Move Up ~ Issue 4

MOVEUP Northern Alberta’s Business and Lifestyle Magazine

BREAKING BARRIERS The Untold Story of Sagitawa

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SMELLS LIKE n e e r G SPIRIT FEATURING

THE CARBON FARMER THE BODHI TREE THE PRECO CENTRE

Life’s Better Up Here

TAKE ONE

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ay “Hello” to

Jennifer Light.

Originally from the Philippines, Jennifer moved to Peace River in 1991 when her husband Frank got a job at a local pulp-and-paper mill.

“You know what, when you first get here it’s a culture shock with the weather,” said Jennifer. “We don’t have winter in the Philippines, so of course it was the first time I saw snow. I’ve adapted now. You can complain about it, but really it’s just one thing. It’s just the weather.

It’s part of living here, and it’s beautiful here,” said Jennifer.

Jennifer works the food counter at Peace River’s Tim Hortons. She started when her friends Gord and Barb Drummond opened the franchise in 2001. After taking a year off, Jennifer returned to her position and has been happily working there ever since.

“I do the same thing now as when we first opened here—I’m all over the place doing everything,” Jennifer said with a cheerful laugh. “You have to be a multi-tasker. It’s good. I enjoy working at a fast pace.

It keeps me going.”

Jennifer also really appreciates the flexible hours.

“Gord and Barb, the owners, are great. When I need time off, they’re there. They’ll give it to you without a problem,” explained Jennifer.

Jennifer says the best part about working at Peace River’s Tim Hortons is the people she works with and the customers she serves.

“That’s the rewarding part. I have an awesome team to work with, which is the best thing you can ever ask for, and serving customers gives me a really good feeling. Y’know how it is; every cup is a story and when someone is drinking a great cup of coffee, you know our team is part of that moment,” said Jennifer.

In her free time Jennifer and her husband enjoy taking part in a dinner club, where friends take turns hosting ethnically-themed, potluck dinner parties.

“There are five couples and originally Barb and Gord were in it, so I knew them way back before they had the Tim Hortons. We do it all winter long. Both my husband and I cook for it too. It’s awesome,” said Jennifer.

After more than 20 years, Jennifer has no plans to leave the Peace Region any time soon. She loves her job, the people and the scenery.

“To me, this is home. And, I love my home,” said Jennifer.

So, next time you’re in Peace River, stop at Tim Hortons for a moment; and if she’s on shift, say “Hello” to Jennifer Light.

FALL EDITION 2014

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MAP OF ALBERTA, CANADA, AND OUR REGIONAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERS (IN RED) VOLUME IV

PUBLISHERS

Tormaigh Van Slyke //tormaigh@pcpublishing.ca Jenelle Lizotte EDITOR

Jenelle Lizotte LAYOUT DESIGN

Aimie Williams Tormaigh Van Slyke Jenelle Lizotte

Experiencing the splendour of the Northern Lights will take your breath away, Aimie Williams and when you’re looking for more than just a place to do business, let this be AD the SALES place to spread your wings and soar.

AD DESIGN

Tormaigh Van Slyke //sales@pcpublishing.ca

This place is for you.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Paul Lavoie Images, Dona Bona Photography, Cow Boss Photography, Tormaigh Van Slyke, Jenelle Lizotte WRITERS

Melanie Bekevich-Joos, Chris Black, Community Futures Staff, Dan Dibbelt, Chance Gerk, Laura Gloor, Susan Lehman, Jenelle Lizotte, Drew Rogers, Cris Seppola, Tormaigh Van Slyke, April Weavell Move Up is published by Plato’s Cave Publishing. No content herein can be reproduced without written consent of the publisher.

12,000 copies printed Move Up is 100 per cent funded by advertising dollars.

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL LAVOIE COUNTY OF

Northern Lights www.countyofnorthernlights.com

PREDA

PEACE REGION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE

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EXPECT OPPORTUNITY Join Canada’s largest privately-owned global energy service company.

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ADVANCE YOUR CAREER WITH SANJEL If you have expertise, a passion for excellence and improvement, and a commitment to safety – bring them to work as part of our team.

Speak to a recruiter at 1.800.9SANJEL, or e-mail careers@sanjel.com today.

For a full list of available positions, visit sanjel.com/careers

Safe. Smart. Solid. That’s Sanjel.

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Sanjel_GenericBranding_14-0712_1

What’s in it for you? Rotations that fit your lifestyle, competitive salaries and benefits, training and development opportunities with a focus on career advancement.

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Contents

Sagitawa Friendship Centre is changing the world

Dragon’s Den Dealmaker Talks Trees and Living in the Peace

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The Bodhi Tree Barb Kilkenny re-imagines her home decor store into a chic eco-boutique

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Fun Facts about Alberta Livin’

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News

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Marketing Your Business

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Peace Regional Eco Centre

Life’s Better up here

Highlights from the Mighty Peace Region

Best Practives from nine10

One person’s trash is another’s treasure

MOVEUP Northern Alberta’s Business and

Lifestyle Magazine

BREAKING BARRIERS

The Untold Story of Sagitawa

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SMELLS LIKE Green SPIRIT FEATURING

THE CARBON FARMER THE BODHI TREE THE PRECO CENTRE

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Life’s Better Up Here

TAKE ONE

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MELANIE BEKEVICH-JOOS | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MIGHTY PEACE TOURIST ASSN.

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE embrace the splendor of the Peace

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’ve been feeling pretty silly lately.

You see, I grew up believing a lie—a lie about my home. Understand that I was the kid who wanted out of the Peace Region as soon as I turned 18. There was no doubt in my mind that most places were better than my town. After all, there was nothing to do; I felt the place had nothing to offer me. And so, I left. I lived in cities, travelled, learned other languages, went to school and started a business. Footloose and fancy free.

Today, many years later, I’ve chosen to move back to my home in the Peace Region, surrounded by friends and family. Recently, I’ve become the Executive Director for the Mighty Peace Tourist Association and every day we promote all our region has to offer. In essence, we articulate the brand of the Mighty Peace Region.

As I spend my days promoting events, services and recreational opportunities throughout the region, I’ve come face to face with the fact that I’ve completely neglected to take advantage of our region’s best assets. Thankfully, I now know my perception of the Peace Region was wrong. Dead wrong.

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I was trying to fit a round peg in a square hole. Insisting on an urban lifestyle in a rural setting, when I could have been basking in the beauty of infinite landscapes, strong community ties and outdoor adventures. We live in a vast, diverse and dynamic region. Big skies, open water and rugged terrain.

Are we an urban metropolis? Goodness no! But please don’t believe life in an urban metropolis is somehow better than peaceful, small town or rural living. I’m not going to get into a tit for tat discussion of the urban versus rural debate. All I’m saying is there is plenty to love about life in a small community.

These days I would forego skinny jeans and stilettos while sipping cosmopolitans among strangers in a swanky lounge for a hoodie and brew around a hot fire alongside my tribe with the northern night sky overhead.

Not to mention, I can be home relaxing on my deck, complete with beverage and view of the river, while most city dwellers are stuck in rush

hour.

So here’s the moral of the story. If you start to blame your boredom on where you live, even for a second, give your head a shake. Then get on www.mightypeace.com and pick one of any number of things to see or do. Then promptly put your computer away before Facebook sucks you in or Netflix calls your name.

Don’t be a city slicker stuck in the sticks, get your gear on and venture out. Get in nature. Take in one of our amazing events. Live music at the Belle Petroleum Centre or an underground Music Society gig. Get paddling on the river. Put a fishing pole in the lake.

Dig out your skis. Talk to another human face to face. Then take a moment to look around you, breathe it in and love where you live.

Ahhh, it’s good to be home.

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COMMUNITY FUTURES STAFF

ENTREPRENEURSHIP an enriching experience Millions have done it.

Millions are dreaming of doing it!

Why not become your own boss?

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ore and more individuals are making the choice to start their own company, create their own job and work for themselves, as a way of taking their future into their own hands.

Many see being their own boss as an excellent opportunity to challenge themselves, fulfill themselves, empower themselves, achieve certain social status, make a name for themselves and make money doing it!

Choosing this path, however, requires that you have the makings of an entrepreneur. You must enjoy a kind of lifestyle that is a far cry from the typical nine-to-five work day—a lifestyle that can be very exciting, but also quite exhausting.

Boundless enthusiasm and creativity, a realistic and up-to-date business plan and a good measure of self-confidence are the driving forces behind a successful entrepreneur.

Decisions that may have many repercussions must often be made alone and quickly, and certain risks must be taken even though they may lead to insecurity and stress.

Entrepreneurs work 50, 60 or even 80 hours a week and, at the same time, they are seeking new opportunities to grow and expand their business.

Entrepreneurs also need to keep their sense of humour, especially their smile, in order to charm their clients and keep them coming back for more.

Entrepreneurs are masters of learning by doing. They need to learn who the best suppliers are, deal with seasoned leasing companies and figure out how to negotiate with bargain hunters or very demanding clients. They need to broaden their general knowledge of the business world, keep up-to-date on local economic activity, as well as new developments in their specific industry.

They also need to keep on top of new government regulations related to human resources and taxes.

In any entrepreneurial adventure, a positive attitude is a must.

Entrepreneurs face numerous challenges on a daily basis. Some of those challenges may be out their control and when handled poorly, can contribute to business failure.

However, there is nothing better than going into business: ¾ to savour the satisfaction of being your own boss, or finally be in control of your destiny;

¾ to enjoy many freedoms: the freedom to be and to do, to achieve realistic dreams; to try, even to make mistakes from which so much may be learned. ¾ to pursue a passion; ¾ to expand your knowledge daily and make new discoveries along the way; ¾ to contribute to the greater welfare of your clients, your community, society and the world.

Entrepreneurship not only makes it possible for individuals to discover who they really are, but it also exposes them to a multitude of opportunities, which helps to spawn ideas that contribute to our collective future!

These exciting opportunities depend first and foremost on who you are.

Entrepreneurship is something that you feel in your heart. It is a passion.

It’s the thrill of initiating, learning and coming out ahead!

To find out if you have the makings of an entrepreneur, check out the Entrepreneurs Self-Assessment Quiz on the Community Futures Peace Country website: http://cfpeacecountry.com/business_ development/financial_assistance.php

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ith the surge in activity in the Peace Oil Sands, now is the time to relocate and invest in the Smoky River region. The area is home to more than 4500 people living in the rural area as well as the communities of Falher, McLennan, Girouxville and Donnelly.

Ideally located in the heart of the Peace region, access to major centers, airports and shopping are all close at hand. Outdoor activities abound in the region with fishing, hunting, sledding, lakes and rivers, and numerous recreational facilities, this region has everything you need to make it your home.

Housing is affordable in the Smoky region as are serviced lots, waiting for you to build or move a modular home onto. Serviced lot prices start at under $10,000. In the region you can still find an affordable and attractive home for under $150,000.

If you prefer rural life, the region has some of the best agricultural land in the country and with that some of the most beautiful scenery. Rural properties, whether a farm or an acreage are available and affordable.

Ready to start a new business?

The Smoky region has a number of commercial opportunities for you to consider.

•This 10,000 square foot commercial property feature: 4 offices, 2 mezzanines, lunch room, 2 bathrooms, lots of storage, large retail display area inside, 4 bay shop, paved and graveled yard that is fenced behind shop with rolling security gate, fantastic location on high way and main street in Falher with lots of outdoor area to display products.

•This commercial property features more than 14,000 square feet in a prime downtown location.

It has operated as a grocery store but has great potential for the right investor.

•The 6,000 square foot building has housed a health store and a flower shop. Located downtown it has great potential for the right investor.

•Other great opportunities include: •A four acre parcel, located on mainstreet Falher •12 acres close to the railline •One acre serviced lots next to the rail line

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For more information on these great opportunities or on the Smoky River Region call Dan or Diane at 780-837-2364 or email ecdev@smokyriverregion.com

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NEWS [Left] The Town of Manning, County of Northern Lights, Three Battles Skatepark Initiative Committee and New Line Skateparks Inc., team up for a ground breaking celebration on July 21, 2014. Completion date scheduled for September 7, 2014.

[Below] Three Battles Skatepark Initiative Committee presenting to the County of Northern Lights in February 2014.

THREE BATTLES WON Manning Skatepark in the works

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he dream of ten students from Paul Rowe High School and Manning Elementary School will soon become a reality with the completion of the Three Battles Skatepark set to happen later this fall.

“The support of the community has been amazing and this would not be possible without the help of so many people,” said Erik Johnson, Three Battles Skatepark Chair. “It’s crazy to think how much has been accomplished in less than a year. This shows what can happen with hard work and people working together.”

The student driven idea to create a safe place for the community of Manning’s youth to bike and skate was born less than one year ago and took flight through the “Enrichment Class” offered at Paul Rowe High School in Manning.

“We asked other students if they were interested in forming a group to see if we could build a park,” said Aaron

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Johnson, Three Battles Skatepark Vice-Chair.

Since September 2013 the group of students from grades five to nine have met regularly during the Enrichment Class and afterschool doing research, reviewing cost analysis, writing proposals, creating and giving presentations to organizations, fundraising, designing and planning.

The team had the opportunity to interview and choose from two professional skatepark designer/ construction companies to decide which company would be best suited to build the 4000 square foot, $200,000 project.

“We are incredibly proud of the students and all those that have been supporters of the committee and their goals” said Matt Taylor, Paul Rowe High School Principal.

The skatepark will be called Three Battles—to signify historical battles

between tribes at three different rivers in the area. “We wanted to put the three battles as sort of three challenges to get over all of the park, just to show a little bit of history inside of it,” said Johnson. The three rivers names— Notikewin, Hotchkiss and Meilke— will be sandblasted into elements of the park.

The land and the majority of the funding has been secured by generous donations from the Town of Manning, the County of Northern Lights and Manning Diversified Forest Products.

The remaining funds will come through advocacy, fundraising and in-kind contributions given from the community during construction of the park.

For more information visit: Facebook: Three Battles Skatepark Manning Bike and Skatepark Initiative

â–ş

NEWS

MD HITS MAJOR MILESTONE

The MD of Fairview celebrates 100 year anniversary

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n July 12, the MD of Fairview No. 136 celebrated its centennial with a country fair at the Waterhole Grounds.

Roughly 650 attendees enjoyed displays of old tractors and vehicles, historical documents and photography, an antique hat fashion show, carnival games for the kids, musical guests, free hot dogs and other treats, birthday cake, horsedrawn wagon rides and more!

In honour of the 100th anniversary, the MD constructed a picnic shelter/cookhouse for The Maples Day Area at

Dunvegan, located on the west side of the Dunvegan Bridge.

Councillor Peggy Johnson hosted the opening welcome and ceremonies. The event was also attended by councillors from neighbouring municipalities, MLA Hector Goudreau and the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties (AAMDC) Zone 4 Director, Tom Burton.

Although it was a hot day, it did not deter everyone from having a great time.

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Previously in the

PEACE

MY OH MY, A CIRCUS IN THE SKY! 18

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n July 13th, the skies above the Peace River Airport were filled with a dazzling display of aerobatics and technical skill.

The Peace Regional Air Show: Circus in the Sky dazzled visitors from far and wide featuring the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, the F18 Hornet, Wing walker Carol Pilon, Strongman Mark Kirsch and many more performers both on the ground and in the sky.

Although it was quite a scorcher, the mid-summer heat didn’t keep eager fans away from all of the excitement.

Dona Bona Photography

Previously in the

PEACE

YEE HAW!

ROPIN’ AND RIDIN’ AT THE MANNING RODEO Cow Boss Photography

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rom July 17-20th, Manning was abuzz with rodeo fever as the largest amateur rodeo north of Edmonton rode into town.

Hosted by the Battle River Ag Society, the rodeo events included a parade, Miss Manning Rodeo competition, WCA GMC Pro Tour Chuckwagon Races, Mounted Shooter Competition, chariots, barrel racing, mutton busting, steer racing, bull riding and more fun than you could shake a stick at.

The rodeo wrapped up for another year on Sunday with the smashing success of the annual Demolition Derby.

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SUSAN LEHMAN | ADVANCED PARAMEDIC LTD.

AEDS A Critical Factor in Saving Lives

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ccording to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, sudden cardiac arrest occurs up to 40,000 times each year in Canada. Statistically, any location that has 1,000 adults over the age of 35 present during normal business hours can expect one incident of sudden cardiac arrest every 5 years.

However, sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any age—from high-school basketball players, to NHL hockey players, to stay-at-home moms, to those without any history of heart disease. It is as simple as one’s heart going out of rhythm and not being able to get back to normal without medical assistance, which in most cases, is an external “re-set” of the heart’s rhythm.

Public access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) is critical to patient outcomes in most sudden cardiac arrest situations. Advanced Paramedic Ltd. (APL) is committed to ensuring as many AEDs as possible are available throughout the communities that we live and work in.

AEDs are designed to determine if a heart is “out-of-rhythm” and deliver enough electrical impulse to re-set the heart’s regular heartbeat. These

machines deliver clear and simple directions to the user, and in two words—save lives.

“As a paramedic, father, husband and community member, I see public access to AEDs as a vital contribution to my community. The statistics are shocking, and with the many stories of survival due to the availability of AEDs, it just makes sense that APL does what it can to make a difference,” said Stephen Woodburn, President and CEO of APL. APL has coordinated an annual comedy night fundraiser over the past years to raise funds for the placement of AEDs throughout the community and trains the public in their use. To date, APL has added 15 AEDs into the Peace River community and remains committed to ensuring APL does as much as possible to see that AEDs are located in as many public locations as possible.

into our community, AEDs are no laughing matter.

We hear of too many instances where these devices were not available and the outcome was death. It is important that everybody knows that in any person’s hands, AEDs become lifesaving and along with CPR, provide a victim with the best chance they can have to survive a sudden cardiac arrest,” said Woodburn.

APL provides CPR and AED training at their training facility in Peace River, Alberta. APL will once again be hosting a comedy night fundraiser in December 2014, and non-profit organizations in the Peace Region are encouraged to apply to APL to receive an AED and training through this event.

For more information on APL visit: www.advancedparamedic.com

www.facebook.com/advancedparamedic

“As much fun as we have at our annual comedy nights, and as good as we feel to be adding this critical safety feature

Comedian Lamont Ferguson at APL’s comedy night fundraiser, where the proceeds are used to purchase AEDs to distribute around the community. [Photography submitted]

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BREAKING BARRIERS

The Untold Story of Sagitawa

How a Peace River Aboriginal centre is impacting the world PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL LAVOIE

BY TORMAIGH VAN SLYKE

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HE STORY OF THE SAGITAWA FRIENDSHIP CENTRE BEGINS IN 1964. It was a different time. The federal government was debating options for the new national flag (ultimately deciding on the one we know today); Canadian artist Leonard Cohen published a collection of poetry called Flowers for Hitler; Canadians were issued Social Insurance cards for the first time; and with the help of hockey-legend Tim Horton the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup for the third year in a row.

In Peace River, Alberta, in 1964, a group of concerned citizens began meeting regularly. They wanted to open the first “friendship centre” in Northern Alberta to assist native people in need.

Under the name “Sagitawa Society,” the Peace River group submitted a letter outlining their position of outrage to the local newspaper, Record Gazette. The following is an excerpt:

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School children form a circle at Living Tipi Village: Our Story

“36 PER CENT of the people of native Canadian origin require Welfare assistance compared to 3.5 per cent of the general

population. Relief spending has tripled over the last five years. The mortality rate among preschool children is eight times the national average. More than half of all-Indian families occupy sub-standard homes or shacks of three rooms or less, without electricity. Where close to 90 per cent of white homes have sewage, indoor toilets and baths, a minority of Indians—about one in nine—enjoy such ordinary aids to health and self-esteem.”

The organization pointed out that a friendship centre would not be a solution to these awful truths but a first step in the right direction. Aims were to help break the cycles of poverty, shift the emphasis from relief to employment and open access to specialized education. The centre promised to be “…a centre of friendship and hope in a world of mistrust and frustration.”

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CHOOSING THE NAME SAGITAWA, which is a Cree word

meaning “where the rivers meet,” and under the leadership of lawyer and former Peace River Deputy Mayor, Claude A. Campbell, the Sagitawa Friendship Society lobbied hard.

“At the moment there is no particular place in this community where the Indian or Métis person is received with any kind of welcome,” explained Campbell in a 1964 edition of the Peace River Record Gazette. “We need a facility which will provide assistance to meet the basic needs of these people, a place that will help the community better understand them.”

The Town of Peace River helped by selling them the old telegraph building for a dollar and also providing water and sewer facilities. With personal memberships,

to use wide brush strokes here. There are a lot of other people too, and that’s why it’s important for people to recognize that friendship centres are what we call status blind.”

Status blind means all people, regardless of ethnicity, age or disability status can access the services and programs the SFC provides.

Over the years, the SFC has provided countless programs. Some have only one time to shine while others are held annually, seasonally or one-to-two days per week. Some of these programs have zeroed-in on things like tobacco cessation, diabetes, traditional games and dance, traditional parenting and nutrition and cooking education.

Ongoing programs include the Ground Level Youth Centre, which has its own facility and its own staff,

Our mandate is to increase opportunities for aboriginal people, and sometimes the best way to do that is to engage and educate non-aboriginal people donations and a $3,600 grant from the Peace River Improvement District, the Sagitawa Friendship Society successfully obtained the funds to open the doors to the Sagitawa Friendship Centre (SFC).

the HIV/AIDS Outreach and the Hide ‘n Seek Native Handicraft Store. The SFC also receives phone calls and walk-ins daily from people in need of various kinds of assistance.

Fifty years later, the SFC, still governed by the Sagitawa Friendship Society, is responsible for changing the lives of countless people—of various ethnic backgrounds. Tracy Zweifel has been the SFC’s Executive Director for the past six years.

Living Tipi Village: Our Story, held June 23-26 at Misery Mountain Ski Hill and Chalet, is a great example of what the SFC can do.

“Our mandate is to increase opportunities for aboriginal people and sometimes the best way to do that is to engage and educate non-aboriginal people,” said Zweifel.

Though Zweifel is not native herself, she says she is motivated to work for the good of the community.

“It’s seems like our most disadvantaged and marginalized people, for the most part, are native people in this community,” said Zweifel. “I don’t want

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As a reward for succeeding in Daishowa-Marubeni International’s (DMI) “1 Million Minutes to Win It!” school reading program, approximately 1,200 kids from six elementary schools in the region got to participate in Living Tipi Village. Also paying tribute to National Aboriginal Day, the event featured the aboriginal oral tradition of storytelling.

For four days, elders in seven tipis told their stories while bus loads of students and teachers filed through.

They learned about traditional games and dances, different aboriginal cultures, legends, trapping, pelts and more.

Executive Director Tracy Zweifel stands next to a mural painted by the Sagitawa Friendship Society President Dave Matilpi

“It’s really important that we start building some really solid relationships with schools,” said Zweifel. “The more you get kids out of the classroom, the more engaged kids are going to be and the more you will develop lifelong learners. The excitement of the unknown and the sense of adventure makes you want to ask questions.”

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Children from Ecole des Quatre-Vents learn about varions animal pelts at Living Tipi Village: Our Story

SIX DIFFERENT NATIONS (Beaver Indian,

Woodland Cree, Plains Cree, West Coast, Blackfoot and Métis) were represented, so there was a lot of opportunity to learn.

On two evenings the general public was invited to experience the Living Tipi Village. SFC set up their Native Handicraft Store in the ski chalet.

Attendees enjoyed a supper of stew and bannock and were given the chance to learn to make dream catchers, bone-bead chokers and headdresses. Others did traditional rock or face painting. Afterward, they went out to the tipis to listen to the elders’ stories. Lastly, Métis dancers 26

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performed to round out the evening.

“Some of those elders are in their 70s.

They did awesome,” said Zweifel.

Obtaining funding and otherwise organizing massive events such as these requires skill, perseverance and faith. Zweifel is always very interested in building relationships within the community and the broader region. It’s an essential part of the SFC’s success.

For Living Tipi Village, Zweifel worked side-by-side with two other key players in the community—Amber Armstrong, DMI’s Communications and Public Relations Superintendant, and Roxanne McKenzie, a Research

Officer from the Northern Alberta Development Council (NADC).

Additional partners included the Village of Nampa and the County of Northern Lights.

Living Tipi Village was a massive success. If possible, they plan to make it an annual event.

In August, with the help of a government grant and funds from Alberta Works, the SFC put on another successful program, this time geared toward career exploration.

For ten days 18 kids, ages 12 to 18, travelled from Jasper to Banff to Calgary to Drumheller to Edmonton learning about career options.

Activities included white water rafting, horseback riding, riding Jasper’s SkyTram, caving, visiting hot springs, hiking, university dorming, touring the zoo, zip lining, touring a museum, participating in graphic design workshops and a night’s stay at the Telus World of Science.

Zweifel explains that accessing stable funding for programs and staff is always a battle. She is always searching for grants that the SFC would be eligible for, and sometimes she has to be creative when writing the elaborate grant applications to make a case for eligibility and worthiness. Unfortunately, now obtaining funding for basic operating expenses looks bleak.

“We used to receive standing funding with the Treasury Board of Canada, but the government will now cut that out. That means our youth centre and summer programs are done forever unless we find a different way. Next year, we might be able to open our doors. The year after that, if I don’t find something secure, we may end,” said Zweifel.

Zweifel uses the analogy of land ownership and explains the native belief that we are not owners but caretakers of the land for future

generations. Zweifel believes we should view ourselves as caretakers of the community for our future generations.

“We have to work with what we have. We are facing challenges right now, so we have to ask ourselves, ‘How do we learn from it? How can we change it? How do we grow?’ I am going to do well in spite of it,” said Zweifel.

Zweifel says in the coming 50 years she would like to see the SFC help stop the division and segregation that’s in our society and make everyone really understand the meaning of community, which is a fundamental value of indigenous people.

“What’s important to Sagitawa is that people, especially children, are developing relationships with each other in an environment with no judgment. That’s what’s going to change our world. Yeah, it may have been just another program, end of story, but it makes a lifetime impact,” said Zweifel. move up

To help celebrate 50 years, showcase the community, and bring more awareness to their programs, the Sagitawa Friendship Centre will host the Alberta Native Friendship Centre Association’s Annual General Meeting.

The four-day event will take place in Peace River from September 11-14 in the Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre’s Ball Room.

Everyone is encouraged to participate in the AIDS walk and attend celebrations on Saturday evening.

Call the Sagitawa Friendship Centre for more details.

School children at Living Tipi Village: Our Story

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CRIS SEPPOLA | FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER, NINE10 INCORPORATED

MARKETING YOUR

D

uring the best and the worst of times, there’s one thing your business needs—marketing.

Marketing is a core business function, yet it continually sits on the back-burner for many companies. Here are five actions that will help you efficiently spend marketing dollars while increasing sales and revenues.

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1. Determine Your Goals Like any entrepreneur, you’re going to want to increase revenues, but you want to do it efficiently. Setting goals for your campaigns help you increase your return on investment (ROI) because each goal is treated differently.

Goals can include selling more of a

certain product, increasing online engagement, generating leads or raising awareness about the new location; the list goes on. Regardless of what your goal might be, when you carefully select methods to reach specific goals, you’ll be much more successful.

2. Set a Budget Many business owners are concerned with spending too little on their marketing, but should also be aware of spending too much. Simply throwing money at

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CRIS SEPPOLA | FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER, NINE10 INCORPORATED

BUSINESS: BEST PRACTICES something is not going to increase sales—strategically spending dollars in the right places will.

For example, we were once promoting a client in three places (online, social media and addressed admail), and because the channels were chosen very carefully, the message saturated that target market in just the right way.

The client was set in front of the target market, and customers responded by saying that they “saw the client everywhere.” Not a lot of marketing dollars were spent, but the return was very high.

Budgets also help you avoid the “Random Acts of Marketing” that so many businesses end up with.

3. Build a Campaign This is where you can really fine-tune your strategies. Campaigns that are built with specific demographics in mind are always more successful; your message is more likely to be seen when it’s for someone, not just at someone.

A bit of a ridiculous example, but let’s say you produce shoelaces of all kinds.

You want to sell more 5mm round laces to men who wear classy dress shoes. You are better off to create a high-end, elegant campaign than use a fun, pink font and lots of sparkles.

4. Execute You’re now at the point where you will choose media channels and decide how they fit together. The more integrated your campaign, the better success you’ll have. This includes the imagery, message and overall presentation that your audience will see. Consistency is crucial here.

You may choose to use blanket channels (publications, billboards, flyers, unaddressed admail, etc.) to funnel leads into a measurable medium, such as an online form or social media channel.

Remember those sparkles you couldn’t use in the last example? Let’s use them to promote a coupon for free sparkly purple laces to parents of young children. You’ll want to catch the parent’s attention where they might be, such as a billboard outside a daycare or using Facebook advertising with specific targeting. You can now track how efficient your marketing is by counting how many coupons were procured by your audience.

goal completion costs and gives you information on how to improve your next campaign.

Using the last example, let’s do some math. You spent $10,000 on advertising within your various channels and 365 coupons were acquired by your customers. That sets each goal completion at approximately $27.40 per customer.

That might seem expensive, but you were smart. In return for the coupon, you’ve collected priceless data about your customer. Now you can use email newsletters and direct mail to reach them in a much more targeted way. The cost per acquisition will be reduced with each message you send to them, and if your campaigns follow the first four rules, you should see repeat sales.

As you become more practiced at these five actions, you will see an increased efficiency in your marketing. You’ll have some triumphs and make some mistakes, but no matter what, you’ll be able to adjust your course using measurement as your guide.

5. Measure By measuring your results, you can calculate your ROI. This analysis allows you to see how much each

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6+ shows per year Come Dance!

For more details, find us on Facebook

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE

HIDE ‘N SEEK

NATIVE HANDICRAFT STORE

Sagitawa Friendship Centre•10108-100 Ave.

YOUTH CENTRE OPEN 3:30pm–9:00pm Starting September

All youth ages 10–24 welcome to attend

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780-624-2443

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BY JENELLE LIZOTTE

B

rad Rabiey is re-establishing his roots in the Peace Country—literally. Rabiey was born and raised on a farm outside the town of Manning, Alberta, in the County of Northern Lights. He earned a degree in Biological Sciences from the U of A and started his career in Edmonton,

but he always knew city life wasn’t for him.

“I still wanted to get back to the north, back to the farm and back to rural living,” said Rabiey.

Rabiey and his wife, Rebecca, are the dynamic husband and wife duo behind the Carbon Farmer—an eco-business that restores habitat by planting

forests.

The business model works like this: the business plants trees and, for the bargain price of $1.99, individuals and businesses can adopt a tree and personalize it—for example, “Jackson’s tree” or “In memory of Grandma” or “Sally’s Ice Cream Shoppe.” Basically, the Rabieys plant and care for the tree

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THE CARBON FARMER A fresh take on leaving a green legacy and you get the kudos.

equal.

Additionally, The Carbon Farmer is also able to accrue carbon credits and then sell those to industry to offset emissions—with each credit equivalent to one metric tonne of greenhouse gas emissions.

“It really depends on the species and the exact location in terms of how much carbon they store. We no longer attribute a certain number of trees specifically or provide an average because the rate of storage is just so different,” said Rabiey.

When it comes to the carbon offsets, however, not all trees are created

The structure of the business has

changed a bit in the past year or so for the Rabieys, as the couple recently had their first child—a little boy named Birch.

“Rebecca is staying home with our little guy, so she’s handling the marketing side of things fulltime and I handle the project development side of things,” said Rabiey. “We’re a lean

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mean machine of two employees.”

The Rabieys do have help when it comes to planting the seedlings.

“We started planting our own trees when we started in 2007. We did a few 1,000 a weekend on the family farm, but now we’re planting somewhere in the neighbourhood of 300,000400,000 per year. So that means we either employ or sub-contract planters or a group of planters to do much of that,” said Rabiey.

The idea for the green venture came from a few different places.

“Coming from the family farm, we were looking for a way to transition the farm from my dad’s generation to ours. We started to look at our piece of Alberta and what would be best suited for it,” said Rabiey. “We realized that there was a portion of the land that was lower quality and probably should have never been cleared in the first place. And, some of it was along rivers and wetlands and for habitat potential should have never been cleared either.”

With this realization, paired with

Brad’s environmental background, the Rabieys decided to plant the seeds of their future business at the Rabiey family farm near Manning, Alberta.

“We said let’s use our farm as a place to start this. We’ll choose areas that should be planted back down, work with clients and use that concept.

The Carbon Farmer is on track to reach the million tree mark in 2015 That’s where we’re at today,” said Rabiey.

At first, the concept was a little out there for some.

“Most people didn’t know what we

were talking about or why the heck we would do what we were doing.

We were called crazy a lot both by potential clients and certainly neighbouring farmers and local folks for sure,” said Rabiey.

However, the general perception of The Carbon Farmer has seemingly turned over a new leaf in the last few years.

“The reception has really changed.

I think people are realizing the significance of what we’re facing environmentally,” said Rabiey. “Rather than shutting industry down, we can take a look at how it operates and how to mitigate within that operation. Secondly, if there is a way to balance out some of what industry does with positive action elsewhere, it’s an appropriate and in many ways necessary thing to do in today’s business world.”

In the last few years, The Carbon Farmer has received quite a bit of attention. From appearing on CBC’s Dragon’s Den—and being one of the few hopefuls to actually bag a deal from the dragons—to winning a Michelle Stieb Photography

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small business award from the Alberta Emerald Foundation in 2013 to giving a talk at TEDx in Red Deer, Alberta in 2013, the Carbon Farmer is certainly branching out beyond the Peace Region.

2015. The Rabieys are steadily gaining higher profile clients—they currently have partnerships with Enbridge, Baytex Energy and Delta Hotels and Resorts—and they are busy with their little addition.

The Dragon’s Den experience was a big deal in Peace River where Rabiey hosted a well-attended viewing party for the airing of their episode. The Rabieys were able to leave with more money than they asked for when two dragons, Arlene Dickenson and Bruce Croxon, both opted to fund the environmental venture. The Rabieys traded 40 per cent equity for $40,000 rather than the $20,000 for 20 per cent they asked for.

It’s not without its challenges, but I wouldn’t trade it for any other situation

“We had a really positive experience.

We were able to secure investment from both Arlene Dickinson and Bruce Croxon. The show itself and the taping is maybe 20 minutes and a handshake, but then you go through eight or nine months of due diligence,” said Rabiey. “It’s been a whirlwind ever since but a very positive experience.”

Today, The Carbon Farmer is on track to reach the million tree mark in

“Overall, it’s a fantastic experience being an entrepreneur and a dad and a husband at the same time, and all from within the same walls of home is office and office is home,” said

Rabiey. “It’s not without its challenges, but I wouldn’t trade it for any other situation.”

The Rabieys have continued steadily growing their business, but now they are expanding their reach too. “We are spreading out geographically in terms of our planting locations,” said Rabiey. “We’re looking at projects in BC, Saskatchewan and Ontario. We’re scoping a project in Costa Rica and we actually have trees in the ground in Uganda so that’s an exciting new adventure for us.”

Before moving home to Alberta, Rabiey confessed that he was worried that there wouldn’t be the opportunities for his chosen career path.

Thankfully for the Rabieys and the region, this is not the case. “People can do it. You can move up here and have that experience you want raising a family and being in the North and still achieve what you want from a career perspective and a life experience perspective, so people don’t have to feel it’s as isolated as it may look when you glance at it on the map.” move up

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GRANDE PRAIRIE REGIONAL COLLEGE | ALUMNI PROFILE

Dr. Marie Moreau: Growing Her Practice in the Peace

BY APRIL WEAVELL

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s early as the sixth grade, Dr. Marie Moreau (nee Beaulieu) set her eyes on Grande Prairie Regional College (GPRC) as her post-secondary institution of choice. It was January, and her mom— who was also her piano teacher—escorted her to Grande Prairie from their farm in Fairview, so Moreau could take her piano exam at the College.

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Her first impression of the building’s distinctive architecture piqued Moreau’s curiosity and interest.

“I remember it so well,” said Moreau. “I thought it was the coolest place with its round rooms and curved hallways. I decided that I was going to return and learn to navigate those hallways.”

A few years later, high school field trips to see the

theatrical productions of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Merchant of Venice in the college theatre confirmed that GPRC was where she needed to be.

“I was hooked,” she said.

Following Grade 12 at Saint Thomas More Catholic School in Fairview, where she was class valedictorian, Moreau completed two years of pre-medicine at GPRC. In her second year,

she served as treasurer of the Students’ Association and was honoured as recipient of the GPRC Valedictorian Award. She spent the next four years in Edmonton and received her medical degree from the University of Alberta (U of A).

Moreau, who trained as a lifeguard in high school, funded her years at medical school working at the pool each summer.

“Old habits die hard,” she

said laughing. “Even to this day, I still find myself walking through the change room at Grande Prairie’s Eastlink Centre closing all of the locker doors.”

then working long hours as a specialist, Moreau credits the support of her husband Ric. She says it was his willingness to reverse roles and stay at home to look after their children that eased the stress of balancing family life with her work as a physician. Ric also worked as the office manager for her practice.

Following medical school, she headed to Regina where she interned for one year at the Grey Nuns (Pasqua) Hospital. With her feet firmly planted on the ground working in the medical field, she decided to take to the air to attain her private pilot’s license— one of the items on her bucket list. A surgeon at the hospital was a flight instructor, so the timing was right to take on this new challenge.

Completing her year in Regina, Moreau once again packed her bags, this time heading a little closer to home to the small city of Lloydminster, Alberta, where she would spend the next few years working as a general practitioner.

Throughout those years, she made plans for a six-month medical missionary trip to Lesotho, Africa. While the trip was an incredible cultural experience, Moreau also learned a lot about herself and made some important decisions about the area of medicine she wanted to practice.

Upon her arrival back in Canada, Moreau applied and was accepted into the internal medicine program at the University of Alberta.

She also married her fiancé Ric, a U of A Commerce graduate.

During her residency, Moreau asked for a rural Photography submitted

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GRANDE PRAIRIE REGIONAL COLLEGE | ALUMNI PROFILE

Today, Moreau is an oncologist at the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital and serves as the Medical Director of the Grande Prairie Cancer Centre and the Medical Director of the Pulmonary Function Lab. “I went into medicine because I knew I wanted to help people,” said Moreau.

“Medicine has been hard work, but it’s always interesting, never dull. It keeps me thinking, and I love to think.”

I love the connectedness and sense of community I feel here placement for one of her electives. She was sent to Grande Prairie and says the month she spent working alongside Dr. Claudia Strehlke confirmed that this was the community she needed to be in.

Grande Prairie was a small and friendly city, yet large enough to have the diagnostic backup required

for her specialty.

The couple had their first child when Moreau was in her third year of the four-year program. Two more boys would follow in Grande Prairie, where the couple returned to settle.

When asked how she juggled children while finishing medical school

As an accomplished pianist, she was an accompanist for many years with the Grande Prairie Boys’ Choir where her three sons were all members. Moreau also served for five years on the choir’s executive as president and past president. She continues to be actively involved in the music ministry at St. Joseph Catholic Church.

Reflecting on their decision to return to her roots in the Peace Country, Moreau says she has never looked back.

“I have family all over the Peace Country. I know so many people here and I love the connectedness and sense of community I feel here,” said Moreau.

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CHRIS BLACK | GENERAL MANAGER, PEACE RIVER BROADCASTING

IT ISN’T EASY BEING GREEN

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ometime back in the mid-90s, Peace River Broadcasting made a change—a big change. We dove head first into the computer era. I remember it clearly.

As a radio geek, it was pretty much the equivalent of a second Christmas. There was sleek, shiny new equipment everywhere. Rooms once filled with pieces that belonged on the original set of Dr. Who were transformed into something akin to a NASA control room, at least in my humble opinion.

As I said “goodbye” to my old typewriter and “hello” to my monochromatic computer screen, I was confident that the integration of all this new technology would make us better, more efficient and, yes, greener. I anticipated we would stop consuming paper like a hungry incinerator. Now that everything could be saved to a hard drive, not to mention electronic back-ups and backups of backs-ups, how could we not be? Boy, did I miscalculate. I believe our paper usage may have actually gone up. Suddenly everything we did, every single key stroke, required a printed confirmation. What I had failed to consider was our human inability to trust new technology—so much for a paperless system.

As I look back, I wonder, have we changed?

Yes, without a doubt.

Twenty years ago,

environmental and recycling programs weren’t as prolific as they are today. And frankly, as a society, we weren’t overly educated on the topic. You might say we’ve eco-evolved, or at least, we’re ecoevolving. At our office, we’ve made the standard no-brainer choices like recycling paper, cardboard, bottles, e-waste, batteries and so on. And we now choose to email information versus printing a hard copy, whenever possible (yes, we’ve gotten over those trust issues!).

Looking beyond the office, I think we’ve always been doing a lot of things the green-way without being consciously aware of it. Operating a group of radio stations, we have transmitter sites dotted across the Peace Country and Mackenzie region. Those on arable acres, or appropriate for agricultural use, we share with farmers. For those in the middle of nowhere, there are reclamation and usage plans. We try to limit our footprint and do our best to care for the environment around us.

In the end, we all have a responsibility to sustainability. By no means am I saying we’re perfect, but we’re definitely moving in the right direction.

And I know I’ve changed too. I can thank parenthood for that. I love where I live, work and play and I want to ensure my kids get to experience and enjoy the true majesty of the Peace Country the same way I have.

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780•624•8838 10004 Main Street Peace River bodhitreewellness@gmail.com www.bodhitreeboutique.com

OUR PRODUCTS

Organic Superfoods • Teas • Crystals • Jewellery Metaphysical • Candles & Incense • Essential Oils Bath & Body • Clothing & Accessories Books • Meditation & Yoga Products • Home Decor

OUR SERVICES

Yoga • Massage Therapy Reiki • Meditation Conscious-living Workshops

Eco-conscious products & services that honor the body, spirit & earth.

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L eave your stress at the door.

FIND BALANCE UNDER THE BODHI TREE

BY JENELLE LIZOTTE PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL LAVOIE

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“I REALLY STRIVE TO CREATE A SPACE OF CALMNESS AND SERENITY. WHERE PEOPLE CAN JUST COME IN AND HAVE THEIR DAY MELT AWAY.”

T

he Bodhi Tree is a sacred symbol in Buddhism. The Bodhi is regarded as a tree of knowledge as Buddha attained enlightenment, or nirvana, under it while meditating.

Since then it has been reveled as a sacred symbol of the potential of man and the mind.

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The Bodhi Tree in Peace River, an eco-boutique and wellness studio, is a true treasure in the Peace—a serene retreat from the stress and weight of day to day life. Barb Kilkenny, The Bodhi Tree’s owner, has found her own peace of mind after years of owning and operating a home décor store in Peace River.

“[The Bodhi Tree] evolved from my old business, Just Imagine,” said Kilkenny. “It was a slow transition and evolution. I knew I wanted to redirect my path. I wasn’t feeling fulfilled in what I was doing anymore in the home décor field.”

Kilkenny really started examining her life and community to find an

opportunity to change her trajectory.

“One thing that really became clear to me during this time was the stress in our daily lives. People would come into the store and talk about their lives and how much stress was involved,” said Kilkenny.

The stress of her patrons

about. So I really take that seriously in terms of consciously shopping.

And being very aware of how it’s made and who makes it. So there is a back story to a lot of the products I carry,” said Kilkenny.

It’s this attention to detail and care that really allows The Bodhi Tree to flower in the community.

It contrasts the Northern Alberta stereotype, but there is more of a demand for the services than one might think.

Enlightenment noun

One day while taking a walk, \in-ˈlī-tən-mənt, en-\ Kilkenny found the perfect venue 1: the state of for her new vision. “I didn’t sign having knowledge or the lease right away, but I talked understanding : the act of the landlords and I told them I was giving someone knowledge really interested in the space and M A A TI or understanding they agreed to hold it until I got my L C 2 capitalized : a [yoga] teaching certificate. So I did that, I got back and started preparing GREEN philosophic movement to move the store,” said Kilkenny.

BUSINESS of the 18th century

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“Another thing I striveBUSINESS for is that a customer can come in, grab anything off the shelf and not have to question whether there is anything bad in it. It’s a given,” said Kilkenny.

“Anything on my shelf, they can buy it and be assured that there isn’t anything toxic in it.”

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The Bodhi Tree offers everything from candles, handmade bath and body products, loose leaf teas, organic coffee, nutrient-rich superfoods, crystals, leather journals with paper made from recycled cotton, jewellery, handmade wall tapestries, home décor items, incense, clothing, instruments and so much more.

3 Buddhism : a final blessed state marked by the absence of desire or suffering

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Today, The Bodhi Tree is a celebrated gem in the community. In fact, The Bodhi Tree won the Small Business of the Year award in 2013 from the Peace River Chamber of Commerce.

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After two years of soul searching, Kilkenny’s new venture finally started to take root.

marked by a rejection of traditional social, religious, and political ideas and an emphasis on rationalism —used with the

Barb Kilkenny has created a lovely store rich with warmth and intrigue.

Built on the principles of conscious consuming, carefully sourcing products and helping the Peace Region to balance their mind, body and spirit, The Bodhi Tree is truly an enlightening oasis in Northern Alberta.

For more information: http://www.bodhitreeboutique.com/ Facebook: The Bodhi Tree ecoboutique

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Kilkenny loves to create a calming ambiance for her customers. “I really For Kilkenny, one of the most strive to create a space of calmness important aspects of her business is YCLand INserenity. Where people can just consciously sourcing out the products C come in and have their day melt E she carries. The Bodhi Tree’s wares away,” said Kilkenny. are predominantly environmentally GREEN friendly, handmade, organic, fairThe peace of mind that Kilkenny trade, natural and local products— BUSINESS provides her customers goes beyond whether Peace Region local, western the items on the shelf. The Bodhi Canada local or Canadian local.

Tree also offers a variety of services such as yoga classes, Reiki and “That aspect of the store is very massage. important for me because I think it really represents what the store is LAMATI

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“There are more and more people coming around to realizing that the energetic aspect of our being is so important. It’s Ebecoming AIL more R Tand and more respected people are becoming more and more open to GREEN it,” said Kilkenny.

“There are new BUSINESS faces all the time.

The beginner yoga class is probably one of the more popular ones, which is a good sign because it means that there are a lot of new people.”

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Through the influence of her daughter, Kilkenny started doing yoga again. “I had gone to yoga on and off for years but this time it just kind of stuck. I thought, ‘This is cool, maybe this is something I can offer,’” said Kilkenny.

Kilkenny believes it is important to provide these services to her customers. “It goes hand in hand with the wellness and well being in a person’s life,” said Kilkenny. “It’s just as important as the food that we eat to nourish our bodies—to nourish our beings and to let go of the stress and anxiety in our lives.”

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really started to weigh on her, and she wanted to do something to help customers balance their mind, body and spirit.

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Proudly Serving Our Alberta Communities for Almost 60 Years As a real Albertan company, born in Alberta, raised in Alberta and still based in Alberta almost 60 years later, we're proud to have served our loyal customers throughout Alberta for all this time.

From our humble beginnings in 1955 as a butcher shop in Hinton, we have grown to 15 stores across Alberta, many open 24 hours a day.

The celebration of our commitment to Family, Community and Heritage in all of our communities, inspires us to continue providing great quality fresh products, excellent customer service, clean and convenient store facilities and great value to all the families in all of our communities.

Visit us in any of our 13 communities Barrhead • Brooks • Drumheller • Fairview Fox Creek • Grande Prairie • Hanna High Prairie • Hinton • Manning Peace River • Stony Plain • Valleyview

Family · Community · Heritage

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Welcome to Freson Bros. Welcome Home.

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CHANCE GERK | OWNER, RUM RUNNERS LIQUOR STORE

Dare to drink differently

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hoice isn’t something you always expect to find in Northern Alberta. At Rum Runners Liquor Store in Grimshaw, we try to accommodate the customer’s desire to branch out and try something unique. We carry a huge selection of craft beer and wine from all over the world.

Everyone has a different opinion of what is the best drink to pair with a certain food. There are, of course, traditional standards, such as white wine with white meats and red wine with red meats, but these are simple generalizations and do not accommodate craft beer or spirits.

There is really no right or wrong answer to food and liquor pairings.

Just because the wine is supposed to go with the meal, doesn’t mean you will enjoy it. Out of the box thinking and experimentation can allow you to find some fun and unique pairings.

Traditional ways are great, but they can become a bit boring. Have you ever considered Glenlivet 12-year-old Scotch and apple pie? Guinness with a lamb stew is a great combination, but what

about a darker Belgian Imperial Stout like Sound Brewery’s Ursus Spelæus to bring out a bolder flavor?

With the holiday season approaching, a pairing for a traditional Turkey dinner seems in order.

A German Riesling like Moselland Ars Vitis would pair well with white meat or a buttery Chardonnay like Beringer Founders’ Estate with mashed potatoes. How about a dry French red such as Ogier’s Châteauneuf du Pape to pair well with the whole meal? These are examples most wine apps on your phone could come up with. They are traditional and maybe a little played out.

the upcoming New Year’s resolution to lose weight a slightly simpler task.

Truly, when it is all said and done, it is simpler to say this: drink what you like. If you like a light fruity white wine, drink it with your steak. A more common pairing would be a red, yes, but if you don’t like red wine, you will struggle with it and it may even sour you on the wine itself. Drink what you enjoy, drink responsibly and don’t be afraid to ask for advice. The staff at Rum Runners would be glad to help.

Why not try something different? A bitter IPA like HopBot from Hop City Brewing will be refreshing and will cleanse the palate between each bite. What about Winter Beard, a robust Double Chocolate Cranberry Stout from Muskoka Brewing in Ontario? Cranberries and turkey are a match made in heaven. If cranberries are what you like on your turkey, a white cranberry Cosmo from Skinnygirl will not only be a fun change on your holiday table, but it will also make

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OUTFITTING AN ETHICAL PURSUIT THIS IS NOT DUCK HUNT

BY DREW ROGERS

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aking up before the sun even thinks about rising. Carefully preparing and making your way out into the perfect spot.

In a quiet field you sit and wait. Suddenly the sound of flapping wings fills the air, and a gaggle of geese glide in for a smooth landing.

The sun is breaking over the horizon and casting golden rays across the landscape.

This is what it’s all about— you, your guide, the birds and one unforgettable experience with Blue Sky Outfitters in McLennan, Alberta.

The Bird Capital of Canada is the perfect base for Kevin and Patti McNeil to share their love of the outdoors and wildlife with the world.

Avid hunters for the past 14 years, they have welcomed people from across North America and the world to their piece of paradise.

“McLennan is great for waterfowl,” said McNeil.

“With Kimiwan Lake right here, Lac Magloire northwest and Winagami Lake southeast, it’s a natural stop for migratory birds when they’re headed

from the arctic to Texas, Louisiana and places down south.”

The copious amounts of migrating birds made turning a hobby into a home business a natural move for Kevin. “We were seeing thousands of birds here every fall, so we decided to take advantage of the opportunity to bring others in to enjoy it,” said McNeil.

And so Blue Sky Outfitters was born. Getting his wife Patti and their now grown kids Katie and Cody involved turned it into a family business. Although they only hunt a few months of the year, Blue Sky requires year-round work from the McNeils.

“We do a lot of sales and marketing to make sure we are busy for bird season in September and October,” said McNeil. “We also spend a lot of time keeping in contact with the local farmers. It’s so important to maintain those relationships and make sure we are granted access to the hunting grounds.”

Blue Sky prides itself in being an ethical hunting outfitter. Kevin explains, “The hunt is not about the kill, it’s

about the experience and the adventure of it all.

We take people out and provide them with great opportunity. It’s up to them to pull the trigger.”

Another huge part of an ethical hunt is known as fair chase. “Waterfowl hunting is all done in the air,” explains Kevin. “You don’t shoot them on the ground or scare them up and shoot them. We make sure it’s a clean, ethical hunt.”

Blue Sky has attracted a lot of positive attention for their operation. According to McNeil, they were recently voted #3 waterfowl outfitter by Wildfowl Magazine, North America’s premier bird hunting publication. They were the top operation based on a migratory route as #1 and #2 were in the arctic where the birds live.

This exposure has helped solidify their customer base. The majority of their clients come from the US. Whether it’s a once in a lifetime experience, business colleges out for some R&R or a yearly family trip, Blue Sky caters to everyone from veteran hunters to children.

“We have a kid out hunting at least once a week through the season,” said McNeil.

With an increase in the visibility of hunting on TV it seems more and more people are getting the itch to come and experience the thrill of the hunt. “The experience of getting so close to the birds is the biggest part for most first timers,” said McNeil.

McNeil’s enthusiasm is obvious. “You hear the birds breathe, eat, talk to each other. That’s the real joy of the whole adventure.

Shooting or killing something is not the point.

It’s about getting the chance to connect with nature in a close, personal way,” said McNeil. “Kids don’t make memories sitting in front of a screen. It’s real experiences like this that they carry with them for life.”

McNeil sees the opportunity for growth in Peace Region Tourism. “The whole tourism industry here in the Peace needs to work together to make things better across the board. If I bring in people, they spend their money in other places around town. If we’re all making money, then we invest more into the local economy too,” said McNeil.

To learn more about Blue Sky Outfitters fall water fowl hunts and spring bison hunts you can visit www.blueskyoutfitting.com

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PEACE REGIONAL

ECO CENTRE

Lightening the Landfill’s Load

BY TORMAIGH VAN SLYKE PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL LAVOIE

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n Peace River’s West Hill, an impressive facility is making the landfill’s load lighter. The Peace Regional Eco Centre, also known as PRECO, has made recycling in the Peace Region easier than ever.

Being quite knowledgeable and passionate about the PRECO Centre, Art Sawatzky, General Manager of the Peace Regional Waste Management Company, and Terri Thompson, PRECO’s Lead Recycle Hand, were kind enough to give Move Up a tour of the remarkable facility. And, of course, no tour would be complete without a history lesson.

PRECO started as an initiative of the Peace Citizen’s Recycling Society and the East Peace Regional Landfill Authority. It had humble beginnings—one of the first incarnations was housed in a strip mall on the West Hill before moving to its current location, according to Thompson.

“Today, the Eco Centre is run by the Peace Regional Waste Management Company. It was formed by the Village of Nampa, the Town of Peace River and Northern Sunrise County,” said Sawatzky. “They made the agreement about three years ago. The company looks after the landfill, the Eco Centre, six transfer stations in Northern Sunrise County and Nampa and 14 recycle stations. That’s what we do.”

For residents and visitors, the PRECO Centre accepts a large variety of recyclable items. Everything from the usual suspects— your paper, plastic, glass and cardboard—to batteries and e-waste to paint and fluorescent light bulbs to yard waste and even hazardous waste. In addition, the PRECO Centre is also home to a very popular Put ‘n’ Take, an indoor area where people can drop off and pick up gently used items for free.

What most residents and visitors don’t see is the work that goes into the Put ‘n’ Take and some of the cool equipment used behind the scenes at the PRECO Centre.

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markets. When the market for cardboard goes higher, they sell. When it’s really low, they won’t. During the time of this interview, the PRECO Centre was selling a bale of cardboard for about $25.

“Markets fluctuate though.

We’ve seen it up to $70 a bale,” said Sawatzky.

Currently, much of the materials PRECO recycles must go to the United States to be processed, which greatly affects the price they receive for their bales.

The PRECO facility in itself is an amazing structure. It is designed to be environmentally friendly and efficient in a plethora of ways.

“For starters, the building is made out of straw bales.

We also have solar panels for electricity in the office,” said Sawatzky.

That’s just the beginning. The PRECO Centre is insulated three ways. Straw bales make an R40 wall, while R60 cellulose insulates the ceiling, and the foundation is insulated with a hard EPS foam. This triple-threat insulation makes passive heat gain more effective and can reduce heating costs by 75 per cent.

“This place is eco-friendly so it’s heated differently than most shops. Hot air runs underneath the cement floor to heat the shop in the winter and it’s fed by an industrial pellet stove. The pellets are made from compressed sawdust we get from La Crete,” said Thompson.

The floor of the PRECO

Centre has been installed with 4” air pipes for in-floor heating where hot air is circulated through by a fan.

The air is heated by water running through a radiator in front of the fan.

hundreds upon hundreds of bulbs.

In addition, the PRECO Centre is also heated by a wood furnace, which is fueled by waste lumber or purchased fire wood.

“We bale cardboard, newsprint, mixed paper, tin and plastics. This machine is capable of baling radiators.

It’s powerful,” explained Thompson.

Enough about the facility’s self sufficiency, let’s move on to the onsite bulb crusher, a machine used to process discarded fluorescent bulbs.

“A filtration system takes the mercury out and separates everything,” explains Thompson. “There is a blade inside, which looks like a lawn mower blade on a stick, and it goes really fast. The bulb goes in, gets crushed and then a HEPA filter sucks the mercury vapours into it. It’s very efficient.”

The bulb remnants then get sent out with the hazardous waste. Larger corporations and businesses bring in their old bulbs, which can be

Next up is the floor-to-ceiling compacting baler, which is the PRECO Centre’s bread and butter.

The PRECO Centre bales these materials to compact them for shipping. To give an idea of just how compact, each bale of cardboard weighs about 1,200 lbs and around Christmas time they store up to 300 bales of cardboard onsite while they wait for transport trucks. A truck load must carry less than 44,000 lbs. in order to cross the US border, which is where most of the bales go.

“Imagine how much space that would take up if it wasn’t baled—44,000 pounds of cardboard,” said Sawatzky.

Sometimes PRECO stores bales while they watch the

“If you did the math it’s probably not worth it, but we still do it because it keeps it out of the landfill. There’s a value to air space in the landfill that we take into consideration and there’s the goodwill aspect of it. We do it because it’s the right thing to do,” said Sawatzky.

Just as there are behind-thescenes complications with the market, there is also a behindthe-scenes complication with PRECO’s onsite Put ‘n’ Take.

“We have a problem with the Put ‘n’ Take,” said Sawatzky.

“It’s a good problem. It’s too busy.”

The problem is keeping the facility clean and orderly.

While there is a book section, a glassware section, a clothing section, a kids toys section, etc., it gets pretty disorganized after a hordes of enthusiastic recyclers rummage through it.

“We just don’t have the staff to do it. It’s a full time job.

We have some really nice volunteers who come in and do it sometimes. That’s great, but there may be an opportunity to raise money for a non-profit organization

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in town,” said Sawatzky.

Sawatzky is looking for the right non-profit group to tend to the Put ‘n’ Take. In return, they could charge a nominal fee for the items taken out.

“A non-profit could run it like a garage sale and they could keep all the money. All we would ask in return is for

them to keep it neat and tidy while they were running it. I would like to see that happen and so I hope someone comes forward,” said Sawatzky.

Though taking care of it has been difficult, the Put ‘n’ Take is a wonderful thing. After all, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

“We get everything in here.

Some really cool stuff. And,

it’s so busy. We can only guess how much it keeps out of the landfill. It’s open to everyone, and we get so much traffic through here. It’s great that everyone can recycle, but we need to find a solution,” said Sawatzky.

The PRECO Centre is a great asset to the region. Whether you’re someone who has always recycled or someone

who knows they should, but just needs a little push, the PRECO Centre is at your service.

“This recycle depot has just made it easier, and it’s growing. It’s easy to see the increased traffic here. At certain times of the day there are lineups. It’s changing people’s habits and changing the culture,” said Sawatzky.

move up

Lead Recycle Hand Terri Thompson stands on a Bobcat in PRECO’s yard.

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Get to know your local

school division PEACE RIVER SCHOOL DIVISION

“Learning Together – Success for All” Welcome to Peace River School Division (PRSD).

As our vision statement indicates, we are a dynamic learning community focusing on student success. We offer high quality educational opportunities including fine arts programs, career and technology studies, second language studies as well as a broad variety of extracurricular and sports programs to 3,160 students in 20 schools within our division.

Our dedicated staff provide students with learning opportunities that are relevant to the 21st century learner in inclusive and engaging learning environments. We take pride in and value the commitment and dedication put forth by staff and ensure they are provided with the necessary support in their roles.

Engaging our students, staff and public is very important to us as we believe that it takes a village to raise a child.

We take pride in our division’s national and provincial award winning online engagement strategies as it empowers our school communities in helping to make our schools even better places to learn, grow, work and visit.

Covering 13,000 square kilometers and serving 11 communities, we are a geographically large spread school division. PRSD’s transportation department facilitates transportation for approximately 3,500 students per

day for students in our school division and two neighboring school divisions.

Our professional school bus drivers travel a total of 44,565 kilometers and operate 80 routes per day and are an important part of the Peace River School Division family.

We take great pride in the level of support from our school communities.

Parental engagement, partnerships with learning institutions, neighboring school divisions, local businesses and the support of our communities local elected officials are some of many examples of the reason we call ourselves the Peace River School Division family.

[PRSD.com]

PRSD Schools: ¾

Dixonville School K-9, Dixonville, AB

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Nampa Public School K-6, Nampa, AB

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EE Oliver Elementary School K-6, Fairview, AB

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Paul Rowe Jr./Sr. High School 7-12, Manning, AB

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Fairview Jr./Sr. High School 7-12, Fairview, AB

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Peace River High School 9-12, Peace River, AB

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Fairview Learning Store Fairview, AB

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Peace Regional Outreach Campus Peace River, AB

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Grimshaw Jr./Sr. High School 7-12, Grimshaw, AB

¾

Red Earth Creek School K-12, Red Earth Creek, AB

¾

Hines Creek Composite K-12, Hines Creek, AB

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Springfield School, École K-4, Peace River, AB

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Kennedy Elementary School K-6, Grimshaw, AB

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TA Norris Middle School 5-8, Peace River, AB

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Lloyd Garrison School K-6, Berwyn, AB

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Worsley Central School K-12, Worsley, AB

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Manning Elementary School K-6, Manning, AB

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Cleardale Colony School Cleardale, AB

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Menno Simmons Community School K-9, Cleardale, AB

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Breaking Point Colony School Manning, AB

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school division

NORTHLAND SCHOOL DIVISION NO. 61

“Every student is a lifelong learner and successful in life” Tansi, Edlanete’e, Hello, The 2014-2015 school year has finally arrived! It is a time for new beginnings and a time for students and educators to develop positive routines, establish goals and celebrate success.

Northland School Division No.61 (NSD61) is recognized as being a culturally and geographically unique. We provide quality educational experiences to primarily First Nation and Métis students (95%). NSD61 is located in the northern half of Alberta, and serves over 2,500 students and employs over 500 staff in 25 schools.

NSD61 also provides housing for teachers and a hot lunch program for students.

Northland School Division has developed a number of key initiatives to support students and educators and encourage community engagement. The Division’s New Teacher Orientation is organized to help educators become familiar

with divisional policies, procedures, expectations, First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) perspectives, cultural activities and staff members from other schools and central office. It wrapped up in late August.

All 25 schools will kick off the school year hosting community engagement events such as BBQs, feasts and Literacy nights to create a positive culture with parents and community members and encourage them to get involved in their child’s education.

The Literacy Initiative was launched in 2012 to improve literacy practices and enhance reading, writing and comprehension skills for students. With support from Cenvous Energy, NSD61 provides quality reading and writing resources for students and additional face-to-face and online professional development for educators.

This work has resulted in substantial growth in students achieving the above mentioned goals!

Experiential learning is evolving throughout the jurisdiction with partnerships with Kee Tas Kee Now Tribal Council (KTC), Oil Sands Leadership Initiative, community leaders and industry leaders. Cultural camps are becoming the norm for teaching kids FNMI traditions such as storytelling, fish scaling, traditional art and moose hide tanning. The Division believes that land-based learning helps students make connections with everyday life and the school curriculum.

These camps tie in well with the enhancement to Career and Technology Studies (CTS) at Northland School Division. Schools offer courses relating to communications technology, welding, construction, cosmetology/ esthetics, cooking, environment, wildlife, mechanics, business, entrepreneurship and robotics. The division is working with organizations

such as Cenovus Energy, KTC, Northern Lakes College, Keyano College, Skills Alberta, Alberta Education and various university/college institutions to develop additional resources and field trip opportunities.

Northland School Division is pleased with the evolution of all of these initiatives.

Each initiative plays an important role in 21st century learning for our students and support Inspiring Education.

Stay tuned this fall as we launch a new divisionwide campaign promoting attendance. More information will become available on our website, on Facebook and Twitter!

Thank you, Hai, Hai, Masi chok!

For more information: www.northland61.ab.ca Twitter: @northland61 Facebook: Northland School Division No.61

Peerless Lake School students learn the process of dry meat making during Cultural Days in June. [Photography submitted]

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Get to know your local

school division HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC REGIONAL DIVISION NO. 37

Holy Family Catholic Offers 21st Century Learning with Small Town Values Holy Family Catholic Offers 21st Century Learning with Small Town Values Holy Family Catholic Regional Division No. 37 (HFCRD) provides quality education to approximately 2,200 students in nine schools across the Peace Country.

HFCRD combines 21st century learning, infused with Catholic values with the conveniences that only small towns can provide.

Schools are the hub of every community and HFCRD understands the impact quality education has on a person’s life.

HFCRD Meets the Needs of All Learners HFCRD strives every day to meet the needs of all learners. Our instruction is based on educating the whole child—mind, body and spirit. Catholic values are infused into the culture of each school. Learning facts is just as important as learning about wellness.

Safe and Caring Learning Environment Every student and guest is warmly welcomed to an HFCRD school. Cultivating a safe and caring learning environment is a priority for each school. Since HFCRD schools are in small towns, students get the unique opportunity to know everyone in their class, and likely the whole school.

Building relationships is a key piece of childhood development.

Instead these staff members can focus on delivering the best education possible to all students.

Glenmary School teachers the opportunity to deliver courses in an online capacity.

Further, HFCRD teachers are supported by a team of five Learning Coaches.

Teachers are now given the support they need to continuously improve their teaching. The Learning Coaches support teachers in many ways: observing their classroom, giving feedback, reviewing assignments and many more.

Cyber High staff works diligently to overcome the barriers of online learning so students get an experience as similar as possible to the classroom learning experience, while still giving having the flexibility and ease of online learning.

Equal Opportunities for Every Student

Individual Programming

HFCRD is dedicated to ensuring that every student is getting an equal standard of education regardless of their location and class size. Common services like technical support, maintenance and communications have been centralized. Now not only does every child have access to the same technology, inschool staff are no longer responsible for maintenance and communications.

For students wanting credit advancement or recovery, Holy Family Cyber High offers online education for grades 7 to 12. This online school recently amalgamated with Glenmary School in Peace River.

This amalgamation gave many of the experienced

HFRSD Schools: ¾

Rosary School K-9, Manning, AB

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Holy Family School K-9, Grimshaw, AB

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Good Shepherd School K-6, Peace River, AB

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Glenmary School 7-12, Peace River, AB

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Holy Family Cyber High School 7-12, Peace River, AB

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Ecole Providence School K-6, Peace River, AB

Rosary School in Manning celebrates a Warm Fuzzies Kindness Celebration. The celebration emphasizes the importance of kindness in our everyday lives and reminds students of how one small act of kindness can make a difference. This celebration left everybody with plenty of warm fuzzies!!

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CONSEIL SCOLAIRE DU NORD-OUEST NO 1

French Language Education WHERE EDUCATION AND CULTURE BLEND AND STUDENTS FLOURISH

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he Northwest Francophone School Authority (Conseil scolaire du Nord-Ouest No 1 CSNO) has offered FrenchLanguage Education (FLE) in the Peace Region since 1989.

The CSNO governs the following three schools: ¾¾ École des QuatreVents in Peace River (preschool to Grade 8), ¾¾ École Héritage in Falher (preschool to Grade 12), ¾¾ École Nouvelle Frontière in Grande Prairie (preschool to Grade 12).

The CSNO’s mandate is to provide an experience built around francophone language, culture and community. FLE exists to revitalize French language and culture and reverse the rate of assimilation among francophones in Alberta.

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Our schools offer: ¾¾ smaller class sizes and individual attention ¾¾ full-time kindergarten and a preschool program ¾¾ the Alberta Education Program of Studies ¾¾ opportunities for students to develop a sense of belonging to their community ¾¾ high standards favoring intellectual development, creativity and mastery in both official languages Rich cultural environment To complement the curriculum, provide a fertile learning environment and a rich cultural experience, CSNO schools have developed the following programs: ¾¾ monthly awards, reading club, integrated technology ¾¾ drama, musical and artistic workshops, excursions and

performances ¾¾ community involvement, humanitarian trips ¾¾ sports and extracurricular programs at all levels ¾¾ support for parents (French and English) Balanced Bilingualism & Employability Starting in grade 3, students receive English Language studies (ELA) as prescribed

by Alberta Education. In grades 6, 9 and 12, our students meet or exceed the provincial average in ELA testing. French-language education produces graduates who are bilingual for life, engaged in their community while being internationally minded and who have excellent employment prospects. Our students are living proof of our success!

Who is francophone education for?

The Right to francophone education falls under Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. For a student to be admitted, a parent must adhere to one of the following: ¾¾ Whose first language learned and still understood is French; ¾¾ Who received primary schooling in French in Canada; ¾¾ Whose siblings were or are being educated at a francophone school in Canada.

In the spirit of Section 23, other categories of parents may be allowed to enrol their children in a francophone school while respecting the mission of FLE. For more information please visit www.csno.ab.ca

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DAN DIBBELT | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PEACE REGION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE

THE TROUBLE WITH NUMBERS

Shadow populations may benefit industry and growth

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he Peace Region is largely defined by the boundaries of the Peace Watershed.

The area extends well into British Columbia and across Alberta’s northwest. The fact that the region has a clearly defined geographical area helps communities within the region identify with each other. This is why Peace Region municipalities, on the whole, work together very well.

The sparse population in the north can make it challenging to bring in both industry and people.

Industry, in particular retail and hospitality, require a specified drawing area, a guaranteed number of people from within a certain radius of an urban municipality, before they will consider locating there.

It makes sense. We all want seven Tim Hortons in our region, but the reality is they need a certain population to make it worth their while.

When Walmart came to Peace River they took into consideration where they could draw shoppers from

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to ensure a healthy customer base and a healthy profit.

This is where the Peace Region truly has an advantage over many parts of the country. There is a healthy population in the region and by working together we are able to attract new retail and industry into our communities as a whole.

been how to calculate this number and how to use it to our advantage.

Municipalities depend on the provincial government for per capita funding, so being able to include shadow population numbers in their municipal census could potentially increase their provincial funding.

Peace River may have roughly 7,000 people, but it actually draws from a region of more than 50,000.

Yes, Peace River may have roughly 7,000 people, but it actually draws from a region of more than 50,000.

A new component in these population calculations is the shadow population.

Often referred to as flyin workers or transient workers, these are people who work in our region but have their home address outside of the region. While their primary residence is elsewhere, they still utilize our roads, our healthcare and other services. The challenge in the past has

The other spin-off opportunity could be to attract business. If the Peace Region’s large-and-growing shadow population was thoroughly quantified, business execs would be able to use those numbers to better predict the viability of opening shop here.

In the Peace Region we are seeing urbans and rurals working together.

The development of new work camps in Northern Sunrise County will house up to 2,000 workers, more than the permanent

population of the County.

Hopefully the County will see some provincial funding to compensate for that population, and hopefully the region will be able to capitalize on those numbers to attract business.

With the urbans and rurals working together, the urbans such as Peace River can utilize Northern Sunrise County’s shadow population to help reach the population numbers industry demands. This new dynamic is not only good news for municipalities, its good news for businesses looking to locate in Alberta and in particular northwest Alberta.

If you are a business looking at opportunities in the Peace Region, don’t just look at municipal censuses or you will miss some great opportunities. Talk to the municipalities you are looking at or call PREDA to get a better idea of what the real numbers are. There are many reasons to move up to the Peace Region, starting your own business or opening a new franchise just may be one more.

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LAURA GLOOR | MUSEUM COORDINATOR, PEACE RIVER MUSEUM, ARCHIVES AND MACKENZIE CENTRE

HERITAGE CONSERVATION: A BRIGHT GREEN FUTURE trees line the boulevards.

Memory and meaning are conveyed through these features. Walking through or living in established, stable and older neighbourhoods contribute to a sense of well being, enjoyment and security.

A

daptive reuse of a historic building reduces waste generation, increases recycling and forges connections with past communities.

Our built heritage, that is the houses, businesses, industrial buildings and landscapes that dot our communities, are visual reminders of the heritage and growth of communities.

They stand out on streets and in neighbourhoods as a representation of the people and events that built our community and led to where we are today. These evocative buildings are part of the personal narrative of the people who built them, lived in them and conducted business in them.

In Peace River, Alberta, one need only stroll along 99 Street, south of the Museum, to find evidence of the early skilled builders.

When you walk down Main Street Peace River, stop to admire the brick work of the Ambrose building

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made with bricks fired in a local kiln and the recessed store front of the H & R Block building, previously the Levesque Store—all vestiges of early commercial development in Peace River. Examples of heritage buildings like this can be found in communities throughout the Peace Country.

Community planning incorporates regeneration and reinvestment in heritage buildings, landscapes and neighbourhoods. It enhances our local identity, economic self-sufficiency, environmental sustainability, social inclusion and cultural vitality. We know that reuse of heritage buildings supports a healthy and liveable environment; uses low energy-intensive building materials; and, retains the original building’s embodied energy.

Contributing to a healthy and liveable environment.

There is character and warmth in the historic home and charm in the gardens, landscaping and heritage

These neighbourhoods are often close to the original core or downtown area from a time when the automobile played a less prominent role in society—a time when people walked to work or school, to shop and to socialize. It is easy to see the link between heritage conservation and healthy lifestyle choices such as workability, cycling and public transportation.

Keeping (or replacing with) low energy-intensive building material.

Heritage buildings are made of a variety of materials—like stone, brick and wood. They represent different eras of architectural style, paint palettes and building material. Heritage conservation simply means maintaining, repairing and reusing building materials rather than neglecting, demolishing and replacing them with new construction.

Contracting a local tradesperson to repair or rebuild, for example wood windows, could mean the dollars are spent locally instead of in a distant factory.

Retaining the building’s embodied energy Heritage conservation can

be seen as an antidote to the culture of consumerism and disposability. Demolishing or throwing away materials in an older building translates into the solid waste disposal of the building thereby losing the embodied energy in the original brick, plaster, wood and concrete to the landfill, often to be replaced with plastic, vinyl and steel.

The reuse and regeneration of heritage buildings capitalizes on materials and energy already invested.

In short, the heritage conservation movement is about linking environmental, economic and social responsibility. Heritage conservation links the tangible fabric of the building or the natural features of the landscapes with the stories of the people who created those spaces and who lived, played and worked in them.

If you own a building with “character” and want to explore the options of a municipally designated historic building, visit the Town of Peace River website to access the Heritage Management Policy or visit the Alberta Government Municipal Heritage Partnership Program.

For more information visit: www.peaceriver.ca/museum www.mhpp.ab.ca Sources: Economic benefits of historic preservation: a community leader’s guide./ Donovan Rypkema of Columbia University, c1994 Regeneration: toward a new vision for heritage./ Heritage Canada, c2012

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