day Friday and saying: ‘This must be the worst birthday you ever had.’

I answered, ‘No, it’s the best birthday I ever had.’ I’m still alive.”

Bear killed inside Panorama home

By Cayla Gabruck Pioneer Staff A young black bear was shot and killed by RCMP officers after it became trapped in a home at Panorama Mountain Village.

Heather Bilodeau was home alone around 4 p.m. the afternoon of Wednesday, May 9th when the bear entered through an unlatched door.

Mrs. Bilodeau, who owns the Bilodeau School of Skiing and Snowboarding with her husband Don, said she became aware of the bear after hearing heavy footsteps thumping around and going up and down the stairwell. She said she thought the building was being ransacked.

The Bilodeau family, including their teenage daughter Hannah, live on the upper level and a tenant lives downstairs. They share a common entrance and stairway.

Mrs. Bilodeau went to the door of her living quarters and looked down the stairs towards the front door. “Just before I opened the door I thought, I wonder if a bear got in,” she said.

When she did open the door, she saw a young black bear on all fours standing on the landing and

using its claws to rip off the metal on the front door, “clearly trying to get out.”

“I shut the door, went right to the balcony and yelled,” she said. “Which was ridiculous because there was no one here - everyone was at work.”

Mrs. Bilodeau then called Panorama Mountain Village Security and then the RCMP. Then she called her husband Don on his cell phone. He raced back up the mountain from Invermere and was the first to arrive on the scene.

While she was on the phone she could hear the windows rattling from the bear trying to get out.

“The whole time I was on the deck, I was staring at the door thinking the minute it comes through there I am toast - I have to jump,” she said.

Security arrived soon after and assisted Mrs. Bilodeau off the third-floor balcony with the help of a ladder.

The main door though which the bear entered opens inward, so it was not possible to open the door and let the bear out.

When two RCMP officers arrived, they entered the home and shot the bear.

“We had no other options, “said Staff-Sergeant Doug Pack, head of the RCMP detachment. “We

don’t carry tranquilizers. When we take action like that it is because there is a risk to humans.”

There have been a number of bear sightings in the resort village over the past two weeks.

“If a bear is going to be a problem like that with humans,” Staff-Sgt. Pack said, “it’s really unfortunate but that bear doesn’t have much of a chance.”

Although unhappy about the bear’s death, Mrs. Bilodeau said she understands.

“I feel a small sense of responsibility. All of us should - it was a beautiful animal,” she said. “I am very torn. I understand what had to be done, but understanding and feeling are two different things.”

Mrs. Bilodeau also said that the horrific situation was made tolerable simply by an act of kindness from a neighbor. Ken Ray is a long-time employee of Panorama, known as “Kenno.”

Ray showed up after everyone left to help the Bilodeaus clean their blood-stained carpet.

“He showed up with his wet dry vac, put on his rubber gloves and said: ‘I’m ready, we have to get started on this’,” Mrs. Bilodeau said. “He cleaned what you would never expect anyone to do.”

“At the end of the day this story is about an exceptional neighbor,” Mrs. Bilodeau said.

4 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

PERSPECTIVE

Diefenbaker recalled

By Elinor Florence Pioneer Publisher Seeing the photograph of John Diefenbaker brings back a distant personal memory of this man. The former prime minister was chancellor of the University of Saskatchewan when I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in 1971, and it was he who presented me with my degree.

It was a pretty impersonal affair there were so many of us graduating that even by the time he got to the Fs, he was worn out.

He sat on a throne-like affair and each of us picked up his trembling hand from the arm of the chair and gave it a shake; he was 76 years old at the time and looking pretty frail.

Nevertheless, he was still a Member of Parliament six years later when I was studying journalism at Carleton Uni-

versity. Since my father, a Saskatchewan farmer, was a huge fan of Diefenbaker’s, I took his newly-published memoirs called One Canada down to Parliament Hill to see if I could get his autograph.

I never got past his secretary, but Mr. Diefenbaker wrote a very nice little message to my father on the flyleaf and Dad was thrilled to receive the book as a present from me.

Mr. Diefenbaker died three years later, in 1979, while he was still in office. He was buried on the campus at the University of Saskatchewan, his coffin draped in the Red Ensign because he never liked the new Maple Leaf flag.

Prime minister from 1957 to 1963, Mr. Diefenbaker was a perennial favourite among the “little guys” back in Saskatchewan. There’s a museum on the university grounds dedicated to him and it’s well worth a visit if you’re ever in Saskatoon.

May 18, 2007

‘Dief the Chief ’ visited valley

A fashion plate he was not, but John Diefenbaker donned shorts on a hot summer day in Fairmont Hot Springs back in 1966.

On the left is Jeanne Stick, and on the right is Mr. Diefenbaker’s wife Olive.

The source of the photo is Kris Seaman.

Historical Lens

Photo courtesy of Windermere Valley Historical Society

Director explains why we need broadband Dear Editor: Just as high-quality road systems are needed to transport people and goods, high-quality wired and wireless networks are needed to transport information. Many people in the Columbia Valley use some form of network, be it cable, satellite or dial-up in their daily operation to do their work; transferring data and information. Of the people I hear from, the majority are anxious to connect to better, faster service.

We really should look at the service not only as a consumer, but also as a producer. Fibre optic cables are to this century what copper wires were to the last, and their capacity is essentially unlimited.

Why did the Province of Alberta decide in 1998 to spend $500 million building fibre and wireless infrastructure, so every public building, business, office

and household can connect to broadband? Because it is essential for a strong economic future. The fibre optic broadband project is about the future, especially the future of our children and grandchildren.

People in the Columbia Valley: We already have and own this high-quality infrastructure called “backbone.” Yes, we have to pay for it in the next 25 years. I hope we will choose to pay for it with user fees rather than taxes.

How do private service providers pay their costs?

By charging fees for their services, a portion of which would be turned over to the Regional District of East Kootenay to help defray the costs of both the backbone and the local access networks.

I encourage everybody, before you send in the elector form, to read ALL the information ads from the RDEK printed in the last five issues of the local pa-

pers. If you missed them, please visit the RDEK website: www.rdek.bc.ca or get a printout at the RDEK office located on Athalmer Road (in the BC Hydro building). Also, contact your Area Director.

For people who are not comfortable with the alternative approval process, here are the reasons I voted for this form of elector assent.

1) it is much cheaper, about $4,000 versus $30,000 2) it is not as time-consuming as a referendum, which would push the actual build-out to next year.

If we all connect and use the service, it will be competitive, affordable and far superior to any service available in the Columbia Valley.

Klara Trescher Area G Director

The Columbia Valley

P IONEER is independently owned and operated and is published weekly by Abel Creek Publishing Inc. Box 868, #8, 1008 - 8th Avenue, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0 Phone (250) 341-6299 · Fax (250) 341-6229 Email: upioneer@telus.net · www.columbiavalleypioneer.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 Columbia Valley Pioneer. It is agreed by any display advertiser requesting space that the newspaper’s 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.

Elinor Florence Publisher

Brian Geis

Cayla Gabruck

Dave Sutherland

Bob Friesen

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April Sorensen

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The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 5

May 18, 2007

LETTERS Let’s start a local animal shelter

Dear Editor: This letter is to all people who abuse, or get bored with, or can’t deal with their family pets.

It has come to my attention that local people have been ending their pets lives in many dierent, inhumane ways.

For the record, there are non-evasive, positive, more eective ways to getting your pet to be an animal that can ďŹ t perfectly into your lifestyle. Alternatively, there are countless alternative measures you can take, other than cruelly killing a faithful companion when you get tired of him.

Re-homing is a great option to deal with these “problemsâ€? (SPCA, veterinary oďŹƒces, millions of no-kill shelters, friends, newspaper or magazine classiďŹ eds and local pet-related businesses), if that is what it comes to, rather than ending his life, especially in such cold, heartless ways (ie. a bullet).

In the past two years that I have been back living here, I am mortiďŹ ed by what I hear and see going on. Dogs and cats thrown from moving vehicles, abandonment of cats in ďŹ elds, tiny kittens abandoned at Lake Enid, severe matting and no grooming of neglected dogs, local puppy mills, pets left alone for days or weeks at a time, pets shot and dumped like so much garbage, feral and family animals intentionally killed and abused for “funâ€?, bears being shot

at point blank range for no reason at all, deer being shot by pellet guns and left to suer, and pets being left out in back yards alone, like forgotten possessions.

I have held my tongue for these two long years, but these issues need to come to the attention of everyone living here, and especially those treating their pets as chattel. It needs to stop. There are other ways of dealing with your mistakes of bringing these pets into your life. Animals are beautiful, feeling and thinking beings who all deserve our love and devotion! I live to see the day where everyone believes that it can be a better world through kindness to animals!

Please visit your local SPCA or a purebred rescue organization to adopt a pet, instead of sustaining pet mills, where the animals suer horribly!

I would love to hear from people who believe that a local animal shelter or holding area would be beneďŹ cial to the Valley. Let’s get these issues into the works and end the suering. Let’s give people somewhere to take their unwanted and unloved pets! If someone wants to be rid of their animal in a hurry, I can guarantee you that they are not going to take the time to drive it to Cranbrook and will take matters into their own hands. But I believe that together, most deďŹ nitely, we can make a dierence!

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6 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

RCMP warn drivers to behave themselves

By Brian Geis Pioneer Staff

Tel. 342-0707 Email: klein@nucleus.com

Heading into the May long weekend, RCMP Invermere Detachment Head, Staff-Sergeant Doug Pack, said police will be out in force and reminded residents and visitors to celebrate responsibly.

“You prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” he said. “There is definitely going to be an increased police presence.

There are no two ways about it.”

Sergeant Pack said Traffic Services will be waging a campaign to stop speeders and impaired drivers so expect road checks throughout the valley.

The May long weekend is the tradi-

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tional start of the summer season that can season the valley population swell to five times its normal size, stressing services from sewer systems to hospital emergency rooms.

“People need to realize, their fun may not be fun for everybody. It’s not a license to be an idiot.”

According to Staff-Sgt. Pack, it’s illegal to import alcohol from Alberta in large quantities. If it is found, he said, it will be confiscated.

“As long as people are safe and not infringing upon the rights of others, I think we’ll be all right,” he commented.

“We would rather talk to people than talk about them, as a statistic.”

For the days between May 9th and May 12th, police responded to 38 calls for service, including four motor vehicle accidents and two alarms.

• May 10: It was reported to police that over the course of the last couple of weeks an unknown culprit had tampered with a boat motor and stolen the leg off of the motor.

• May 11: At approximately 10:50 p.m., police stopped a vehicle on Athalmer road due to driving faster than the posted speed limit. The driver turned out to be a vehicle impound candidate, as issued by the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles, and his vehicle was towed to be held in compound for 30 days.

• May 12: At approximately 12:30

a.m., police stopped a vehicle on Borden Street in Athalmer in response to an associated complaint. The driver admitted to having consumed alcohol and as a result of his symptoms a 24-hour licence suspension was issued.

• May 12: At approximately 1 a.m., police stopped a vehicle at a roadcheck located on 7th Avenue and Laurier Street after it narrowly escaped colliding with the police.

The driver did stop and was detained for impaired driving. The breath demand was read and back at the Columbia Valley RCMP detachment the driver provided two samples of his breath which were both readings of 160 milligrams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood.

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The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 7

May 18, 2007

LETTERS

New owners update status of Whitetail and Blue Lakes Dear Editor: Recently, Tembec Industries sold a large block of land (Sublot 168) on, and near, Whitetail Lake and Blue Lake.

We are pleased to announce that we, the Whitetail Lake Land Owners Group, were the successful buyers of this property. Our group is environmentally sensitive and is composed primarily of individuals born and raised in the Columbia Valley, the East Kootenays, and Calgary.

First and foremost, it is the group’s intention to preserve and maintain the natural beauty of Whitetail Lake and its surrounding lands and to respect existing community involvement in the area.

The group’s first concern is to address the pine beetle infestation on the property, which covers several areas totaling approximately 75 hectares. It is imperative that the logging of the pine beetle-infested trees begin immediately (end of May or early June), before the beetle has an opportunity to emerge from its adult state and start infesting adjacent trees and stands. It is our hope that neighboring property owners also recognize the destructive potential of this infestation on our forests and act to preserve its rich inheritance.

The Whitetail Lake Land Owners Group is committed to preserving the legacy of the Blue Lake Forest Education Society Camp, which is situated within the purchased block of land. The Society was established in 1977 and is a registered non-profit organization which encourages responsible stewardship of our forest lands by informed and concerned citizens.

The Society’s primary focus is to deliver a variety of educational programs and experiences to young people, primarily from the Columbia/Kootenay region, based on the principles of experiential learning. These programs promote integrated forest resource management and social responsibility to one another and the environment we live in.

At present, the Society does not own the

land where their Camp is located and operates within the bounds of about 24 hectares of rented land. A condition of our purchase of the lands, and one wholly supported by the Whitetail Lake Land Owners Group, is that a 60 hectare parcel of land around Blue Lake be subdivided from the main parcel and transferred back to Tembec for later gifting to the Blue Lake Forest Education Society.

In the past, the public has utilized the private lands on the east side of Whitetail Lake and the surrounding environment for camping purposes. Future interim camping on the purchased property will remain under the supervision of Dave and Jill White, who will act as liaisons between the Whitetail Lake Land Owners Group and the public during this process of change. The Whites will continue to be the caretakers of the property with regard to fire watch and campsite visits.

Due to the logging that will commence in May 2007 for pine beetle control and the public safety concerns associated with this, the Whitetail Lake Land Owners Group ask that overnight camping cease on the two existing campsites (posted on the property as campsites 1 and 2) located on the southeastern shore of the property.

Following completion of the logging, these two sites will serve as a private Whitetail Lake Land Owners Group camping area. This will leave seven of the nine campsites available to the general public during the spring and summer months of 2007.

The Whitetail Lake Land Owners Group is looking forward to integrating into the Columbia Valley community and is committed to working together with the public, and will be communicating the Group’s future plans for the property once they have been prepared.

Should you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact pjroggeman@shaw.ca, or whitetailowners@gmail.com.

Whitetail Lake Land Owners Group

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8 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

Valley welcomes first naturopathic physician

By Brian Geis Pioneer Staff Accepting new patients since the beginning of May, Dr. Marika Geis, BSc., ND., the owner of Daziran Integrative Health is a general practitioner offering Naturopathic medical care.

Dr. Marika Geis “Naturopathic medicine is integrative in the sense that it incorporates western science and traditional medicine,” she said.

Naturopathic treatments, she said, include clinical nutrition, botanical medicine (herbalism), homeopathic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, physical medicine, prevention and lifestyle counseling.

“More important than the treatments we offer, are the ideals that govern our practice,” she said. “Naturopathic medicine is gentle, non-invasive and designed to stimulate the body to heal itself.”

While recognizing a need for conventional medi-

cine, Dr. Geis said Naturopathic medicine takes an entirely different approach to disease.

“Conventional medicine is a symptoms-based approach and often doesn’t address the root cause of disease,” she commented. “Conventional medicine obviously has its place, but often the prescription of drugs is the default, without exploring other options. We try to encourage a collaborative approach with other practitioners.”

The way the North American health care system operates, she said, doctors don’t have the time to spend with patients to figure out the root causes of disease, and rely on the efficacy of drugs to relieve patients of their symptoms. Naturopathic doctors treat symptoms by addressing their root causes.

“Because we need so much information to get to those root causes,” she said “doctor-patient interactions can last an hour and a half and include a complete physical examination.”

Like most health care professionals, Naturopathic doctors must first complete their pre-medical studies at post secondary institution after which they enter into a rigorous four-year program at an accredited Naturopathic educational facility.

During the first half of the program, she said, ND’s receive conventional medical training. The remaining time is spent on botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy, lifestyle counseling, hydrotherapy, physical medicine and extensive clinical experience under the supervision of licensed doctors.

Originally from Montreal—where her father Dr. André Jobin, MD., practices medicine—Dr. Geis called Alberta home until moving to Invermere. She studied pre-law at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, received her undergraduate degree from the University of Calgary and completed her medical training at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto.

“Personally, my primary goal is to educate my patients,” she said. “Involving themselves in their own health leaves them empowered and confident that they have the ability to affect positive change in their lives.

When I’ve been able to inspire the spirit of change in my patients, I know I’ve done my job.”

Dr. Geis shares office space with Radermacher Chiropractic and Azure Massage in Parkside Place on 7th Avenue in downtown Invermere. For more information, visit www.daziran.ca or call 342-8830.

Ahoy Landlubbers! y curv

S

It's a Pirate Party!

Join The Monkey's Uncle fer an

The Monkey’s Uncle

Evenin' o' Feastin' and Fun at the Blue Dog Cafe

The Monkey is Five!

25th o' May

7:00 PM

Four scoundrels will be competin' in a game of Skullduggery...

One will win a treasure chest full of

The Monkey’s Uncle The Best

Toy Store Ever!

$100000...

Three will be keelhauled, scuppered and marooned (or maybe just get a consolation prize)

So put yer Pirate outfit on and join us fer the evenin' at the Blue Dog Cafe

(no parrots please)

Dress Up!

Best Pirate Costume wins Dinner for Two courtesy of The Blue Dog Cafe!

The Best

Toy Store Ever!

> >>>

Encore

Page 9

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE COLUMBIA VALLEY

MUSIC • VISUAL ARTS • DINING • BAR SCENE • ENTERTAINMENT • PERFORMANCE ARTS

African Violet

MOVIE REVIEW

PAGE 10 PAGE 10

TROOPER WINNERS!

PAGE 12

Out & About Lynn Olagundoye and The Guerrilla Funk Allstars will perform a blend of soul, blues, funk and reggae music at the Hoodoo Lounge & Grill in Fairmont Hot Springs on May 18th and 19th. See Page 12 for more info.

This Week’s Gallery Show · Pynelogs Cultural Centre Celebrating and featuring: Jill Unger - Photographer, Jen Woodburn - Painter, Jill Bukovnik - Painter & Carver, Kimberley Rae Sanderson - Photographer, Kathleen Turnbull - Painter.

Artist Opening Wednesday May 16 & 23 from 7 to 9 pm.

What does ART mean to you?

Kat Danser · Pynelogs Cultural Centre

Bistro Concert Series, “Blues music for the 21st century” Sunday May 27th, Doors Open at 7 pm. Tickets are available at Pynelogs.

Visit columbiavalleyarts.com for our current events calendar, or call 342-4423.

Your Weekly Guide to What’s Happening Around the Columbia Valley PAGE 11

10 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

MUSIC • VISUAL ARTS • DINING • BAR SCENE • ENTERTAINMENT • PERFORMANCE ARTS

Movie Review: Alpha Dog Reviewed by Cayla Gabruck

Long Weekend

Party

Headquarters • DJ Dance Party All Weekend!

• Great Drink Specials • Open for Lunch 12 noon, Monday – Sunday • Trooper after party, Sun. 11 pm 1310 - 7th Ave. Invermere

Phone: 250-341-3344

We’re open longer, to serve you better!

2:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Tuesday thru Saturday 2:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.

Come check-out our NEW APPIES!

An all-round great movie, Alpha Dog is gripping and edgy, but at the same time not something that you want to watch with your entire family or rent for your 14-year-old.

Rated R, Alpha Dog is the true story of a group of young people living in the suburbs of Los Angeles who are wrapped up in their own world of extreme parties and drug deals.

Johnny Truelove, played by Emile Hirsch, whom you might remember from Lords of Dogtown, is a powerful drug dealer who violently controls his too-loyal groupies Frankie, played by Justin Timberlake, and Elvis.

All is fun and drugs until a rift with another drug dealer sends their lives spiraling out of control. Impulsively, Truelove and his crew kidnap the other drug dealer’s 15-year-old, straight-as-

an-arrow brother Zach.

The movie is full of twist and turns that will leave you blown away. Even though this movie is seemingly about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, its main theme is based around the idea of bad parenting, as Bruce Willis says at the start of the film.

Surprisingly enough, Justin Timberlake does a great job acting in this movie. He is very realistic and one would hardly guess that it is the same Justin Timberlake who was once dancing around singing “Dirty Pop” in a boy band.

Alpha Dog was directed by Nick Cassavetes and is inpired by the actual 2000 kidnapping and murder case of Nicholas Markowitz.

RATING: 4.5 OUT OF 5 HEADS

Kitchen is Open

May Long Weekend!

Friday Mat the Alien…

Sunday Bud’s Beach Party...

($5 out of every ticket go’s to the skateboard park)

tons of prizes and contests

tickets on sale at Buds, Syndicate and Tastys

All weekend drinks specials and food specials

“Bud’s is where it’s at!”

Gone

HOLLYWOOD V

I D E O

TASTY BRUNCH - Once again the Kinsmen Home Show on May 11 and 12 was a big success. Here Jeff Gelinas serves up sausages to hungry onlookers in front of the Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena.

Gone Hollywood’s

TOP FIVE OF THE WEEK Last Week’s Top 5 Rentals

New Releases May 15

New Releases May 22

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

Because I Said So Catch & Release Night at the Museum Deja Vu Music & Lyrics

Pan’s Labyrinth Arthur & the Invisibles The Fountain Stomp the Yard Seraphim Falls

Apocalypto Epic Movie The Good German Letters From Iwo Jima Constellation

DVD +VHS + GAME CUBE + XBOX + XBOX 360 + PS2 + GQ PO Box 2800, 503 - 7th Ave., Invermere, V0A 1K0

342-0057

ghdinvermere@hotmail.com

The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 11

May 18 , 2007

MUSIC • VISUAL ARTS • DINING • BAR SCENE • ENTERTAINMENT • PERFORMANCE ARTS

Out & About

blankets, friends, and snacks! Alcohol-free event.

For info: 250-426-4460/.

Wednesday, May 23rd:

Friday, June 1st - Saturday June 2: • Square Dancing, Radium Community Hall, Radium Hot Springs. For info: 347-6573.

• 7 pm - 9:30 pm: Join Living With The Angels Friday, June 1st - Sunday, June 3rd: Elizabeth Manuel for an introductory evening on “Get Happy”, College of the Rockies, $30. For • Canal Days: Pancake breakfast, parade, ball tournament, dinner, and live music. Canal Flats. info: 780-445-9299.

• Barrel & Pole Series start at Brisco Club Grounds, Saturday, June 2nd: Windermere Valley Saddle Club. 342-9881.

Toby Theatre • Spilli Chilli Cook-Off, Spillimacheen. For info: • May 16 - 19: Wild Hogs Wednesday, May 23rd - Wednesday, June 27th: 1-250-346-3390.

• May 23 - 26: Premonition • 9:30 am-11:30 am: Baby Badger interactive • 8 am-5 pm: Forest Industry Career Expo, parent-participation program for children under Cranbrook Recreational Centre. Entertainment Tuesdays Until May 22nd: 3, Monday & Wednesdays. $12/session. For info: for all ages, guest speakers, special demonstration events and door prizes, admission is free. For info: • 7-9:30 pm: Chronic Disease Self-Management Sandy, 341-3110, or Little Badger, 342-6331.

Tracy McGuire 1-250-426-9274.

Program, Invermere Hospital boardroom. For info: • 12 pm - 3 pm: Invermere Health Unit finishes 1-888-902-3767.

Thursday, May 24th: off Kids Safe Week with prizes, cookies and fun at • 7 pm-9:30 pm: Join Living With The Angels author Home Hardware.

Saturday, May 19th: Elizabeth Manuel for an introductory evening on • 2 pm: Windermere Valley Museum Opening Tea, • 9 am-2 pm: Radium Library Book Sale, Main “Align With Your Deepest Truth”, College of the held at the Museum. Come view the new displays.

Street, Radium Hot Springs.

Rockies, $30. For info: 780-445-9299.

• 9 am-11 am: NeighbourLink Sale, 320-10th • 9 am-1 pm: Estate Sale, 7578 Pioneer Avenue, Avenue, Invermere. Used furniture, light fixtures, Radium Hot Springs.

Saturday, May 26th: appliances. To donate, call Judy 342-3534, or • 10 am-3 pm: Book Sale, Invermere Public Library, • 11 am-3 pm: Parkside Place Block Party, Main Dorothy 342-3826. sponsored by the Friends of the Invermere Public Street Invermere. See ad Page 42.

Library. Proceeds going to the new library building • 6:30-9 pm: Meditation and Dhamma with Monday, June 4th: fund. meditation teacher U Vansarakkhita at the Lions • 7 pm: Cinefest film “Away From Her,” Toby • 10 am-5 pm: Artym Gallery 5th Anniversary Hall. For info: (403) 220-0113. See ad Page 50.

Theatre. Admission $10.

Celebration, paint a square with artists Susan Woolgar and Denise Lemaster, Vance Theoret will Friday, June 8th: create a soapstone bear, cake and refreshments Sunday, May 27th: served. For info: 342-7566.

• Kat Danser, a sassy and sensitive songwriter • 9 am: Regional District of East Kootenay board • 6 pm-9 pm: Live music and reception, Artym playing in Mississippi blues form, performs at meeting. For more info: 1-888-478-7335.

Gallery 5th Anniversary Celebration, hors Pynelogs Cultural Centre. For info: 342-7108. d’oeuvres catered by Strands Restaurant. For info: New Video Releases Tuesday, May 22nd: 342-7566.

Monday, May 28th - Saturday June 2nd: • Apocalypto • Epic Movie • Kids Safe Week, Invermere Health Unit. Swim to • Letters From Iwo Jima • Succubus Sunday, May 20th: Survive Challenge Monday - Thursday, 4:30 pm - 6 • The Breed • Venus • 7 pm: 80s Reunion Weekend, featuring Trooper at pm, Radium Hot Pools. For info: 342-2365.

• The Good German Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena. Opening band, Stand By for the Bomb. For info: 342-5873.

Tuesday, May 29th: OTHER Please call 341-6299 or Email us at upioneer@telus.net to enter your event in our FREE listings.

• 6-8 pm: Container Gardening Class, Home Hardware. Fee $40 includes soil. Sponsored by • 7 pm-10 pm: Aboriginal Film Festival, Rotary Ground Elements and Home Hardware. For info: Park (rain location Tembec gym). Bring your 347-9974.

Tuesday, May 22nd - Friday, May 25th:

• Radium Public Library is compiling a local history book, titled “Big Horn Small Talk”. If you have any short stories, photos, poetry, history, or crazy facts, submit to Box 293, Radium, V0A 1M0.

Book your Wedding or Special Event Now No matter which time of year your special day falls, Eagle Ranch Golf Resort is the perfect venue to host your event. We offer you personalized Service Beyond to meet and exceed your every expectation. Visit the Clubhouse or call 342-0562 to check availability or to request information.

Elevate Your Dining Experience Call 1-877-877-3889 or locally 342-0562 to make a reservation today or visit www.eagleranchresort.com

12 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

Order this beautiful signed and numbered giclée print of an original oil painting

by Elizabeth Wiltzen.

This striking piece of art is featured on the cover of the 2007 Columbia Valley Map Book.

Cost for 20-inch x 15-inch print is $450 unframed, $675 framed.

Cost for 40-inch x 30-inch print is $1,200 unframed, $1,640 framed.

Proceeds towards the construction of the new Invermere Public Library.

This charitable project is jointly sponsored by The Columbia Valley Pioneer and The Artym Gallery in Invermere.

To order your print, please contact: The Arytm Gallery at (250) 342-7566 or e-mail: info@artymgallery.com.

The Pioneer at (250) 341-6299 or e-mail: info@columbiavalleypioneer.com.

LAKE AUTO SAYS THANK YOU - A barbecue last Saturday for customers of Lake Auto, which is closing its doors as Invermere’s only auto dealership, was attended by local performers Gordon Askey, left, and John Cronin.

Join us for our Lisa Reiter Buddy Pyykonen Carrie Ferguson Marilyn Kraayvanger Linda Brookes Sandy Cook Stephanie Sam Louise Feldmann Samantha Sam Laura Thompson Opening Band

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY THIS WEEKEND Come on down and celebrate with

Lynn Olagundoye and the Guerrilla Funk Allstars May 18th, 19th @ 8:30 pm

STAND BY FOR THE BOMB

Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena

Sunday, May 20th @ 7:00 pm Doors open at 6:00 pm

1 KM south of Fairmont at the Hoodoos (formerly TJ’s Pizza) 345-2166

The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 13

May 18, 2007

Artym Gallery celebrates five great years Submitted by Deanna Berrington Editor’s Note: Deanna Berrington, who was recently named Employee of the Year by the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce, is a regular contributor from Artym Gallery.

“As the saying goes, time flies when you are having fun,” Grey Bradatsch, co-owner with his wife Connie of the Artym Gallery says. “It is hard to believe that it has been five years already.”

But five years it has been for the main street gallery that had its official grand opening on May 18th, 2002. To mark their fifth year in business, the Artym is having a celebration on May 19th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The name Artym Gallery is derived from Connie’s maiden name (pronounced Ahr-tim) and, like everything else, just seemed to fall into place when they opened up shop five years ago.

Grey and his wife Connie never doubted that a gallery like The Artym would be successful in Invermere, and the prosperity of the gallery is evidence of their hard work and dedication.

Connie Artym and Grey Bradatsch have turned their gallery into a valley success story.

Proud of their artists and the high quality of artwork that they carry, Connie and Grey maintain a high level of professionalism while striving to create

an approachable, friendly atmosphere that is a pleasure to visit. Constantly changing displays create a new space for both first-time and return visitors to the

gallery as well as keeping Connie, Grey, and their two full-time staff busy.

The celebration denoting their fifth year will get started at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Cake and refreshments will be served all day, until 5 p.m. Vance Theoret, sculptor extraordinaire, will be in attendance at the gallery, as he is every May long weekend. You can watch Vance sculpt outside the gallery as he creates a bear out of soapstone.

Everyone is encouraged to drop by the gallery and paint a square on the Artym celebration mural. It is based on a painting by Armand Vallée, and will be completed by celebrants and passersby with the help of artists Susan Woolgar and Denise Lemaster.

Every participant will pick a number and paint the corresponding section of the grid on the mural. Stop by during the day and see the painting evolve into a masterpiece created with a little help from everyone!

(It has been a pleasure for me working at the Artym for these five years, and I’d like to join the community in congratulating Connie and Grey on their continued success - Deanna Berrington.)

Watch

Vance Theoret Vance Theoret Please join us to celebrate our

5th Anniversary Saturday, May 19th 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Susan Woolgar

Downtown Invermere

Everyone is invited to paint a square on a celebration mural with help from artists

Susan Woolgar &

artymgallery.com Ph: 250-342-7566

create a bear from soapstone.

Denise Lemaster

Denise Lemaster.

14 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

RUNNING FOR FUN - The J. A. Laird annual Fun Run held May 11th had a record turnout this year, with 350 students, parents, teachers and community members.

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Serving Spillimacheen, Brisco, Radium, Edgewater, , Invermere, Windermere, Fairmont and Canal Flats

IN THE BEAUTIFUL COLUMBIA VALLEY

Entertainment and activity guide for the whole family!

Avid glider and member of the Invermere Soaring Club, Stewart Midwinter Midwinter, Club Stewart took a shot of himself while sailing silently through the wild blue yonder.

See more inside.

“For all your real estate needs”

“2 locations to serve you”

Invermere 526 B - 13th St., 250-342-6911 • 1-877-342-6914

Fairmont Hot Springs 4 - 4992 - Fairmont Frontage 250-345-4000 • 1-866-345-4004

16 ~ Play ’n’ Stay • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

MAIN STREET INVERMERE (250) 342-6151 Village Arts features the handcrafted work of over 50 artisans.

Best selection of Canadian Fine Craft in the Region Open year round Monday to Saturday 10 am to 5:30 pm Summer Sundays 11 am - 4 pm

www.villagearts.ca

Featuring these artisans and more‌

Blissbeads

Sandra Arnold Beingessner Handcrafted Glass Beads and Custom Jewellery

250-342-6507

Watch the artist work.

Studio at Bliss Hair & Esthetics 814 - 13th Street, Invermere

Brian Hoffos Wood Designs Brian & Jenny Hoffos Unique mirrors, lamps and hand-turned wooden items.

250-342-3819

Downtown Windermere Open year-round seven days a week 814 - 13th Street, Invermere

TOP OF THE WORLD—Invermere Soaring Centre owner Trevor Florence snapped this shot over Lake of the Hanging Glacier high above the Purcell Mountains east of Invermere.

Wind beneath your wings

Have you ever had a dream where you were ying like a bird?

The Invermere Soaring Centre is giving people the chance to capture that dream by taking a glide over the Rockies. “We utilize the forces of nature to seemingly defy gravity,� said Trevor Florence, owner of the centre.

A glider, in a nutshell, is a plane with no engine.

It is towed behind a plane with an engine, known as a

tow-plane, in search of uprising air called thermals. “Just like a hawk or an eagle would circle, that’s what we do,� Trevor said.

The glider is then allowed to soar on its own.

Without an engine, soaring is not only scenic, but also peaceful and tranquil.

Don’t worry - gliding is very safe. The instructors at Invermere Soaring Centre are certiďŹ ed and have lots of experience. The planes are also built to very rigid standards, and Trevor said they are generally stronger than conventional airplanes.

Continued on Page 17

there’s more for your golďƒžng dollar at th’ Flats!

Columbia Valley Vacations We Plan, You Play!

By Cayla Gabruck Pioneer Sta

Your Valley Planner, Sherry, makes it easy for you to enjoy a FUN & HASSLE Free vacation. She is dedicated to ensuring that every aspect of your needs are met, from a simple Golf Getaway or Outdoor Adventure package to Corporate Meetings, she will work with you to create the perfect holiday.

Kapristo Mountain Woodcraft Dean Spence & Cathie Green Distinctive rustic furniture and household accessories www.kmv.ca

(250) 344-6734

8BMLBCMF "ĂľPSEBCMF &OKPZBCMF $VTUPN HPMGTNJUIJOH t 8BML POT XFMDPNF

th’ Flats Golf Course

%VOO 4U $BOBM 'MBUT #$ 'PS SFTFSWBUJPOT QMFBTF DBMM

Go To: www.ColumbiaValleyVacations.com for Specials/Packages and get your free quote today.

Contact: Sherry Huether Email: cvv@shaw.ca Toll Free: 1-888-488-4FUN(386)

Play ’n’ Stay • The Columbia Valley Pioneer ~ 17

May 18, 2007

Local soaring club open to aspiring glider pilots Continued from Page 16 “You can’t run out of gas, so the engine will never quit,” Trevor laughed.

There are varieties of flights you can choose from, even if you are a little apprehensive about soaring.

For beginners, Trevor recommends the Valley Flight. The Valley Flight is an introduction to soaring. It is a 20-minute long flight above the valley and Lake Windermere.

If you are a little more adventurous, you can take a Mountain Flight. The Mountain Flight is the Soaring Centre’s most popular flight and is done in the afternoon when the necessary thermals are available to gain altitude.

If you are in the mood for something truly spectacular, you can take a Glacier Flight. This flight goes deep into the mountain ranges where the higher peaks and glaciers are. This flight, according to the brochure, “is not for those faint of heart,” because it includes strong thermals and fast climbs.

Trevor said that eagles have flown beside the glider, making the trip even more picturesque.

There is a local club here for glider pilots called the Canadian Rockies Soaring club, with a membership of about 45 people.

One world record and several Canadian records are held by Invermere pilots, and the local club has ranked first in total distance flown since this statistic began to be collected in 2000.

Last season club members flew a total of 116,846 kilometres.

Invermere Soaring Centre attracts both Canadian and international pilots.

The conditions here are so favourable

because the terrain, weather, and facilities are among the best in the world.

There are not a lot of soaring centres in Canada, and Trevor said that the view here is definitely the best. Glider pilots visit from throughout the world to fly over the B.C Rockies.

“We are lucky to have these conditions,” Trevor said.

Another exciting part of spring is the choosing of the bursary students.

Two Norman Marsh Memorial Bursaries are offered each year - one by the Soaring Centre and one by the club - for two teens who are interested in learning to fly gliders.

The selected young people will receive all club memberships needed for the entire season and ten days of intense instruction on the ground and in the air. This year the session will operate from July 2 to 13.

In past years, most students have achieved solo flight in this time. Students are welcome to stay on after the bursary days are over, and work to pay for further flying.

This is an excellent start for someone interested in a career in any aspect of flight, or for those who have always wanted to “soar like an eagle.”

Interested young people aged 15 to 18 should contact Trevor at 342-1688 or Evelyne at 342-9602 by May 30.

More information is available at www. soartherockies.com.

Come and visit the Invermere Soaring Centre at the north end of the airport and watch what is happening. See pictures by logging in to the club website at www.canadianrockiessoaring.com or to the commercial operation at www. soartherockies.com.

DYNASTY STANDS FOR QUALITY locally owned and operated

Phone/Fax

Service After The Sale

Neil & Coralie Woele • woeles@canyonrv.com

347-9762

www.dynastyspas.com

Dreaming of a wonderful wedding?

Lucky in Love will take the stress out of planning.

Call today for your complimentary consultation.

18 ~ Play ’n’ Stay • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

Playland open this weekend

&

18-H le Miniature G lf G -Kart Track OPEN APRIL TO OC TOBER

C pper City Café Water Bumper B ats Hw y. 9 3 / 9 5 • Windermere • (250) 341-3640

By Cayla Gabruck Pioneer Staff One of the valley’s oldest family attractions is reopening today, Friday May 18 under new ownership.

Playland, located between Radium and Invermere on Highway 93/95, is now being run by Alex McCluskie of Invermere and his girlfriend Trisha Wilson of Yellowknife, both 18 years old.

“We just want a fun kids’ place, where it is safe,” Trisha said.

Playland was originally opened in the 1960s by Bud Amy, a local artist who worked with fibreglass.

Some of his original sculptures, such as the blue octopus and giant mushroom, are still standing in Playland today.

Initially the park went by the name of Treasure Chest Playland, because of a big treasure chest on the grounds.

After Bud Amy sold Playland, it went through several other owners before Walt and Gail Horton bought it in 1989.

The Hortons changed the park’s name to Playland; they also added go-carts, paintball, bumper boats, the wild carpet slide and a petting zoo. Gail and Walt owned Playland for 18 years, before selling it this past year.

Alex and Trisha have been working very hard to

restore the magic of Playland and are looking forward to the summer ahead. But rest assured, you will not see the colorful fibreglass octopus or any of its partners shipped away.

The two said they are planning on keeping the facility similar to the original Playland.

However, there are a few new fun gimmicks in store, such as new additions to the bumper boats, moonlight mini-golf and possibly paintball.

“We have go-carts for the older kids,” Trish said.

There are ten go-carts running at Playland, and Alex boasts a challenging course and interactive staff.

“If there is only one person on the track we usually race with them,” Alex said.

One of the biggest things in the future of Playland is the task of bringing the locals back into Playland.

The pair is toying with the idea of a possible local day.

Playland is not just for kids. A sunny deck and a beautiful view make it the perfect place for parents to relax while their kids burn off the energy they built up riding a car all day.

Playland will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and is open for special event bookings. Call for 347-9300 for more information.

So whatever your age, stop in, relax, practice your putting on the mini-golf course, or take a ride on the go-carts.

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•

One of the pre-eminent mountain golf courses in the world and a rare opportunity to play one of Canada’s top 10 courses.

•

Play 9 & Dine for just $59 (includes $10 towards your meal at Carrick’s).

•

Twilight, 9 hole, and junior rates available.

•

Featuring four sets of well designed tees making it playable for all abilities.

•

Carrick’s Restaurant is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

•

Greywolf is located at Panorama Mountain Village, only 18 km west of beautiful Invermere-on-the-lake.

Tee Times: (250) 341-4100 or 1-888-473-9965 visit greywolfgolf.com for more information *Conditions may apply to all programs and packages. Rates subject to change/cancellation without notice. All facilities/programs subject to seasonality and cancellation.

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May 18, 2007

Play ’n’ Stay • The Columbia Valley Pioneer ~ 19

PLAYING AND STAYING THROUGHOUT THE YEARS - Ever since tourists discovered the beautiful Columbia Valley, they have been enjoying the hot springs and playing golf. Top, two ladies bathe in Radium Hot Springs mineral pools; bottom, three men golf at a course that once existed just above Pynelogs Cultural Centre in Invermere.

Photos courtesy of Windermere Valley Historical Society

Whether it’s challenging whitewater, family rafting or wetland float trips – Kootenay River Runners will fulfill your spirit of adventure!

• Raft world-class whitewater on the Kicking Horse River • Bring your family for fun, food and adventure on the Kootenay River • Experience Toby Creek Whitewater Fun • Enjoy the Columbia River Wetlands Float Radium Hot Springs: On Highway #93 • (250) 347-9210

1-800-599-4399 info@raftingtherockies.com • www.raftingtherockies.com

T HE P RESTIGE R ADIUM H OT S PRINGS

250-347-2300 T OLL F REE R ESERVATIONS

1-87-PRESTIGE Located in the Okanagan and Kootenay Rockies

www.PrestigeHotelsAndResorts.com

M O RE B A N G F O R YO U R B U C K .

THE PIONEER

MORE THAN TWICE THE READERS OF ANY OTHER LOCAL NEWSPAPER

20 ~ Play ’n’ Stay • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

LONG LONG

WEEKEND SPECIAL

2 Green Fees for 1 when you rent a power cart

•48 hour advance booking

250-427-4161 Also book with 1st Tee Golf:

250-427-4893

Bootleg Gap Golf Kimberly, BC

With its shallow, warm water, Kinsmen Beach in Invermere is a perfect place for young families.

“Golf. . . for the fun of it!”

Green Fees

Weekday (Mon-Thurs non holiday) $49 plus tax Weekend (Fri-Sun & holidays) $55 plus tax Jr. Rates $35 plus tax

Recreational 9 Green Fees Adult $18 plus tax Jr. $12 plus tax

If you are interested in golf information or to book a tee time, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone or email at: TOLL FREE: 1.877.427.7077 EMAIL: admin@bootleggapgolf.com

Daily and Weekly Dream Vacation Rental Homes Panorama • Fairmont • Radium • Invermere • Windermere

Which way to the beach?

Cayla Gabruck Pioneer Staff One of the first questions people ask when they arrive in the valley is: where’s the beach? Following are directions to four public beaches.

• Kinsmen Public Beach is located in downtown Invermere. Drive south on Main Street and follow it until you cannot follow any more. This is one of three public beaches on the gorgeous Lake Windermere and the one used most often. There are change rooms, a sandy beach and an area for swimming. If the water is too cold, you can take your kids to the grassy park shaded by large willow trees. In addition, a spectacular fountain on the nearby pond called Dorothy Lake serves as a beautiful backdrop for a summer picnic.

The Pynelogs Cultural Centre is also located beside Kinsmen Beach. It was built by Robert Randolph Bruce and his bride Lady Elizabeth Northcott in 1915.

Unfortunately she died suddenly before the home was completed, and her body is buried right on Kinsmen Beach beneath a roofed cairn. Mr. Bruce donated the home to the community of Invermere, and it served as a hospital until 1956 and then a seniors’ home. Named Pynelogs after Lady Bruce’s ancestral estate in Scot-

land, the building was reopened in 1990 to become the town’s cultural centre. It has recently undergone extensive restoration. Here the Columbia Valley Arts Council hosts performances and an art gallery.

• James Chabot Provincial Park is located at the far northern end of Lake Windermere, in the area called Athalmer. Athalmer was once a separate community at the foot of the hill leading into Invermere. To find the public beach, turn at the A&W corner and drive sotuh. The public beach offers shallow water, which is perfect for children. There are also picnic tables, change rooms and a children’s playground.

• Windermere Public Beach is located in the small community of Windermere on the east side of the lake. When you turn off the highway to Windermere, follow Bench Road to Fairmont Street all the way to the lakefront. There is a sectioned-off swimming area and a floating raft for your kids. The grassy area is complete with picnic tables and children's play area.

• Canal Flats Provincial Park: The lake to the south called Columbia Lake is much quieter than Lake Windermere. To get to the public beach, take the highway all the way south to Canal Flats and then follow the signs. The park has a boat ramp, picnic tables and washrooms.

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Traces of Thompson

Play ’n’ Stay • The Columbia Valley Pioneer ~ 21

May 18, 2007

Celebrating the Bicentennial of David Thompson’s North American Explorations

Woman of the Paddle Song 150th Anniversary of the Death of Charlotte Small, Wife of David Thompson

By Ross MacDonald Special to The Pioneer Charlotte was born on September 1, 1785 at the North West Company post of Île-à-la-Crosse on the Churchill River in what is now Saskatchewan. Her mother was a northern Woods Cree and her father was Scottish fur-trader Patrick Small.

Patrick Small retired to England in 1791 leaving his country wife, or wives, and his three young children—Patrick, Nancy and Charlotte.

Very little of Charlotte’s childhood is documented, although, some is gleaned from David’s Spartan notes. Charlotte learned the skills of living off the land and understandings of climate, ecosystems, wildlife, and wilderness travel. She also learned the language and culture of her mother’s Cree people.

Straddling two worlds Charlotte would have had familiarity with life at a trading post, although there is no documentation on whether she was raised in the trading post or with the band.

She knew English and likely some French.

Although she was of mixed Native and European parentage, historians Jennifer Brown and Philip Goldring say that it is inappropriate to assign the designation Métis to Charlotte. At the time, in the 1790’s Métis did not have the separate economic, geographical, and political identity that they would create in the Red River after 1812. There is no documentation of Charlotte identifying herself as Métis.

In that era, girls marrying young was not uncommon. Charlotte was 13 yeas old and David was 29 when they were married in the “fashion of the people” on June 10, 1799. Various writers have fictionalized the romantic meeting of David and Charlotte as love at first sight. But historical fact is sparse. If they met previously, it could only have

happened a year earlier when he passed through on route to Lac La Biche. There is some speculation that the marriage may have been arranged; however, how the couple met and why they married is unknown.

According to Goldring, “this was not a typical fur trade marriage of the 18th century, contracted to cement relations between a trader and his Aboriginal customers. As soon as Charlotte and David confirmed their choice, she embarked on the first of some 20,000 kilometres of travel with her husband, travel that no other Cree girl of that time from Îleà-la-Crosse would ever experience except, significantly, her sister Nancy.”

Their marriage is one of the great love stories in Canadian history and would last 58 years. According to Jennifer Brown, Charlotte and David had the longest documented pre-confederation fur trade marriage.

Far more than a companion Charlotte became an essential partner in Thompson’s success through her understanding of the fur trade, Cree culture and survival skills. She also mothered their children. She would have 3 children by the time she was 21 - Fanny born at Rocky Mountain House in 1801, Samuel on the Peace River in 1804, and Emma north of Lake Winnipeg in 1806. Charlotte and the first 3 children were with David on the dangerous trip that established Kootenae House in 1807. For the remainder of David’s Columbia enterprise Charlotte would stay east of the mountains seeing him only during his trips to meet with North West Company partners. When David was away she had the life of most Aboriginal wives of fur traders, managing the domestic life of the trading post while also hunting and gathering food, making moccasins and clothing. Two more children were born in the west - John at Boggy Hall in 1808, and Joshua at Fort Augustus in 1811.

In 1812, the Thompsons and their five children

would leave the west to brave the demanding social world of the east. In September the couple took a step that few fur trader families had done; they baptized their children. On October 30th, they renewed their 17-year union with a church marriage.

At first the family lived in Montréal then moved to the loyalist settlement of Williamstown where as

wealthy landowners Charlotte would have adapted to being a gentleman’s wife and the lady of one of the best houses in the neighbourhood. Charlotte’s sister Nancy, who also married a fur trader, would settle nearby only to be abandoned for a European woman. David remained steadfast to Charlotte.

Eight more children would be born in Upper and Lower Canada. In total ten of their thirteen children lived to adulthood, a significant achievement for that era.

Economic disaster struck with the collapse of the old North West Company and Thompson investments turned sour. He resorted to survey contracts that kept him away from the family for extended periods. The family would move back to Montréal and Charlotte’s world would contract around her aging husband and their shrinking means. Eventually, the children grew up and moved out of the home but it would be a long time before the children were able to help support David and Charlotte.

No image exists of Charlotte. A grandson remembered her as wiry, lively and energetic, but focused on her family. The couple spent most of their later years together either talking or gazing at stars.

David died on Feb 10, 1857 and Charlotte passed away three months later on May 4th. They are buried side by side in the Landel family plot in Mount Royal Cemetery, in Montréal.

References: Philip Goldring – “Charlotte Small and Her Worlds” an unpublished background paper for Parks Canada; Jennifer S.H. Brown – Personal Communication; Jack Nisbet – “Mapmaker’s Eye, David Thompson on the Columbia Plateau”, Washington State University Press, 2005.

Place Names through the Park

22 ~ Play ’n’ Stay • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

By Cayla Gabruck Pioneer Staff Locals and visitors who drive through Kootenay National Park on a regular basis may be interested to learn the origin of some of the place names along the way.

Dolly Varden Campground: Dolly Varden and its picnic area were named after the rare type of fish that were caught there. Dolly Varden char is a type of fine-scaled trout. Much to the disappointment of local legend-tellers, researchers discovered that the fish that were being caught were not Dolly Varden char at all! The “real” Dollys are only found along the west coast, and it turns out all the anglers were catching was common bull trout.

Crooks Meadows Campground: This particular piece of property has particular historical interest and perhaps opportunity for an adventure. The campground is the original homestead of Charles Crook. Charles claimed the land in 1911, and he and his family lived on the site from 1933-1956.

Ray Crook, the son of Charles, lives in Invermere to this day. In 1945, Charles Crook, who helped built the original highway, was killed in a roadway accident.

You can visit his grave in the northwest corners of the meadows. Crooks Meadows Campground is open year round for camping and has a capacity of 75 people.

Perfect for a family celebration, it has a playing field, fire pit, picnic tables, washrooms and roomy shelter.

Olive Lake Picnic Site: This site was a popular stop long before the days of Kootenay National Park. Artifacts indicate that Aboriginal people camped at lakeside up to 11,000 years ago. Olive Lake’s name comes from the beautiful color of its calm, tranquil waters. In 1993, Olive Lake was made completely accessible to people with disabilities.

The improved site is wheelchair accessible and has a number of additions to the parks special exhibits making them available to the visually handicapped.

Paint Pots: Take a short hike up to a place where cold-mineral springs bubble up through small holes and stain the earth around them a deep reddish orange or ochre color. The 1.5-kilometre trail is filled with historical readings that tell just how important the site was to the Aboriginal people of the area. One particular tribe believed that a great thunder spirit resided in the springs. If you listen, maybe the thunder spirit will speak to you.

May 18, 2007

Numa Creek Picnic Area:

Marble Canyon Campground:

This site gets its name from the splendor that surrounds it. Numa Falls is only a stroll away from the parking lot and its beauty is best seen from the rustic bridge that overlooks the river. If you are in the mood for more than just a scenic stopover, you can hike beyond the bridge through beautiful greens to Numa Pass. The pass is the highest point on the Rockwall trail but the beautiful view is payoff enough for the 6.8-kilometre hike that precedes it. If you still are not ready to get back on the road, you can continue on a short while to stunning Lake Floe.

The name Marble Canyon comes from a stone found in the canyon called Dolomite, which is a type of limestone, but its white coloring resembles marble.

This scenic campground has the highest elevation of any in the park and is an ideal spot for day trips to neighboring sights such as the Paint Pots, Icefield Parkway, Athabasca Glacier and even Banff. Marble Canyon’s history is not all roses; the campground was lucky to survive when the largest forest fires in park history, Tokumm, raged through Kootenay Park.

Red Streak Campground: Red Streak Campground got its name from the red rock fault that is visible on the nearby mountains.

The reddish color of the rock comes from hematite (oxidized iron). The fault goes down several kilometers into the ground, extends as far north as Edgewater (10 km) and south as Fairmont Hot Springs (32 km). Red Streak Campground is the largest and most developed campground in Kootenay National Park. Complete with an open amphitheatre, this Campground is most likely to be filled on a long weekend.

There are numerous short hikes in the area, including one to Radium Hot Springs Pools, Valley View Trail, Red Streak Campground Trail and Redstreak Loop Trail. Redstreak Campground Trail is a pleasant trail and is home to Kootenay’s own Place of Silence Peace Park. The Place of Silence is only of many peace parks across the nation designed to create public awareness of Canada’s commitment to world peace and environmental protection.

Even more intriguing is the history behind this spot even before it was named a peace park. The Place of Silence once was a sacred spot for Aboriginal people. Boys on the verge of manhood came here seeking a sign from guardian spirits called “nipikas.”

McLeod Meadows Campground: One of the hidden gems of the Kootenay Park, McLeod Meadows is surrounded by grassy meadows.

The campground is quiet and rarely filled to capacity.

Each different season has different attractions for its campers. The early season is certainly more colorful.

McLeod Meadows is home to at least four different types of orchids, numerous shooting stars and primrose.

However, if you make a stop over in the fall, you may be able to catch a glimpse elk, which tend to gather in the meadows at the beginning of their mating season. Brightly colored kokanee salmon can also be spotted from one of two bridges over the Kootenay River. McLeod Meadows is also a popular takeout spot for canoeists in the park.

Kootenay Park Lodge: One of the park’s oldest lodges, Kootenay Park Lodge, was built in 1923 and originally named Vermillion River Camp. It was one of the many wilderness lodges owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway in an effort to attract tourism. In 2003, the Kootenay Park Lodge stood in the face of two raging forest fires and remains intact. The visitor information station located at the lodge represents the first time in history that the federal government allowed a private company to operate a Parks Information Centre.

Storm Mountain Lodge: Located at the base of Storm Mountain, the lodge was originally built by Canadian Pacific Railway in 1922 as one of eight Bungalow Camps used to promote tourism in the Rockies. Construction on the lodge began one year before the Banff-Windermere highway was officially open. Storm Mountain Lodge is located at the highest point on the highway, also known as Vermillion Pass. The lodge is located in an area with spectacular views, but also in an area common to forest fires. Storm Mountain Lodge has been in danger of being engulfed in flames twice, but both times was spared by a simple change in wind.

Settlers Road: As its name alludes, Settler’s Road was one of the first roads into the valley. These days, this road is a frequent route for trucks hauling magnesite and rafters and canoeists trying to reach the Kootenay River.

You can also follow Settler’s Road to Nipika Mountain Resort, just outside of the park limits. The lodge is an eco-friendly place for its visitors to retreat and relax, particularly if you are interested in outdoor activities; as Nipika has an abundance of trails for anything from mountain biking to cross country skiing.

For more information on the highlights in Kootenay National Park, you can pick up a copy of Bob Hahn’s Kootenay National Park at the Radium Visitor Information centre.

May 18, 2007

Play ’n’ Stay • The Columbia Valley Pioneer ~ 23

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SUMMER AT NIPIKA - Log cabins are surrounded by mountain views for an ideal mountain getaway, just a few kilometres east of Radium Hot Springs.

24 ~ Play ’n’ Stay • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

Kountry Kitchen OPEN

Wednesday - Sunday

Soup & Sandwich Burgers & Fries Daily Special Wood Oven Pizza (Fri., Sat., Sun.) and of course

Fishy Friday Come in and check out our freezer of prepared meals See ya soon! Anne & Terry

Windermere

342-6437

MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK .

THE PIONEER MORE THAN TWICE THE READERS OF ANY OTHER LOCAL NEWSPAPER

May 18, 2007

Toby Bridge Historical Trail

By Brian Geis Pioneer Staff The Toby Bridge Historical Trail is a walk back in time and an easy hike for anyone, young or old.

Visitors will marvel at the sheer cliffs to the canyon bottom and delight in the story it tells as you imagine the harrowing ride of the pioneers who travelled the old road, hauling ore from Paradise Mine.

On your way to the trail head, stop by Dave's Book Bar in downtown Invermere and pick up a copy of Hikes Around Invermere and the Columbia River Valley by Aaron Cameron and Matt Gunn (Rocky Mountain Books, $19.95). Ask the cashier how to get to David Thompson Secondary School or check page 88 of the 2007 Columbia Valley Map Book, available for free at locations up and down the valley.

After you pass the school, on a hill above 14th Street, the road will bend to the left as the asphalt runs out. At the top of the hill, turn right onto Old Toby Creek Road.

The road is rough in spots, but you can make it most of the way, even in a 15-year-old Toyota sedan.

Follow the road onto the Grizzly Ridge property, stopping to read the rules of use on the sign at the gate and cattleguard.

Keep an eye out for ATVs and dirt bikes that appear out of nowhere and disappear just the same. Continue past a gravel pit on the left side of the road. Stick

to the main road, avoiding any turnoffs until the hilly wooded terrain opens onto a vast fenced pasture on the left side of the road.

You might have to park in the next available clearing, unless your vehicle has a high clearance. If so, proceed on under a high-tension power line.

As Cameron and Gunn note in their book, trend to the right, staying right at Kreuter Creek Forest Service Road. Park 100 metres past this junction in a large clearing.

The trail follows the old road, becoming more narrow and overgown as you go, until it dwindles to a densely-shaded footpath with only occasional reminders of its former life.

With virtually no rise in elevation from beginning to end, you will meander into a lush grove of cedars and begin to hear the rush of water in the canyon below and the occasional passing car on newer, safer Toby Creek Road on the other side of the canyon.

When you near the site of the old upper level bridge, which was dismantled a half-century ago, you will have to climb a rickety, pole ladder with one missing rung at the top. If you make it up the ladder, you will be rewarded with spectacular canyon views a scant 100 metres beyond.

LOVER'S LEAP—Opposite, remnants of the old upper level bridge over Toby Canyon (inset) can still be seen on both sides of the narrow pass.

Photo by Brian Geis

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May 18, 2007

Play ’n’ Stay • The Columbia Valley Pioneer ~ 25

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26 ~ Play ’n’ Stay • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

The Green Zone

By Harold Hazelaar Pioneer Columnist Full service clubhouse and golf shop with unmatched friendly service.

Golf Digest **** Star Rating This is a must play picturesque 18 hole course with magnificent mountain views, cascading creeks and waterfalls.

Rated best value in B.C. by Score Magazine.

Call 1-866-727-7222 to book your tee time.

Located minutes from the junction of Hwy #1 & Hwy #95, Golden, B.C. www.golfgolden.com ~ teeoff@golfgolden.com

Here are a few more of those Golf Laws I stumbled across: Law 11: Golf carts always run out of juice at the farthest point from the clubhouse.

Law 12: A golfer hitting into your group will always be bigger than anyone in your group. Likewise, a group you accidentally hit into will consist of a football player, a professional wrestler, a convicted murderer and a tax agent or some similar combination.

Law 13: All three-woods are demon-possessed. So are three irons.

Law 14: Golf balls from the same “sleeve” tend to follow one another, particularly out of bounds or into the water.

Law 15: A severe slice is a thing of awesome power and beauty.

Law 16: “Nice lag” can usually be translated to “lousy putt.” Similarly, “tough break” can usually be translated “way to miss an easy one, sucker.”

Law 17: The person you would most hate to lose to will always be the

one who beats you.

Law 18: The last three holes of a round will automatically adjust your score to what it really should be.

Law 19: Golf should be given up at least twice per month.

Law 20: All vows taken on a golf course shall be valid only until the sunset of the same day Law 21: During the first round with a brand new set of clubs, the ball has to be played from a road.

Law 22: Curly, downhill, left-toright putts are usually followed by curly, uphill, right-to-left putts.

Law 23: Delicate chip shots over bunkers always catch the top of the bank and fall back.

Law 24: Handicaps are designed to keep you in your place.

The Green Zone Quote of the Week is

by Paul Harvey: “Golf is a game in which you yell ‘fore’, shoot six and write down five.”

Elevate Your Dining Experience

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call 1-877-877-3889 or locally 342-0562 to make a reservation today or visit www.eagleranchresort.com

The Columbia Valley Pioneer • May 18, 2007

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Columbia Valley

New Homes • Developments • Resale Homes • Multi-Family • Interior Design

New Homes Magazine Here

By Elinor Florence Pioneer Publisher The beautiful stone fireplace in the photograph, belonging to Bob Walker of Bella Vista Estates south of Fairmont Hot Springs, is also the photograph used on the cover of our first annual Columbia Valley Homes Magazine.

The glossy magazine arrived from the printer this week just in time for the Columbia Valley’s busiest long weekend, and features profiles of several gorgeous homes here in the valley.

After two years of publishing our popular Columbia Valley Building Guide, we found that more and more people were interested in a publication dealing not only with information about building a home here in the valley, but also purchasing an existing home.

Our valley is increasingly “on the map” as a place to live, work and play. Stunning new homes are springing up everywhere.

New communities are forming around those homes, which are changing our landscape, our culture and our identity. Hot new trends in home design are on display from Spillamacheen to Canal Flats.

The building boom has spawned the need for goods and services essential to new home construction and renovations, which in turn has created exciting business opportunities for young entrepreneurs.

Realtors say that they are working with a new breed of client these days, whose needs are vastly different than they would have been just a generation ago. These are exciting times in real estate.

So we created an annual publication called Columbia Valley Homes Magazine. This is, of course, complemented by our weekly newspaper Homes section which starts today and appears weekly during the busy summer months.

Please watch for Columbia Valley Homes Magazine at selected locations and real estate offices throughout the valley. You may also read it on-line at the website listed below, or call us at (250) 341-6299 if you would like your own copy. Happy reading!

READ ALL THE PIONEER’S REAL ESTATE NEWS AT: www.columbiavalleypioneer.com

May 18, 2007

28 • Columbia Valley Homes

Spirits Reach developers lead the way

By Sandra Kelly Columbia Valley Homes

Caring for the environment is a priority for Dave and Donna Rae.

Touring Spirits Reach with Dave and Donna Rae, you can’t help but admire the visionary couple. Partners in life and in business, the Raes have been developing land along the shores of Columbia Lake for 18 years. Their company, Columere Park Developments, has always done good work. But Spirits Reach is truly special.

The new sub-division just south of Fairmont Hot Springs is more than just another project for the Raes. It is the culmination of everything they’ve learned about developing land. It is their first experience with building homes— an exciting thing. More importantly, it is the embodiment of everything they hold dear: closely-knit community, respect for the land, and leadership in the field of real estate development.

“We are trying to set an example here of how lakeside communities should be built,” says Dave. That’s a modest state-

ment. Spirits Reach, with its thoroughly “green” infrastructure, architecture and landscaping, is certainly the new standard for environmentally-responsible development.

It was meant to be that standard.

It was also meant to be a place where people can escape from the madness of urban life and rejuvenate themselves amid nature’s splendor. Mission accomplished. You couldn’t ask for a more tranquil—or gorgeous—getaway.

Spirits Reach meanders over 500 treed acres, only half of which the Raes are developing for homes. The remaining 250 acres, which they call “the ranch” in homage to their history as ranchland, will be left in their natural state. Future amenities include a recreation centre with a pool, a beach club, a greenhouse, horse stables, a restaurant and a bed-and-breakfast lodge. The greenhouse will supply produce to the restaurant.

Continued on Page 29

Columbia Valley Homes • 29

May 18, 2007

Environmental responsibility is the key Continued from Page 28 When it is complete, about ten years from now, Spirits Reach will have a total of 350 homes built in four phases: Spirit of the Lake, on the lakeside of Highway 93/95; and Mustangs Crossing, Spirits Rise and Hardie Creek, all on the west side of the highway. Spirit of the Lake has close access to the lake. The other three mini-communities all have lake views.

The ultimate goal, says Donna, is to give residents the healthy and prideful lifestyle they want through ownership of environmentally-responsible homes and a range of educational and outdoor programs and outdoor activities. An extensive network of nature trails will let residents commune with nature while enjoying some truly spectacular scenery.

“For me, Spirits Reach is really about being able to fulfill people’s dreams,” says Donna. “To share with them these values and this life that we love so much.”

Spirit of the Lake, the first phase of Spirits Reach, was started a year ago. It includes 63 attached singlefamily homes, 34 of which are currently under construction.

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The show home for Spirit of the Lake will be finished just in time for the May long weekend. There are only ten homes still available in this phase.

To create their overall vision for Spirits Reach, the Raes sought guidance from Brent Harley and Associates, land planners specializing in sustainable, low-impact development.

They also consulted with Bill Swan, co-founder of Wings Over the Rockies. He has an ongoing role in the project and is “a tremendous asset,” says Dave.

As their builder, the Raes chose Enviro Custom Homes, which specializes in energy-efficient homes for healthy living. Says Dave: “We have great respect for all these experts. We have learned so much from them.”

Heeding the advice they got, the Raes installed a sewage treatment plant that will be ten times more eco-friendly, says Dave, than a conventional septic system.

They adopted such landscaping practices as planting indigenous wild grasses on the site rather than importing sod.

They have launched a project to restore disturbed

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vegetation, along with a comprehensive recycling program. They have adopted practices for efficient site waste management.

Wherever possible, they are incorporating natural, indigenous building materials into the homes. For example, the trees that were removed from Spirit of the Lake will be re-used as fireplace mantels—an inspired touch.

All the homes will be super energy efficient thanks to such features as geothermal heat and water-smart appliances. Every home will have a fibre-optics connection for high-speed Internet.

The Raes originate from Calgary. In 1980 they built a recreation home in Columere Park, which was partially developed at that time. They ended up finishing the beautiful subdivision and naming their company after it.

They went on to develop Columbia Ridge Country Estates. They became full-time residents of the valley in 1995. Their sons, 17-year-old Chris and 15year-old Daniel attend school in Invermere.

“This is our community,” says Donna. “It’s where we live, and we care very deeply about it.”

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May 18, 2007

30 • Columbia Valley Homes

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• Dramatic entry framing views of the Purcell Range • Bright formal dining room with views of the Rockies and Lake Windermere • Unique open plan layout with two bedrooms on the main floor, and a full walkout basement with billiard room, family room and guest bedroom • A clean, bright kitchen with skylights and adjoining pantry • A short walk to Kinsmen Beach

Offered for sale at $849,000. Please visit our Open House on Saturday from 11:00 to 3:00, at 1716 Second Avenue.

For more information, call (250) 341-5808.

Columbia Valley Homes • 31

May 18, 2007

Two storeys favoured by some retirees

By Sandra Kelly Columbia Valley Homes Builders say that most baby boomers want their final home to be a bungalow.

Whether it’s attached or unattached, modest or luxurious, downtown or in the suburbs, the one-storey dwelling is still the retirement nest of choice.

It’s partly about lifestyle. Bungalows offer more design possibilities, such as vaulted ceilings and huge great rooms that require little structural support.

And, because they have a bigger footprint, bungalows automatically have more outdoor living space than two-storey homes. There is often twice the room for family and friends to gather.

There are more parking spots and green spaces.

Trees and shrubs can be strategically planted to block the view of neighbors, so there is also more privacy.

Bungalows are friendlier than two-storey homes.

Seniors with mobility challenges find it far easier to negotiate a single storey, which means they can live independently, longer. And, just about any bungalow can be made wheelchair accessible.

The word bungalow derives from the Hindi word “bangla,” which means “house in the Bengal style.”

Such houses were traditionally small, one storey tall with a thatched roof and a wide veranda.

Some people claim that stairs keep them in shape!

In India, the term bungalow now refers to any single-family unit. North Americans have stretched its definition to include split-level and one-and-a-halfstorey homes that occupy a broader footprint than two-storey homes.

In Canada, bungalows became popular in the 1950s. Prior to that, the building lots within our towns and cities tended to be too small for sprawl.

Even when their lot was generous, many people built up rather than out in order to preserve most of their land for vegetable gardens or livestock. Lots were bigger in the suburbs and bungalows became viable.

Today, bungalows are found mostly in the ‘burbs.

More and more municipalities are leaning toward high-density development, as a way to combat urban sprawl.

The inner-city bungalows of past eras are giving way to attached two-storey homes and condominium complexes. For real estate developers, it makes more sense to build multi-family housing in town: there’s more of a living to be made.

As a result, people have become cautious about building bungalows on infill lots. The market value of such homes can plummet when a developer comes along and erects an apartment building next door.

People still build bungalows in town, yes, but the cost of land has risen so much in the past five years that only the affluent can afford to do it.

Even if that weren’t the case, the cost per square foot of building a bungalow is still much higher than that of a two-storey home.

Bungalows have a larger foundation and require twice as many roof trusses for the same living area.

Both are expensive components of home construction.

For retirees with a limited budget and a yen to live downtown, two-storey homes are still the best bet.

They’re less expensive to build, easier to find and less vulnerable to a drop in value. Now, if we could just eliminate those darned stairs . . .

Your Local COLUMBIA VALLEY REAL ESTATE

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May 18, 2007

32• Columbia Valley Homes

No need to travel farther west - it’s all here

By Sandra Kelly Columbia Valley Homes It’s widely reported that Albertans seeking a recreation home are looking at four hot spots in British Columbia: the Windermere Valley, the Okanagan Valley, and the cities of Victoria and Courtenay, both on Vancouver Island.

Each place has its charms. The Okanagan has a warm climate, Victoria is as gorgeous as ever, and Courtenay has the advantage of being “up island,” with access to some of the world’s best fishing. Each place is beautiful. So, what are the advantages of buying in the Windermere Valley?

First and foremost, the valley is just a three-hour drive from Calgary. On any given weekend, friends and family can spontaneously hop in their vehicles and come “down” for a visit.

They can catch a plane, too, but they aren’t as likely to do so. The cost is much higher and a degree of planning is required.

Lakefront and lakeview proper-

ties are available at relatively reasonable prices. Even if you can’t afford a beach house, the public beaches at Lake Windermere are just minutes away for residents of Invermere, Radium and Fairmont. The public boat access at the north end of the lake lets everyone get out on the water.

The Windermere Valley is the gateway to all the Columbia Valley has to offer. There are lakes, mountains and vast crown lands to explore, and plenty of recreational amenities, including 15 golf courses.

In fact, every possible amenity you could want while on vacation can be found in the valley: great shopping, restaurants, art galleries, health spas—it’s all here. And there is always an event or festival of some kind going on.

Finally, the valley’s year-round population of 10,000 doubles in the summer, but the traffic is still relatively light and the beaches are never crowded.

There are no long line-ups at restaurants and retail checkouts. You can truly get “away.”

How can the Okanaga or Vancouver Island compete with our beautiful valley?

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Columbia Valley Homes •33

May 18, 2007

Laminate flooring takes a licking

By Sandra Kelly Pioneer Contributor No building material is under more pressure than flooring. Ceiling stipple looks good for decades. Paint lasts for eons. But flooring is constantly underfoot. It takes a beating and has to stand the test of time. It also has to look good.

There are some hot new trends in flooring right now. Laminate and pre-finished hardwoods are leading the way, but cork, bamboo and rubber are catching up. Slate and ceramic tile will always be popular.

Hardwoods installed and finished on-site are as gorgeous as ever, but they’re less popular than before.

They use trees, they take longer to install, and they’re not suitable for some climates.

Laminate flooring is a manufactured product that makes great use of recycled materials. It has improved greatly since it was introduced. It looks less like countertop material and more like actual hardwood.

It comes in several widths and there is a good selection of grains and colors. And it’s tough, which makes it an excellent choice for people with kids and pets.

For builders, laminate flooring is a godsend. Because the boards are pre-finished, they require no sanding or staining. And because they click together, there’s no need for nails or glue. A thousand square

Flooring

is now

Laminate carries a lot of possibilities. feet of laminate can be laid in a single day. If the homeowner tires of it after a few years, it can be replaced with very little disruption in household routine.

Pre-finished hardwoods are natural woods such as oak and maple that have been pre-sanded and prestained. Pre-finished hardwood takes a little longer to install and remove than laminate, but plenty of people prefer its more natural look.

It scratches, though, and despite manufacturers’ claims, it can’t easily be refinished—at least not to its original luster. For the record, hardwoods installed

and finished on-site scratch just as easily and are just as hard to repair. Pre-finished hardwood’s biggest draw is its look: it’s super attractive.

Cork flooring has been around for about eight years. The jury is still out on its visual appeal, but it is definitely warmer and softer underfoot than stone or hardwood.

Unlike those materials, cork bounces back from marks left by furniture. It’s durable, too, and easy to maintain.

Because it is porous, cork is best suited for use in living rooms and bedrooms. It can be used in kitchens and bathrooms but requires an additional coat of polyurethane. When it begins to show signs of wear, cork can be resealed. It lasts for decades. Best of all, cork is naturally silent, which makes it ideal for multifamily housing.

Bamboo flooring is the hottest new trend in interior decorating. Bamboo is environmentally friendly because it grows much faster than hardwood. It is finicky, though. It doesn’t like household cleaners, and it marks easily.

Rubber flooring is ideal for homeowners with back problems or sore joints. It comes in many styles, shapes and colors.

It’s easy to care for, but it works best for commercial applications such as restaurants and health clubs.

May 18, 2007

34 • Columbia Valley Homes

Opening the cabin for the season

By Sandra Kelly Columbia Valley Homes After an unusually long and wet winter in Western Canada, it’s finally time to ready your recreation home for another summer of family fun. Here are a few tips to help you get started: • Do a preliminary walk around the building to check for loose eavestroughs and other small, easy-to-fix problems.

• Check all the exterior electrical wires to determine if any were chewed by animals over the winter. Look for evidence of burrowing along your foundation. Mice and squirrels are adept at getting in.

• Next, check your outdoor plumbing spigots. If you forgot to drain them before shutting off the water, the pipes may have frozen and snapped in subzero temperatures. Flooding is not the best way to start a holiday.

• Look for evidence of an attempted break-in during the winter months, which is usually damage near windows and doors. You’ll learn what areas of the house to secure more tightly before closing up at summer’s end.

For added security during the summer months, trim all the shrubs and trees and remove all refuse near the house. A tidy yard lets intruders know you’re around.

• Inside the house, check all your

OPEN HOUSE

mechanical functions first. Your electrical, plumbing and heating systems should all be in good working order.

Technicians are super-busy during the summer months. If there’s a problem, it must be addressed.

• Make sure your back-up generator is working, in the event of a blackout.

• Check the food pantry next. Staples such as flour and sugar may be infested with bugs or mice. Replace old herbs and spices. Boxed foods should be checked for past expiry dates. And, of course, anything swollen or bulging in the freezer should be tossed out.

• Finally, air out the house to get rid of musty odors. It also doesn’t hurt to freshen your bed linens by hanging them outdoors for a few hours.

• Remember there are now a number of businesses in the Columbia Valley that are here specifically to care for your cabin during your absence.

Home security including drive-by checks, landscapers and maintenance people, and “cabin concierge” services including airing and cleaning your home and restocking your pantry before your arrival are now available. Local caterers can provide you and your guests with full meal service.

To find these services, check the “Here to Serve You’ pages in our newspaper, or view them on-line at www.columbiavalleypioneer.com.

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upioneer@telus.net Phone:

341-6299

Columbia Valley Homes • 35

May 18, 2007

Top colours for 2008 Red

Blue-infused reds move to burgundies with a touch of raspberry. In 2008, the trend will be to a more saturated Chinese red and a more retro berrylike mauve.

Orange

Yellow-based reds, or orange, becomes more upscale. Its been toned down, deepened and moved toward a more copper tone. A more pink/orange coral will emerge as well as darker, spicier oranges.

Yellow

Bright yellow is best used as an accent color. Soft creamy neutral yellow has become a classic. In 2008, look for a classic gold, along with a green-influenced gold that moves toward khaki.

Green

Look for sage greens, spa greens, mossy greens and olives, celadon and celery. A brighter more botanical green and a new version of spruce also come into play. Dark, hunter green remains a classic.

Blue

New spa-like colors range from watery aqua to deeper tropical lagoons, from robin’s egg blue/green to dark, rich turquoise. While navy blue remains a classic, there are also new versions of darker blue that move toward lapis and midnight blue.

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Arrange a viewing or request more information by calling (250) 341-1182, or emailing sales@cedarwoodglen.com.

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Purple

Purple is an important accent color. Light lilac and blue-influenced light purple will be popular in 2007, while 2008 sees purple getting grayer and influencing brown.

Brown

Camel, tan, taupe, and brown-influenced creams are wonderful neutrals, along with rich, chocolate browns.

Gray

Watch for a soft, brown-influenced gray in early 2007 with a darker, almost black gray introduced later in the year. For 2008, gray remains but in darker versions of pewter, storm cloud gray, and gray flannel.

When you’re home, you know it. cedarwoodglen.com

May 18, 2007

36 • Columbia Valley Homes

Cathy’s Workshop: build a bird feeder

By Cathy Dalrymple Pioneer Columnist On the heels of Wings Over the Rockies, I thought it would be nice to help out our fine feathered friends.

I found this to be a sturdy yet simple design and the birds love it! It’s a quick little project that can be completed on a lazy day with the kids.

I used some leftover pine from my woodshop but if you haven’t anything appropriate lying around check the cutoff bin at the hardware store. A three-foot piece of 1x8 will do the trick.

The Plexiglas was also left over in my shop but can be substituted for wood if you don’t have or care to buy any. In this case you will require another 16 inches of 1x8 wood.

You can paint all the pieces before assembly with an exterior paint, stain or clear finish.

Begin by cutting the base. Now rip (this is the term used for making wood narrower) the two sides and cut a 45-degree angle on the tops ends. Centre them on the base, inset from the edge by one inch.

Using two 1.5-inch screws, attach the ends to the

base from the underside. With a small drill bit make a pilot hole (a drilled hole smaller than the screw being used) before screwing together. The wood will likely split if this step is missed.

Cut the Plexiglas windows to size and attach to house sides with three-quarter-inch screws. The holes for these screws must be slightly larger than screw being used or the plastic will crack. The Plexiglas should be attached about one-quarter-inch down from angled edge of house side.

Cut the roof pieces to size and attach the smaller one first, making it flush with the peak of the sides.

Attach this with four 1.5-inch screws, again making pilot holes first.

The other side of the roof is attached with two little hinges. This allows for easy filling of the feeder, and occasional cleaning if you are so inclined.

We’re almost done now. Just cut the smaller Plexiglas pieces to size and attach, being sure to pre-drill the screw holes. Now fill it with bird seed and sit back to enjoy watching the birds flock to their new feeder.

Cutting List: Pine: Top 1 Top 1 Ends 2 Base 1

3/4 x 5 x 8.5 inches .75 x 5.75 x 8.5 inches .75 x 5.5 x 7.5 inches .75 x 7.5 x 8.5 inches

Spend a weekend with the kids on this project.

Plexiglass: Windows Edges Edges

2 2 2

3.5 x 6.5 inches 2 x 8 inches 2 x 8 inches

Cathy Dalrymple owns Toby Creek Custom Woodworking in Invermere. Call 342-3022 or email cathy_tobycreekwood@hotmail.com.

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May 18, 2007

Columbia Valley Homes • 37

May 18, 2007 38• Columbia Valley Homes

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The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 39

May 18, 2007

Pet’s diet new focus of attention

By Louise Platiel Invermere Veterinary Hospital The recent contamination of commercial dog and cat food has changed the way some people are looking at their pet’s diet.

The number of products recalled has more than doubled since the initial list was released, and many popular brands, in all forms, have been affected.

While wheat and rice gluten are commonly used ingredients in both pet and human foods, this event has brought to light the importance of sourcing ingredients from trusted manufacturers.

At the Pet Industry Trade Show in April, a great deal of interest was generated by Canadian companies, especially those using newer technologies such as freeze-drying and those using holistic and organically grown ingredients.

Freeze-drying has only been used commercially for about fifteen years. Vitamins, minerals, and essential acids are preserved as the water content is extracted from a frozen state without ever passing through a liquid phase.

This allows for single ingredient, preservative-free products that are highly nutritious because they were never cooked, or even thawed. All the flavor and aroma of fresh meat is retained and the product is easily digested.

Freeze-drying is being used to preserve foods for all kinds of animals, including reptiles and fish!

Oven-baked kibble is also making a comeback as overprocessed, preservative-laden foods are decreasing in popularity despite an economical price.

Another popular trend is developing products that can be used for both cats and dogs. When it comes to treats, there are many things cats and dogs both love and can digest, making training more convenient for homes with multiple pets.

At the show there were also new food products that use human-grade ingredients and one that we were encouraged to try!

While you won’t find us snacking routinely from the treat bowl, the message was, assure people this food is nutritious, tasty, and the quality can be trusted.

The Invermere Veterinary Hospital will continue to provide veterinary brands to our customers and patients.

Although we are not primarily a retail outlet, we would love to help you make informed decisions about your pet’s diet.

Louise Platiel is an employee of the Invermere Veterinary Hospital and writes regularly on pet issues for The Pioneer.

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The Columbia Valley Pioneer

40 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

Brendan Donahue Investment Advisor Phone: 342-2112

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May 18, 2007

YOUR MONEY Warren’s words of wisdom

By Brendan Donahue Special to The Pioneer Travelling down to Omaha, Nebraska, on May 5th to attend the Berkshire Hathaway annual general meeting for the second consecutive year had its advantages. This year, I knew what line-ups to avoid, where to stay in Omaha, where to sit in the Quest Center during the meeting and other such tips that come in handy when 27,000 people from around the world flock to a city of 450,000 people.

Berkstock 2007—as Warren Buffett (the world’s second richest man and most successful stock investor over the past 40 years) and his partner Charlie Munger fondly refer to the event—started with a humorous, one-hour movie about the company’s holdings and activities throughout 2007.

Loaded with Dairy Queen, Fruit of the Loom, Coca-Cola and Geico Insurance commercials, the movie received a roar of laughter from shareholders when 77-year-old Warren Buffett played some oneon-one basketball with NBA superstar Lebron James.

Amazingly, Warren Buffett eked out a victory.

After the movie, just when everyone thought Warren and Charlie were about to take the stage, a long-time pal of Warren Buffett named Jimmy Buffett surprised everyone as he took the stage and sang a parody of Margueritaville using the words Berkshire Hathawayville.

When the other Mr. Buffett finally took the stage, it was down to the business of fielding questions from around the world about Berkshire Hathaway, the U.S. economy and other important questions. The following is a brief summary of some of the major points discussed and some quotes from this year’s conference.

• When asked about paper investing as a tool for preparing for real investing, Mr. Buffett replied: “In-

vesting with fake money is kind of like reading a romance novel versus . . . well, you know.”

• On global warming, Mr. Buffett suggested that you had to be a fool to say with certainty that global warming was not an issue and, if we make an error in how we handle global warming, it should be an error on the side of caution.

• On the U.S. sub-prime housing loans, Mr. Buffett didn’t see any effects spilling into the broader markets but suggested it could be two or three years before the overall housing market recovers. Mr. Buffett was not happy with commissioned lenders and suggested they were a large part of the problem because they get paid on the mortgages upfront and don’t lose their jobs if the mortgages fail a year later.

• On using ethanol in gasoline, Mr. Munger commented that running cars on corn is about the stupidest thing he has ever heard. More energy is used producing ethanol than it creates and that’s without considering the damage to the topsoil producing fuel when we could be producing food. With so many starving people in the world, why would we want to drive up the cost of food?

• On casinos, Mr. Buffett stated that gambling is a tax on ignorance and that it was socially revolting for governments to prey on the weak. It’s not likely you’ll find any casinos in their portfolio anytime soon.

When the conference finally ended, everyone filed out the building wondering who the successors of the company will be when Warren and Charlie become too old to do their jobs or eventually pass away.

Mr. Buffett has hinted that they have some people in mind and that it will likely be at least two managers.

In the meantime, however, all is well with Charlie and Warren in Berkshire Hathawayville.

Brendan Donahue is an investment advisor for Berkshire Securities in Invermere.

Market Action S&P/TSX Composite Index Dow Jones Industrial Average Nikkei Oil (New York) Gold (New York) Canadian Dollar (in US dollars)

As of May 14th, 2007

13,902 13,345 17,678 $61.47 $691.39 $0.9085

Weekly Gain/(Loss)

37.63 32.99 8.94 0.99 6.90 0.0009

YTD

7.71% 7.08% 2.07% 0.69% 8.03% 8.57%

Most people review their Investment portfolio regularly!

When was the last time you reviewed your Life Insurance Portfolio?

Call 342-5052 to reserve your seat at a complementary lunch and learn seminar May 24th, 2007

In our ever changing world it is important that your insurance is reviewed constantly to ensure that it is the best and most appropriate coverage available.

As one of the valley’s only truly independent Life Insurance brokers, I have access to most of the major carriers and can help you to ensure that you have the best products to suit your needs.

For a complimentary review and to see if we can lower your cost or improve the quality of your existing coverage call me at 342-5052 or just stop in to the Berkshire office and ask to see Jason.

Jason Elford has been a wealth management specialist in Calgary for more than 9 years. Now a full time resident of Invermere, Jason recently joined the Berkshire office with Brendan Donahue and Bruce McLaughlin.

Jason Elford Certified Financial Planner Insurance Advisor 712 - 10th Street, Invermere

Phone: 342-5052

The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 41

May 18, 2007

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• Your Columbia Valley computer professionals • Commercial and residential • Sales/Service/ Networking/ Consulting

Michael Lee Chin, centre, hosted valley residents Jason Elford, left, and Brendan Donahue, right, at a recent dinner in Omaha, Nebraska.

Canadian billionaire had humble beginnings

By Brendan Donahue Special to The Pioneer Surrounded in a giant hanger by B-52 bombers, Spitfires and other strategic warplanes that are now obsolete, billionaire Michael Lee Chin hosted a dinner gala for about 150 select employees and supporters of two of his companies AIC Ltd., and the Berkshire Investment Group Ltd. Held in the Strategic Space and Air Museum in Omaha, Nebraska on May 6th, the event was about much more than money.

After the dinner was served, Chris Gardner, a very special guest who was portrayed by actor Will Smith in the hit movie ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ spoke to the audience for about an hour. Mr. Gardner explained how he overcame the obstacles of homelessness, raising his son as a single father and the barriers to entering the brokerage industry in the early 1980s to eventually become a self-made millionaire.

What was very special about Mr. Gardner was not the fact that he made a lot of money and became very rich.

Instead, it was Mr. Gardner’s ability to remain so positive through all of the adversity and his commitment to making himself a much better person.

“When I look back at the journey from homelessness to prosperity, I hold one thing dearer than all else – my com-

mitment to my son. Doing a movie with the top movie star portraying me, doing a book with an editor whoSE last book won the Pulitzer Prize – all that stuff is great, but the most important thing that I will have ever done in my life was break the cycle of men who were not there for their children.”

Mr. Gardner also stressed doing what you love and loving what you do.

“You have to be committed and you have to find something that you are passionate about. And forget about money.

I’ve learned that money is the least significant aspect of wealth. Do something that you love. Whatever you’re going to do is going to be tough enough. Find something that gets you so excited that the sun can’t come up early enough in the morning because you want to go do your thing.”

Chris Gardner was an ideal speaker for an event hosted by Michael Lee Chin. Mr. Lee Chin, Jamaican immigrant with a humble background, came to Canada to attend McMaster University on a scholarship from the Jamaican government.

He had to work evenings in the campus pub to make ends meet and while he never reached the levels of desperation felt by Mr. Gardner, both men have a great sense of where they started and the understanding that there is much more to measuring wealth in one’s life than just money.

Computer Pros Office/Sales – 342-2833 Dispatch/Ser vice – 341-1114

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LACOSTE PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE CLUBHOUSE AT EAGLE RANCH 9581 EAGLE RANCH TRAIL • INVERMERE, BC PHONE: 250-342-0562 TOLL FREE: 1-877-877-3889

42 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

VALLEY BUSINESS

Reflections owner hosts grand opening

By Cayla Gabruck Pioneer Staff

Jill Pawlyshyn is the proud owner of her first business, Reflections.

Please join Jill during her GRAND OPENING Celebration

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After going through several owners, Reflections has one who is here to stay.

Jill Pawlyshyn bought Reflections from its previous owner Jackie Burns on April 1st after Jackie was forced to retire for health reasons, and is hosting the store’s grand opening this weekend.

Reflections is a women’s consignment store and along with clean and relatively unworn secondhand clothes, it is also a place where you can pick up last year’s designer clothes for less.

“You can still be trendy without having to pay lots,” Jill said.

Jill studied for two years at East Kootenay Community College, now known as College of the Rockies. She lives in Invermere with her husband Keith. Jill was formerly employed at East Kootenay Realty, and also worked at Reflections for its first owner, Carrie Rickards.

“I thought if Carrie can do it, why can’t I?” she said. “Sometimes you just need to see someone else do it first.”

Jill is looking forward to a busy summer at Reflections, and enjoying her independence as a business owner.

Saturday May 26 11:00 - 3:00

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Jill’s mother, Leann Wittke, is also at the store helping her out with dayto-day business. Along with affordable clothing, Jill said one thing you can expect at Reflections is friendly service.

The stock at Reflections is continuously rotated through the store in sections of 25, 50 and 75 percent off and no item is in the store for more than three months.

You can also find colorful, embroidered Japanese wall hangings that Jill’s sister sent back from overseas. There is also a separate section for sunglasses, purses, and new and consigned jewelry.

In the future, Jill is hoping to bring some new items to Reflections such as giftware items, jellies and other homemade canned goods. She is also hoping to expand some day. But for now, Jill is content with what she has.

At the grand opening this weekend, everything is on sale. Items regularly priced will be marked down 25 percent, and sale items will be marked down another 20 percent.

Reflections is located at 1046-7th Ave. It is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and every long weekend on Sunday and Monday from noon to 4 p.m

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The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 43

May 18, 2007

Feisty Bloomers raring to Relay for Life

By Cayla Gabruck Pioneer Staff George and Shirley Guimont are survivors and proud of it.

The pair has overcome cancer and is participating in the Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life on June 9th, part of a team called the Feisty Bloomers.

“We are doing this to show that there is life after cancer,” George said.

Born in New Brunswick, George and Shirley were married in Edmonton in 1955. They built their summer home on Columere Road in 1968. They are the parents of four married children: Rod, Ray, Michelle and Laurie.

They are also very proud grandparents of seven children: Penny, Gina, Maddie, Bryce, Kimberly, Luke and Annie.

The Guimonts are formerly from Kimberley where they owned the Vavarien Newsstand Variety Store. They permanently moved into their summer home here in 1998.

Shirley was diagnosed with breast cancer 11 years ago in 1996.

“First I had a lumpectomy,” Shirley said. “And then two weeks later a mastectomy. It was quite traumatic.”

George was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2003 and had surgery later that year.

They are both very thankful that they survived and say that it has changed the way they look at life. Shirley said she is more positive. “You have to keep

going no matter what,” she said. “You can’t lie down, you can’t give up.”

George said it makes you realize how much you have.

“We have a great family. That’s what makes all the difference.”

They feel that the Relay for Life helps to impress on people that cancer is not as big of a real as they think.

“Life does go on,” Shirley said.

“You can recover and lead a normal life,” George added.

This is their third year participating in the relay and both Shirley and George said that it is a wonderful thing.

“It’s just like the commercials,” Shirley said. “We share stories, we laugh and we cry.”

The first Relay for Life event in British Columbia took place in Coquitlam in 1992. The Canadian Cancer Society puts on the relay for life every year all over the nation.

Last year there were over 24,000 participants in British Columbia and the Yukon and the relay raised 6.5 million dollars. There were also 3,800 volunteers who made the race possible.

“To see those faces illuminated along the edges- it just blows you away,” Shirley said. “ And you are so thankful you are there to see it.”

Even though they have had some rough patches, George and Shirley have stuck together though thick and thin.

They attribute that to their family.

“When you have a good family you can do anything,” George said.

George and Shirley Guimont of Columere will participate for the third time.

Take a step towards making cancer history This June 9th/10th, you’ll have an opportunity to give hope to those affected by cancer by running or walking in the Columbia Valley Relay for Life. Organize a team of your friends Take a step towardsandmaking history family for cancer 12 hours of fun, friendship, and fundraising.

Don’t Miss an Issue!

As the Columbia Valley Relay for Life Honorary Chair, For more information I invite you, my community, to joinonme June 9th the Canadian th and 10 in the 2007 Relay for Cancer Life. Together our Society’s Relay For Life, community can comeortogether to give hope to those to register your team, call 250-342living with cancer.

0784, visit www.cancer.ca. or pick up a brochure at The College of

the Rockies.

Organize a team of your friends and family, pledge an individual or team, purchase a luminary or come out LOCATION: David Thompson with the whole familyRELAY to show your support as teams Secondary School make their way around the track.

DATE: June 9th/10th, 5PM – 7AM (Opening Ceremony 7PM)

Together let’s make cancer history!

N E W S PA P E R

Visit www.cancer.ca

Chris Miller

Read The Pioneer online: www.columbiavalleypioneer.com Media Sponsors

N E W S PA P E R

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44 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

VALLEY NEWS

May 18, 2007

Friends want Richard remembered

By Leah Shoemaker Special to The Pioneer A group of local youths are upset that the skatepark in Invermere, now under construction, will not be named after the late Richard Benn.

In 2002, fifteenyear-old Richard Benn, well-known by his nickname CrisQo, drowned in Lake Windermere.

Shortly after the tragRichard Benn edy a group of Richard’s friends and family got together and decided they wanted to do something in memory of him.

“A week after CrisQo died, we started fundraising,” says Janine Sweetman, age 19. With the idea of a skateboard park, brought to them by Richard’s family, the group started fundraising. They held a Punk Show with door prizes donated by the community, a bottle drive, a garage sale and also went caroling to raise money for CrisQo’s skateboard park. Businesses agreed to put out donation boxes for the skateboard park.

The group raised $6,266.87 in about a year, before frustration settled in. The money they raised was a great accomplishment, but not nearly enough for a skateboard park. Support started dwindling.

“People didn’t think it was going to go anywhere, and we had such a long way to go,” Janine recalls of the loss of interest in the project.

But another skateboard park was in the planning stage, unbeknownst to most of the original group of CrisQo’s fundraisers. Funding and planning started for this skatepark, part of the Mount Nelson Athletic Park.

The new skatepark began construction this spring and should be ready to skate this year, says Gordon Bagan, one of the organizers.

Mr. Bagan, who has been working on the Mount Nelson Skate Park for four years, was under the impression that the money raised for CrisQo was still in the hands of Richard’s father - a belief shared by many people.

However, the money has in fact been given over to the Mount Nelson project, as confirmed by Karen Cote, Invermere Director of Finances; as well as Nikki Davidson, CrisQo’s older sister.

Organizers for the Mount Nelson park have promised Richard’s family that two concrete benches will be etched with CrisQo’s name. But many students are still upset that the skatepark will not be named after CrisQo. “I just don’t understand why they wouldn’t do it,” replied Korrina Ede, 19. “I don’t think the town would have thought about building a skatepark if it weren’t for us.”

Mr. Bagan explained that the park cannot be named CrisQo Memorial Skatepark for legal reasons.

“Because of the restrictions we’ve got in terms of the government,” he said. “We took large amounts of money from lots of people . . . he is an important part of this park, but he’s not the whole park.”

However, for a lot of people Richard is still the whole park.

“When they decided to change the name of the

park, it almost felt like people had gotten ripped off, because the money that we raised for the park, people donated because it was special to them, because it was for Richard,” said his sister Nikki.

“They wanted to be a part of his legacy, a part of immortalizing him in a sense. I don’t think that as many people would have supported our committee if it was not a memorial park for him.

“So in that sense, I feel like we were led to believe that we were going to be able to give people this amazing way to remember Richard and his passion, which was skateboarding. I just hope that they keep their promise to those who raised the money and also to those who donated the money.”

Mr. Bagan is aware that many of the youths from the original CrisQo project are upset. “Maybe we can put something in one of the bowls and call it The CrisQo Bowl.”

Upon hearing this idea, Nikki said: “That would be a wonderful idea and would mean the world to a lot of people.”

As one of the only projects being built for the youth of Invermere, the skatepark is an amazing thing happening for our town. It is a top-of-the-line design and has full support from the community.

And for a group of friends and family, the skatepark has deeper emotional meaning: it will be a lasting tribute to the memory of a young man who died too soon. They want to make sure that CrisQo’s name will never be forgotten.

Editor’s Note: Leah Shoemaker is a Grade 12 student at David Thompson Secondary School who plans to enter the journalism program at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary in September.

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The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 45

May 18, 2007

Beating the heat in Africa Lisa Rohrick, formerly of Invermere, works as a missionary in Niger.

Today was hot! My thermometer had the nerve to announce a high of 52 degrees Celsius (that would be 126 degrees for those of you who think better in Fahrenheit). Whichever scale you choose, it’s just too hot.

So, bear with me while I whine a little! I feel a bit like the candle sitting on my bookshelf. Last week it stretched to its full height of twelve inches. This week it bends sharply just above the candle holder and hangs its weary head six inches below the shelf!

I suppose this is what one should expect living next to the Sahara Desert. After all, Niamey (where I live) is documented to be the world’s hottest capital city. And the Lonely Planet traveler’s guide warns that Niger has two seasons: “hot” and “hotter than hell.” I’m not sure how they actually measured that, but they’re definitely on the right track.

The heat has become part of every conversation.

After “Good morning, how are you?” comes “And how’s the heat?” (meaning, “How are you surviving the heat?”) Even the Africans are complaining. And I have noticed that productivity is inversely proportional to the rising temperature. Hot season is not the time to have a contractor do any repair jobs.

I was out in a village the other day when a breeze came up. Normally this would be good news. But, sadly, this breeze gave me the impression that I was standing in front of a large hair dryer.

That evening I stopped at my colleagues’ house to drop something off. As we stood outside visiting,

we commented on how nice and cool it was. It was 34C! When it gets over 30 in Invermere, everybody complains about the heat. Here it gets down to 34 and I think it’s cool! My internal thermostat is definitely messed up!

I recently found out that in 50-degree heat, a car’s seatbelt buckle can be transformed into a branding iron (not that I actually needed that branding!) And, on the topic of driving, did you know that one really only needs two fingers to steer a car? And those two fingers need only dance lightly on the burning surface of the wheel.

So, since driving the car is so miserable, I usually take my motorbike. It’s not much better—the hot air literally stings my arms and legs as I buzz along. I hope I don’t crash, or I could cook to death lying on the pavement.

The swimming pool at the American recreation centre now feels like a bathtub. There’s something not very nice about swimming in dirty bath water shared with a dozen other tired and sweaty pilgrims. Yet I still go, since the water is a few degrees cooler than the air.

It’s not so much real refreshment as it is a mental massage, trying to convince myself I’m cooling down.

This week I pulled out my last line of defense against the heat. I have a teddy bear with a red rubber hot water bottle in his tummy, and another hot water bottle that I inherited from my grandmother.

Every morning I drop them both in the freezer.

Every night I cuddle my frozen teddy, while the other ice block, wrapped in a towel, rests against my back.

It’s not exactly comfortable, but it takes the edge off the heat enough that I am able to get some sleep.

I haven’t checked on my cows lately, but I bet they’re giving evaporated milk!

I once heard someone say that he had the desire to take off his skin and just sit in his bones. He had the right idea. Now if I could only figure out how to do that . . .

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SUV’s

2007 Jeep Liberty Sport 4x4 STK#U1083. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$28,995 2003 Jeep Liberty Sport 4x4 STK#T07396A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $18,495 2007 Toyota Rav 4, 4 cyl, 4x4 STK#T07370A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$28,995 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee STK#U1099 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$29,900

VAN’S

1995 Dodge Caravan STK#T07085A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,995 2001 Ford Windstar STK#C07283A.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$11,995 2003 Dodge Caravan STK#U1060A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$11,995 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan STK#U1077. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$19,900 2006 Dodge Caravan STK#U1102 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,995 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan STK#U1097. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$26,995

CARS

COLUMBIA BASIN TRUST INVITES THE PUBLIC TO OPEN HOUSES Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) is hosting open houses in the Columbia Basin and encourages the public to attend and provide input on CBT’s draft three year strategic priorities.

The open house will start at 4:30 pm and continue until 9:00 pm, with a group question and answer session at 7:00 pm. Open houses will be held:

These priorities will form part of the next edition of the Columbia Basin Management Plan. The 2007 edition of the Columbia Basin Management Plan will include all of the original guidance provided by Basin residents for CBT that is contained in the 1997 Columbia Basin Management Plan

Wednesday, May 23 - Nelson; Prestige Lakeside Resort Monday, May 28 - Castlegar; Castlegar and District Rec Plex Tuesday, May 29 - Trail; Best Western Terra Nova Tuesday, June 5 - Creston; Creston and District Rec Plex Wednesday, June 6 - Cranbrook; Prestige Inn Thursday, June 7 - Fernie; Best Western Fernie Mountain Lodge Monday, June 11 - Nakusp; Nakusp Arena Tuesday, June 12 - Revelstoke; The Regent Wednesday, June 13 - Golden; Prestige Inn

Residents can provide their feedback on the draft priorities through the CBT website or staff. Copies of the draft documents are available at any CBT ofce, from a Community Liaison, or on the CBT website. The open houses are also an opportunity to learn more about CBT, including our programs and services, our investments and draft investment policy, and Water and Youth Initiatives.

1.800.505.8998

info@cbt.org

www.cbt.org

2007 Dodge Caliber SXT STK#U1066. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$19,995 2006 Chrysler Sebring, V6 STK#U1075.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $15,900 2005 Chev Cavalier, 5 spd STK#T06346B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11,995 2004 Hyundai Sonata, Loaded STK#C06026B.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14,995 2007 Chrysler 300, V6, Auto, Loaded STK#U1086. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$31,495 2003 Pontiac Sunfire, 5 spd, 4 cyl STK#U1044. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$9,995 2003 Chevrolet Malibu, V6, Auto, Loaded STK#T06328A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$9,995 2000 Chrysler Intrepid, Auto, V6 STK#T073349A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,995 1996 Ford Aspire, 5 cyl, 5 spd STK#U1031B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,995 This is a small collection of our pre-owned inventory available at Cranbrook Dodge.

To view our full line-up visit www.cranbrookdodge.com 1-800-663-2268 1725 Cranbrook St. (250) 426-6614

46 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

Health unit plans water safety events

“Hands - On” Container Gardening Class

Tuesday, May 29th, 2007 at Home Hardware 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Class Fee: $40 (includes soil) Plants & containers available for purchase at time of class One lucky participant will win a completed planter!

For more information, or to register call Nancy Phair at 347-9974

Brought to you by Ground Elements Landscaping in partnership with HOME HARDWARE Further classes in June will include: bedding plants, lasagna gardens, eco-gardening, and plant selection

Home building centre

342-6908

9980 Arrow Road

Drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related deaths of children under the age of 14, says Brenda Marsman of the Invermere Health Unit.

The health unit, in cooperation with Safe Kids Canada, want parents to be able to prevent drowning and neardrowning injuries that can happen to kids. Which is why this year, the campaign is focusing on drowning prevention. The Invermere Health Unit will be launching a Safe Kids Week event from May 28 to June 2nd, 2007.

Events will take place as follows: 1. The Radium Hot Springs Pools will have a display set up in the lobby May 28th to June 1st. The display will showcase a variety of information including posters designed by local children in the Junior Lifeguard Club.

Monday to Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., come down to pool level and you can try the Swim to Survive Challenge and be entered into the draws.

2. The Invermere Health Unit will have a display set up at the Invermere

Home Hardware on June 2nd from noon to 3 p.m. Bring the family down for cookies provided by Tex’s Coffee Works, and say hi to the Canadian Red Cross Mascot - Buckles. Personal Flotation Device fittings will be available, and once you have tried on a PFD and know the appropriate size, you may enter your name into the draws.

3. You can also visit the Invermere Health Unit from May 28th to June 1st to put your name in for the draws and pick up information on water safety.

4. The draws will take place June 2nd at the Invermere Home Hardware.

Prizes include swim passes, swim lessons, and Adult and Child Personal Flotation Devices. Thanks to the following people for all their help in setting up this event - Invermere Health Unit, Junior Lifeguard Club Members, Radium Hot Springs Pools, Invermere Home Hardware, Tex’s Coffee Works, Canadian Red Cross, Lifesaving Society.

For more information, contact Brenda Marsman at 342-2360.

Pete’s Marina offers a variety of services to meet all of your boating and water play needs. We’re the largest on-water rental/ service/sales facility on Lake Windermere.

25 Laurier Street, Invermere Marina (250) 342-9626 · Service (250) 342-9625

www.petesmarina.ca

From boat and SeaDoo rentals to water toys and fuel, we have all you need to enjoy the lake. When the season is over, you can rely on us for all of your winterization and storage needs.

The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 47

May 18, 2007

IN THE HEART OF INVERMERE! Spectacular Views!

This spectacular R-2 lot has lake and mountain views, no building commitment, 2 blocks from the heart of Invermere, is walking distance to Kinsmen Beach and Lake Windermere. Build a home, cabin, or a 2, 3, 4-plex on this quiet cul-de-sac location.

This is the closest R-2 to the lake and at this price, take advantage of this terrific opportunity today! The building options are endless! $299,900.

Your Business & Home In One! 3,000 sq. ft. of commercial and or residential building on a 120 x 120.5 ft. lot! High traffic C-1 location allowing for up to 3 stories of potential development. Walk to Kinsmen Beach and all of the amenities in the heart of Invermere. Large south facing decks south overlooking Lake Windermere and the mountains. $699,900 + partial G.S.T.

Paul Roggeman

BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS—Paul Stewart and Hans Fuhrer of the Summit Trail Makers Society replace the seasonal bridge over Hell Roaring Creek last June.

(250) 345-4000

Trail maintainers have money, but need bodies

By Brian Geis Pioneer Staff A group of local trail maintainers have a busy season ahead, and are looking for some bodies to help.

Paul Stewart of the Summit Trail Makers Society—which celebrated its sixth anniversary last month—said the society of enthusiasts once relied on membership fees to support their activities.

Rising costs and an increase in the number of projects, he said, quickly depleted their funds and diminished their ability to keep pace.

This year, he said, the group is being recognized for their efforts and—with the help of Aina Cernenoks, a recreation officer with the Rocky Mountain District Site And Trail Branch—is receiving funding from the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts.

“We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the province,” he said,” and thanks to Aina for helping obtain this funding.”

With the focus on maintenance of several major hiking trails in the Rocky Mountain Forest District, he said, the society’s past activities have included brush clearing at Chalice Ridge,

Welsh Lake Trail, MacLean Lake Trial, installation and annual removal of the bridge over Hell Roaring Creek on Lake of the Hanging Glacier Trail, as well as trail brushing and clearing Bugaboo Pass and Jumbo Point.”

This hiking season, the Summit Trail Makers Society has funding for tools and supplies and an ambitious schedule of projects, including: • Brush-clearing the Upper Welsh Lake Trail • Complete clearing of Chalice Ridge Trail • Brush-clearing the Black Diamond Trail • Clearing Upper Marvel Pass Trail • Repairing the road to Brewer Creek • Installing the Bridge at Hell Roaring Creek Anyone interested in joining the group is encouraged to attend their annual general meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 14, at the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce.

The meeting will feature a slide presentation by Hans Fuhrer entitled “In the Footsteps of Conrad Kain.”

For more information, call Paul Stewart at 345-6221.

www.rockymtnrealty.com

www.cvchamber.ca

Call April at 341-6299 to place your classified.

48 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

VALLEY SPORTS

Bighorn football takes the field in Invermere

By Cayla Gabruck Pioneer Staff Invermere is now the home of the Bighorn football team.

The Bighorns will have their home opener on June 15 at 7:00 on the David Thompson Secondary School field and are already getting ready for the big day.

“The kids have just put both arms around it,” said coach Bruce Marlow. “They are doing very well.”

The team consists of 32 players from Grades 8 to 12. The team also has four assistant coaches: Chris Williams, Shawn Wall, George Stuckert and Keenan Driedger.

Bruce has just moved to Windermere from Calgary, where he has been coaching football for the past ten years. He said he wants to start a team here because he loves football. Bruce has donated all of the team’s equipment, but the Bighorns will be holding various fundraisers to replenish the equipment, as well as to add more.

The Bighorns will be playing in the spring league, but will be starting up again in the fall. The home opener will be against the Southwest Falcons of Calgary, and the David Thompson school band will be playing the national anthem.

“We want to give these guys the feel of getting all pumped up for game day,” Bruce said.

Two of the 32 players signed up for football practise their tackle.

The home opener will not only be the Bighorns’ first debut but will also be a fundraiser for the team. There will be donations for the team, and the food bank at the game.

Even though the season has not officially started, the Bighorns have been getting great response from the community including businesses such as Panorama Mountain Village, Peppi’s Pizzeria and Radium Esso.

Bruce also said everyone at the school is very excited and other teams have been “phenomenal” about making room for the Bighorns on the practice field. Bruce said that the kids on the team are

going to benefit from the creation of a team because football is very disciplined.

The Bighorns will be having visits from other members of the football community. Bruce has arranged for the team to attend a Calgary Stampeders game, as well as for a few Stampeders to come to Invermere.

The Bighorn football club will be having their year-end banquet on June 23. It will include a silent auction that will serve as a fundraiser for the Bighorns’ upcoming fall season.

If you are interested in joining the team in the fall, contact Chris at 342-8363 after August 15. Try-

May 18, 2007

Matsuno finishes 11th in Vancouver

By Cayla Gabruck Pioneer Staff A local runner finished 11th in the Bank of Montreal Vancouver Marathon on May 6.

Fortyfour-year-old Lonnie Matsuno finished 11th out of a field of 3000, but finished third in the Masters’ category.

“I’m not a professional,” Lonnie said. “It’s my hobby.”

He also said that running is a way for him to stay motivated. Lonnie is a software developer in Invermere. He and his wife, Jean Hankel, moved from Calgary last year. Lonnie and Jean said they love the valley.

Lonnie and several other members of his Invermere running club, including Maria Dibb and Carolyn Hawes, participated in the full marathon. Other runners from the area who participated in the half marathon were: Jim Fisher, Maureen Thorpe, Judith Skaug-Moore,

Hillary Page, Meredith Hamstead and Beva Kirk. “People like Jim, who have been running a long time, keep me going,” Lonnie said. “People his age are out and he is in the hills somewhere running. It’s very encouraging.”

The Vancouver Marathon was Lonnie’s 20th race, but he has been running for 15 years. He said he began running because he saw his father’s health fail.

“It was time that I started being more active,” he said.

Lonnie has traveled as far as Boston to run, and placed first in the Lethbridge marathon.

He said his technique is simply to break the race down into pieces and try to complete each one.

“I just try to do better every race,” Lonnie said.

When he is not running, Lonnie said he and his wife enjoy golf and kayaking. They are also renovating their home.

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The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 49

May 18, 2007

VALLEY SPORTS

Grand Slam Challenge raised $14,000

By Cayla Gabruck Pioneer Staff The Grand Slam Challenge for Cancer Anniversary Tournament held Sunday, May 13th at Fairmont Hot Springs was a huge success, raising more than $14,000 for cancer research.

The tournament was hosted by Mountainside, Creekside and Riverside Golf Resorts, and its players enjoyed nine holes on all three golf courses donated by Ken Fowler of Fairmont Hot Springs Resort and Don and Carol Seable of Riverside, with all proceeds going to the Canadian Cancer Society.

“It was very well supported,” said Donna Slobodzian, who helped organize the tournament. “There were a lot of hearty souls out there.”

The tournament was held in celebration of Fairmont Hot Springs Resort’s 50th anniversary and Riverside Golf Resort’s 20th. Contestants not only received three rounds of golf for their donation/entry fee but also a buffet breakfast and dinner. There was also a putting contest and a silent auction.

The tournament was preceded by rain but, aside from that, Donna said everything else went as planned and that there was a great turnout. All groups teed off at 9 a.m. Sunday at all three golf courses with cloudy skies and wet grass, but, thankfully, no actual rain.

The tournament had over 90 participants, four of

whom had an interesting way of getting there. John Blakley, Cal Kerr, Ashton Myers and Ted Stringer, members of the David Thompson Secondary School golf team, were invited to take part in the tournament because of a donation by four other local gentlemen.

Doug Morcom, David Sass, Jeff Blake and Maurice Fry called Donna at Riverside to say they were unable to attend the golf tournament because of work, but they wanted to make a donation to the cancer society and help out the local high school golf team.

“When I called the school to tell them, they were ecstatic,” Donna said.

The men donated four $150 tournament entries so four members of the high school team could participate in the tournament.

The high school team members were very happy for the chance to participate in the tournament and thankful to the four men.

Donna also said that many local businesses stepped up to support the event. Local businesses from around the valley and beyond donated various prizes.

Cranbrook Chrysler Dodge donated a 2007 Chrysler Sebring as a hole-in-one prize. Sadly, no one won the car. “It was just an all-around great community fundraiser,” said Donna.

FORE—John Blakley, one of the high school golfers able The Canadian Cancer Society will hold their an- to participate in the Grand Slam Challenge for Cancer nual Relay for Life in Invermere on the night of June because of a donation by four local men, tees off.

9th.

Photo by Cayla Gabruck

50 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

LETTERS

Life Time Warranty on all Blinds Call The Blind Guy!

Interior World

(250) 342 4406

Broadband service brings huge benefits

MEDITATION AND DHAMMA with U VANSARAKKHITA

MAY 26th 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

LIONS HALL AT THE CROSSROADS “Behind the Chamber of commerce”

A unique opportunity to develop or deepen a meditation practice.

U Vansa is a committed and experienced meditation teacher in the Mahasi tradition. U Vansa is a Canadian, a former financial advisor and a lifelong meditator. Subsequent to extensive retreat under the Guidance of Chanmyay Sayadaw a Burmese meditation master and disciple of Mahasi Sayadaw U Vansa has traveled the world conducting intensive Metta and Vipassana retreats.

There will be further opportunities for guided Meditation June 12th 6:30 and June 24th 2:00 with Dr. Anne Mahoney, resident teacher for the Calgary Theravadan Meditation Society.

Information: David Vallance 403-220-0113 dvallance@shaw.ca

Whether you are buying or selling, the classifieds are a great medium to sell or purchase the home of your dreams.

Call today!

341-6299

Dear Editor: For better or worse, the “alternative approval” process has Regional District of East Kootenay taxpayers talking about broadband. But let’s not confuse the political process with the benefits to be realized.

The first group to benefit from broadband is seniors. Governments must reduce health care costs and one option is a more efficient health care delivery system utilizing broadband. This can be as simple as a videoconference with your doctor, to transferring data for medical analysis (like MRIs) and remote supervision for patients at home. Tele-medicine applications will help our seniors stay at home longer and remain connected to the world at large.

One of the first Radium residents who signed up to receive broadband discussed it with her doctor, and he mentioned her consultation in Calgary can now be done using broadband video-conferencing from her home. The cost of one overnight trip to Calgary is easily $200 (gas, hotel, food, etc), which is less than the average broadband tax for an entire year.

The second group is working adults. These folks are critical to economic development; they pay most of the taxes, buy/sell the majority of real estate and establish most of the businesses. Knowledge workers (architects, software developers, engineers) thinking of relocating here are not productive using what is available today and simply cannot use dial-up which some taxpayers still have. These people and their families help build communities by volunteering; they drive business growth and help stimulate jobs.

If you are a local resident, worried about the shrinking of the traditional timber and mining industries and concerned about the reliance on employment in the construction trades and tourism, then encouraging the growth of the “knowledge economy” may be of benefit to you.

Children (and grandchildren) are the biggest beneficiaries. They can receive instruction from the very best educators wherever they may teach. I recently read about students who were allowed to participate remotely in a class using a set of the world’s most powerful electron microscopes. More universities are putting their curriculum online because it is expected that students graduating in this decade may have up to seven career changes in their working lifetime. Retraining for most of these kids will occur at nighttime after THEIR kids have gone to bed so for the sake of $200/year, they can prepare for their next career without using technology from 20 years ago.

Just as we want to keep our oldest citizens in the valley, we don’t want our youngest citizens leaving to get educated elsewhere. Saving for a child’s education and equipping your home to receive that education accomplish the same goal.

If the above situations do not have relevance to you, look what competition has done to the marketplace. Not so long ago, long distance calls to Toronto cost about 60 cents/minute. Today, if you are paying anything, it is likely less than five cents/minute. This is a result of new service providers accessing a previously restricted market.

The goal of all the Columbia Valley’s networks (NanoFibre, Knutaxa Nation, Spirits Reach and now the RDEK) is to build an “Open Access” network which will bring multiple service providers who will compete to win your business.

The current duopoly shared by Telus and Shaw won’t increase competition or reduce prices as quickly as an “Open Access” network will. As of May 15th, five companies have signed up to provide services, and I believe more service providers will join the regional network once homes are connected in Radium this summer. Our families current phone/internet bundle coupled with our TV is $148.95/month. Where true broadband exists in the US, telephone, television and internet (referred to as “triple play”) costs under $100/ month. If new competition reduces the cost down to $125/month our family will save more than the RDEK will tax us.

If you do not believe competition will decrease prices in our valley, a recent study conducted by RVA Market Research shows that installing a fibre optic connection in an average U.S. home adds about $5,000 of value which is more than the RDEK will tax the average homeowner over the life of the project.

In addition to mentioning a few statistics from areas where fibre networks have been implemented, it is equally important to be upfront and state NanoFibre has invested in a fibre network for all of the benefits listed above. We support the RDEK initiative as it will attract more services and competitive pricing to the larger regional network, which will benefit NanoFibre and many others in the Columbia Valley.

Let’s not lose the health, economic and education benefits of broadband because of the alternative approval process. That would be throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

Mark Halwa – Managing Partner NanoFibre Networks Inc.

The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 51

May 18, 2007

Mount Nelson Race drews 85 runners The second annual Mount Nelson Athletic Park 3km and 8km road race kicked off with sunny skies and enthusiastic runners.

This year participants raised more than $1,000.

The event is a fundraiser for the new Mount Nelson Athletic Park. “We hope that every year the event grows in popularity and continues to raise money for the park,” says Race Director Michelle Taylor.

Eighty-five participants ranging in age from 5 months to 64 years came out to run, walk or ride.

Darren Tamelin was the overall champion with a time of 32:06, and Taoya Schaefer was overall female winner finishing in at 35:06.

The youngest 8km competitor was Ben Wiegert, age 7, who actually ran more kilometers than his age.

Ben took home first place in his category.

“We couldn’t have done this event without the tremendous support of the local businesses who donated food and prizes. The race committee also wants to thank all the volunteers and participants who supported the race. It was a great day,” says Michelle.

Following is a list of top 8km runners, with their ages and times: 1 Tamelin, Darren, 35, 0:32:06 2 Bavin, Ryan, 33, 0:33:47 3 Brush, Mackenzie, 15, 0:34:27 4 Schaefer, Taoya, 50, 0:35:06 5 Meadus, Mike, 38, 0:36:52 6 Tamelin, Shelley, 33, 0:37:11 7 Morgan, Scott, 31, 0:38:30 8 Brush, Michael, 14, 0:38:36 9 Stimming, Ryan, 28, 0:39:04 10 Godlien, Don, 39, 0:39:12 11 Janzen, Steve, 39, 0:39:29 12 Turgeon, Kim, 29, 0:42:12 13 Janzen, Joy & Annika, 33, 0:42:33 14 Reidel, Megan, 27, 0:42:41 15 Mytopher, Tammy, 31, 0:42:51 16 Jenkinson, Nancy, 47, 0:43:57 17 Steritt, Christina, 24, 0:44:54 18 Hasburgh, Cherie, 39, 0:45:05 19 Wilcock, Garnet, 27, 0:46:06 20 Phillips, Trish, 30, 0:46:11 21 Duncan, George, 52, 0:46:58 22 Gagne, Krista, 26, 0:47:07 23 Ruault, Laurie, 47, 0:47:26 24 Bragg, Joanne, 49, 0:47:58 25 Lang, Heather, 41, 0:48:01 27 Hasburgh, Patrick, 57, 0:48:12 26 Jablaczy, Vivian , 46, 0:48:12 28 Francis, Corinna, 40, 0:48:18 29 Colonna, Kerry, 43, 0:48:42 30 Bigelow, Brayenna, 25, 0:48:51 31 Matsella, Jodi, 31, 0:49:10 32 Stimming, Christa, 28, 0:49:20

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52 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

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The Columbia Valley Pioneer •53

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54 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

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The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 55

May 18, 2007

Get ready to shine

By Cayla Gabruck Pioneer Sta Spring is ďŹ nally here, and with all this sun, it is time to get your wheels all shined up.

The Valley Shine Shop in Invermere has recently changed hands, and new owner Jodi Clark is looking to get your car looking its best. “ I love it, I love cars, I always have since I was a little girl,� Jodi said. “And I am not a mechanic, so this is the next best thing!�

The 33-year-old wife of Neil Clark and proud mother of three children — Jaydon, 10, William, 5 and Steven 4 — moved here from Manitoba 15 years ago. Jodi grew up all over Manitoba and graduated from high school in Carberry, where her parents still reside. “I came here one winter to work at the ski hill and just never left,� Jodi laughed.

Jodi bought Valley Shine from previous owner Chris Monker in late April and is already booking fast. “It’s amazing,� Jodi said. “I am get-

ting the entire spectrum of people.�

A friendly face is not all you are getting when you visit Valley Shine; the business oers full detailing services including steam cleaning for boats. Jodi, much like Joseph, the owner of neighbouring business Essence of Sound, prides herself on her workmanship. “It will be perfectly clean every time,â€? Jodi said.

Along with detailing, Valley Shine Shop also oers vehicle accessories. “Literally anything you can add to a vehicle I can get — including installations,â€? Jodi said. “And it’s really good because it seems like shipping is really quick.â€?

Rest assured, even though the demand is there, you will not see the Valley Shine Shop leaving Invermere. “I would like to expand, and have more sta and more bays.â€?

More services you can look forward to at Valley Shine include window tinting and even more accessories.

For more information on how you can get your vehicle shined up, call Jodi at 342-9696.

SHINE POINT—Jodi Clark of Valley Shine Shop shines the chrome on her own ride.

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STEVE GUTSCHE, Project Manager

HEAD OFFICE Columbia Valley District Phone: (250) 342-9866 Phone: (403) 287-0144 Fax: (250) 342-9869 Fax: (403) 287-2193 Email: sgutsche@avionconstruction.com #200, 6125 - 11 Street S.E. www.avionconstruction.com Calgary, AB T2H 2L6

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The Pioneer has a circulation of 8000, reaching more people than any other publication in the valley

56 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

New fire hall slated for Pano Submitted

WHAT’S LIFE WITHOUT CHOICE? CUSTOMER CHOICE HAS ARRIVED. Now you can choose who you buy your natural gas from — Terasen Gas or a natural gas marketer.

Licensed by the BC Utilities Commission, gas marketers are now selling long-term, fixed-rate contracts to residential natural gas customers. With a fixed rate, the price you pay for your natural gas will remain the same for the duration of the contract. It will not fluctuate with the daily changes of energy prices. If you receive a sales call, it is on behalf of a natural gas marketer and not Terasen Gas. If you continue to buy from Terasen Gas, the rate you pay for your natural gas will vary. Our standard rate reflects the current market rates for natural gas and is subject to review every three months by the BCUC. Now you can choose the natural gas pricing option that works best for you. Whether you go fixed or variable rate, you’ll only receive one bill. And Terasen Gas will always deliver your gas and provide the customer services you expect. Visit www.terasengas.com for a list of licensed gas marketers and a video about CUSTOMER CHOICE. Not available in all areas. Terasen Gas is a licensed user of the Terasen Gas and CUSTOMER CHOICE logos.

www.terasengas.com

The Panorama Volunteer Fire Department will be getting a new “house.”

Reinhart Construction of Invermere has been awarded the contract to construct a new fire hall on Regional District property at the entrance to Panorama Mountain Village.

“The RDEK is pleased to have this exciting project underway,” says Dan McNeill, Manager of Building andProtective Services.

“It is something we’ve been working on for quite some time, and we are happy to have a reputable contractor ready to start the job.”

Fire Chief Martin Caldwell is eagerly anticipating completion of the fire hall.

“Our department has been making many improvements with an increase in the number of firefighters, more rescue services, the purchase of new trucks, and now a new fire hall. The new building will give us not just a facility to store our equipment, but a true home of which we can be proud.”

The new fire hall, costing approximately $998,000, will consist of four truck bays, storage facilities, training space, and meeting rooms.

The alpine-styled building will also feature a traditional hose drying tower. Construction is set to begin on June 1, 2007.

May 18, 2007

The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 57

PIONEER ON THE ROAD

ON THE ROAD—In our latest installment of our travel photo contest, the Pioneer contunues to turn up in far corners of the world. In the left column, top to bottom, David and Marilyn Goldsmith of Spillimacheen in front of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome; Jessica Fairhart and Ian Solo in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In the middle column, top to bottom, Rod and Christine Turnbull in Mississippi; Debbie and Byron McLean with

Kathy and Kim Thompson in Monterey, California; Steve and Chris Lee on the floor of the Grand Canyon outside of Las Vegas, Nevada (Happy 50th Birthday, Steve!); Bill Bonner, Craig Bacher and Bob Shaunessy in Cuba. Right column, top to bottom, Mariane Comis and Evelyne Baertschi in Nanaimo (which doesn’t qualify but we thought it was a funny photo); Peter Bartman and Sandi McAllister at Machu Picchu in Peru.

58 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

P IONEER C LASSIFIEDS THANK YOU

SHOP FOR RENT

CONDO FOR RENT

HOMES FOR SALE

Albert Cooper and family would like to thank everyone who attended the Celebration of Bunny’s life on April 28th. We would also like to thank Columbia House caregivers and others for their wonderful care and attention.

Approximately 1000 sq.ft. shop space for rent. $850/mo. Power and property taxes not included.

Available immediately. Includes heat. D/D required. New•House Multi Storage, Athalmer 3423637.

2-bedroom Condo, N/S. N/ P. Must be quiet. Available immediately. Long term only.

Semi furnished. $900/month plus utilities. 342-9446.

An affordable ready to move in 1500 sq ft home in Windermere - 3-bedrooms, 2 baths, den area w/wood burning stove, finished basement, central vac, all appliances and window coverings on a nicely treed and fully fenced 66 x 120 lot. $299,500. Call Lee or Sharon (250)-498-6298.

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT Jim Raven and Sam Szufnarowicz are proud to announce the birth of Evangilina May-Ann. 9 lbs 4 oz. May 10th, 2007.

CHEERS Cheers to the stranger who secretly paid for our families breakfast at Huckleberry’s on Mother’s Day.

NOTICES Little Badger Early Learning Baby Badger interactive parent-participation program for children under three! From May 23 to June 27, Sandy Pitt leads Monday and Wednesday morning programming from 9:30-11:30 at Little Badger Early Learning. Includes play, crafts, early learning, story time and snacks. Cost is $12 per child/session. Parent must participate.

Call Sandy 341-3110 or Little Badger at 342-6331.

STORAGE New•House Multi Storage Various sizes available, now with climate controlled units.

Call 342-3637.

WANTED TO RENT Mature couple and roommate seeking rental home in Invermere area. Pets okay.

Reasonable. ASAP. 341-5295.

SHARED ACCOMMODATION Includes private room, personal phone line with voicemail, full cable, all utilities, in room highspeed Internet port and laundry access. Also includes access to a shared computer, pool table and big screen TV. $500/mo, $250 SD. N/S, N/P. Invermere (250) 342-4811.

SUITES FOR RENT CONTRACTORS: self-contained cabins by the week or month, 250-345-6365, Fairmont Bungalows.

Bachelor suite furnished or unfurnished. Separate entrance suitable for one quiet person near town on Toby Creek Road.

N/S. $500/month. Call Stan 341-3134.

Large 1-bedroom condo, Radium available long-term starting July 1st. Fully furnished includes all utilities. $900/month (250) 427-4997 or 347-6468.

HOMES FOR RENT 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom house for rent in Radium. Includes appliances and water. N/P, N/S. Available longterm $1,100/ month plus utilities. 347-9345.

Central Invermere. 2-bedrooms, spacious, large yard. Available June 1st. Longterm preferred.

N/S N/P. $950/mo plus utilities and DD. Call now to view. 3479086.

HOMES FOR SALE 2-bedroom, 1-bath, 1000sq. ft. townhouse in Edgewater.

Completely renovated, new appliances, deck, low fees. $199,000 341-7068.

FOR SALE Three level building: home, business and rental for income.

Lochend Gardens, 130 - 11th Ave, Invermere. Gorgeous homes starting at $349,900.

Mountain views, river rock, cedar, porches/patios, gas FP, laminate, maple, A/C, garage, low condo fees and much more.

Show home open Sat/Sun 12-3 p.m. www.lochendinthevalley. com (250)-342-5229.

Edgewater Townhouse, 1000 sqft w/new deck & siding.

Low strata fees, immediate possession available. $179,000.

341-7068 .

What an amazing view!

Make an appointment today to see this 3-bedroom, 1.5 bath, attached garage, finished walkout basement, dual deck, computer room, central vacuum equipped, two storey townhouse that has eight years warranty left. NO condo fees. NO GST! House is located at 617 – 10th Avenue. May long weekend is here act quickly. Call 342-2475.

Would be a great staff accommodation unit.

1,080 sq.ft. – 2 BR up, 1,080 business space on main (or reno to suite) and 1,380 - 4 BR down.

Lot 50 X 120 2 newer propane furnaces; all appliances included.

Main floor was a cafe - could be office space.

All coffee shop equip incl.

$

425,900

No reasonable offer refused.

Call Donna 250-342-6010

Radium Beauty Many features with plenty of space.

Best value in the Columbia Valley.

342-1120

MOBILE HOMES FOR SALE

GARAGE SALES

Garage/Moving Sale. Furniture, dryer, microwave, bicycle, tools, miscellaneous. Saturday, May 19th & Sunday, May 20th. 8270 1973 Boise Cascade Model Hobbit Frontage, Dry Gulch.

Trailer 63’ x 12’. Must be moved. 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. No Early Good condition includes 12’ x 10’ Birds. side porch addition. Perfect to put on that acreage until you’re BUNDY’S Gigantic Garage Sale Saturday, 9 to 12 ready to build. We did, now 1146 Hilltop Road we’re building. $13,500 OBO. Early Birds Pay Triple.

Call (250) 342-1322.

1976 Mobile home buyer must move, asking $15,000 obo. Must sell, call 342-2686.

For sale older mobile home two additions. Must move. Best offer.

342-6282.

LOTS FOR SALE New lots along Crescentwood coming. Commercial lots available NOW for less! Acreage West of town - Edgewater Developments 347 9660, edgeh2o@ telus.net.

50’ x 120’ R1 lot in Edgewater on Selkirk Avenue. No realtor fees until last week of May. Fabulous unobstructed view of the Rockies. Lot has back lane access, is flat, clean and sodded with 2 crab apple trees in back. Please call Heather or Peter (403) 2262762.

LOST & FOUND FOUND – one Robeez infant shoe. Navy with green frog.

341-6080.

LOST – Tucker a 3 yr old Red Heeler has gone missing from the Fort Steele/Bull River area and may have been stolen. Do you know anyone who has recently acquired a Red Heeler?

Reward offered. 421-8301 or 421-8300.

LOST - May 5 female blue tick coon hound on Whiteswan Road: 426-4717 or 341-8424.

HENRI’S WOODWORKS SPRING YARD SALE Variety of patio, yard & garden items.

Arbors, trellis, planters, windmill, wishing well, outdoor furniture, etc.

May 19 & 20, 9 am to 4 pm #29 Westside Road (1 km north of Toby Bridge on road to Wilmer) Garage Sale, Saturday, May 19th, 9 to 3. Coleman 15’ canoe, matching livingroom chairs, sofa table, car seat, kid’s pool, many household items.

4995 Falcon Drive, Fairmont.

Saturday, May 19th, 9:00 am, Moving Sale – Furniture, household goods, wood working power and hand tools, yard equipment, lots more! 9048 Marshall Road, Toby Benches, follow signs from Toby Creek and Houlgrave Roads.

The Garage Sale You’ve Been Waiting For! So BIG it has to be two days. May 19/20, 9 – 12.

Brass headboard, kids Mielle Mountain Bike, antique bottle collection, some items new.

Great stuff. 1785 Windermere Loop Road.

Saturday, May 19th, 9 – 2.

Two-families. Tools, furniture, lawn equipment, bunkbeds, mattresses, utility trailer, etc. etc. Columere Park, 4545 & 4541 Columbia View Road.

May 18, 2007

The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 59

P IONEER C LASSIFIEDS GARAGE SALES

MISC. FOR SALE

VEHICLES FOR SALE

Saturday, May 19th, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. Canoe, aluminum boat, tools, camping, household.

Rain or shine. 5971 Highway 95, Edgewater.

Aged horse manure, Great for gardens, $50/truck, loaded. Or bring your own containers. 3421526.

1994 Sunbird, 133,000 km, new tires, new battery, new muffler, 5-speed. $1,200 obo. 342-7379.

MULTI FAMILY YARD SALE Westside Park off of 13th Avenue South Saturday, May 19th 8 am – Noon.

Multi Family. Furniture, golf, tools, houseplants, perennials.

Mega more behind Tim Horton.

12A & B Wolf Crescent. Saturday 9 to 1.

Multi-Family Garage Sale.

Saturday, May 19th, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Lawn furniture, livingroom set, table saw, aquarium, kids stuff, crib and lots more. 1301 John Woods Road. 342-3213.

WANTED NeighbourLink, Columbia Valley is seeking donations of good quality used appliances and furniture including children’s.

Please call Dorothy 342-3826 or Judy 342-3534. Next sale – June 2nd.

MISC. FOR SALE Manure, well aged, will load. $70 per pickup load. Phone Elkhorn Ranch 342-0617.

Printer: Like new HP Deskjet 5440 with extra black cartridge Reg. $130, Only $60; Sharp UX187 Fax Machine with 6 extra rolls of paper-only $50. NEW Internal Modem AOpenFM56PX $40. 342-7590.

2001 Norco Atomik. Bomber Z3 shocks. Juicy 7 brakes. High Roller front tire. Mavic DH Wheel. 6 rides. $700 obo. Jason/ Wayne 342-6135.

Fridges, stoves, washers and dryers - $40 each. Pool table, balls and cues included - $800.

Phone 347-9822.

Stand-up Tanning Booth with change room $5,900, Tanning Bed $2,399. Both mint condition.

Residential or commercial use.

342-8388.

Rocky Mountain Buffalo available at Grant’s Foods, 8th Avenue, Invermere. 342-7308.

GOLFERS – Bargain priced never used full use of men’s Wilson Fat Shaft clubs, includes bag and covers. Ladies used customized set. 342-3385.

Matching chesterfield and chair, occasional chairs and ottoman combination, radio plus tapedeck, records, coffee table, plant stands, card table, ¾ length leather jacket. 347-2258.

White frame (steel) bunk bed, double/single complete with mattresses and bedding. $300.

Call Rhonda 342-0350.

For sale – Queen mattress, boxspring and frame. Small chest freezer. Double Sofabed.

Book shelf units. Lamps (table & floor). 345-4055.

VEHICLES FOR SALE 1982 Yamaha, 750 Virago, excellent condition, new tires, lots of chrome. $2,500. Please call 341-5524.

Undercover Corvette.1998 Ford Crown Victoria. Ex RCMP Ghost car, very reliable, always well maintained, new brakes, new tires. $5,500 OBO. Call (250) 342-6954.

1960’s Fargo truck $300. 3479822.

1997 Grand Prix - 6 cyl., auto stick shift. A-1 shape in and out.

Exc. gas mileage. Remote start, all power, A/C, AM/FM/12 disk changer. Call Donna 342-6010 $6,400 OBO. 2000 Hyundai Accent, red, 177,000 km, 5-speed, standard, great condition. $4,200 obo.

Phone 342-7614.

1972 Cadillac Sedan Seville $800. 347-9822 1978 Jaguar XJ6L, 4-door project car. $1,500; 1999 Kawasaki Vulcan Classic 800 motorcycle c/w windshield and bags. MINT. $6,500. 342-6094 1964 Comet Caliante Convertible.

No motor or transmission, disassembled. 342-8767.

$10,000,000 in vehicle inventory.

Go to www.cranbrookdodge.com to view complete inventory.

RV’S FOR SALE 9 ft. Scamper truck camper with fridge, stove/oven, toilet and furnace. $1,900. 345-0321.

1975, 21 ½ ft. Terry Taurus travel trailer. Sleeps 6. Great condition in Windermere. $2,900, (403) 819-9051 after 5 pm.

BUSINESS FOR SALE HELP STOP GLOBAL WARMING and put money in your pocket. www.4planetearth.com/wolf or call Wolf (250) 688-0044

SERVICES PROFESSIONAL WATER WITCHER Need to drill only once due to cost of drilling for water for your house or property? Call Vito Nevoral, (250) 265-4914.

Webpage: Waterflow.port5.com

Simes Painting: interior and exterior, new homes and existing, quality woodwork finishing, laquers, staining, and clearcoating. Call Barry. 3420572 Windermere.

Flooring installations including lino, carpet, vc tile, laminate, and hardwood. Plus handyman work including new decks, renovations, framing, and roofing. Call 3479192, 341-1235.

ODD JOBS ENT. HAULING Garbage, brush and construction disposal. Mulch deliveries. Call Dale Hunt @ 342-3569 .

TOTAL HEATING

& Air Conditioning New Home Construction

CAREERS

CAREERS

Jepson Petroleum Ltd. has a fulltime office position available at our Invermere site. Knowledge of general office procedures, computer competency and above average people skills are a must. This position involves warehouse work and requires some physical strength.

Competitive wages and benefits.

Email: invermere@jepsonpetro. com, Fax: (250) 342-2900, Phone: (250) 342-9915.

Housekeeping Wanted - 30 hours a week, $10-$14 per hour.

Apply in person with resume to Arlene at Chalet Europe, Radium 347-9315.

Part-time position (2 – 3 Days/ Wk) for fast growing local business. Looking for friendly, self-motivated individual to look after customers & miscellaneous office administration. Please fax resume: 342-7103 Attn: Stacey.

Come be part of our team!

Radium Resort has openings for the following positions: Group Sales & Catering - YearRound Position, Assistant Food & Beverage Manager, Bellperson, Room Attendants, Cart Attendants Starters/Marshals, Cooks at the Springs Golf Course and The Resort Fax resume to: 250-347-6298, email frontdesk@radiumresort. com, or drop off at the front desk of hotel.

342-1167 CAREERS Peppi’s Pizza Now hiring full and part-time Cooks, Servers & Dishwashers. No experience necessary. Staff accommodation is available for full time staff. Apply either in person with a resume at Peppi’s, by phone at 342-3421, or at peppisitalianfuel@yahoo.

Invermere, BC - Electrical Contractor requires Journeymen Electricians preferably with F.S.R. ticket. Competitive wages and benefits. Fax resume: (250) 342-3862 or call (250) 3429918.

Radium Vacation Rentals and Timberstone Property Services is seeking a part-time contract cleaner in the Radium area.

Please call and leave a message for Robin 347-6900.

Legacy Kitchens, a leading supplier to the new home industry, is seeking experienced Kitchen Cabinet Installers for new homes and renovations in Invermere. Must have cabinet installation experience, full tools and reliable vehicle. Successful applicants will be positive self-starters who have an eye for details. These are ongoing contract positions that are paid by piece work. Available Immediately. Apply by mail to Legacy Kitchens, Box 820, #5 – 9994 Arrow Road, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0. By Phone: (250) 342-3577.

By Fax: (250) 342-3395.

Full-time/Part-time Nanny.

3 children ages 6 to 12 years.

Phone: (250) 345-4535 or Fax: 345-6348.

CLASSIFIED DEADLINE: Tuesdays at noon Phone: 341-6299 Toll Free: 1-877-341-6299 Fax: 341-6229 Email: upioneer@telus.net All classified ads must be prepaid by cash or cheque unless client has an existing account.

Please read your ad over carefully the first day it comes out to ensure the information is correct.

Need Blinds? Best Quality Call The Blind Guy!

Interior World

(250) 342 4406

60 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

P IONEER C LASSIFIEDS CAREERS

CAREERS

CAREERS

Strand’s Old House Restaurant taking applications for parttime and full-time evening dishwashers. Phone or apply to Tony Woods. 342-6344.

Full-time/Part-time Housekeeping positions $12/ hour. Living accommodations provided. Apply Fairmont Bungalows (250) 345-6365, Fax: 345-6348, email: bungalows@ shaw.ca.

RESIDENT CARE WORKER New 20 hour/week position.

Monday to Friday 5 to 9 pm. RCA or PCA or HSW or equivalent.

Union membership, HEU. See posting – Mt. Nelson Place, Manager: Stephanie Healy. 3423699.

Landscape/Grounds Support Part-time seasonal (15-25 hours/week), possibility of leading to part-time year round for the right applicant. Wage $11.50/hour with a bonus at the end of the season. Duties include watering & mowing of lawns, raking and general upkeep of grounds. Occasionally may be asked to assist the maintenance department.

Please send resume to Radium Valley Vacation Resort, fax (250) 347-9808 or e-mail: radval@ shaw.ca

Tire Man Full-time position Tire Man. Experience preferred but will train. Phone Jason 342-6517 (w) or 342-3777 (h).

THE PIONEER

CLASSIFIED DEADLINE: Tuesdays at noon

info@columbiavalleypioneer.com

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Within 3 local businesses all positions available.

2 grocery stores •1 coffee shop.

Located in Fairmont and Radium Hot Springs.

To apply: Phone Ryan 250-345-0045 • 250-341-7345 Fax: 250-345-0075 arhaynes@shaw.ca

CustomerServiceRepresentative Full-time seasonal, possibility of turning into part-time position over the winter months for the right person. Wage $13-16/ hour with a bonus at the end of the season. Duties include Front Desk/Reservations, guest services and various general office duties. Please send resume to Radium Valley Vacation Resort, fax (250) 347-9808 or e-mail: radval@shaw.ca.

Part-time Customer Service Representative We currently have an opportunity to hire one part-time Customer Service Representative to work in our Invermere Branch.

If you are a team oriented person wishing to advance within our organization and can demonstrate strong commitment to building a lasting relationship through exceptional service we would like to hear from you.

- Your qualifications will include: - Successful completion of Grade 12 - Cash handling experience - Excellent sales and service skills - Superior communication skills - Flexible hours - Commitment to learning

Flooring Fitz Flooring is looking for an energetic, responsible person for light ofce duties on Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. $15/hour.

Resumes may be faxed to 250-342-6598 We would like to thank all applicants, but only those short listed will be contacted.

Call Don at

342-6649

There’s a place for you on the Home Team!

Excellent Positions Available in these areas: Cashiers • Sales • Customer Service • Carpenter Helpers • Truss Manufacturers • Yard Customer Service •

Outgoing responsible people required for in-store and yard employment. Come to Rona (Ace Hardware) with resume.

410 Borden Street, Invermere.

TURF ‘N’ TIMBER CONTRACTING LTD. is looking for a energetic, self-motivated, reliable individual to assist in irrigation and waterscape installation and general landscaping duties. Transportation is a must. We offer competitive wages and weekends off!

Please send resumes to e-mail: jaydex@telus.net or fax: 250-347-9723.

Canada’s #1

Vacation Ownership Company Is looking for dedicated professionals in the following departments

Sales & Administration Please fax resume 250-345-6446 email: steve@fairmontvillas.com or contact Manager at 250-345-6321

Home Hardware provides unique and exciting opportunities to work, to learn and to grow.

Home hardware

building centre

Apply today!

342-6908

9980 Arrow Road

May 18, 2007

The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 61

VALLEY PIONEER Olga Roesch

before departing that their address would be Edgewater.

But there was no track in Edgewater so the immigrants were told they had to disembark the train in Athalmer.

In January 1937, a 15-year-old Swiss girl Joe, who had come from the Black Forest district of Gernamed Olga Stoller wrote a composition for many in 1929, was called down to translate for these Gerschool outlining her plans to move to the man-speaking Swiss.

Some of the families went directly to their farms, French section of her country, learn the language and learn a trade. Little did she but for some reason Olga’s family stayed in the train car know that her parents had been making for about one week and then went to inhabit a cabin in other plans and within two months she Coldstream Campground before going to their farm near would be living in the Columbia Valley, Golden. The farm they purchased was about 148 acres and some other families farmed there at a place called learning English instead.

Seventy years ago this March, five Mountain Ridge. Located about 12 miles south of Goldfamilies - four of them from the fairy-tale en, the community no longer exists. Her parents found town of Frutigen - boarded a train and then things difficult and were never able to finish paying for their farm. They ended their a ship and emiwork lives as farm labourers in grated to Canada, Abbotsford. with the help of the Olga stayed on the farm Swiss government. just long enough to go to High unemployschool for three months to ment rates and overcrowdlearn the language. Then a CPR ing prompted the Swiss in man asked her if she was inter1923 to establish the Swiss ested in working in Calgary.

Association for Colonization, The young woman jumped at to enable their citizens to emithe chance, because it fit nicely grate. On the other side of the with her plans. She was going ocean, the government here to learn better English, save up established The Canada enough money and move back Movement, made up of to Switzerland. civil servants, coloniHer employer in Calgary zation departments was an English immigrant in the CPR and with wealthy parents in the CNR, and the Swiss govern- Olga outside Bugaboo Service with one of the boys. old country. It was their money that paid Olga’s wage. The ment. Farmers in young mother she was workparticular were being recruited to move to Canada as there ing for promised to pay her way to England if she stayed was a high demand for them. The Swiss long enough and helped her with the children on the subsidized travel costs and once here, the trip back. Then World War Two broke out, there were no more funds available from England, and the trip was immigrants were helped to find work.

For Olga’s group, a Swiss delegation cancelled.

Olga was offered a job with a Swiss family living in came to Canada one year earlier to scout out the land, and they chose this valley for Edgewater, the Schniders, helping with their seven chilthem. Robert and Hermine Stoller came with dren. One day Mrs. Peters from Peters Hill Farm asked Olga and her five younger siblings. Christian her if she could drive a vehicle or milk cows. No. This and Rosa Stoller (no relation), Albert and Lau- didn’t deter the woman who offered Olga the job anyra Ryter, Christian and Frieda Wenger, Fritz and way.

Olga says it was the best job she had in Canada, for Rosa Traschel all came with their children.

Five families with 21 children embarked on a she neither “had to cook or clean, just wash out the milk journey that took them several weeks. Most of them jugs. And at three o’clock I would have to go and bring were extremely seasick. “The ship shuddered violently the herd home. They always went in one of three direcin the waves. We enjoyed only the first and the last day,” tions: the sloughs, Wilmer or up Panorama road.” She resigned when she married Joe in 1942. she said.

Olga recalls first meeting her future husband Joe Continued on Page 62 Roesch, when their trip was nearly complete. They learned

By Dorothy Isted Special to the Pioneer

Olga Roesch, age 17

Joe Roesch, age 25

62 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer Continued from Page 61 Joe and Olga had three children: Lawrence who now lives in Sparwood, Josette who lives in Calgary but is currently building a retirement home here, and Randy who lives in Windermere. She has four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

At first Joe drove truck for the local mills, but then he and Olga purchased a sawmill in 1948 in Spillimacheen because his arm “got bad from all the shaking on the rough forest roads.”

In 1950 the Giant Mascot Mine reopened and things in Spilli boomed, with many people moving into the area. Their long-term plan had been to return to Invermere but the same year they sold the mill they purchased property next door to the current post office, installing two gas pumps. In 1954 they added a general store.

People could buy everything at Bugaboo Service from gas to work clothes to fresh vegetables grown in the Roesch garden. In addition, Olga operated a milk delivery service and would drive her pickup with Lawrence and Josette in the back, jumping out when she stopped to run the milk to the doors. Every fall the family cut Christmas trees, which was a good source of income for many valley people.

May 18, 2007 Joe was 17 years older than Olga but they always “got along” because they liked the same things. He died in 1977 and a year later Olga moved to Windermere and worked for Mike Smith who owned Fairmont Gift Shop. She only had a small government pension but with the sale of the Spillimacheen property and her summer job she managed.

Olga now lives at Columbia Garden Village and will celebrate her 86th birthday on May 28th. She did get back to Switzerland ten times, but only for visits.

She never had a choice in coming to Canada. “Not that I was unhappy in Canada, but I was unhappy that I had to leave Switzerland where I could have learned a trade. Here there were no trades, all I could do was look after children and scrub floors.”

She had been raised with a world view that said once you were 16 you were on your own. Swiss children were taught to have a trade. In this aspect her adopted country was initially a disappointment.

Today, Olga says she is “glad everything happened the way it did, because now I would not want to live in Switzerland.” Olga keeps busy knitting and playing cards, especially the Swiss game Jass.

She enjoys visiting with old and young friends. “I found the people in Canada so helpful and friendly.

Top photo: Olga pumping gas; bottom photo: 15-year-old Canada became my second homeland.”

Olga on the ship to Canada, standing on the top right.

Put a little more

BC Parks in your life.

With over 600 diverse playgrounds to explore, BC Parks can put so much more into your life. More exploring. More walking on inviting trails. A little more majestic forests and picturesque sunsets. More picnics on the beach. And, above all, a little more family. Don’t wait for the dog days of summer to enjoy our natural treasures. Now is a great time to enjoy a day visit, a weekend escape or a mid-week adventure in a B.C. park. Learn how you can put a little more BC Parks in your life.

Learn more about BC Parks at www.bcparks.ca

The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 63

May 18, 2007

FAITH

How do we live out our faith?

Sandy Ferguson Windermere Valley Shared Ministry So how does one make the Good News proclaimed by Christ Jesus a reality?

A question as important today, as it was when the Christian faith first began to spread throughout the Roman world through the ministry of Paul of Tarsus. Paul’s work laid the foundation of the Christian faith, and his witness to the Good News revealed through Christ Jesus still speaks to us today.

And the question lies at the heart of Paul’s ministry. Trying to answer it will consume the rest of his life. Paul will create new communities of faith, as he proclaims the Good News to all who will listen. It will be an ongoing struggle for Paul, as he leaves one community to create another, as he continues to face challenges from his earlier work. His letters witness to these struggles, and are a wonderful glimpse of the man behind the mission. Paul is no dusty character of history, but a living man of faith.

And Paul’s letters ensure that his witness continues to speak to us today, because his letters are a response to the question, how do we live out our faith?

What does it mean to proclaim to the world that I am beloved of God? How is my life changed when I proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord? What does faith mean to me?

Just as the early Christians asked Paul these questions, today we ask Paul those same question, how do we live out our faith in this world?

And we face similar challenges to those early Christian. Faith can be a difficult path to follow, because it profoundly challenges the wisdom of the world, with its obsession that security can be found in the pursuit of wealth and status. But, if we are honest with ourselves, sometimes we believe that such desires give a structure to our lives. Sometimes it’s easier to commit ourselves to a rigid set of rules, hoping that they will guide us, because then we will know what to expect, rather than unknowns that may happen through faith.

But as Paul makes clear, this isn’t the way of faith.

His own life is a model of embracing faith. Before his encounter with Christ Jesus, he considered himself to be a righteous man, because he knew and followed the rules. But now through Christ, his heart and mind are opened to faith. He now understands that following a set of the rules, hoping that they will lead to salvation does not create the opportunity for faith in God. Faith grows out of a willingness to embrace the presence of God in our lives, to be changed by it.

Faith becomes for us a way to grow. We are not merely to continue what has gone on before. Through Christ Jesus, we become a new creation, called to work for the good of all. We are called to reveal to others the gift of faith, which allows us to move beyond the limitations of rules and regulations. Through faith we celebrate the mystery of God, revealed in the diversity of creation that surrounds us. Through faith we are born anew into this world, called to proclaim the Good News that God is with us, thanks to be God!

Valley Churches LAKE WINDERMERE ALLIANCE CHURCH 10:30 a.m. Sunday, May 20 – Worship and Life Instruction: “Retelling HIStory.”

Sunday school for age 3 to Grade 7 during the service.

7 p.m. Monthly Hymn Sing.

Rev. Jared Enns - Pastor 326 - 10th Avenue, Invermere • 342-9535 WINDERMERE VALLEY SHARED MINISTRY 8:30 a.m. May 20 - Edgewater - All Saints 10:30 a.m. May 20 - Invermere - Christ Church Trinity 7 p.m. May 20 - Windermere - St. Peter’s Church Rev. Sandy Ferguson • 110 - 7th Avenue, Invermere • 342-6644 www.wvsm.info or www.christchurchtrinity.com VALLEY CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY Sunday • 10 a.m.

Children’s Church during the message part of the service.

Sunday 7 p.m. 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 p.m. Mass • Sunday 9 a.m. Mass St. Joseph’s Church, Hwy 93/95 Radium Sunday 11 a.m. Mass St. Anthony’s Church, Canal Flats Sunday 4 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 p.m.

Christ Church Trinity 110 - 7th Ave., Invermere Pastor Rev. Fraser Coltman • 1-866-426-7564 RADIUM CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP Every Sunday 10 a.m., Sunday School 10 a.m.

Every Wednesday 7 p.m., Bible Study Pastor Wayne and Linda Frater • Radium Seniors’ Hall • 342-6633 THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTERDAY SAINTS Sunday Service, 10 a.m. • Sunday School, 11 a.m.

Noon Sunday: Relief Society President Grant Watkins • Columbia Valley Branch 5014 Fairway, Fairmont Hot Springs • 345-0079

Invermere Christian Supplies Invermere Christian Supplies

www.invermerechristiansupplies.com

1229-7th Ave., Invermere

WE SELL REAL ESTATE • Radium • Invermere • Panorama • Windermere • Fairmont

342-6415

Call 341-6151 or 1-888-341-6155

rayfergusonrealty.ca PREMIER SCENIC LOCALITY

Classic home w/panoramic lake and mtn. views. Quiet downtown setting.

Gorgeous 49-acre lot. Has possible option to subdivide to 2 home sites MLS# K162352

SAFETY BARBECUE - Canfor’s Safety Committee held its annual barbecue on May 11th in honour of the grand opening of their Safety Office at the Radium mill, focussing on health and wellness for its employees. Safety Committee members, from left to right: Bob Belcher, Gordon Bennett, Ken Smith, Rob Raven, Laura Curnow, Mark Smedstad and Phil Payne. Missing is John Wassing.

$639,000

64 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer

May 18, 2007

www.ReMaxInvermere.com

Invermere

At Panorama: 250-341-4898 Toll Free: 1-888-258-9911

Independently Owned and Operated

250-342-6505

Wende Brash 342-1300

Bernie Raven 342-7415

Daniel Zurgilgen 342-1612

Cozy Cottage

Ed English 342-1194

Jan Klimek 342-1195

John McCarthy 342-1758

Scott Wallace 342-5309

Andy Smith 342-1709

Looking for the Perfect Lot

Bryan Hookenson 341-1266

Rob Rice 341-5935

Deborah-Kim Rice 342-5935

Katie Wallace 342-5785

Corner Lot

Paul Glassford 341-1395

Cabin/Cottage everyone desires. This cozy rustic cottage was built in 1977 and sits on a well treed corner lot in the Fairmont Townsite. The house boasts 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, large open kitchen and wrap-around decks. Call now to see!! MLS#K162355

Look no further! This pie-shaped lot in The Cottages at Copper Point backs north and has no building commitment. Close to all amenities, this property would be great for a side walk-out.

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Large corner lot in The Cottages at Copper Point. Slightly pie-shaped and north backing, this is the perfect property for a side walk-out. Heavily treed, no building commitment and close to all amenities. MLS#162361

$499,000

$162,500

$162,500

Beautiful Wilmer Lot

Make Lochend Yours

Fantastic Location, Gorgeous Views

Great level lot on Main Avenue in the quiet town of Wilmer just minutes from Invermere. 0.227 acre with mountain view and community water. Treed for a bit of privacy. Call today to make this yours! MLS#K162357

New single family attached homes. Single car garage. Walking distance to downtown. Close to both Chabot Provincial Park and Kinsmen Beach. Quiet neighborhood yet close to all the amenities of Invermere. Walking distance to schools. MLS#K161065

This 2 bedroom ¼ share unit at Panorama Mountain Village is mere steps away from ski lifts, hot tubs, pools and more! Don t miss out on this amazing opportunity to own at a ski resort for way less than you ever imagined! MLS#K162358

$178,000

$353,000

$125,000

Wilmer Delight

Incredible Views

A Rare Opportunity

Amazing view of the wetlands and Rocky Mountains. Enjoy them from your living room, sundeck and hot tub. 3 bedroom home over 1200 sq ft completely upgraded inside and out. Just move in. MLS#new

Incredible are the views from Fairmont to Radium overlooking Lake Windermere. With 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, this is a great family home with room for everyone, even a nice workout room or craft centre, perfect for your active lifestyle. If you are looking for a great value, look no further. MLS#K162318

Columbia Ridge has a large lot in a private cul-de-sac ready for you to build your dream cottage.

Act fast as a lot like this is a wanted commodity. Price right for a fast purchase. This is a rare opportunity. MLS#K162284

$339,000 Own Paradise Investors and farmers alike: here s your chance to own a piece of Paradise! With lush green hills and the Rocky Mountains framing the pristine Lake Windermere, this is one of the last true oasis in Invermere. MLS#K162269

$6,500,000

$749,000

Rare &

Unique Find This unique 2.5 acres sits at the end of a very quiet cul-de-sac.

Beautifully maintained 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home has a bright open living space with a view from every window. This property includes a 16 X24 fully nished workshop. Enjoy the wildlife and peace from your private hot tub. A must see property. MLS#K162333

$1,200,000

$170,000