Prince George Citizen January 14, 2021

PRINCE GEORGE

PARKADE COSTS HIT $34M; COUNCIL DEMANDS ANSWERS

City council wants more answers, and potentially a legal opinion, on how the cost overruns for the city’s new underground parkade at Sixth Avenue and George Street were approved.

Coun. Brian Skakun said the timeline laid out in a report provided to city council on Monday doesn’t add up.

City administration was provided a detailed update from the developer in July 2018 with an updated cost estimate that put the cost at $20 million, instead of the initial estimate of $12 6 million, acting deputy city manager Ian Wells said. The final cost of the project, including the replacement and relocation of aging water

and sewer mains, came to more then $34 million, he said.

However, on March 11, 2019, city council was presented the preliminary budget of $12.6 million to approve, Wells wrote in his report.

See REAL TRAVESTY on page 3

Two more dead at Jubilee

TED CLARKE

Citizen staff

COVID is showing no signs it will stop creating nightmares for hospital patients, their families and friends, and medical staff at University Hospital of Northern BC struggling to keep the pandemic from worsening.

For weeks now, Virginia Jenkins has been driving her friend, an elderly lady, to Jubilee Lodge at UHNBC so the woman can visit her husband, an 83-year-old man with advanced Alzheimer’s disease. As a resident of the 66-bed facility, the man became infected with the virus two weeks ago but is showing signs he might live through it.

“He was up in his wheelchair (Sunday) and he had a cough that you would not even want to hear, it was awful, and after he coughed he cried,” said Jenkins, a retired pediatric nurse.

“He’s making it through, so far. He was up in his wheelchair eating. He’s at 14 days now and if he makes it 20 days they say that’s a pretty good sign that he’ll survive it.”

Not everybody has been so fortunate.

Two more Jubilee residents died from COVID-19 over the weekend, raising the death toll to 14, as the outbreak continues.

Since the outbreak was first announced Dec. 12, 48 of the 66 residents and 11 staff at Jubilee have tested positive for COVID-19.

See SO SAD on page 3

CITIZEN FILE PHOTO

The new downtown parkade in front of the Park House condominium project.

Renowned local Indigenous musician Kym Gouchie recently received a Canada Council for the Arts grant to create a children’s album in ancestral languages. The album will be released next year

Children’s album will focus on ancestral languages

CHRISTINE HINZMANN Citizen staff

Renowned local Indigenous artist Kym Gouchie woke up with a melody in her head recently and that’s a great beginning for her next project.

Gouchie said she is the blessed recipient of a Canada Council for the Arts grant to research and compose a children’s album in her ancestral languages.

Soon she’ll be speaking with language keepers and mentors from all across the province, beginning with those here on the traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh.

“My inspiration truly was my late grandmother Mary Gouchie and just being an Indigenous person knowing that languages are such a vital part of our culture,” she said.

There are very few Lheidli language speakers left and Gouchie knows that even within that language there are different dialects and to preserve the language for future generations is very important.

“I think truly what it is that I’m doing is a creative expression of my journey in learning the language of my ancestors,” Gouchie said. “That includes Lheidli T’enneh, Cree on my father’s side - I know more Cree than I do my other ancestral languages that also includes the Shuswap Secwépemc. So I’ve

been really inspired by the fact that music can reach anyone. That means it can reach children and even adults and this album even though it’s for children it’s really for everyone and their inner child. I want to do something that’s fun and engaging to preserve language which can be used in the classroom or in a home or in a daycare setting.”

The songs will teach numbers, colours and animals.

“It truly is an expression of creativity through language and music,” Gouchie said. “I’m just going to have fun with it and hopefully honour my ancestors and hold space for language, for culture, for stories, for my grandmothers, my grandparents who at points in their lives were punished for speaking their language and I’m very aware of that. I want to be the change. I want my grandchildren to be able to listen to these songs, to learn them and to understand who they are through music. It’s difficult to teach someone their identity but I think music is a beautiful vehicle for that.”

Gouchie said part of her ancestry also includes having an Irish bloodline so there may be a hint of that in the album as well.

Rae Spoon, a non-binary performer, composer, music producer, visual content

producer/director and author, will be working with Gouchie on this project. Because of the pandemic, the project will look a bit different in order to keep everyone safe, so instead of mostly in-person meetings, the research will be done through online avenues and luckily many of the language keepers and elders have those options available to them while others will be accessed by the telephone.

“I’m super excited to get started,” Gouchie said.

“Hopefully if we get a flattened curve I could sit down with somebody but we’re not pushing for that.”

This month, she will work with the Lheidli T’enneh, February will see a connection with the Cree Nation and March will be the month to connect with the Secwépemc language keepers and elders. After that the writing process will begin. Preproduction will begin in July when Spoon will travel to Prince George. Soon after that, rehearsal will start with artists that will be joining Gouchie on the album, including Brigitte Demeter from the Okanagan and Dan Barton from Edmonton. The plan is to have the album released in January 2022 and start touring. For more information about Gouchie, visit her website at kymgouchie.com.

Health authority names Caron to new role

TED CLARKE

Citizen staff

When it comes to firsts, Dr. Nadine Caron has made a career out of getting to the head of the line.

The 49-year-old Prince George doctor was the first First Nations woman to graduate from UBC’s medical program and she used that knowledge to go on to become Canada’s first female Indigenous general surgeon.

Now Caron has another first to add to her resume. She’s been appointed the First Nations Health Authority’s founding chair in cancer and wellness.

In her new role, she will consult with Indigenous cancer patients, survivors and their families to try to improve medical outcomes and gain a better understanding of how the medical system responds to their needs. Caron, co-director of UBC’s Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health, aims to determine if traditional cancer treatments work as well for First Nations people as they do for other British Columbians.

During her five-year term, she will try to find ways to combine established hospital treatments with traditional healing practices to better the health and wellness of cancer patients. She will share her insights with her teaching colleagues, students and medical staff and provide training and mentorship to strengthen provincial and national partnerships to improve indigenous health.

“It will take time to have the impact that our partnership aims to achieve along the entire cancer prevention and care spectrum to better understand where we are and change these outcomes,” Caron said on the UBC Faculty of Medicine website.

“Now we can say our responsibility starts here; the impact starts now With all of us working together to bring Indigenous voices and perspectives forward, our tomorrow looks promising.”

The federal-funded First Nations Health Authority will provide $1.5 million for Caron’s department and that budget will be matched by UBC Caron headed a study two years ago that found First Nations residents of B.C are less likely than non-Indigenous people to survive a cancer diagnosis for almost all types of the disease and that Indigenous people are significantly more at risk of developing colorectal and cervical cancer

Caron is an associate professor at UBC who teaches surgery in the Northern Medical Program at UNBC In 2016, she established the Northern Biobank on the UNBC campus, a storage facility for human tissue donated by patients for research purposes. Caron’s mother is of Ojibwe descent from the Sagamok Anishinaabe First Nation in Ontario on the north shore of Lake Huron, where she attended residential school and was the first graduate of her school before she became a teacher Caron’s father is an Italian immigrant who became a mason and together they raised Nadine and her three brothers in Kamloops. A graduate of Westsyde Secondary School in Kamloops, where she was a star athlete for the Whundas basketball team, Caron was recruited to Simon Fraser University in Burnaby in 1988. She continued her athletic career as one of the top players on the SFU Clan basketball team until 1993, when she graduated with a degree in kinesiology After finishing medical school at UBC in 1997 she began her surgical residency and earned a Masters of Public Health degree from Harvard University After completing her residency in 2003 she moved to San Francisco where she completed postgraduate fellowship training in endocrine surgical oncology Caron continues to serve rural patients as a surgical specialist at UHNBC in Prince George, where she’s worked since January 2005. Her husband, Pat Turner, is an emergency room doctor at UHNBC.

PHOTO BY SIMONSEES PHOTOGRAPHY

SIMON AND SHUSTER FILE PHOTO

Dr Nadine Caron of Prince George has been named the founding chair in cancer and wellness by the First Nations Health Authority.

‘THIS IS A REAL TRAVESTY’

from page 1

On May 13, 2019, council approved changes to the city’s Sustainable Finance Guidelines, which authorized the city manager to approve cumulative budget changes up to five per cent of the city’s total operating budget, based on recommendations from city administration. That change allowed former city manager Kathleen Solits to authorize the budget for the parkade project.

Then on Nov. 18, 2019, the city’s finance and audit committee was presented with an update that the cost of the project to that time was sitting at $16.37 million

“Council was not aware we had an updated price and had committed to the project,” Wells said. The entire senior management team was aware of the situation with the project, Wells added.

“They didn’t have the authority to OK with the developer $20 million when we didn’t know it. There is no way anyone

‘It’s just so sad’

Jenkins said she can’t understand how rampant the virus has been at Jubilee and how hard it has been to keep people from becoming infected, despite all the precautions in place.

“I just can’t figure out how 60 people would test positive, what is wrong, it’s just so sad,” said Jenkins.

Jenkins’s friend, who is visually impaired and can no longer drive, was told her husband would likely die of COVID and as a result the hospital eased her visitation limitations. He lives at Jubilee in a room with three other patients, all of whom are infected.

“I bought some N-95 masks and I take her in my car and she wears her mask and I wear my mask,” said Jenkins. “She can get in but I can’t. They meet her at the door and it’s only by appointment that you can get that far They take her into an office right inside the main door at Jubilee and she takes off her coat and has to leave her purse and they gown her, put a hat and gloves on her and, I think, the booties They completely dress her up and they take her to his room.

“He’s in the same room he’s always been a four-bed room and there’s three other guys with COVID and him. She goes in and sits in a cesspool for an hour. But he knows that she’s there, so she goes.”

NOTICE OF CONSIDERATION

What: Noticeofconsiderationregarding TemporaryUsePermitNo.241

When and Where: 1:30p.m.,Thursday,January21,2021 RegionalDistrictBoardRoom 155GeorgeStreet,PrinceGeorgeBC

Owner: ProvinceofBritishColumbia Applicant:OminecaAggregateLtd. Agent: DWBConsultingServicesLtd.

Proposal: ThepurposeofTemporaryUse PermitNo.241istopermitPreliminary ResourceProcessinguseonthesubject landforuptoathree-yearperiod.Zoning BylawNo.2892definesPreliminaryResource Processingasthecrushing,screening, washing,storing,packagingorother processingofrock,sand,gravel,aggregate orsoil,originatingonthesamesiteanddoes notincludeasphaltplantsorconcreteplants. ThesubjectlandislegallydescribedasPart ofDistrictLot2954andPartofDistrictLot 2955,CaribooDistrictandlocated6.5km southofBearLake.

Need moreinfo? Acopyoftheproposed Permitandanyrelevantbackground materialsareavailableforreviewbythe publicontheRegionalDistrict’swebsite athttp://www.rdffg.bc.ca/services/ development/land-use-planning/currentapplications/orattheRegionalDistrict office,byappointmentonly,Monday throughFriday,8:00amto4:30pm, betweenJanuary12,2021andJanuary21, 2021.Tomakeanappointmentcontactthe RegionalDistrictatdevelopmentservices@ rdffg.bc.caorat250-960-4400

Who can Ispeak to? DanielBurke,PlannerII, 250-960-4400

had the authority to spend that money without council’s approval. That’s the legal process,” Skakun said. “The people in this community are outraged.”

Coun. Terri McConnachie said that is looks like the city administration proposed the changes to the city manager’s authority to allow Soltis to approve the project after the fact.

“This is a real travesty,” McConnachie said. “It’s egregious.”

Council approved a motion by Skakun

calling for a further report to a closed meeting of council, where more details can be presented.

In addition, council approved a motion by Coun. Cori Ramsay calling for a report on all the city manager’s use of delegated authority to approve cost overruns in 2020, and on a quarterly basis moving forward.

“It’s like a bad onion,” Coun. Frank Everitt said. “As you unpeel each layer, it gets a stronger smell to it.”

If and when the man shows he has recovered, Jenkins says her friend will go back to a routine of only visiting him once per week, the same protocol that was in place before the outbreak was declared.

Northern Health spokesperson Eryn Collins confirmed the two new deaths at Jubilee Lodge and that there have been no new positive cases among the patients of the facility, which is at the south end of the UHNBC building, closest to 15th Avenue.

“There is some good news on the Jubilee front, we’re still at 48 cases and 22 of those are deemed to have recovered,” said Collins.

“Usually somebody who tests positive

for COVID, they would self-isolate for the pre-requisite 14 days, there would be a period of time since their symptoms have resolved and then public health declares them recovered and releases from self-isolation because they’re no longer infectious.

“With more complex cases, like anyone in a long-term care facility would potentially be, rather than follow just a standard number of days, they do an individual assessment based on the course of the person’s illness to make doubly and triply sure there’s no potential to further transmit illness and they’ve done all that for the 48 cases. Over the coming weeks and days more people will be cleared from that and determined to be recovered.”

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SOLITARY CONFINEMENT CASE GOING AHEAD

MARK NIELSEN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A case brought by a former Prince George Regional Correctional Centre inmate against the provincial government over the use of solitary confinement in B.C.’s jails has gained certification as a class action proceeding.

Naveah North, formerly known as Cody Alan Cragg, is the lead representative in the action filed on behalf of inmates in provincial institutions who had been in solitary confinement for at least 15 consecutive days or in spite of suffering from a mental illness.

While in custody at PGRCC, North spent seven months in confinement in response to self-harming conduct and then was in a medical observation unit for 16 months where she was in lockup 23 hours per day. North struggled with mental illness

since she was a teenager, according to a summary provided in B.C. Supreme Court Justice Nathan Smith’s decision to certify the action. In 2014, while at PGRCC, she was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, anti-social personality disorder, polysubstance disorder and difficulty identifying and expressing emotions.

“The plaintiff has also filed affidavits from six other current inmates who say they have spent lengthy periods of time in segregation or solitary confinement,” Smith writes “Their descriptions include: segregation cells filthy with blood and feces, sleep deprivation from lights being left on all night, and being allowed as little as half an hour a day outside their cell. Ongoing problems various affiants attribute to their time in solitary confinement include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder,

and aggravation of pre-existing mental health conditions.”

In finding that the pleading disclose a cause of action, Smith noted that North relies on three class actions in Ontario that raise similar assertions and have not only been certified but have proceeded to summary judgment on their merits and decided in favour of the plaintiffs.

One of them was on behalf of inmates in the provincial system and yielded a global award of $30 million, Smith also noted.

Lawyers representing the provincial government took issue with the assertion that “solitary confinement” is used in B.C. jails In answer, Smith said the term could be replaced with “separate confinement and/or segregation.”

Provincial government lawyers also took issue including inmates who had been in confinement as far back as April 18, 2005,

Judge upholds speeding ticket

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A local man’s bid to have a speeding ticket dismissed has been rejected by a B.C. Supreme Court Justice.

On Feb. 17, 2019, Timothy Drewcock was issued the ticket after an RCMP officer found he had been traveling at 88 km/h in a 50 km/h zone while heading south on Tyner Boulevard.

The ticket carries a $196 fine for speeding and a further $81 for failing to produce a driver’s licence or insurance, both under the Motor Vehicle Act.

After failing to convince a justice of the peace to overturn the ticket, Drewcock took his case to the B.C. Supreme Court, maintaining that the officer failed to show he had tested the radar prior to using it on the day in question

At the hearing before the justice of the peace, the officer testified that he is not only qualified to operate that particular type of radar but has also taught other officers how to use the instrument.

as members of the class, citing a two-year limitation period. But Smith said there can be an exception for a person under a disability such as mental illness and so incapable of managing their affairs.

Craig Jones, a law professor at Thompson Rivers University, said that while the matter can still be taken to trial, where the judge must decide on the balance of probabilities whether the provincial government was in the wrong, he doubts it will go that far

“Practically speaking, I’m going to guess that less than one per cent of class actions actually go to trial,” Jones said. “After certification, they’re almost always settled, so a certification win is a big deal.”

North is claiming the province’s actions were a violation of inmates’ Charter rights, which Jones said “might be a little bit of the wave of the future.”

As to whether it was in working order on the day the ticket was issued, the officer said: “It was tested according to manufacturers, before my shift, and I was satisfied it could accurately measure speeds of moving vehicles.”

In a decision issued Dec. 29, Justice Ron Tindale said it would have been preferable for the officer to have given evidence that the tests were according to manufacturer’s specifications, but he agreed with Crown counsel that it was open to the justice of the peace to infer from the officer’s statement that the unit had been tested and was working.

Big year for Crime Stoppers

Apparently, crime does pay.

But thanks to the tips to police through the Northern BC Crime Stoppers program, it’s the criminals who suffer 2020 was a record year for Northern BC Crime Stoppers, which received 900 tips to help solve crimes, the most ever in one year since the program began in 1985. That’s up from 719 tips reported to police in 2019.

That information led to 31 arrests (compared to 14 arrests in 2019) and 10 cases being cleared by police. Callers do not have to reveal their identity and the 11 callers whose tips helped solve crimes were rewarded with $2,400 in cash payments. Acting on those tips, RCMP officers recovered $7,500 in cash, seized property

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worth about $10,000 and illegal drugs with an estimated street value of $144,000. Since its inception in 1985, Northern BC Crime Stoppers has received 18,545 tips, which led to 1,595 arrests and the recovery of $39.38 million worth of property and drugs. The 617 informants have received $178,700 in cash rewards.

Citizens can report tips of criminal activity by calling 1-800-222-8477(TIPS) or at www.pgcrimestoppers.ca.

Northern BC Crime Stoppers its planning its spring Shred-It event for April 24 at the PGSS parking lot. People can bring bags of personal documents and for a $5 donation those personal papers will be shredded to help prevent identity theft.

MARK NIELSEN

Gunplay suspect charged

A man has been charged in connection with an alleged shots fired incident in Cluculz Lake on New Years Day.

Shawn Joseph Chipman, 45, has been charged with assault, pointing a firearm, uttering threats, careless use of a firearm, improper storage of a firearm and possessing a firearm without a licence or registration.

Chipman was arrested after RCMP were called at about 4:30 a.m. to a report of

shots being fired on a property in the 5700 block of Meier Road West west of Prince George.

Because a firearm was involved, the North District RCMP emergency response team was also called to the scene. Vanderhoof RCMP set up a perimeter around the property while waiting for the team to arrive.

Police said it appears the trouble began when an argument among several people

escalated into a physical fight that, in turn, led to multiple shots fired. The shooter remained in the house with an associate, while others fled the scene and called police

Chipman and a woman were arrested. The woman was later released from custody and charges were approved against Chipman.

He was released on $500 bail and is to appear in court in Vanderhoof on Feb. 1.

Driving prohibition issued over dispute

A man who took a dispute to the road has earned a one-year driving prohibition for his actions.

Brandon James Peters was also sentenced to a six-month conditional sentence order followed by 18 months probation and assessed a $200 victim surcharge for the June 30 incident.

According to witnesses, he rammed his car into the side of a pickup truck

MOOSE TICK

SURVEY

UNDERWAY

and continued to push it over three lanes of Highway 97 and over the curb near Houghtaling Road.

RCMP had said it appeared Peters deliberately T-boned the pickup following a dispute with the truck’s occupants, a man and a woman. Neither of the drivers were injured but a passenger in the pickup received minor injuries

Other drivers had to hit their brakes

The BC Wildlife Health Program is looking for help gathering observations of hair loss caused by winter ticks on moose.

“Winter ticks are a significant parasite for moose populations and can contribute to moose declines in parts of their range,” a BCWHP official said.

to avoid getting caught in the tangle and traffic was impeded for a number of hours as RCMP collected evidence at the scene. Conditional sentence orders are served at home with conditions such as a curfew. Violating those conditions can lead to jail time The sentence was issued in Prince George provincial court on Dec. 18 on a count of dangerous driving under the Criminal Code.

Now in its seventh year, this year’s version began on Jan. 1 and runs until April 30. Last year, 426 reports were submitted and organizers are hoping for an even larger response this time around Reports can be submitted online by going to gov.bc.ca/wildlifehealth/mooseticksurvey

Two charged for attack at Dawson Creek Walmart

Citizen staff

Charges have been laid against two people suspected of assaulting an employee and refusing to put on masks before entering a store in Dawson Creek.

Crown prosecution has approved one count each of assault and mischief, $5,000 or under, for Taylor Jordan Alex and a count of assault for Kennedy Jane Dianne Pace from the Nov 25 incident at the northeast B.C. community’s Walmart. Alex is scheduled to make a first appearance in Dawson Creek provincial court on Feb. 23 while no date was set for Pace.

In a posting on social media, Dawson Creek RCMP confirmed that charges have been laid but did not provide their names.

“However, both suspects are encouraged to turn themselves in immediately, in order to address the outstanding arrest warrants,” RCMP said.

The mischief charge against Alex was for allegedly damaging the employee’s cellphone during the attack, RCMP said.

SILVER LINING FOR COUGARS GOALTENDER

TED CLARKE

Citizen staff

Winning a silver medal in the world’s most prestigious international junior hockey event is something Taylor Gauthier will cherish throughout his life.

It will also stand as one of the most gut-wrenching memories of Gauthier’s hockey career for the way it all ended for Team Canada last Tuesday night in Edmonton.

Their expedition to Everest stalled abruptly on the Hillary step, close but not close enough to the summit, in a 2-0 loss to the United States in the gold-medal game.

As Canada’s third goalie throughout the 12-day tournament, Gauthier lined up with his teammates and waited for his name to be called while captain Bowen Byram fought back tears as he handed out the medals.

Silver, not gold.

“Winning a silver medal means you’ve lost gold, but looking back on the tournament now it’s something I’ll hold special to

my heart and I know my family and everyone who supports me are still super-proud of everything myself and the team have gone through,” said Gauthier.

“You look at all the adversity we had to deal with, being in quarantine for two weeks right at the start of our selection camp and not playing any games, to come out and put on the performance we did, even though we didn’t finish it off with a gold-medal performance in the final game, it doesn’t take away how special the group of guys were and how special the tournament was to all of us,” he said

What began in the summer with virtual camps and Zoom meetings among the players and staff ended nearly seven months later with Team Canada’s seeming invincibility after six dominant wins shattered by a convincing loss to their archrivals from the U.S.

To get the final, the Canadian team spent 51 days together in the protected from the pandemic in their bubble, first in Red Deer, where they began their training camp in

early November, and then in Edmonton, where they successfully warded off the virus for three weeks. Before the first puck was dropped on Boxing Day they each had endured 19 days of solo isolation in their hotel rooms.

“Most of us were fortunate enough to be able to play with most of the guys on the team in the past, at the U-17 and U-18 level and I think we took advantage of that lengthy time to really bond as a team and get ready for the tournament,” said Gauthier, who wore the maple leaf three times before he made the world junior team in his last year of international junior eligibility

Devon Levi arrived from Northeastern University and earned the starter’s role in net, with Dylan Garand of the Kamloops Blazers the designated backup throughout the tournament.

Gauthier said he was told after practice two days before a pre-tournament game against Russia that he was No. 3 on the depth chart. Levi proved to the coaches

Cougars making plans for 24-game

Mark Lamb was home watching the NFL playoffs Saturday, still wondering when he can go back to his junior hockey job coaching the Prince George Cougars.

they made the right decision when he posted three shutouts and set tournament records for lowest goals-against average (0.75) and highest save percentage (.964) over seven games.

“Obviously it would have been nice to play in the games, you always want to do the best you can and you always want to push for more,” said Gauthier “But at the end of the day it’s something pretty special to be considered one of the top three goalies in Canada at the junior level. I thought I did all I could as the third goalie. I was put in that position for a reason. I’m very thankful and honoured to have that jersey in my closet and say I was part of that team.”

Gauthier, the only undrafted player on the 25-player Canadian roster, didn’t see a minute of playing time but got his share of staring down the country’s best young shooters every day the team practiced and he hopes to put that experience to use if and when returns to Prince George to play his fourth season in the WHL

season

That’s not going to happen anytime soon despite last Friday’s announcement that the Western Hockey League is making plans for a 24-game season. While Lamb and the league’s 22 teams are ready to reconvene the players on a moment’s notice to get back to playing again, that decision is in the hands of the health authorities Provincial health officer Bonnie Henry extended the travel ban on sports teams from region to region until Feb. 5 and that will keep hockey teams in the province grounded until at least that date.

The WHL originally targeted Oct. 2 for the start of the new season and that was postponed to Dec. 4 and most recently, Jan. 8.

If and when the Cougars get back to playing games again, all 24 games this season will be against B.C. Division opponents in Kamloops, Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna. Likewise, teams in the U.S., Central and Eastern divisions will keep to their respective regions to minimize travel.

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Speed skater Orlowsky returns to his oval roots

TED CLARKE

Citizen staff 2020 was meltdown year for longtrack speed skater Eric Orlowsky.

When it hit in March, the pandemic wiped out the rest of the race season. It got even worse for the 20-year-old Prince George Blizzard Speed Skating Club alumni in early September when a mechanical failure at the Olympic Oval in Calgary left the 33-year-old facility unable to make ice on its 400-metre indoor oval track while the viral outbreaks continued to cripple the competition schedule.

The repairs to the refrigeration plant won’t be complete until May, at the earliest, and that’s prompted Orlowsky to return to his old stomping grounds in Prince George, where he’s been taking advantage of the outdoor oval at Exhibition Park for the past two weeks. Known for having the fastest ice surface in the world, the Olympic Oval suffered similar breakdowns in 2016 and 2018 and the fixes obviously failed to provide a longterm solution

“It’s definitely disappointing but it’s to hear they’re actually trying to fix the problem instead of just delaying them again,” said Orlowsky. “Having trust in the ice equipment will be great and we’ll at least know we’ll be able to skate quite a bit longer

“As far as I know the season is pretty much canceled for competition but it makes it a good year to build strength and endurance so I can hit next season even harder ”

A year ago in Calgary at the Canadian junior championships, Orlowsky posted five personal bests, including a bronze-medal in the 5,000-metre event, and he finished sixth overall – his career-best meet performance. There are no races scheduled this winter and Orlowsky plans to use that time in training to build up his strength to try to make the jump from the Olympic Oval Stage 3 long distance provincial team to the NextGen national team next season

The national teams traveled to Fort St. John in November to skate at a two-week camp on the indoor oval at the Pomeroy Sports Centre and Orlowsky was all set to go there after that with the rest of the provincial team when the COVID outbreak flared up and the facility was closed to all but local skaters. He’s been training on inline skates on the concrete oval in Calgary and has been on short-track arena ice but nothing compares with sinking his blades into a 400-metre rink.

“It’s going to take a while to get into some proper racing skating but we’ve been doing lots of training without the ice and I think the fitness and strength is still there, it’s just a matter of applying it,” he said.

Orlowsky’s mom, Kathy Lewis, is president of the Outdoor Ice Oval Society of Prince George and has long been involved in keeping the volunteer organization operational. Weather and ice conditions permitting, Orlowsky has been busy training four or five hours per day every day, either skating at the oval or skiing at Otway Nordic Centre.

LABARBERA JUMPS INTO FLAMES

From the frying pan into the fire, Jason LaBarbera is not shying away from the heat

The Prince George minor hockey product just began his next hockey challenge this week as the newly-hired goaltending coach of the Calgary Flames.

Last Thursday, the day after his sevenmonth-long commitment to Canada’s world junior team ended in the disappointment of a 2-0 loss to the United States in the gold-medal game in Edmonton, LaBarbera was back in Calgary shuffling his office to the Flames’ side of the building in Scotiabank Saddledome to return to the ice for his first training camp as an NHL coach. After four seasons as goalie coach of the Calgary Hitmen, LaBarbera signed a three-year term to take on the coaching role Jordan Sigalet held the past three seasons, while Sigalet becomes director of the team’s goaltending department.

LaBarbera played 187 NHL games in a 17-year pro career with the New York Rangers. Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks, Phoenix Coyotes, Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks. The 40-yearold former Portland Winterhawk/Spokane Chief was born in Burnaby but played most of his minor hockey in Prince George.

“I’m pretty fortunate for sure and obviously grateful for the opportunity - when you play you have to move around a lot and now in coaching if you want to move up, usually you have to move,” said LaBarbera. “I have a young family and obviously I don’t want to move around, not yet, and to be able to just move down the hallway is

Speed skater Eric Orlowsky is back for an extended stay in Prince George, where he can practice his long-track moves on the outdoor ice oval at Exhibition Park.

“The volunteers here do an incredible job getting it together,” said Orlowsky “Without a cooling system I imagine it’s pretty hard but they do an incredible job of building the ice up and maintaining it.”

In Calgary, the home of the national teams, Orlowsky sometimes trains with the World Cup long track skaters. That elite

group includes Olympic medalist Ted-Jan Bloeman, World Cup champions Ivanie Blondin and Valerie Maltais, and national team veterans Tyson Langelaar, Alex Boisvert-Lacroix and Jordan Belchos, who are preparing for the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. For Orlowsky, who gave up hockey at age 14 to focus exclusively on speed skating, it’s like being a junior hockey player training with NHL pros.

“It’s incredibly inspirational being able to see such amazing skaters every day, people that really inspire you when you’re a kid,” he said. “You see how they train and how they skate and it’s incredible. I usually get to be on ice with them although typically our teams are split. A lot of time they’re focusing on their programs but if you ask them they’re really open to helping skaters out. Calgary is the place to be.”

He might have chosen hockey as his Number 1 sport if not for his mom’s influence. Lewis, who won the Prince George Iceman multisport endurance race eight times, saw his talent for skating at a young age and signed him up for the Blizzard short track program when he was eight.

“She noticed I was one of the quicker guys on the team and she pushed me into it, even though I was very resistant about it,” said Orlowsky “I wanted nothing to do with speed skating but after a few months I fell in love with it and stuck with it ever since.

“I really enjoy going fast, being able to push myself, always knowing if I race well it was on myself, I wasn’t getting carried by

pretty awesome.”

LaBarbera will work directly with the Flames netminders and will answer to Sigalet, who will oversee the draft and be on the lookout for NHL prospects playing in minor pro leagues or in Europe. Thomas Speer is also in the Flames’ organization as goalie coach of the Stockton Heat of the AHL.

The Flames landed one of the most coveted free agents during the off-season when they signed former Vancouver Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom to a six-year, $36 million contract. Markstrom finished fourth in Vezina Trophy voting and was a big part of the Canucks’ successful season and extended run in the 2020 playoffs which ended in a seventh-game loss to Vegas in the Western Conference semifinal.

“I’ve been a big fan of his the last three or four years,” said LaBarbera. “When you’re coaching junior goalies you usually try to find a couple NHL guys you can show guys video of and he was always one of the guys I liked to use as a model because I really liked his game.”

Joining Markstrom in the Calgary crease in camp are incumbent Flame David Rittich, veteran NHL journeyman Louis Domingue, Garret Sparks (Vegas Golden Knights), Artyom Zagidulin (Stockton Heat, AHL) and Everett Silvertips puckstopper Dustin Wolf, a Flames seventh-rounder in 2019 who backed up Spencer Knight on the U.S world junior team.

The Flames open their pandemic-shortened 56-game schedule Thursday in Winnipeg. They’ll play all their games this

MAYOR HALL MUST RESIGN

Mayor Lyn Hall needs to immediately resign after it was revealed Monday night that the new downtown parkade will actually cost $34 million and additional cost overruns may have been approved without city council oversight.

It doesn’t matter if he knew what was going on or not.

If he did know and didn’t take action, starting with informing the rest of city council, he failed his fellow councillors and local taxpayers, so he must resign for that failure.

If he didn’t know, then he was asleep at the wheel. His fellow city councillors are part-time employees, paid a part-time wage to set policy and provide oversight. The mayor, however, is a full-time employee with a corner office on the top floor of city hall.

He has the time and the space to more closely monitor important files, especially

a project that was already $10 million over its original budget, even before Monday’s revelation.

If he didn’t know what he was happening on his watch, he was negligent in his duties and must resign for that negligence.

Of course, there needs to be a thorough internal investigation of who knew what and who said what and when.

Acting city manager Walter Babicz should put his lawyer hat on, get his hands on every single document and email to do with this disastrous project and set it aside for an external auditor.

That auditor needs to be appointed by the rest of city council immediately.

But that’s a separate matter from the mayor’s resignation.

While it’s important for an audit to point to the individuals responsible for a $22 million cost overrun on a parkade that was initially budgeted to cost $12 million, that’s a secondary point.

The most important piece of an external audit will be its recommendations on the

policy and oversight procedures necessary to make sure such a travesty with tax dollars isn’t ever repeated.

In the meantime, however, there is accountability.

Kathleen Soltis was already removed from her job as city manager, the city’s top bureaucrat, in September.

Regardless of whether she was still on the job and regardless of the extent of her knowledge and involvement in this fiasco, she should not bear sole responsibility for it.

She did not work in a vacuum.

She worked closely with other senior administrators.

She worked in an office a short walk away from the mayor.

While there must be bureaucratic responsibility taken for this $22 million mess, there must also be political accountability as well.

All of city council must accept this happened on their watch.

But the members of city council are not

equal in this matter.

Coun. Garth Frizzell, the chair of the finance and audit committee, should resign from that post.

The brunt of the political blame, however, needs to go to Mayor Hall and to him alone.

Being the mayor comes with being centre stage, not just in the good times for ribbon cuttings, flag raisings and community celebrations, but when things go badly, too.

Leadership means taking the blame must be accepted with as much or more willingness as taking the credit.

Mayor Hall’s resignation won’t bring the money back but it will send a clear signal to voters and to future mayors that there is a political cost that must be borne for mistakes as grievous as this one.

His resignation shouldn’t be the last step to clean up this mess.

It is, however, the essential first step needed to make it right.

— Editor-in-chief Neil Godbout

Nobody said interesting times would be fun

“May you live in interesting times!”

This is supposed to be a Chinese curse but there is no evidence to suggest it originated in China nor is there a corresponding saying in the Chinese languages.

The intent of the quote – that interesting times provide excitement, doubt, opportunity, despair, advancement, loss – is apparent to almost everyone who has heard it. Interesting times are times of turbulence and strife. And living in interesting times means you might not have the peaceful and serene life you hoped for but rather one filled with uncertainty and tension. For much of the past decade, we have been living in uninteresting times.

Remember when the only thing you had to worry about was who was going to pick up the kids from school or what was for dinner?

After the financial crisis of 2008 (another interesting time) almost everyone I know settled down to what appeared to be a life of quiet and serenity.

Unemployment was down. Employment was up. The stock market seemed to be doing well as were our pension plans. International trade was on the rise. Prices on

some big-ticket items were holding steady or even dropping. For a few short years, the future looked rosy and uninteresting.

Of course, having said that, I am sure many readers will recall the last decade of pre-COVID differently. Climate change, ongoing labour issues, environmental degradation, rising national debt, and a host of other problems - we never really live in uninteresting times. There is always something disrupting our life of tranquility and happiness.

Maybe that is our lot in life, to constantly have to struggle to survive. After all, struggling for survival seems to be the way of the natural world.

The above leads us to this past week because we are definitely, beyond a shadow of a doubt, living in interesting times.

The December job numbers suggest we are about to be hit by another round of lay-offs and rollbacks. The service sector and particularly the hospitality sector have

been hit hard while some of the other major sectors (i.e. manufacturing) are seeing job growth (or return might be a better way to put it). Overall 63,000 jobs were lost across the country in December but significantly more in the service sector alone.

Last week also saw record highs in COVID-19 cases and fatalities. Last spring, Canada hovered around 12th place in the world with regard to cases but over the summer, we dropped to as low as number 33. Over the past four weeks, we have climbed our way back into the top 25 and, at our present pace, we should pass Belgium and Romania in a few days taking us to the 22nd spot.

Too many of our friends and families have caught this virus. Too many have died unnecessarily. Too many are going to living with the repercussions of a disease which has lingering long term effects.

And yet there are still members of our community who deny the existence of the disease, who think the medical community is lying, who think mask wearing is some sort of affront to their freedom and human rights.

In response, I would quote George Clooney: “Your freedom is this: You’re free to smoke until your lungs turn black, but you can’t do it on the bus… This is one [rule]

that says: Put on a mask and we’ll get through this. We’ve got vaccines coming — let’s save another 60,000 lives before the vaccines.”

Or maybe if you don’t want to wear a mask, don’t ask for medical assistance if you get sick.

But to top off the week, there was the spectacle of US citizens storming their own Capitol building, attacking police, and disrupting the certification of electoral votes by Congress. All at the behest of the orange monster himself. No, he didn’t tell them to seize the Capitol and takeover the government.

Trump simply said: “We will never give up. We will never concede. It doesn’t happen. You don’t concede when there’s theft involved… We won this election, and we won it by a landslide. This was not a close election.”

Trump told them to walk over to the Capitol and be strong.

Incite a crowd. Keep telling them they’ve been wronged. Repeatedly say the election was stolen. Tell them even the Vice-President isn’t going to save Trump. Can anyone be truly surprised at the result?

Yes, we live in interesting times. Hopefully, one day, we may get back to peace and tranquility.

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PRINCE GEORGE

Media changes needed to save democracy

It is not news to say that our consumption of media has changed dramatically in the 21st century. Perhaps it is time to take a step back and look objectively at the impact of these changes and begin thinking about how our media can be improved.

For most of the 20th century, a few large players controlled the media and they had tremendous influence on public opinion. This was not always a good thing. It could be hard to get information on important issues unless the powers that be deemed they were worthy of coverage

With the dawn of the internet, I could read the Manchester Guardian as easily as my own local newspaper It seemed that finally there was true freedom of information.

The problem became the fact that there was too much information, some of which was credible and much of that was not.

Then came the rise of tech giants who would sell online exposure to the highest bidder Whereas once media was tempered

LESSONS IN LEARNING

GERRY CHIDIAC

by slander and libel laws, as well as a certain level of journalistic integrity, media was now controlled by corporations which did not have these restraints.

At the same time, we saw cuts to funding for state-sponsored media in democratic countries resulting in less accountability to voters and greater influence from corporate sponsors.

The impact of these changes has not been good for democracy We have seen local newspapers cut their staffs and even close their doors. This resulted in a lack of information about our own communities and city governments, leading to a loss of a sense of commonality and social cohesion.

In essence, our new reliance on tech giants to supply us with information has resulted in fake news, clickbait, and polarized societies. There are even ongoing

investigations for the International Court of Justice regarding the accountability of social media corporations in the Rohingya Genocide.

None of this should be surprising. The goal of corporate tech giants is to maximize short-term profitability for the sake of their investors. It is not to make the world a better, more just and more equitable place. Those are the expressed ideals of democratic governments.

In the 20th century, in response to inadequacies in privatized media democracies around the world began investing in state-sponsored corporations like the BBC, CBC and Deutsche Welle, organizations that were accountable to voters, not to shareholders.

What was the impact of this investment?

According to research, countries with well-funded public broadcasters have higher levels of social trust and cohesion and are less susceptible to extremism. We tend to be better informed and are more likely to express our differences in respectful dialogue.

It should also be noted that there is a

significant difference between state-controlled media and state-sponsored media. Everyone in Zaire, for example, knew that Tele-Zaire was a mouthpiece for the Mobutu dictatorship, not an institution that encouraged informed and meaningful dialogue

What then do we need to do to prevent the polarization we have seen in countries like Myanmar and the United States? We need to invest in our democracy by investing in our media. The austerity measures since the 1980s have not served us well and we can not do what we did before the age of the internet. Because the way we access media has completely changed, we also need to allow more tax dollars to flow into local media

We are in uncharted territory and the solutions will not be easy to find. We are not alone, however. Every country in the world is facing similar challenges.

Respectful and informed discussion is the heart of democracy and they are also the principles that will help us find the solutions we need to improve our media and protect our democracy

Goodbye, my two no-longer-needed friends

Lately I feel like I’m living on another planet.

It’s rare that I feel like I don’t have control over my life. I’ve pretty much come to terms with having a permanent brain injury. But what is going on in our world right now is a whole other story.

The feeling of not having control over my life has been with me for a quite a few months now And the intensity keeps growing. I’ve asked myself many times “what can I do to fix this?”

This was not going to be an easy fix or maybe it was an impossible feat. Then I became frustrated because how could I not come up with a solution? Brain injured or not, this was my life and I had to find a way to find peace.

Then I got to thinking. If I was having issues about not having control over my life, what control did I have? I was a cigarette

BOGGLED

DIANE NAKAMURA

smoker for 40 plus years. I’ve tried quitting numerous times over the last 40 years. If I could quit smoking, I would definitely feel in control of my life. But how would I do this because all of my past attempts were so painful and emotionally torturous.

I am a huge believer in divine intervention because of past miraculous experiences I’ve had. This time, an earth angel by the name of Michele Johnson came to my rescue. Michele, owner of P.G. Laser Solutions, had been encouraging me for years to quit smoking. She called me out of the blue just before Christmas and asked

me if I was ready to quit smoking. What the heck? Was Michele a mind reader?

The last time I tried to quit smoking was around this time of year in 2016. I was SO cranky! I was shocked my hubby didn’t throw me out into a snow bank. I could feel the universe pushing me to face my biggest challenge and sent Michele to help me I knew in order to be successful in my quit, I needed to eliminate wine from my life too. Because cigarettes and wine went hand in hand, I knew I couldn’t quit one without the other Nothing made me happier than to have a glass of wine and smoke I needed to readjust my attitude and belief system about substances. I had to make myself happy without having to rely on the deceiving comforts of addictive, toxic poison. Then it happened.

On December 21, 2020, I said goodbye to two friends who no longer had a purpose

in my life. I can’t explain how the laser treatments actually work. All I know is that I haven’t had any cravings. NO cravings! Not once have I turned into that familiar mean, evil gremlin or had an emotional melt down. I’ve already saved hundreds of dollars. And most importantly, with Michele’s support, I saved me

Now I can focus on other areas of my brain injury recovery that I’ve neglected. I didn’t have a healthy diet while I was smoking because I was rarely hungry I’m currently researching foods I’ve never tried and various new recipes. This has been a ton of fun.

I can’t remember the last time I felt this grounded. My brain feels calm and peaceful not like a hamster running around and around in a wheel.

I am in control of my life And it feels awesome!

Three ways to get better results in 2021

Many companies are trying to figure out how to sail their business into a brighter future. Unfortunately, most businesses simply ride the tide of the prevailing economy and rise or drop depending on that wave. They simply float along with the current and put little effort into changing their direction when they are off-course. Play to win: Often times as leaders we feel too tired to do anything other than be in the game. However, if we want to succeed, we need change our mindset Playing to win is a mental concept then enables us to survive tough times. Sometimes we need something to fight for, to strive for,

BUSINESS COACH

DAVE FULLER

to achieve. Setting goals that we are going to accomplish with our team gives us something to motivate and rally our team around. If we have nothing to strive for as people, we become bored. If you want to improve your business, pick some targets and get your people visualizing what it will be like when that happens. A team that has something to play for usually works harder than a team that is just coming out to play 90-day planning: It is said that as much

can happen in 12 weeks as can happen in 12 months if you have a group of motivated people. I have observed this in my businesses and with many of my clients. Having two or three goals to accomplish in 12 weeks and working on a plan to accomplish them can be significant. When your team is engaged and working together, there is less pressure on leadership to get the desired results Twelve-week planning can be the ticket that gives spark and direction to organizations when properly managed. This type of planning is often much better than long range strategic planning for employees because they are able to see results in a short period of time. Change it up: Lets face it, what worked for us in the past usually doesn’t give the

same results in today’s ever changing economic and technological landscape. While we need to be cognisant of the reasons for our past successes, we must adapt to enable our organizations to achieve a bright future

Loggers transitioned from axes to chainsaws to feller-bunchers, and farmers from horses and plows to tractors We too must recognize that there are places and times for the basic tools of our trade However, in order to keep up with the times, our technology must advance or we will be left behind. You will find that there are people in your organization that will resist change, however as a leader, it is your job when necessary, to convince them that change will be good for their future.

HORO SC OPES &P UZ

9. Was in the red 10. Lounge around 11. Resistopenly 19. Succotash bean

21. Snow White’s pal 23. Basted

24. Shuttle boat

25. Cow chow 26. Time period

27. “____Stoops to Conquer” 28. Dashed 30. Exclamation 31. Beverage

32. Pea’s envelope

35. Food plan

38. Fabric layer 40. Brought to pass

42. Upper crust 44. Travel document 45. Pumping

46. Certain amphibian 48. Margarita ingredient 49. Skinny 50. Low female voice

53. Endeavor

54. Stage signal

55. Thatwoman

Accurate

Ogler 62. Audition tape

Snooty person 2. Volcano’s output

Small bills

Church district

Club 6. Powdery residue 7. “Malcolm X” director 8. Municipal official

Send out 60. Carpenter or army

PUZZLE

HOW TO PLAY:

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1through 9only once. Each 3x3 box is outlined with adarkerline. You already have afew numberstoget you started. Remember: you must not repeatthe numbers 1through 9inthe same line, column or 3x3 box.

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REMEMBRANCES

Obituaries

May 14, 1924 - Dec. 18, 2020

Some people wear their heart on their sleeve. Mom kept hers on the small table beside her bed. There along with the clock radio and the phone stood a box of treasured photos and four displayed ones that would greet her every night and morning.

The photos were from 70 years before. She’d been a widow for over 35 years by the time she died but the photos at her bedside those of her young self and the young Frank Werbecky she’d married on May 6, 1949. Two of the photos were the frontpiece of a box of photos that Mom could open and leaf through for photos of her parents, her brothers and sisters, her in-laws, long-ago friends and neigbours... but above all photos of her own family at picnics, birthday parties, sports events....

Her husband and a family of eight children were what Mom dedicated her life to. When the kids grew up, they were still welcomed back at times of illness or trouble, or to have Mom cook Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners for all. When her children had children of their own, Mom was always there to be a grandmother, a babysitter, a helper to a two-wage-earner family. And when her daughter Linda fell into a long illness, Mom moved into an apartment in the same building to nurse her.

Even in her 90th year, Mom seemed indestructible. But shortly after losing her daughter Linda to ovarian cancer in 2015, Mom’s own health deteriorated. She loved to look at photos of her great-grandchildren but she could no longer babysit or cook for them.

Anne was predeceased by her husband Frank and by her daughter Linda. She was also predeceased by her own parents, Stan and Rose Chamba (nee Molduwan); by her brothers Jack, Tofi, Eddie, Frank, Steve and Bruce; and by her sisters Mary Chambers, Josie Einarson, Nell Kachur, Sally Bennet and Vicki Stefaniuk.

She is survived by their son Robert; by her daughter Susan (Bill) Bradley and Sue’s stepchildren Tammy and Jason; by her son Blaine (Robin) Werbecky and Blaine’s stepdaughter Crystal Colby; by her daughter Judy (John) Suttie and Jude’s daughter Anne; by her son Duncan (Cheryl) Werbecky and Dunc’s stepson Mike, daughter Lyndsay and son Reese: by her daughter Joan (Errol) Schell and Joan’s children Megan and Beau; and by her son Frank (Corrina) Werbecky and Frank’s children Kaleena and Dallas.

Her great-grandchildren are Crystal’s children Haley, Cage, Jackson and Charlie Kneebone; Anne and Josh Klok’s daughter Eliza and son Lukas; Lyndsay (Brendan) Bowes’ sons Eddie, Keides and Stryder; and Megan (Dave) Wilson’s adoptive children James and Annabelle.

Those who knew Mom loved her. When she died, our world dimmed. Rest in peace, Mom.

Feb 24, 1929 - Dec 29, 2020

It is with heavy hearts the family of Rupert (Bert) Egger announces his passing at the Hospice House in Prince George, B.C., on December 29th, 2020. Rupert was born on February 24th, 1929 in Fusch an der Großglockner Str, Austria to Gottlieb and Veronika Egger.

He was a loving husband, father, companion, uncle, brother, Opa and “Opa2” and a friend to many.

Rupert is survived by sister Barbara in Germany, daughter Christine Hausot (Christian), sons Rupert & Martin, granddaughter Sylvia (Tom), grandsons Christian Jr., Aaron (Sarah) and Tony, & his beloved great-grandson Max. He is also survived by his companion Ruth and his “Lenachen” along with numerous nieces & nephews in the USA, Germany & Austria. Rupert is predeceased by his wife Maria of over 50 years, and sisters Elisabeth, Florentine, Maria and Veronika.

Rupert spent his early years in Austria, and loved his life in the mountains. He had a passion for hunting and the outdoors. He took immense pride in all that he did, including working for the Porsche family, specifically working for Ferdinand Porsche as his mountain & professional hunting guide (Berufsjäger.) Rupert immigrated to Canada in 1989 with his wife Maria and young son Martin to be closer to his daughter and elder son’s families. He enjoyed a simple life; he was easygoing, positive and smiling and always ready for a beer. He enjoyed hard work and made cedar shakes and built cedar shake roofs until he was 80 years old.

Edgewood Terrace will not be the same without Rupert sitting in his chair, sunning himself. Even with a language barrier, he managed to chat with neighbors, family & friends.

In memory or in lieu of flowers, we ask that you donate to the Prince George Hospice Society. A celebration of life will take place in the spring or summer at a date to be announced.

Auf Wiedersehen

STEVENS,RonaldLamont

August13,1943-December31,2020

Lamontpassedawaypeacefullywithhisfamilyathis side.HewasborninPrinceGeorge,BC.Heis predeceasedbyhisparents,AllanandOlgaStevens;and brother-in-law,NielsKristensen.Heissurvivedbyhis wifeof47yrs,Genie;daughters,Sara(Steve)andLisa (Trevor);andgrandchildren,Marcus,Isaac,Rosie,and Hannah.Lamontalsoleavesbehindthreeyoungersisters, Anita,Yvonne(Perry),andLenora(Dale);aswellasmany extendedfamilymembers.

Lamontfeltsoveryluckytohavespenthischildhoodat hisfamily’ssawmillcamps(SalmonValley,Mile4,and KerryLake).Helovedeverythingcamp-lifehadtooffer— aclose-knitcommunity,fullaccesstonature,baseball, andopportunitiestolearnaboutandrunmachinery. LamontattendedtheUniversityofOregon(BScin Economics)andthenworkedbrieflyforthegovernment beforeventuringoutonhisowntoinvestinproperties andstocks.Hehadthefreedomtodowhathewanted, whichwastoenjoyaslowerlifewithhisfamilylivingin thecountryatVerdantandNukkoLakes.

Lamontlovedspiritedtalksaboutpoliticswithfriends, roundsofgolf(howeverfrustrating),curling,playingball andtennis,downhillskiing,andcanoeing.Hewasanavid readerwithaparticularinterestinhistory.Hecouldfix andrigupanything,fromatoastertoaDCCAT.Hewas ourMacGyver.Lamontwasgenuinelyinterestedinthe livesofhisfriendsandacquaintances.Heenjoyedtheir storiesandiftherewashumourinvolved,allthebetter. Often,hewouldbechucklingdayslater.Lamontwill certainlyberememberedforhisuniquesenseofhumour. Hetoldajokewell,orchestratedagoodgag,and appreciatedandsharedlife’scomicalabsurdities.He foundaspecialwaytosharethissenseofhumourwith hisgrandchildren,whomheadored.

WewillcherishthemanywonderfulmemoriesofLamont andwillmisshimdearly.Therewillbenoserviceby request.

Rupert Johannes Egger

GENIE STEVENS

Anne Shirley Werbecky (nee Chamba)

SWAN, Matthew William Smith

1938 – 2020

Matthew passed away peacefully on December 31, 2020, at the Kelowna General Hospital. Matthew was born in New Brunswick in 1938, and is predeceased by his parents, Matthew William Smith and Glenna Inez (Wilson) Swan, brother Dennis, and wife Carol Sigurdson. He is survived by his three sons Marty (Christine), Duane (Jenny), and Dale (Lily) Swan; grandchildren Jillian and Dana Swan, Morgan and Callie Swan, and Jorden Bryer; sister Barbara Swan and brother Gerald Swan; and Carol’s family: sisters Brenda and Charlene, son Darren, and grandchildren Darcy, Arron, Leif, and Grace. Matthew worked in the pulp and paper industry in St. John, NB, Mackenzie and Prince George, BC. He and Carol married in 2002, and they spent a number of years travelling and enjoying life. He will be buried next to Carol at a later date in the Pioneer Cemetery in Mozart, Saskatchewan. The family would also like to thank the Acute Care staff for their empathy and kindness. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.springfieldfuneralhome.com

Jocelyn Anne Anderson 1941-2021

It is with deep sorrow that we must announce the passing of Jocelyn Anne Anderson on January 5, 2021.

To know Jocelyn was to know her smile, her laugh and her spirit for life. She loved camping, Bluegrass festivals, travelling, dancing, music and or course her favorite companion Lucky and all the fur babies before her.

There was always a house full of people, big pots of food on the stove and fresh bread in the oven. Everyone was welcome, her house was your house.

She started her journey as a maternity nurse in New Brunswick and remained working in the medical community almost until the end.

Her battle with cancer started 6 years ago. Through sheer will, spirit and strength, she stretched her original diagnosis of 1 year to 6. She was a fighter through and through.

Survived by loving husband Howard, her daughters Lorraine (Stephane) Storey, Tanya (Gus) Storey, son Robert (Diane) Anderson, grandsons Alexander, Paolo, Kyle and Christopher along with her brother Anthony (Dianne) Johnston and sister Debbie (Ross) Williams. Her daughter Tina will be there to greet her on her next journey. She leaves behind many good friends that loved her.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Canada Cancer Agency or Hospice House.

You will always live on in our hearts and will be forever missed.

Marija Pilcik

August 15, 1929January 6, 2021

It is with heavy hearts that we must announce the passing of Marija Pilcik after a short battle with cancer.

Marija will be greatly missed by her husband Pavo, sons, Zdravko (Luisa) Ivan (Tracey), grandchildren Jennifer (Johannes), Daniel (Sabrina), Jeremy, Alex (Kendra), and Lincoln, her great grandchildren, Veronica, Oliver, and Hayden.

Marija was born in Croatia the second child of Jacob and Marija Throha. She immigrated to Canada in 1960 to rejoin her husband and raised two children. She was forever thankful to have witnessed her family grow through 3 generations. Family was everything to her. She will be forever missed by everyone that knew her.

LYNANNE JOHNSON

2x41.0 PGC002109

JOHNSON,HelenL.

October7,1935-December31,2020

Itiswithgreatsadnessourfamilyannouncesthesudden passingofHelenJohnsononDec31,2020.Shewillbe lovinglyrememberedbyherdaughtersPatty,Lyn& Joanne,granddaughtersAmanda&Lauren,grandson Johnson,sisterBertha&manynieces,nephews,friends &otherfamily.HelenwasborninVancouver,BCto SimonandLouiseKobetitch.Sheisnowbackinthe lovingarmsofherhusbandof50yearsBillJohnson.A celebrationoflifewillbeannouncedatalaterdate.

July 26, 1948December 20, 2020

It is with much sadness that we announce Glen Tasa’s passing on December 20, 2020. Glen was born in Prince George, BC on July 26, 1948 and was well known and respected in the plumbing/pipefitting industry.

Left to mourn are his loving wife Jeannie, his children Candace Tasa (Darryl), James (Shaela) Tasa, Corey McMullen, Lyle McMullen (Alli), grandchildren Kyler (Chelsea) Lestage, Leiana Lestage (Mike), Caelin McMullen (Olivia), Brinley Tasa, great granddaughter Bella Lestage, his sisters Shirley Ward, Barbara Harrop and brother Blaine (Ruth) Tasa. Predeceased by his parents Andrew and Lenora, brothers Keith and Kemp Tasa.

We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for the outpouring of support through flowers, food and the many calls we’ve received. They touched us all profoundly.

No service per Glen’s request.

“I love honest, open smiles, kisses from a child Tomatoes on a vine and onions I love winners when they cry, losers when they try Music when it’s good and life and I love you too.”

And we love you forever Glen, Dad, Big Papa

Ed Ostrowski

1934-2020

Born to immigrant parents who fled war torn Poland. Edward was raised in New Westminster, BC when it was still a farming community. His fascination with flight started at a early age and was his lifetime passion, which had left a legacy of decades of Prince George history in aerial photos. He always had a adventurous spirit which led him to many places, be it a logging camp in The Queen Charlotte Islands, working on passenger train crossing Canada, or working in the law community as Fast Eddy in the Prince George area. Ed was a memorable figure with a slightly twisted sense of humour, evil giggle and a never ending curiosity of wanting to discover new things - even as his memory faded, these traits remained. Predeceased by his wife Sheila he is survived by children Tanya, Charlotte, stepchildren Julie, Lynda, and Joseph and grandsons Stephen and Colton. We especially would like to thank the staff of Jubilee Lodge who’s care and attention allowed Ed to live his final days out with dignity, respect and surrounded by love.

PGC002105

Wildi,Lynn April10,1965-September26,2020

Ourfamilyissaddenedtosharethesuddenpassingof (Cheryl)LynnWildi(neeBarclay).Sheissurvivedbyher twodaughters,LeoraWildiandSarahWildi,theirfather LorneWildi,andherbrotherToddBarclay.Lynnwasthe daughterofElizabethAdlardandDonaldBarclay. Lynnwasknownforherfiercehugs,herwittyhumour, heramazingstorytelling,andherlovingspirit.Shehada strongcharacterthatshinedbrightlythroughoutherlife. MomspentyearsvolunteeringinthePrinceGeorge communityattheForestExpo,theMardiGrasParade, andthePrinceGeorgeExhibition(BCNE).Shelovedher friendsandfamilyverymuch,andshewillbemissed tremendously. CelebrationofLifetobeheldsometimeinspringor summerof2021,datetobeannounced.

BRAD LECHKOBIT 2x55.0

PGC002102

Lechkobit,WilmaJ. June3,1934-December26,2020

Itiswithgreatsadnessthatweannouncethepassingof WilmaLechkobit(Barr)onDecember26thatSt.Paul’s HospitalinVancouver,BC. WilmaissurvivedbyhertwosonsRobertandBrad, sisterDorothy,grandchildren,manynephews,niecesand hergreat-grand-puppyKyra.Sheisprecededbyher husbandJohn,sistersLily,JeanandbrotherPeter. Motherwasaverykindsoulwhoalwaysputothersahead ofherselfandtookcareofalotofpeopleovertheyears, whichisevidentbythenumerousfriendsandfamilythat haveremainedinhercirclethroughoutherlife. "AuntieWilma"wasalwaysreadytolisten,offeradvice andnurture.Shewasarockandabeaconoflightandwill beforevermissed.***OurlossandHeaven’sgain. Mom-catchyouontheotherside.BradandRobbie. Therewillbenoviewingorfuneralservice.

Glen Tasa

SARAH WILDI 2x51.5

Claire Jeanne Prive

August 10th, 1935December 20, 2020

It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of Claire at Prince George Hospice on December 20th. Claire was a caring wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and friend. Claire was born in Gravelbourg, SK, after graduating high school, she married Art Prive in May 1959. They had four boys and took up residency in Prince George in 1973. She worked at RBC for 25 years when she retired in 1992. She loved bowling, watching the Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Maple Leafs and mostly watching and cheering on her grandchildren playing sports. Claire was there to help in every aspect of raising her grandchildren, picking them up from school, making their favourite snacks, and just being a grandma. Claire will be deeply missed and is survived by her loving husband Art Prive, sons Marcel (Jeanine), Bob, Norman (Karla), her four grandchildren, Cody, Kyle (Demi), Raymond and Hayden, great grandchildren Quinton and Dax. Brother Leonard Samoisette sister Gracia (Larry) Bekker. She was predeceased by her son, Raymond, 4 brothers, 1 sister, mom and dad. We would like to extend our appreciation and our thanks to her doctors, Dr. Turski and Dr. Shepherd for their kind, caring and compassionate ways. Memorial Service to follow at a later date.

Ante Furlan

June 13, 1936December 25, 2020

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Ante Furlan in Georgetown, Ontario. He will be much loved and missed by his son Ivan (Marijana) and his daughter Ana as well as numerous nephews and nieces. Ante was predeceased by his wife Mandica, his parents Joso and Marija Furlan, as well as sisters Pepa, Marija, Neda, and Anka.

Ante was born in and raised in Canak, Lika, Croatia. He survived great tragedy and harrowing experiences early in his life, losing his father, grandfather, uncle, and numerous cousins, all of whom fell for Croatia during WW2. These events robbed him of his childhood and created apprehension that haunted him his entire life, but also created a man who found solace though hard work, allowing him to provide for his family from a young age.

Ante worked at CN rail for many years upon his family’s immigration to Canada in 1972. Ante’s greatest moments were spending time with family, being around those closest to him, and the diplomatic recognition of Croatia was a great event for him.

Due to Covid 19, the family has decided to have a private service. Ante will be laid to rest in the Prince George Memorial Park Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Croatia earthquake appeal through the Canadian Red Cross. https://donate.redcross.ca/page/73726/donate/1?locale =en-CA&_ga=2.35199521.1837066521.16103226051968511885.1610322605

“Pocivaj u miru Bozjem, Tata”

Condolences may be offered at www.AssmansFuneralChapel.com

John Bright

April 8, 1931 ~ January 2, 2021

Born in Plymouth, Devon. England, John emigrated with his parents and brother Denis to Trinity Valley in 1947. He farmed in the summer and logged in the winter. Then he discovered flying! He got his Commercial Pilot’s License in 1957 and set up his own flying school and charter business in Prince George in 1960 called Columbia Airlines. In 1964 he met his future wife Diana over hot chocolate at Northern Mountain Airlines. She talked him into letting her work for him on Saturdays to get half an hour flying time on Sunday. They married in 1969. John continued flying until 1976 with 15,000 hours flying time total. He then started a new career as a primary school teacher. He retired to Naramata in 1990 and built his dream house and had a huge garden each year. They loved travelling and made several trips to the U.K., Nevada, Oregon, and California, Fiji, and fell in love with Ireland. In 2011 they moved to a smaller house in Penticton. In 2018 John became a resident of Village by the Station until he passed away at Penticton Regional Hospital with his wife by his side. John is survived by his loving family-- wife Diana, daughter Juanita, son John William (Jolene) and grandchildren Rosalie and Nicholas, brother Denis and nieces Genie and Marianne, cousin Pamela Littlejohn and step-sister Jeanne.

Thanks to the caring staff at Village by the Station and to the nurses on the 5th floor at PRH for their wonderful care of John in his last few days.

Due to restrictions, the funeral will be held at a later date.

26 April 1950 - 27 December 2020

It is with deep sadness that the family of Dr. Ronald Dabbs announces his passing. Ron passed away on December 27, 2020 at his home in Prince George with his immediate family by his side. He will be greatly missed by his son, Michael (Sarah), daughters, Erin, Gillian (Oliver), Julia, and his pride and joy, Larisa, his long-time life and business partner, Costina, as well as his grandchildren, Charles, Warren, Fraser, Samuel, and Sebastian, his sister Amy, and his extended family members, friends, and former patients. A celebration of life will be held at a later date with details to follow once available.

“We will always miss you and you’ll never be forgotten”

Elizabeth Ann Bates (Beth)

June 29, 1950December 31, 2020

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Elizabeth Ann Bates (Beth) on December 31, 2020 from complications related to cancer. She was born in Russell, Manitoba on June 29, 1950. Beth spent the last 34 years of her life in Prince George, British Columbia. She was a kind, generous and thoughtful woman who brightened the world around her with her beautiful blue eyes, smile and sense of humour.

Beth left behind two children, Terri Hasselbach and Bryan Bates; grandchildren, Justin, Caitlyn, Chandler, Kirsten, Taylor, Melanie and Naomi and great grandchildren, Peyton and Phoenix.

Condolences may be offered at www.AssmansFuneralChapel.com

With the opportunity for great personalization, the funeral service can truly reflect the uniqueness of the life it honours.

out more.

Dr. Ronald Dabbs

Writing an effective classified ad is easy when you use these time-tested principles.

Writing an effective classified ad is easy when you use these time-tested principles.

• Use a keyword. Start your ad with the item for sale, ser vice offered or the job title.

• Be descriptive. Give customers a reason to respond. Advertisers have found that the more information you provide, the better the response.

• Use a keyword. Start your ad with the item for sale, ser vice offered or the job title.

• Be descriptive. Give customers a reason to respond. Advertisers have found that the more information you provide, the better the response.

• Limit abbreviations Use only standard abbreviations to avoid confusion and misinterpretations.

• Limit abbreviations Use only standard abbreviations to avoid confusion and misinterpretations.

• Include price. Always include price of the item for sale.

• Include price. Always include price of the item for sale.

• How to respond. Always include a phone number (with area code) and/or street and email address.

• How to respond. Always include a phone number (with area code) and/or street and email address.

To place your ad call: 604-630-3300

How to write a classified ad that works. To advertise, call 250-562-6666 or email cls@pgcitizen.ca

To place your ad call: 604-630-3300

Dollar SaverLumber has openings forthe following position:

•Mill Labourers •Par t-Time Lumber Graders •Forklif tOperators

•610 StetsonRoss Planer Operator/Feeder

Must be able to lift 50lbs and be on your feet for8 hours

Please apply in person to:

Dollar SaverLumber Attn: Ken 9359 Nor thernCres PrinceGeorge,BC or email keyles@lumber.ca Fax: 250.561.2111

RIDLEY

TERMINALS INC. JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Ridley Terminals Inc. is currently se ek ing the following position for their marine bulk handling terminal, lo cate d on the nor th coas t of BC, approximately 16 km from the City of Prince Rup er t. Commit te d to a safe and healthy work place, Ridley Terminals Inc. provides an excellent work ing environm ent for individuals who have a high de gree of initiative

Journeyman Millwright

Permanent Full -Time

The success ful candidate mus t have an Inter- Provincial ticket (Tradesman

Qualifications with I/P standards). Minimum 5 year s experience on an industrial site as a journeyman would be considered an asset Troubleshooting experience in me chanical, hydraulics and pneumatics would be considered an asset Candidates should have go od welding and cutting sk ills as well as troubleshooting experience.

These positions offer a very comp etitive salar y and benefit s pack age

Tradesmen currently work ing a four day on, four day off sche dule

Ridley Terminals Inc. provides an excellent work ing environment. The ability to work with a team to achieve result s is essential Applicants should also have an excellent health, safety and environm ental re cord.

For a complete job description go to: www.r ti.ca.

Qualifie d candidates are invite d to mail their resumes by January 29, 2021 to:

AT TENTION:

Applicants forthe PrinceGeorge SymphonyOrchestra General Manager Position

If youhave applied forthis position and have not received an acknowledgementofreceipt,please re-submit your application using the following email address: search.committee@pgso.com

Therewas an error in the email address embedded in the adver tisementfor which we apologize.

PRINCE GEORGE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA GENERAL MANAGER

ThePrinceGeorge SymphonyOrchestra(PGSO) seeks aGeneral Manager. This is afull-time permanentposition.

ThePGSO which is celebrating its 50th anniversar ythis season, ser vesthe City and the surrounding region. It is akey member of the per forming ar ts communityinthe City and provides oppor tunities forprofessional musicians,communitymusicians and encourages and suppor ts the development of young ar tists

TheGeneral Managerisresponsible to the Boardthrough the BoardChair forthe direction and execution of all fiscal and administrativeactivities of the PGSO

TheGeneral Managerpar ticipatesinthe Board’sdevelopmentand implementation of its strategic plan.

Theposition has full responsibilityfor the business office, budgeting,financial recordsand repor ting,marketing and promotion and financial development. In conjunction with the Music Director the role includes concer t produc tion managementand relatedvolunteer engagement, musician recruiting and oversight with par ticular referencetothe termsofengagement.The GM is also theprincipal staff spokesperson forthe organization for polic yand non-ar tistic matters

Thesuccessful candidate will have apost secondar yeducation or equivalent experience, an appreciation of and ideally experienceinclassical music and orchestras,possess ahigh levelofleadership and demonstratestrong interpersonal sk ills as ateam player. Ademonstratedabilitytoengage donors is an impor tantasset.

Applicants areasked to submit their resume in full confidenceto search.committee@pgso.com

Salar yrange -$50,000 -$60,000

Extended Application Deadline: Januar y20, 2021

RVs/Campers/Trailers

Sports

driver 214,000 km, clean. $7000 obo (250) 563-5565 or (250) 565-4509

2012 RAM 1500 4X4 short box, loaded, maroon. Extended 7 yr 160k warranty. 21,000 kms, too much to list.

& BROKEN JEWELRY, ALL THE BITS AND PIECES YOU NO LONGER WANT! CALL OR TEXT 250 864 3521

Motorcycles

SUZUKI Bandit 1200, great shape, recent tune-up and brakes. (250)613-5981

2006 HARLEY DAVIDSON Wide Glide. Low mileage. 250-6170443

2005 HARLEY DAVIDSON FAT BOY Anniversary Edition. 22,000 km $14,500 613-8567

2002 BMW 1150 RT motorcycle, excellent cond. $5500. (250)564-

160 Acres, 72 miles East Prince George, all weather road access year around, mixed timber, 250 feet from river frontage, creek flows through property. Electricity and phone. 250-564-4684

BuildResults

PrinceGeorgeBCunder warehouselienact,Your 2001dodgetruckVIN# 3b7hf13z51g225156located at6421GauthierRdPrince GeorgeBCwillbesoldfor sumof$3000afterJanuary 23,2021tocovercostof storage 250-613-8576 jungle72@shaw.ca

APPLICATION FOR PESTICIDE USE

The purpose of the proposed 3 year Pesticide Use Permit (PUP) # 2330023-21/23, and the treatments it covers, is to reduce localized black fly annoyance for residents and visitors of the Distric t of Mackenzie

This Pesticide Use Permit is a renewal of the recently expired PUP which previously covered this program. The proposed duration of the PUP is from 01 May 2021 to 15 September 2023. All applications would be completed within The Distric t of Mackenzie, and at Morfee Creek , located approximately 1.5 km north of the town centre The only black fly lar vicide produc t proposed for use is VectoBac 1200L (PCP # 21062) which contains the natural- occurring soil bac terium Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis VectoBac 1200L would be mixed with water on-site and applied to Morfee Creek using a calibrated drip bar or equivalent. The total area to be treated each season is estimated at 0.6 – 2.0 hec tares

This Pesticide Use Permit has been prepared on behalf of the Distric t of Mackenzie by Duka Environmental Services Ltd., an environmental sciences firm, with ex tensive experience in pest management plan development and biting fly control programs For more information on black flies, the annual program, or to request a copy of the PUP application please contac t Duka Environmental Services Ltd, 19732 – 68 Avenue, Langley, B.C., V2Y 1H6, (604) 881-4565, Facsimile (866) 759-5902, or email duka@telus.net. For VectoBac 1200L produc t information please see the manufac turers website ww w.valentbiosciences.com

The PUP may also be viewed at, or a copy requested from, the Distric t of Mackenzie public works office, #1 Mackenzie Blvd., Mackenzie, BC, V0J 2C0, (250) 997-8183, Facsimile (250) 997 4381.

A person wishing to contribute information about the treatment site for the evaluation of this permit application must send copies of the information to both the applicant at the address above and the administrator under the Integrated Pest Management Act at BC Ministr y of Environment, #102 Industrial Place, Pentic ton, B.C., V2A 7C8 within 30 days of the publication of this notice.

CITY OF PRINCE GEORGE DEVELOPMENT OF A PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN NUISANCE MOSQUITO CONTROL

Pest Management Plan (PMP) Number : 567-0010-21/26

Applicant: City of Prince George, 1100 Patricia Blvd., Prince George, BC V2L 3V9. Tel: (250) 561-7600. Email: larrry.ward@princegeorge.ca Supervsior of Parks & Solid Waste

Application Method: Backpack Blower, hand application, helicopter

Pesticides: The active ingredients and trade names proposed for use under this plan include;

Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis (VectoBac 200G, PCP# 18158 and Aquabac 200G, PCP# 26863). Bacillus sphaericus (VectoLex CG PCP# 28008, and VectoLex WSP PCP# 28009). These products provide species-specific control of mosquito larvae and are non-toxic to other organisms including fish, birds, amphibians, wildlife, man and domestic animals.

Potential treatment Locations: Within the municipal boundaries of the City of Prince George and the surrounding adjacent areas, including; The Lheidli T’enneh band office and vicinity ranging south to the floodwater channel off Beaver Forest Road. West of the City boundary along the Nechako River along Takla Forest Road. East of the City boundary to the Denicola Subdivision. Southeast of the City boundary in Balckburn. Northeast of the City boundary on Goose Country Road. South of the City boundary along Haldi Lake Road, including Haldi Lake. South of the City boundary, ditches along Beverley Road. This PMP includes crown, private and Regional District lands within this boundary by permission of the applicable landowners or agency

The proposed duration of this PMP is from 15 April 2021 to 14 April 2026. This Pest Management Plan is being renewed for the City of Prince George by Duka Environmental Services Ltd. an environmental services firm with extensive experience in pest management plan development. Information on proposed treatment areas, annual mosquito control program operations and this PMP are available to the public by request through Duka Environmental Services Ltd., 19732 - 68 Avenue, Langley, BC V2Y 1H6 (604) 881-4565, Facsimile (866) 7595902, or email; duka@telus.net.

A person wishing to contribute information regarding a proposed treatment site, relevant to the development of this Pest Management Plan, may send copies of the information to Duka Environmental Services Ltd.. (agents for the City of Prince George) at the contact addresses above within 30 days of the publication of this notice. The identity of any respondents and the contents of anything submitted in response to this notice and application will become part of the public record.

AddValueThroughHomeImprovements

Manyofushavehad to spend more time at home.The funds we would normally spend on travel and entertainment have been put into adding value to our homes and improving our family’s qualityoflife. Let’sbegin the list with:

1.RemodelingtheKitchen

Mostpeople considerthe kitchen to be theheart of the home,and becauseofthis, updates in this room pay off.According to HGTV,you can expect to recoup 60%-120% of your investment on akitchen remodel,as long as youdon’tgo overboard.Youshould never makeyour kitchen fancier than the rest of thehouse,orthe neighborhood.

An enormous kitchen, easily the sizeofthe living room, features appliances and countertopsthat might look more at home in afancy restaurant kitchen. The style,size, and quality of the kitchen don’t fitinwith the rest of the house,orthe neighborhood. If you plan on selling yourhome within the next five years, keep potentialbuyersinmind beforeyou startonany majorremodel;many peoplewon’t pay for afancy,deluxe kitchen.

ALittle Paint Goes aLongWay

When it comestohow much you spend on akitchen remodel,pricescan runthe gamut, from $5,000 to $75,000, or more. Get the biggest bang for yourbuck on akitchen remodelbylookingatcolor. Fresh paint, in modern colors, can go along way towards updating the look of your kitchen.Plus,paint is relatively cheap.

Youmight wanttoconsider using low-VOCpaint; this makes your kitchen moreecofriendly,and helps your familyavoidbreathingindangerous chemicals,likebenzene, thatoff-gas from regular fresh paint.

Energy-Efficient Appliances

Replace old appliances with energy-efficientmodels. Energy Star-rated appliances are better forthe environment,and they also help you save money,because they useless energy. Potential buyersoften look for waystosave moneywhen shopping for anew home.

Pleasecheckoutourmaintenancevideosatpacerealty.ca/maintenance-vids

today for afree, no hassle quote.

Mary-Jean (MJ) Jacobson loves to talk real estate! She is passionate about helping clients increase the value of the assets. She is aProfessional Property Manager,StrataManager,RealEstate Sales Agent and Licensed Managing Broker.She writes aseries of articles blogs and whitepapers about the real estate and property management industry at ASK MJ.

Soundproofing your basement ceiling

Soundproofingyourbasementceilingmay be a good idea if you use the space as a playroom,mancave,hometheatreorrentalsuite.Here’swhatyoushouldknow

MATERIALS YOU

CAN USE

Your contractor can soundproof your basementinthefollowingways:

•Soundproofing panels can be installed.There are many types available offering various levels of sound dampening.Theycomeinarangeoflooks,are often customizable and are frequently madeofrecycledmaterials.

•Acoustic

soundproof your basement. These requireadropceilingandawillingnessto accept the associated utilitarian esthetic. They may be most suitable for a homeoffice.

•Insulation.Increasingtheamountofinsulationinyourceilingcanhelpreduce the amount of noise that carries between floors. Fibreglass insulation mufflessoundsbetterthanothertypes.

•Drywall, particularly acoustic drywall, can be installed overtop a finished ceiling. Isolation clips can be fastened to ceilingjoistsandusedtoholdchannels. Theresultingstructurecanthenbeusedto supporttheextralayerofdrywall.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Soundproofingyourbasementisunlikely to boost the resale value of your home. However, if you rent out the space, it should be easy to recoup the costs. Nevertheless, the bestreason tosoundproof your basement ceiling is to make your homeamorecomfortablespacetolive.

5 must-have smart home features

Smart home devices are becoming increasinglypopular,andhomebuyersarestarting to expect them as standard features. Here arethekeyonestoconsideradopting.

1.Locks. Openersforgaragesandlocksfor doorsthatcanbeoperatedfromyoursmartphoneareaconvenientfeature.Theyallow you to lock and unlock your home from virtuallyanywhere.

2.Thermostats.Deliveringbothcomfortand savings on energy costs, smart thermostatsareasmartinvestment

3.Lighting.Controllingyourlightsisamust for anyone serious about home automation.Fortunately,thereareavarietyofoptions available, from hue-changing smart bulbstosmartswitchesanddimmers.

4.Detectors. Smart smoke and carbon monoxidedetectorssimultaneouslysoundan alarm and send an alert to your smartphone (and anyone else you authorize) if danger is detected. Some models also incorporateemergencylighting.

5.Homesecurity.Keepaneyeonyourhome fromanywhere.Smartsecuritysystemsare highly customizable and available as doit-yourself configurations or comprehensive setups that include professional installationandmonitoring.

Expecttheseandothersmarthomedevices to become must-have features in homes. You can purchase them from the electronics, appliance and garage door retailers in your area.

Should you invest in a sump pump?

Asumppumpisadevicethatcanbeinstalled in a basement, either beneath or abovethefloor.It’sdesignedtopumpout water collected in a sump basin and dischargeittotheoutdoors.Consequently, your home is kept safe from the damage that can occur as a result of flooding.

If your basement is at risk of flooding, you should consider buying a sump pump, especially if you live somewhere withahighwatertable.Ifpossible,select asubmersibleratherthanapedestal pump, as they’re less noisywhencovered with a lid. You should also opt for a model with an iron core since it’s more durable than the plastic alternative. Plus, you should think about getting a pump withanalarmthatalertsyouif the water in the basin reaches adangerouslevel.

In addition, you may want to installasecondarysump pumpnexttothefirstone, especiallyifyouhavea

finishedbasement.Thisway,ifyour primarypumpfailsorbecomesovertaxed,thesecondarypumpwillautomaticallytakeover

Abattery backup pump can also be installed. In the event of a power outage, this type of pump will continue to work for up to twodays.

To install a sump pump in your home, speakwithaqualifiedplumberinyourarea.

How to make your home wheelchair accessible

Renovating a home to accommodate the needs of someone in a wheelchair can be challenging. Undoubtedly, you’ll require the help of professional contractors. Here’s a brief look at the modificationsyou’llneedtomake.

•Bathroom. You’ll need sufficient clearance space and a sink and toilet adjusted to the appropriate heights A stand-alone shower or walk-in bathtub will also be required. In both cases,grab barsareamust.

•Doorways.Modifyingyourdoorways by installing offset hinges or removingthe door and trim may be sufficient. However, widening the doorways might be necessary Handles may need to be replaced with ones that are easiertouse.

•Kitchen. A truly wheelchair friendly kitchen will include modifications to the countertops, sinks, cabinets, appliances and possibly the overalllayout.

•Flooring.Theideal floorin a wheelchair accessible home is one that’s slip-resistant, easy to maintain, wears well and provides

good traction. Laminate, vinyl, ceramic and low-pile or commercial carpetingareallgoodchoices.

•Lighting. Glare is often an issue for peoplewhouseawheelchair,butthis canfrequentlyberesolvedbyaltering thepositionorangleoflights.Another consideration is the location of light switches,whichshouldbeplacedata heightof92centimetres.

Keep in mind that other modifications may be needed. Depending on the configuration of your home, you may require a chairlift, elevator, ramps and even structural changes to the house’s layout. For help remodelling your home,contactalocalspecialistinhome adaptationprojects.

GO FOR GOLD.

Andy Wilhelmsen

Helena Samzadeh

Brandden Shandler

Creek

Cindy Oldfield

Rylee Schlamp

How to use architectural lighting to revamp your home

Architectural lighting enhances the structureof a space to create a cohesive experience. It’s something to be considered during every building and renovation project, and the earlier the better. This is because this type of lighting is integrated directly into the space, blending in with the features of your home. Here are some ways architectural lightingisused.

TO EMPHASIZE CEILINGS

Ifyouhavearchitecturalceilings,rather thaninstalling potlightsconsideradop-

ting lighting that blends into the millwork and moulding. This could work well on a beamed, coffered, coved or trayceiling.

TO SET THE MOOD WITH WALL WASH LIGHTING

Wall washing is a technique that directs light at a wall to draw attention to the smooth, vertical surface. The fixtures can berecessedintheceilingormountedto it. If you prefer to create an uplighting effect,installthelightsonthefloor

TO LIGHT YOUR WAY

Illuminate stairways by adding pot lights on both sides of the bottom step, eitheronthelowestriserorthewall.Alternatively, add lighting within each riser Uplighting can create height and drama,andwhenusedtoilluminatestaircases, it also focuses light where it’s mostneeded.

Therearemanyotherpossibilitieswhen it comes to architectural lighting, from illuminating the underside of kitchen counters and cabinets, to lighting up built-in shelving and other custom features. For the best possible results, makesuretospeakwithanarchitectbefore you start your renovation or buildingproject.

JOHN HART PEACE RIVER HIGHWAY CHETWYND

52 unit Days Inn good occupancy and with 50 unit RV park beside the hotel for sale as well. Great location on the highway an attractive investment opportunity with all the economic activity in the Peace. For further information on financials and contact listing realtors. $7,000,000 MLS 184582

BRUNSWICK ST FOR LEASE

4,000 sq ft Restaurant space located in the Marriott Courtyard, Prince George’snewest full service Hotel 5152 AIRPORT

RD VANDERHOOF

100’ x120’ modern airport hanger.Includes office, board room and living quarters. Direct access to runway.More details available. MLS #C8027895

HART PEACE RIVER HIGHWAY

50 unit RV park on 7acres great highway exposure beside the Days Inn. The RV has lots of room for expansion to expand this investment and grow your cash flow with servicing available.For further information contact listing realtors for financials and occupancy an well worth looking at.$1,300,000 MLS 184583

1777-3RD AVE. FOR LEASE

CARIBOO ESTATES

1,800 block of 1st Ave. Industrial zoned with RETAIL/OFFICE applications. Highway access. Various locations and sizes available.

757 PRESTON RD.

1.76 Acres in City Limits. Zoned RM1 (Multiple Residential). Price $499,000 MLS #C8033659

Welcome home! This home is a must see situated in apark like setting in the exclusive Valleyview Subdivision. All the benefits of rancher living but with afull basement as well. Thelaundry, bedrooms, kitchen, 3bathrooms, dining and living room are on the main. Theliving room and master suite open onto amassive 20’X 50’deck and ultra private back yard. Downstairs you will find aspacious theater room, arec room, as well as afun in home hockey arena! Additionally,downstairs, you will find alarge cold room and plentiful storage. Huge semi-detached garage which allows for lots of room to work in this spacious shop, wired and ready for welders out there. Theyard is beautifully landscaped offering an underground sprinkler system. Updates include the main bathrooms upstairs with new tub, sinks, toilets, and vanity,new countertops and much more. This home is ideal for family gatherings inside and out or an oasis away from the city.Check out the virtual tour.(25139478)

4 fun themes for a gender-neutral nursery

Whether you’re waiting on a delivery-room surprise or you simply want to avoidoutdatedstereotypes,herearesome themeideasforagender-neutralnursery.

1. UNDER THE SEA

Decorate this baby’s room with shells, coralandstarfishcollectedonpastbeach excursions. For your child’s nursery companions, consider inviting in fish, seahorses, sea turtles, jellyfish, sharks andwhales.Apaintedmuralordecalson the walls will bring this ocean theme to life.

2. NIGHT SKY

Paint the walls or ceiling midnight blue and stick on a sky’s worth of stars.Add

other celestial features like planets, cometsandthemoon.Lookforstar-shaped lamps,rugs,mirrorsandotherdecorative itemstocompletethelook.

3. WOODLAND

Pair natural wood furniture with decorative elements inspired by the forest. Bears, foxes, deer, hedgehogs and rabbitswillberightathomeinthisnursery Incorporating nature-inspired wallpaper and bedding is sure to add a woodsy touch.

4. ADVENTURE TRAVEL

Globes, maps, compasses, hot air balloonsandvintageairplanesfitinperfectly with this theme. Select artwork from around the world and incorporate some of your own travel photos to add a personal touch.

Converting alcove tubs into walk-in showers: pros and cons

Do you want to get rid of your alcove bathtub and replace it with a walk-in shower?Ifso,herearetheadvantagesand drawbacks.

PROS

A walk-in shower is an attractive feature thataddsamodernfocalpointtoanybathroom.Inaddition,stand-aloneshowersare highlyfunctional.Gettinginandoutof one is easy when compared to getting in and out of a bathtub. Plus, most walk-in showers can accommodate a bench, making it easy to shave, wash and relax. Lastly, a walk-in shower, especially a large one, can be a major attraction to buyers when it’s time to sellyourhome.

CONS

Regardless of what theme you choose for your baby’s room, make sure to select non-toxic paint and products. In addition, helpbolster your local economybyoptingfor locally made furniture, toys, knickknacks andartwork.

One of the biggest drawbacks of converting a tub into a shower is the cost. You’ll spend more or less money depending on the materials you use, theaccessories youinstall andthe overallconditionofyourbathroom.

In addition, if it’s the only bathtub in yourhome, removing itmaylower the resale value of your house. However, this might not be an issue if you don’t live in a neighbourhood that typically attracts youngfamilies.

When weighing the pros and cons of converting your tub into a shower, you shouldalsoconsiderwhetheryouintendto liveinyourhouse for the next 10 or more years. If so, do what suits your lifestyle and makes you happy Re-sale values are important but so is enjoying yourself and yourhome.

1176 Main Street,Smithers

Donna Badowski***

3 questions to ask a contractor before you hire them

To hire the right contractor for a home renovation project, you’ll need to interview several candidates. In addition to finding out if they’re licenced and insured, make sure you ask the following threequestions.

WHO WILL BE MY POINT OF CONTACT?

Sometimes the person you sign the contractwithisn’tthepersonwhobecomes your main point of contact during the project. To avoid miscommunications that could lead to mistakes, it’s best to have one person who you relay informationto.

WHAT COULD CAUSE COSTS TO RISE?

Ask your contractor if there are circumstancesinwhichthecostofyour renovation might increase. Afterall, it’s best to be prepared. You should alsobewaryofcontractorswhohook clients with a lowball price only to nailthemwithextrachargeslateron.

WHAT TYPE OF WARRANTY DO YOU OFFER?

Warranties vary from one contractor tothenext,soyou’llneedtoaskeach onewhattheirwarrantycovers.Also, there’s a difference between a warranty for the work done and a warrantyformaterials,sofindoutwhich oneisoffered.

Lastly, it’s a good idea to ask your potential contractor how long they’ve been in business for Hiring alocal companywithalongstanding reputation for excellence is a good way to ensure you end up with the best contractor for your home renovationproject

5 DIY painting projects to refresh your home

It’s amazing what a little paint can do. Here are five funand easy projects that can have a major impact on the look andfeelofyourhome.

1.Garage. Elevate your home’s curb appeal by giving the garage doors a facelift.Chooseacolourthatmatches the trim and shutters and complements the house’s other exterior features.

2.Dresser. If you have a dingy old set of drawers or want to give a boring rooma boost, consider refurbishing yourwoodendresser.Useapunchy colour if you want to create interest, but opt for a neutral if you prefer the piece blendin.

3.Front door. First impressions matter. Make a great one by choosing a bright, welcoming colour for your frontdoor

4.Cabinets. In a kitchen, painting the cabinets can completely redefine the lookandfeel ofthespace.Whenchoosing a colour, consider the hues in your backsplash, countertop, floor andwalls.

5.Shelves.Ifyouhavebuilt-inshelves, considerpaintingthemaboldcolour todrawattentiontoyourcollections, photographsandbooks.

To find paint and brushes, visit your local hardware and paint stores. For bigger painting projects in your home, considerhiringaprofessional.

5 ways to transform your home on a budget

If your home could use a facelift but you’re low on funds, you may be considering repainting. Here are five other fantastic but affordable ways to give your living space an upgrade

1.Update your window treatments. Pickoutnewcurtainsinapatternyou love or opt for shades or blinds that complement the style of your home.

2.Refinish your cabinets. Wood cabinets in the kitchen, bathroom or elsewhere can be stripped, sanded and stained or painted to completely refresh their appearance. Swap out knobs and handles to further change their look.

3.Re-caulk in the bathroom. Apply a fresh coat of caulk to the space around the tub and between the toilet and floor It’s a small detail that can make a big difference.

4.Redo the flooring. There are budgetfriendly flooring options including vinyl, carpet and laminate. Unlike wood and stone, these products are fairly easy to install on your own.

5.Replace light fixtures. Look for affordable but timeless fixtures or consider investing in a statement pieceforyourfrontentranceorliving room.

You can find the materials you need at the hardware, lighting and home decor stores in your area.

Space-saving ideas for small bedrooms

Whether it’s a child’s room, guest room ormainbedroom,smallroomscanbedifficult to design. Here are some ideas to maximizetheavailablespace.

•Storethingsunderthebed.Buyabed withbuilt-instorageorsimplyusebins andboxestostorethingsunderneath.If your bed is too close to the ground, use bed risers to elevate it. Alternatively, considerinvestinginaloftbedtofreeup space on the floor for a desk,sofaorplayarea.

•Opt for double-duty furniture. Look for floor lamps with shelves, ottomans with storage space and cabinets fronted by a full-length mirror Also,considerthat a desk can serve as a nightstand, and a dresser canbeusedasachanging table.

•Hang shelves above doors. This often-ignored area is an ideal place for a shelf. Buyprettybasketsorbins to hold your things, and neatly display them in thisout-of-the-wayspot.

•Use the space behind

doors. Use the backs of closet and bedroom doors to hang hooks, towel bars, over-the-door organizers or peg boards. This will make it easy to store your items.

Ingeneral,designingverticallywillallow youtomakethemostofasmallbedroom. Installing shelves and cabinets close to the ceiling is particularly useful and will helpyoukeepthespacetidy

Popcorn ceilings: how to patch, paint and remove them

Apopcornceiling,alsoknown as a stipple, stucco or acoustic ceiling, is a type of textured ceiling that has a noise-dampening effect. It was a common feature in houses 50 years ago, and many homes still have them. Here’s what you should know about renovatingthem.

PATCH

Ifyourpopcornceilingisstained or cracked, you can patch it. There are special products designed for this purpose that can be purchased in eitheranaerosol can or a container These products are easy to spray or paint on.

PAINT

Aslongastheceilingisingoodshape,it can be painted. Begin by removing all dustwithasoft-bristlebrush.Then,apply stain-blocking ceiling primer Once the primer is completely dry,use athick nap rollerorpaintsprayertoapplythepaint.

REMOVE

Removingapopcornceilingcanbemessy,

WARNING

dangerous and time-consuming, but it isn’tdifficult.Ifit’spainted,you’llneedto apply a specialized stripping product. It shouldberolledorbrushedonandgiven timetosoftentheceilingmaterial,which canthenbescrapedawaywithatrowel.

To simplify patching, painting or removing your popcorn ceiling, hire an experiencedcontractortocompletethejob.

Before renovating a popcorn ceiling, you need to determine if it contains asbestos. If it does, make sure to hire a professional asbestos remediation company to remove it.