BERNIE IN PG When the Bernie Sanders picture from the Joe Biden inauguration last week went viral, we asked readers to put him in Citizen photos for a chance to win $50 in gift certificates to local restaurants. Natasha Bader seamlessly put Bernie at this year’s Ness Lake polar bear dip with Carol and Mark Stofer. To see more of the best entries, visit our website at pgcitizen.ca.
MARK NIELSEN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A former B.C. Ministry of Child and Family Development manager no longer stands accused of sexually assaulting a minor.
TED CLARKE
Citizen staff
A group of Prince George movie makers will try to create Christmas for the cameras when they assemble a cast of actors, technicians and tradespeople in March to film A Great North Christmas.
Filming for the first major movie production in the city in nearly two decades begins March 1 and for two weeks those lenses will be focused on the city and its people.
Produced by Barker Street Cinema, in a joint venture with Anamorphic Media, Trilight Entertainment and Princ Films, the feature-length movie is being marketed internationally and is slated for delivery in time for the 2021 Christmas season.
James Douglas will direct the movie and Norm Coyne is the producer. Barker Street has a growing list of movie credits, which includes The Doctor’s Case, Wicked Ways and the film short Final Breath.
“This is a perfect spot for a Christmas film,” said Coyne. “We have something here that many locations don’t have, and that’s snow I think, just like last year, it’s going to be a later winter this year.”
ing favourable reviews, including Girl (starring Bella Thorne), The Doorman and Cagefighter, all released last year She’s looking forward to coming back to her hometown for a month of moviemaking and she predicts the film will do well
A Great North Christmas is a romance which revolves around a single women whose big-city friends arrange a trip for her to a small town for a winter Christmas unlike any other she’s had before. She’s a bit of a fish out of water in her new surroundings and meets somebody in her travels and they fall in love, but not without a few mishaps and obstacles to create plot twists.
“The market really loves these feelgood Christmas movies,” said Shaak. “They’re very popular and people who have worked closely with us have been saying we should get into producing these kind of films, there’s a lot of opportunity here.”
In a 27-page decision regarding Edward Owen Berry, Judge Brian Daley found Crown counsel had exceeded the 18-month time limit, mandated by the Supreme Court of Canada for cases going through provincial court, by 90 days.
A Great North Christmas is a test case and if the project goes well there will be more in store for Prince George and with a series of movies made back-to-back once film crews return to the city
See INSTITUTIONAL on page 7
Sara Shaak, the former head of the Prince George Film Commission, is the owner of Anamorphic Media and part-owner of Trilight Entertainment. Her companies have teamed up with Princ Films on several releases that are receiv-
While Prince Films is handling most of the decisions on hiring actors, Barker Street will tap into its acting pool to fill some of the minor roles. The lead actors have yet to be determined but all will be Canadian to avoid delays caused by border restrictions and quarantines during the pandemic Shaak confirmed Prince George actor Madison Smith is being considered for a lead role. Extras for the movie will likely be people from the same household to reduce the risk of COVID infection and transmission.
Pre-production, including site location, set building and planning will start in February and filming should be wrapped up by mid-March.
WHAT:
Public Hearings regarding:
•Proposed amendments to “City of Prince George Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 8383, 2011”
•Proposed amendments to “City of Prince George Zoning BylawNo. 7850, 2007”
•Proposed amendment to “City of Prince George Soil Removal and Deposit Bylaw No. 9030, 2019”
City Council consideration of applications:
•Proposed amendments to “City of Prince George Zoning BylawNo. 7850, 2007”
WHEN:
Monday, February8,2021
WHERE:
Council ChambersofCity Hall, 2nd Floor,1100 Patricia Boulevard, Prince George, BC
PROPOSALS:
1. “City of Prince George Official Community Plan BylawNo. 8383, 2011, Amendment BylawNo. 9154, 2020” AND “City of Prince George Zoning BylawNo. 7850, 2007, Amendment BylawNo. 9155, 2020”
Applicants: L&M Engineering Ltd. for Giuliu Investments Ltd., Inc. No. BC0660654 and Duk Hong Kim and Myung Kim Soon
Subject Properties: 9800 and 9912 Sintich Road
Time: 7:00 p.m.
The applications propose to amend the Official Community Plan and rezone the subject properties located at 9800 and 9912 Sintich Road to facilitate arealignment of the lot lines of each of the subject properties and ensure consistency with the property zoning boundaries and property uses.
1.1 Official Community Plan (OCP) Amendment BylawNo. 9154, 2020
BylawNo. 9154, 2020 proposes to amend “City of Prince George Official Community Plan BylawNo. 8383, 2011” as follows:
a. That “Schedule B-6: Future Land Use”, be amended by re-designating The North East ¼ofDistrict Lot 750, Cariboo District, Except Plans 15470, 16630, 18608, 18991, 20076, 23849, PGP36675, PGP42228 and EPP73945 from Rural Resource to Rural Resource, Business District and Service Commercial; and
b. That “Schedule B-6: Future Land Use”, be amended by re-designating Lot A, District Lot 750, Cariboo District, Plan 23849 from Business District and Service Commercial to Business District, Service Commercial and Rural Resource.
1.2 Zoning Amendment BylawNo. 9155, 2020
BylawNo. 9155, 2020 proposes to amend “City of Prince George Zoning Bylaw No. 7850, 2007” as follows:
a. That The North East ¼ofDistrict Lot 750, Cariboo District, Except Plans 15470, 16630, 18608, 18991, 20076, 23849 PGP36675, PGP42228 and EPP73945, be rezoned from RM9: Manufactured Home Park to RM9: Manufactured Home Park and C6lc: Highway Commercial; and
b. That Lot A, District Lot 750, Cariboo District, Plan 23849, be rezoned from C6lc: Highway Commercial to C6lc: Highway Commercial and RM9: Manufactured Home Park
The proposed Bylaws apply to the properties legally described as:
•The North East ¼ofDistrict Lot 750, Cariboo District, Except Plans 15470, 16630, 18608, 18991, 20076, 23849, PGP36675, PGP42228 and EPP73945; and
•Lot A, District Lot 750, Cariboo District, Plan 23849;
all outlined in bold black on Location Map #1.
Location Map #1 9800 and 9912 Sintich Road
2. “City of Prince George Soil Removal and Deposit BylawNo. 9030, 2019, Amendment BylawNo. 9102, 2020”
Applicant: R. Radloff &Associates for Coyote TransportLtd., Inc. No. 0795252
Subject Property: 4117 Northwood Pulpmill Road
Time: 7:00 p.m.
BylawNo. 9102, 2020 proposes to amend Schedule “A”ofthe “City of Prince George Soil Removal and Deposit Bylaw9030, 2019” to designate a12.5 ha (hectares) portion of the subject property,a Soil Removal or Deposit area, as shown on Appendix “A”to BylawNo. 9102, 2020.
The purpose of this application is to facilitate the property owner to apply for along termsoil removal permit for removal of approximately 687,500 m³ (cubic metre) of material from the subject property
The proposed Bylawapplies to the property legally described as The North West ¼ of District Lot 4041, Cariboo District, Except Plans 14790, 15755, 16737, 17194, 19160, 24178 and PGP39029 as shown outlined in bold black on Location Map #2 below
Location Map #2 4117 Northwood Pulpmill Road
3. City of Prince George Zoning BylawNo. 7850, 2007, Amendment BylawNo. 9134, 2020
Applicant: M’akola Development Services for Aboriginal Housing Society of Prince George, Inc. No. 19321
Subject Property: 1919 17th Avenue
Time: 6:00 p.m.
BylawNo. 9134, 2020 proposes asite specific text amendment to “City of Prince George Zoning BylawNo. 7850, 2007” as follows:
a. That Section 10.13.2 –“RM5: Multiple Residential” be amended by adding “Housing, Supportive only on Lot 6, District Lot 343, Cariboo District, Plan 18815”.
The purpose of this application is to facilitate amixed use supportive housing development for seniorsonthe subject property
The proposed Bylawapplies to the property legally described as Lot 6, District Lot 343, Cariboo District, Plan 18815, as shown outlined in bold black on Location Map #3 below
Location Map #3 1919 17th Avenue
4. City of Prince George Zoning BylawNo. 7850, 2007, Amendment BylawNo. 9159, 2020
Applicant: Ryan Gill for Devinder Gill
Subject Property: 2139 Redwood Street
Time: 6:00 p.m
BylawNo. 9159, 2020 proposes to rezone the subject property from RT1: Two-Unit Residential to RM3: Multiple Residential, as shown on Appendix “A”toBylawNo. 9159, 2020.
The purpose of this application is to facilitate the construction of amultiple residential development consisting of six (6) dwelling units on the subject property,orother uses, pursuant to the proposed RM3: Multiple Residential zoning designation(s).
The proposed Bylawapplies to the property legally described as Lot 6, Block J, District Lot 777, Cariboo District, Plan 5566, outlined in bold black on the Location Map #4 below
Location Map #4 2139 Redwood Street
HOWCAN IPROVIDE COMMENT?
Residents are invited to provide comment in writing or by telephone.
In accordance with ordersofthe Provincial Health Officer related to gatherings and events, membersofthe public are not permitted to attend City Council meetings and Public Hearings. These meetings are live streamed on the City’swebsite www.princegeorge.ca and the recordings are archived for viewing at anytime.
Residents are encouraged to provide written comments to Council to be included in the Council meeting agenda package and available for public viewing on the City’swebsite.
Submissions in writing
Forsubmissions to be included on the agenda for Council’sreviewinadvance of the meeting date, theymust be received by the Corporate Officer no later than 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, February2,2021. Submissions received after the noted deadline and before 3:00 p.m. Monday, February8,2021, will be provided to Council on the dayofthe meeting for their consideration during deliberations on the application.
Submissions maybesent by email to cityclerk@princegeorge.ca, faxed to (250)561-0183, mailed or delivered to the address noted below
Please note that written submissions for all applications will formpartofthe Council agenda, become public record and are posted on the City’swebsite. By making awritten submission you are consenting to the disclosure of anypersonal information that you provide.
Residents wishing to provide comments to Council on the following Bylaws and applications, maydoso, by submitting written correspondence:
•“City of Prince George Official Community Plan BylawNo. 8383, 2011, Amendment BylawNo. 9154, 2020”;
• “City of Prince George Zoning BylawNo. 7850, 2007, Amendment BylawNo. 9155, 2020”;
• “City of Prince George Soil Removal and Deposit BylawNo. 9030, 2019, Amendment BylawNo. 9102, 2020”;
• “City of Prince George Zoning BylawNo. 7850, 2007, Amendment BylawNo. 9134, 2020”; and
• “City of Prince George Zoning BylawNo. 7850, 2007, Amendment BylawNo. 9159, 2020”.
Submissions by telephone
In an efforttoprovide the public with options to speak to Council on aPublic Hearing applications and in accordance with the current Ministerial Order,the City now offers participation remotely via telephone during Public Hearings.
Residents can pre-register to speak to the proposed Bylaw(s) live via telephone. Pre-registration will be open from 8:30 a.m., Thursday, February4,2021 to Monday, February8,2021 at 12:00 p.m. To pre-register to speak to Council via phone, visit our website www.princegeorge.ca/publichearings to complete an online registration formor call 311. If you miss pre-registering,please watch the online live meeting broadcast as there will be an opportunity for you to call in for alimited period of time.
Telephone submissions mayonly be received during Formal Public Hearings. Residents are invited to participate by telephone for the following application(s):
•“City of Prince George Official Community Plan BylawNo. 8383, 2011, Amendment BylawNo. 9154, 2020”;
• “City of Prince George Zoning BylawNo. 7850, 2007, Amendment BylawNo. 9155, 2020”; and
• “City of Prince George Soil Removal and Deposit BylawNo. 9030, 2019, Amendment BylawNo. 9102, 2020”
Personal information is collected under the authority of section 26(g) and disclosed under the authority of section 33.1(1) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). Forinformation or questions, contact the City’sFIPPACoordinator at (250)561-7600 or 1100 Patricia Boulevard, Prince George, BC, V2L 3V9.
Acopyofthe proposed Bylaws, applications and anyrelated documents will be available for reviewbythe public on the City’swebsite www.princegeorge.ca under ‘News and Notices’ beginning January27, 2021. These documents mayalso be reviewedat the Development Services office on the 2nd Floor of City Hall on January27, 28, 29, February1,2,3,4,5 and 8, 2021,between the hoursof 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Formore information, please contact Development Services in person, by telephone at (250)561-7611 or by email to devserv@princegeorge.ca.
Forquestions related to Public Hearing participation and procedures, please contact the Legislative Services Division by telephone (250)561-7793 or by email to cityclerk@princegeorge.ca.
MARK NIELSEN
Local
Journalism Initiative Reporter
A victim of sexual abuse at the hands of a teacher in the 1980s has secured an apology and $1.1 million in damages from School District 57.
The terms were part of an out-of-court settlement reached with Michael Bruneau, nearly four years after he filed a lawsuit seeking damages for the abuse he suffered at the hands of Wendell Diakiw, who taught at Austin Road elementary school in the 1970s and 1980s.
Had the school district not included an apology, Bruneau said he would have gone ahead with taking the matter to trial. As it stands, Bruneau was pleased with the school district’s response.
“The school district handled it so well and really did the right thing, which is unheard of, and I really want the news to reflect that and set a new precedent for other institutions to do the same,” Bruneau said in an interview
According to a statement issued by London, Ontario-based Beckett Personal Injury Lawyers, the $1.1-million payout is understood to be the largest reported settlement of an individual teacher abuse case in British Columbia and will be covered by School District 57’s insurer Bruneau was a Grade 6 student at Austin
Road when, according to the statement, the abuse began and continued for three years in the mid-1980s. Bruneau, in turn, played a key role in Diakiw’s downfall.
In 1986, Bruneau, then 16 years old, attended Diakiw’s house with a tape recorder and secured a taped confession, which led to police charges. In 1987, Diakiw was charged with a range of sexual offences in relation to six students, including Bruneau, and was sentenced to five years in jail.
Bruneau was among four alleged victims for which Aaron Lealess, a lawyer at Beckett, had filed lawsuits against Diakiw and School District 57. The other three settled out of court but with the terms undisclosed due to confidentiality agreements
Court records show that Bruneau’s case was the only one for which School District 57 did not file a response to the civil claim. Each of the claimants had sought as much as $3.2 million in damages
“At the very beginning of the claim, you just pick a high number - that’s the maximum you could hope for basically, and then once more facts become knownyou get all the medical records, education records, Mr. Bruneau was assessed by an expert psychologist - and so once you get all the information together, you get a bit better of an idea,” Lealess said.
“The plaintiff has their view of what the
OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN BYLAWNO. 8383, 2011, AMENDMENT BYLAW NO.9115, 2020
Subject Property –4114 Balsum Road
The City of Prince George is proposing an amendment to Schedule B-6: Future Land Use of City of Prince George Official Community Plan BylawNo. 8383, 2011, to facilitate a future six-lot subdivision which would consist of amix of single-detached (four lots) and two-unit housing (two lots) on the subject property.This application to amend the Official Community Plan also includes arezoning application (Bylaw9116, 2020).
Please visit the City of Prince George website at www.princegeorge.ca/landuse for more detailed information.
The City requests written comment from anyperson, organization, or agencies that maybeaffected by this amendment. Please forward anywritten submissions by 5:00 pm, February4,2021 to the Development Services Division at 1100 Patricia Boulevard, PG V2L 3V9, Fax: 561-7721, Email: devserv@princegeorge.ca
Posted in City MattersonJanuary21and January28, 2021.
Tel. (250) 561-7600 •Fax (250) 612-5605 •1100 Patricia Boulevard,PrinceGeorge,BCV2L 3V9 311@princegeorge.ca Visit princegeorge.cafor information about City services and operations. Youcan even subscribe to receiveinformation directly to your inbox. Visit news.princegeorge.ca/subscribe to select the categories thatmattertoyou.
case is worth which is usually much higher than what the defence has their own view, which is much lower, and then this case was ultimately settled.”
Lealess said it was scheduled to proceed to trial this past November but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, “and ultimately we were able to get a settlement.”
Lealess said the $1.1 million represents the damage Bruneau has suffered in terms of the impact on his education and career and the expenses related to a lifetime of counseling, as well as inpatient treatment due to the psychological fallout.
After living away from Prince George for 30 years, Bruneau has since moved back to the city He expressed a degree of closure with the settlement and particularly the letter of apology
“It’s a big shift in my thinking too, like the anger,” Bruneau said. “Now it’s a big thank you, I mean that’s a huge difference.”
Diakiw was also named in the lawsuits and has been served but has not filed statements of response. Lealess said they will be pursing a default judgment.
“Now whether we can get a dime out of him is probably doubtful but we’re going to continue to pursue the case against him,” he said. “It’s more for the principal of the matter.”
Citizen staff
A charge of drunk driving causing death could be in the cards for the driver of a pickup truck that went off Foothills Boulevard near Flamingo Road on the evening of January 14.
Police said that alcohol was a factor in the crash that left the truck’s passenger dead at the scene.
Called to the scene at 6:30 p.m., RCMP said they found the truck rolled into the ditch and lying on its roof and a nearby power pole sheared off It caused a power outage for homes in the area
Police said the truck’s driver was found in a nearby snowbank and taken to hospital while the passenger was still in the vehicle where live hydro wires hanging down impeded a rescue.
The incident shut down traffic for several hours as police collected evidence and crews worked to clear the scene.
“Police released the driver from custody without charge pending results of a laboratory analysis and other supporting evidence. This is common practice in a file of this nature,” said Cst. Jennifer Cooper.
Names of the driver and passenger were not provided
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
B.C.’s Civil Forfeiture Office has a suspected Prince George drug dealer in its sights.
The office’s director has filed a notice of claim seeking forfeiture of two homes in the city owned by Tyler Aaron James Gelowitz, claiming they were used to engage in unlawful activity
Gelowitz faces five counts of trafficking in a controlled substance, along with one count each of possessing a controlled substance and possessing a loaded, restricted firearm without authorization.
The counts stem from an Aug. 1, 2019 arrest when Prince George RCMP’s street crew unit executed search warrants on five homes, including two named in the notice at 2805 Parent Rd. and 6843 Fairmont Cres.
During the searches, police seized 1.3 kilograms of cocaine, 0 5 kg of methamphetamine, 200 grams of fentanyl and 28 grams of gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB). In addition, police seized a total of nine firearms, including two pistols, a silencer and $129,000 in cash.
According to B.C. Assessment, the Parent Road home is valued at $442,000 and the Fairmont Crescent home at $332,000.
The office is also seeking $36,995 in cash seized by RCMP on the day of Gelowitz’s arrest, as well as a satellite phone, a cellphone and a money counter
Although she faces no criminal charges, Randi Alisia Lynn Temoin is also named in the notice of claim as a co-owner of the two homes.
The claim goes on to provide an account of observations made by RCMP during a series of searches, arrests and surveillance operations targeting Gelowitz and Temoin over the course of about two months leading up to the arrest.
The criminal matter remains before the court with Gelowitz scheduled to appear for arraignment in February after making a first appearance in November
Even if Gelowitz is found not guilty, he and Temoin could still lose the properties, cash and items, according to a statement from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
Because it’s a civil proceeding, a judge decides on a balance of probabilities, in contrast to the more stringent stan-
dard of reasonable doubt for a criminal matter.
“Civil forfeiture actions do not depend on criminal charges or convictions,” the statement says. “Even if a person is found not guilty of an offence or a charge is stayed, the Civil Forfeiture Office can still proceed with an action against the property associated to the unlawful activity.”
Defendants can appear before the court in order to tell their side of the story, the statement adds.
The CFO does not initiate investigations on its own but rather relies on referrals from law enforcement agencies, which in turn are assessed on a number of factors, including the quality of the evidence, the fairness and proportionality of seeking forfeiture and the public interest in pursuing forfeiture, the statement also says.
The claim was filed on Dec 14, 2020 and after Temoin filed an application on November 17 seeking return of $26,430 and the satellite phone
Neither defendant has yet filed a response to the CFO’s claim and the claims have not yet been tested in court
Prince George RCMP apprehended two men known to the police and courts and seized two loaded firearms in a high-profile takedown in the parking lot of a local big box store.
Noticing a rental vehicle reported stolen on the afternoon of Thurs., Jan. 14, the detachment’s street crew unit followed it to the Walmart at Westgate Shopping Centre where they surrounded the vehicle.
Thomas Joshua Toman, 22, had to be Tasered while Justus Leigh Colin Teasdale, 26, cooperated upon being arrested.
RCMP said officers subsequently found a loaded shotgun underneath the front passenger seat and a loaded rifle on the floor of the driver’s seat.
Toman, in particular, has had a history of scrapes with the law. At one point, he had faced a charge of attempted murder from a December 2018 home invasion although the charge was later dropped.
He was last in the news when he was arrested in September during a crackdown on a wave of drug-related crime in the city Charges related to the arrest at a 400-block Lyon Street home were subsequently stayed.
Teasdale’s record centres on offences committed in Fort St. John. Eight mostly gun-related charges have been approved against Toman and six against Teasdale. Both remain in custody on detention orders.
THE 2021 PARCEL TAXROLL REVIEW COMMITTEE willmeetonMonday, February22,2021at2:00p.m.,forthepurposeofconsideringwrittencomplaints withrespecttotheinclusionorexclusionofpropertiesaffectedbythefollowing parceltaxrolls:
AdamsRoadCommunitySewerService, AzuWaterSystem, BearLakeWaterSystem, BendixonRoadCommunitySewerService, BuckhornCommunitySewerService, Shell-GlenFireProtection, ShelleyRiverbankErosionProtection, SymsRoadStreetLighting, TaborLakeCommunitySewerService, TallusRoadCommunitySewerService,and WestLakeCommunitySewerService
ForcomplaintstobeconsideredbytheParcelTaxRollReviewCommitteea complaintmustbesubmittedinwritingandbereceivednotlaterthan2:00p.m. onThursday,February18,2021.Complaintsreceivedbyfaxat250-563-7520will beaccepted.
Theparceltaxrollswillbeavailableforviewingbyappointmentonly,atthe RegionalDistrictoffice,155GeorgeStreet,PrinceGeorge,B.C.V2L1P8,from January28thtoFebruary18,2021,MondaytoFridayfrom8:30a.m.until4:00 p.m.Tomakeanappointmenttoviewtherollorforfurtherinformationplease contactCindyPaton,CommunityServicesLeader,at250-960-4400oremail communityservices@rdffg.bc.ca.
ARTHUR WILLIAMS
Coun. Brian Skakun is calling for a forensic audit to determine how the city’s Sixth Avenue and George Street underground parkade project went millions of dollars over budget without city council being informed.
It may be time to get the Ministry of Municipal Affairs involved to review the city’s handling of the project, he added.
“I feel betrayed. Council is fractured, and our relationship with city administration is definitely fractured,” Skakun said. “The community wants some answers, and we have to get them.”
Emails released to The Citizen through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request showed that senior city staff received a detailed spreadsheet from developer A & T Project Development Inc. on July 4, 2018, showing the budget for the project had grown from an initial $12.6 million to $19.98 million
An email from former city manager Kathleen Soltis to an address identified as “Mayor” on July 4, 2018 warned the mayor the project was facing significant cost overruns, and pledged to keep him informed.
Skakun said he requested two different reports from city staff about the cost overruns – one presented to council in December and one in January – and neither contained the information released to The Citizen through the FOI request
If council had been informed back in 2018, they could have made a decision to cancel or change the project, he said. Instead they received the information too late to do anything about it
“It’s extremely concerning. I don’t know who knew what when,” Skakun said. “Regretfully, I really appreciate that (Citizen editor) Neil Godbout filed the FOI. It’s really sad that as a city councillor, I still had to wait for The Citizen to file an FOI to get that information.”
Mayor Lyn Hall said he didn’t receive any follow up, after being forwarded an email from parkade developer A & T Project Development in 2018 warning the project would be over budget.
“We now know mistakes have happened at virtually every turn on this project. We understand people want someone to blame. It would be easy to point fingers without having all of the information We’re not going to do that,” Hall said. “We are committed, however, to understanding all the facts around what went wrong on this project, and ensuring that accountability is based on facts and evidence.”
Council has already amended the city’s manager’s delegated authority to approve cost overruns for capital projects, and requested quarterly reports on the use of that authority going forward.
The city will consider hiring external project managers to oversee capital proj-
ects moving forward.
Coun. Murry Krause said he is prepared to trust Hall’s word that he didn’t know about the cost overruns until that information came to city council in 2020.
“I certainly had a conversation with the mayor about it,” Krause said. “That (the email on July 4, 2018) was the last he heard of it. I’ve known Lyn for a long time and will take him at his word.”
Coun Terri McConnachie said she was “feeling like I was deliberately buffaloed.”
While the city is already moving towards fixing its project management processes, she said, and looking at best practices in the private sector about effective project management, the bigger issue was that council wasn’t informed about the problems from the start.
“This is clear evidence of deliberate deception of city council on the cost of this project,” she said “That’s job one right now, accountability Who knew when, where and how?”
The fact that in April 2019, city staff proposed changes to the city manager’s delegated authority to allow her to approve cumulative budget changes up to five per cent of the city’s annual operating budget “looks really bad,” McConnachie said.
Prior to that change – made official by city council in May, 2019 – the city manager could approve cost overruns up to a million dollars on any given capital project.
On the surface, it appears the change was sought to allow Soltis to authorize the cost overruns on the parkade project without needing city council’s approval, McConnachie said.
Coun Susan Scott said city council is taking steps to find out the full details of what happened with the project
‘I’m dead serious – there has to be accountability, there has be transparency,” Scott said
“I do have a series of questions, and my questions haven’t been answered. I’m not ready to say who knew what when (But) whether it was written or verbal, line it up. What happened? How did it unfold?
Coun. Kyle Sampson said he has no intention of letting the issue fade away without council, and the public, getting answers about what happened.
“We’re at the information-gathering stage We’re still going to be hearing from our legal counsel,” Sampson said. “I am incredibly disappointed in this whole process.”
Coun Garth Frizzell, who chairs the city’s finance and audit committee – the committee charged with overseeing the city’s finances – said he stands by Mayor Hall on this
“Nobody is happy with it,” Frizzell said “At least we’re all united in wanting to establish exactly what happened, and make sure it never happens again.”
Sara Guenther was first in line.
The staff at Stuart Nechako Manor longterm care home in Vanderhoof thought she deserved to the first to be immunized when the city received its first shipment of COVID vaccine last Friday and it was a popular choice, especially considering Guenther will soon be celebrating a monumental birthday
“She is the oldest in the building, she will be 102 next month, glad she was first,” wrote Cherie Currie, on the Northern Health Vanderhoof Facebook site.
Fort St. James also received its first batch of the vaccine last Friday and Gertie Gardner, a long-term care patient at Stuart Lake Hospital was the first to be immunized Dr. Paul Stent was first among the physicians to receive his vaccine shot
After receiving its initial supplies of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines starting in late December, Northern Health has been focusing on immunizing high-risk patients and staff in long-term care and assisted-living residences and so far has administered 5,000 doses
Starting in April, as more vaccine becomes available, Northern Health plans to ramp up its immunization program to 5,600 does per day. As of Thursday, the province had given 100,000 doses and the goal is to have 4.3 million adults immunized by the end of September
The province’s plans are based entirely
on the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the two currently approved for use in Canada, Henry said. If new vaccines become available, they will be used to accelerate the province’s plan.
The province is currently in Phase 1 of its plan – focused on long-term care residents and workers, front-line healthcare workers and remote, rural Indigenous communities.
Phase 2 is expected to start sometime in February and run until the end of March.
In Phase 2, all seniors 80 years old and older will be eligible to be vaccinated, along with Indigenous seniors aged 65 and up, any healthcare workers not yet vaccinated – including staff in community home support for seniors – and vulnerable populations like the homeless.
Phase 3 is set to begin in April and run until June, and will begin the vaccination of the general population, starting with people aged 75 to 79, and working forward in five-year age groups.
Those in the 75 to 79 age group and 70 to 74 age groups can expect to get their first dose in April, and second vaccine dose in May
Those aged 65 to 69 should be eligible for their first dose in May or June, and second dose in June or July Those in the 60 to 64 year old bracket should be eligible to be vaccinated in June, with a second dose in July. from page 1
The decision was issued in March 2020, following four days of hearings on the matter spread over November 2019 and February 2020 in Fort St. John.
It was the second time Berry’s lawyer, Jonathan Desbarats, had applied to have the case dismissed due to unreasonable delay The first was heard in January 2018 and was applied to the period from when Berry was first charged in November 2015 and June 2018, the anticipated date for the court’s decision.
In November 2018, Daley found that while the total delay was 950 days, he attributed 378 to defence counsel and 51 to “transitional cases criteria,” leaving a net delay of 521 days - 26 short of the 547-day or 18-month limit.
By then, according to a timeline in Daley’s most-recent decision, new trial dates had been set for three days in late January 2019 only to see those dates set aside for a pre-trial application by Desbarats for disclosure of the complainant’s psychiatric records.
Instead, a five-day trial was schedule for August 2019 but due to delays caused by uncooperative witnesses, troubles with the court’s video system and a need to hear other matters on the days in question, more days were needed.
That same month, dates in October, November and December 2019 and in Feb-
ruary and March-April were proposed but the Crown prosecutor was not available.
In September 2019, the case was handed over to another Crown prosecutor and three days were scheduled for November 2019.
It was the second time the case had changed hands. In late 2018, Teresa Mitchell-Banks took the case over from Tamara Golinsky. In turn, Golinsky took it over once again in September 2019.
Much of Daley’s analysis centred on delays related to Desbarat’s application for the psychiatric records. In the end, the judge found the loss of the August 2019 trial dates was due to Crown’s failure to act in a “collaborative, time-sensitive and pro-active manner.”
In all, Daley found the loss led to a delay of 116 days. Less the 26 days leeway Daley found in the first decision, the 18-month time limit had been exceeded by 90 days. Daley further attributed blame to “institutional delay” manifest by an inability of the Fort St. John registry to schedule multiday trials in a timely manner and constant interruptions on the days of the trial by other matters, such as bail hearings.
In April 2018, Berry was sentenced to eight months in jail followed by two years probation on child pornography charges related to a discovery of images on a tablet computer recovered from a fire at a Prince George apartment building where he had been living
On Monday, a parade of vehicles drove past Gateway Lodge to offer their drive-by birthday greetings to 100-year-old Margaret Sweder.
If not for the pandemic, she would have got together for a party with a big crowd of family members and friends to help her celebrate her century achievement.
“There’s so little that can be done to celebrate with the conditions being what they are,” Sweder said. “The doors are locked for any kind of celebration, but I guess we do what we can do. They’re being a bit lenient with me because I’ve been in here practically since it opened and they know that before the lockups started, I was never a person for running around town. I very much appreciate that they are lenient with me.”
As the mother of nine children, including her three biological kids and six she either adopted or fostered, Sweder has lost count of how many nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren she has.
But her mind remains vivid for recalling details of her remarkable life.
An example of that is her memory of coming to Prince George for the first time in 1948.
Born Jan. 25, 1921, in northern Saskatchewan, Margaret Sawatzky grew up on a
homestead north of Nipawin and Carrot River on a farm where trees were scarce.
One day she was out with her friends when they got talking about places they would like to visit. Margaret told them: “I want to go where there are lots and lots of trees.”
A young man in the group had been to Prince George and knew how thriving the forest industry was in the area and suggested that could be Margaret’s destination.
That was all the incentive she needed.
She bought her ticket and came out on the train, arriving in the city late at night.
“I did not know a soul and I came by myself,” she said “The train got in at 11 o’clock and the town itself was nothing except a few buildings. I picked up my suitcase and started heading to the dark town and a car pulled up beside me, slowed and stopped. He rolled down his window and said, ‘Miss, did you just come in on the train?’ I said ‘yes’ and he asked, ‘Where are you headed?’ I said, ‘downtown to see if I can find a hotel room.’
“He said, “You can’t walk alone here at night, you better get in.’”
She hesitated at first but got in the car and the man drove her to the Prince George Hotel.
It was the only hotel in town and had
only six or seven rooms and all were occupied.
He helped her in with her luggage and asked the front desk clerk if there were any rooms, but they were all occupied until the next day
“He said, ‘Can she just stay here in the lobby on the couch?’ and she said, ‘Sure, that’s alright,’ so I spent my first night in the lobby of the Prince George Hotel.”
She eventually met her husband, Walter Sweder, and together they brought three kids into the world they raised in Hixon, close to the sawmill in Canyon Creek he operated with his brother Norman.
All of Margaret’s eight other siblings passed away long ago and she’s the only one who came close to reaching the century mark.
She’s deeply religious and attributes her long life to being just part of God’s plan.
“We were not a family of longevity and that’s why no one can understand, and certainly I can’t, how come I am still here,” she said.
CITIZEN STAFF PHOTO
Margaret Sweder fell in love with Prince George and its hospitality the day she arrived by herself at the end of a long train journey from Saskatchewan in 1948.
When do you become a senior?
At 55, when some businesses start rewarding you for your age with a discount and senior centres start soliciting you for a membership?
At 60, when you can apply for the Canada Pension Plan?
Are you a senior the day you retire?
Is it when you have lived long enough that the young ones around you come to you for advice?
Or is it when they quit coming for advice and start avoiding you?
Every senior I know is different from all the others.
Some, like my mother, walk a mile a day
I, on the other hand, have a knee replacement and try to avoid stairs and concrete.
That’s not easy when I live in a split-level and all grocery stores have concrete floors. Ibuprofen has become my best friend!
One level is the goal for the next house.
Some seniors like the opportunity to pass on their knowledge.
Some seniors like the challenge of learning new skills.
When we get to go back to gathering, watch for the retirees’ coffee clubs. Join them for a conversation and you will learn more about politics, how to grow vegetables, the cheapest and best place to buy electronics, and more.
Head for the senior centres.
Even with restrictions, they have found a way to keep doing it.
Seniors have seen tough times before.
We may not like what we are going through, we may complain but we also
know that this too shall pass
Just not as fast or as easily as we would all like.
Seniors vote.
Does not mean we like who is on the ballot or what the various parties have to say.
It just means we have learned it does so matter if you vote.
You want your voice heard; you speak up. Voting is speaking up Not voting is staying silent
Our system is not perfect. It is the one we have.
Until someone comes up with something better, seniors know from experience that you work with what is on hand
Seniors embrace change.
Marion Hunt-Doig told me her sons were getting her Alexa.
She didn’t care that it would turn her lights on and off; she can do that!
She liked that Alexa would tell her how to spell Pompeii and what is psychotic.
It’s like having a professor in the house! For me, being a senior means I get to look back at all the stuff I regretfully set aside because I had to go to work.
Now I have time to write stories, poetry and repurpose old clothes. Time to paint the back stairs and start the de-cluttering process that must be done before you move to a smaller house.
If we want to.
Sixty feels like being twenty-two again with a lot more life experience, and sore joints, to temper enthusiasm and frustration.
If good health and good genes stay in play, I have another twenty to thirty years of life left.
I look forward to the day we do not have to bathe in sanitizer and mask up to talk to people that are two metres away Although I suspect in the coming years that masks will be acceptable now if you have a cold but need to be in public.
For 14 years, the Kraft Hockeyville contest has been a source of funding to help Canadian towns and cities improve their arenas.
This year, the Prince George-based Northern Capitals female under-18 hockey team is launching a bid that, if successful, will bring $250,000 worth of improvements to Ernie Sam Memorial Arena in Fort St. James and the right to host an NHL preseason game.
Kraft Hockeyville organizers encouraged the Northern Capitals to enter in the contest, based on the team’s involvement in last year’s BC Winter Classic. A year ago, Jan. 19-21, 2020, the Capitals hosted the Greater Vancouver Comets, the top team in the B.C. Female Triple-A U-18 Hockey League, in a threegame regular-season series that included indoor games at Vanderhoof Arena and Fort Forum in Fort St. James and an outdoor game under the open-air roof of Ernie Sam Memorial Arena.
The Capitals lost all three games to the Comets but the three-day event was highly successful in promoting female hockey in the traditional territory of the Nak’azdli Whut’en First Nation.
“This is an incredible opportunity to showcase female hockey in the north, to help further develop the hockey culture in our communities, which is something we strive for within Cariboo Hockey,” Cariboo Hockey spokesperson Caleb Wilson said.
The Winter Classic is believed to be the first-ever outdoor game for a female triple-A U-18 team in Canada and Wilson said that makes the Capitals entry in the contest unique and he hopes that will help sway the judges.
The Ernie Sam rink has become a focal point for Fort St. James. It last received a facelift two years ago in preparation for the Cariboo Cougars-Vancouver Northeast Chiefs major midget outdoor game, played Jan. 20, 2019. Since then, further improvements included building dressing rooms, a Zamboni garage and a concession but the roof needs upgrades and the rink could use better lighting.
Cariboo Hockey, the local organization that oversees the region’s six U-15, U-16 and U-18 triple-A rep team programs, is asking for community support to solidify the Northern Capitals’ bid. That show of support can be posted on the Hockeyville website once the Capitals’ bid has been filed
Once all bids have been submitted, judges will have until March 19 to determine the top four bids. Those will be announced on March 20. Open voting will happen April 9-10 and the winner will be announced on April 10
More information about the contest is at krafthockeyville.ca.
TED CLARKE
Prince George firefighters said goodbye to their old home at Fire Hall No. 1 oat Seventh Avenue and Dominion Street and moved their tools of the trade to the bright new hall on Massey Drive Saturday afternoon.
Ready for their next call from dispatch, they had their trucks, helmets, jackets, hoses, axes and breathing apparatus within easy reach all under one roof in the warm spacious building and for the christening ceremony they celebrated the first day in their new digs with a slide down the shiny brass fire pole.
Trent Blair, a 12-year Prince George Fire Rescue veteran considered it an honour to be part of the historic opening shift in the 26,000-square-foot facility
“We’ve been waiting a long time, our other hall was built in 1956 and it’s lasted over 60 years, so to be the first guys into this new hall is a real privilege,” said Blair “It’s a pretty exciting for us as firefighters and even the city of Prince George. To be first in on the ground floor to set it up and have everything in place and be able to build it right from scratch is so incredible.” It was dull overcast day Saturday but Blair immediately noticed a huge difference in his new workplace.
“Just the daylight,” said Blair. “We have all the windows and the natural light and a full southern exposure. Our other hall had smaller doors, smaller windows and it was tight and condensed, built in ’56 with lots of add-ons.”
Anthony Kovacevic began his career with PDFR the same day as Blair and aside from the memories of all the days he spent with his colleagues in the old hall and some of the pranks they played on each other, there’s not much he’ll miss about what they left behind.
“Everything’s new and it’s pretty nice to be here,” said Kovacevic. “When you first drive up to a hall like this it’s pretty impressive, there’s nothing like it. The old hall was in pretty rough shape, falling apart, and it needed a lot of renovations if we were going to stay in it. It’s nice to watch the crews heading out on calls. They can get to anywhere in the city much faster from this location.”
PGFR responds to an average of 5,000 calls per year and it didn’t take long for the first crew to be dispatched out of the new hall.
At 2:55 p.m., 50 minutes after their last call-out from the old No. 1, they were called for a lift assist to help an ambulance crew move a bariatric patient
The five-bay drive-through garage allows crews to load and unload their trucks in a closed but ventilated space and they’ll be keeping their rigs maintained and spotless with a well-drained floor to catch the water they’ll use to wash them down. They’ll drive in from the back and exit from the front so there’s no longer a need to back in those big trucks through a narrow door
Firefighters are sometimes exposed to hazardous material on their calls and there’s now a designated decontamination area away from crew quarters with a dedicated room for storage of protective gear.
The two crews now operating out of the new hall will be there until their rotation ends at the end of March. PGFR crews serve six-month rotations at all four halls so eventually the entire force will work at the new building
Firefighters follow eight-day workweek schedules that start with two 10-hour day shifts followed by two 14-hour night shifts, then have four days off. Each firefighter in the force of about 100 typically works 42 hours per week.
The old hall on Dominion will continue to house PGFR’s fire operations and communications centre dispatch equipment and staff until the move is complete in the fall.
Central Mountain Air will be suspending service on two routes out of Prince George Airport, the company said.
Starting February 3, service between Prince George and Fort Nelson will be on hold until at least May 3 and service between Prince George and Kamloops will be on hold until at least April 5.
The decision comes after CMA suspended service between Prince George and Fort St. John earlier this month.
“Devastating declines in travel and
extended provincial health advisories against non-essential travel have necessitated a significant scaling back of our scheduled operations for the foreseeable future,” CMA CEO Bob Cummings said in a statement. “The federal government has been promising for almost a year that help is on the way to support these essential air services, but no such support has been received or clearly outlined.”
In addition to flying essential workers, he said CMA also flies customers to medi-
cal treatments and transports medical supplies, mail, and other vital cargo and urged customers to contact provincial and federal politicians with their concerns.
“With government support, we would be proud to continue to serve our customers and maintain crucial airline connectivity in British Columbia and Alberta until demand returns,” Cummings said. “If there is any chance to save vital air service to these communities, action must be urgently undertaken.”
British Columbians should have the power to fire misbehaving city politicians between elections.
To make that happen we’ll need recall legislation for local governments and a beefed-up auditor general for city halls.
We wouldn’t have to start from scratch as we already have recall legislation at the provincial level. We also have an office of the Auditor General for Local Government, if in name only. That office has always lacked teeth and Premier John Horgan’s government is shuttering it
As we recover from the COVID-19 mess and the economic hardships that it has caused, taxpayers need to know that every nickel of their money is being spent wisely and that if their local elected officials behave badly, they can recall them and hold a by election.
Alberta is a good example showing why
KRIS SIMS
recall legislation is important.
On the other side of the Rockies, Albertans are incensed that some of their provincial politicians jetted to vacations overseas during the holidays while telling their constituents to stay home.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney had promised to deliver recall legislation during the last election and Albertans are now demanding that he make good and give voters the tools to turf MLAs.
When it comes to government, voters are the bosses and politicians are the employees. If we really are all in this together, then politicians should be subject to dismissal.
While British Columbians can be glad
that we’ve had this tool of grassroots democracy since 1991, recall shouldn’t be limited to the provincial level of government. We need it expanded so that councillors at town halls from Vancouver to Vanderhoof know they could be called to the carpet.
City halls in B.C. have had several recent incidents where taxpayers’ money has been wasted, and they could use the scrutiny of recall legislation.
In Prince George, city council says it was unaware that the price tag for a taxpayer-funded construction project had ballooned from $12.6 million to more than $34 million Vancouver city council blew more than $316,000 on designer office furniture after saying they needed money just to keep the lights on. Kelowna city council just got a pay hike while many in the private sector have seen their salaries cut or their businesses scaled back. That approach stands in contrast to Burn-
aby city council, which reduced its own pay by 10 per cent and then donated that amount to a seniors charity
The power of recall is that it can go both ways. It can make a politician think twice about making bad decisions and it can also signal to them that they’re doing the right thing when the people back them up
As more money and powers flow through city halls, voters need tougher tools to keep local governments in check. We also need a stronger office of the Municipal Auditor General so whistle-blowers have a place to call when they discover misspending.
As we recover from the economic damage caused by the pandemic, British Columbians need the tool of recall and a strong auditor general watchdog to keep an eye on their city halls and how they spend their tax dollars.
- Kris Sims is the B.C. director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation
When it comes to political parties in Canada, it is a bit like choosing bland, bland, or bland.
There is probably more that binds us together as a country than politically divides us. Both of the major parties (Liberals and Conservatives) support streamlining government services and are in favour of reducing taxes – personal, business, corporate. Both respect our multi-cultural society and having two official, equal languages as the right thing to do
I am not saying the Liberals and Conservatives are exactly the same. There are differences, especially when discussing things such as an elected Senate or public pensions but, for the most part, they have very similar views
This is not necessarily a bad thing After all, Canada is a peaceful, civilized society for the most part We do believe in socialized medicine and public education We value our differences while celebrating our unity. We are all good people or, at least, polite.
This makes it very difficult for politicians to distinguish themselves. It is hard to paint yourself as being tough on crime when you know the other party is just as tough. It is difficult to point out the flaws in a decision made by a prime minister when you know full well if you were in his shoes,
you would have done exactly the same thing
Right now, Erin O’Toole may be looking at an election this spring and is trying to find ways to distinguish himself from Justin Trudeau.
He is trying to find some way to convince a majority of Canadians that he and his party could do a better job when, for the most part, he would be doing pretty much the same things as Justin Trudeau and the Liberals.
So, whenever he can, he jumps on an issue and proclaims “Canadians can count on Conservatives to do whatever it takes to get Canada working again.”
This is from his statement over the decision of the President of the United States to rescind the permits for the Keystone XL pipeline by executive order
The statement starts by saying: “Today’s cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline extension is devastating. We need to get as many people back to work, in every part of Canada, in every sector, as quickly as possible.
The loss of this important project only makes that harder.”
While I would agree we need to ensure people are working, because our economic system is predicated on everyone having a job, I am not sure I see how building a pipeline between Alberta and the U.S. will get people back to work “in every part of Canada, in every sector.”
But perhaps he viewed this project as only a minor portion of a bigger push back towards full employment. Except he says without the pipeline, it will be harder to do so.
Really?
I have a great deal of sympathy for workers who thought they had a few years of gainful employment building the pipeline to the United States and for the communities who were counting on those workers for revenue
But devastating?
COVID-19 is devastating. Changing the decision regarding Keystone XL will impact the workers but there are other pipelines being built and other projects that will require their skills. Indeed, one of the complaints we hear a lot is the lack of skills tradespeople for all of the jobs that need to be done.
O’Toole really does try to lay the blame squarely on the prime minister: “Justin Trudeau should have done more to stand
up for our world class energy sector.”
Such as?
This was a decision President Joe Biden made over a year ago or, arguably, even further back when he was vice-president and Keystone XL was shelved the first time.
What was our prime minister to do? Tell him not to make the decision? Work at trying to ensure he wasn’t elected? Sit in the corner and hold his breath until President Biden changed his mind?
It might be fair to criticize Trudeau if the decision had been made in Ottawa. But far from it. Indeed, despite trying to shift the Canadian economy towards a greener and cleaner energy future, his government has made sizeable investments in pipelines – at considerable political cost. He has been standing up for our energy sector
But O’Toole needs a wedge, something to distinguish his party from the Liberals. Something to which he can point and say “Well, we would have done it differently.” And he thinks the Keystone XL pipeline is one of those wedges
He wants us to believe he is a middle of the political spectrum, working class guy from Toronto But the middle ground is already occupied so he needs a way to make his party seem less bland while not alienating all of the voters.
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The George Street parkade fiasco is a prime example of sleeping at the switch City administration was in charge and responsible for the building of the parkade and had a responsibility to keep the mayor and mouncil apprised of the project.
Administration did forward the information to council and the finance and audit committee over a period of time. It was how this information was forwarded and how administration was able to access funds for the overruns that seems to have caught the attention of the mayor and council, forcing them to try and deal with the problem. By this time, it was too late and the train had already gone into the wrong track.
We are now in the phase of who did what, when, and why, and pointing fingers, wringing hands, making profound state-
The other day I saw someone post on social media that if their friends had a certain opinion, they should “unfriend” themselves from their social media account. That made me sad and left me feeling a bit hopeless about the future of humanity.
Ask any educated person and you will know that excellence, progress, or whatever you want to call it, is not gained from everyone agreeing. I don’t mean educated in the formally-educated sense only. My third-grade educated mom always says: “The things that bother you the most about other people are probably things you need to work on in yourself.”
The person who posted the “agree with
ments and demanding accountability from those involved.
That’s all well and good for as far as it goes, but it does not go far enough. Once the hue and cry dies down, we will be back to the acrimony between council and administration. We need to do more.
People in Prince George need to understand that the running of the city government is the responsibility of the city manager and those managers under him/ her They do the day-to-day work and are responsible for the outcomes.
me or we are not friends” post could have said “I refuse to debate this issue, so if you make a comment disagreeing with me, I will remove it, because this is my page and my platform.”
Or, “If you comment or post with a different opinion, I won’t discuss it.” Or, they could have said “I don’t know enough about my opinion to argue in favour of it, so I don’t want to talk about it ”
But they didn’t
I have respect for this person, but I can’t
The mayor and council have different responsibilities, which are clearly outlined in our Community Charter and I recommend that you read them. It is not the responsibility of the mayor and council to micro-manage city administration. In fact, any form of micro-managing is discouraged by administration, hence the acrimony
The mayor and council have taken some action to get the train back on the right track and some people are no longer with the City, however it is not near enough and more has to be done.
Having closed meetings will not solve the problem because the 52,000 eligible voters will be kept in the dark. A local audit is probably not the solution. The provincial office for auditing municipalities has been shut down because of pressure from municipalities who don’t like to be audited
So what do we do?
It’s time for some strong leadership from mayor and council. We need the city to approach the Office of the Inspector of Municipalities and request an inquiry into the parkade fiasco.
The Legislative Assembly created the Office of the Inspector of Municipalities through legislation in the 1930s (a time of municipal bankruptcies) and the inspector was provided with authority to hold inquiries into the conduct of municipal business.
We need to take the lead on this issue and have an inquiry to get us all the answers we need and show us a way forward.
Without an inquiry, the only option left to citizens is a tax revolt. I prefer the inquiry route at this time.
Let’s make it happen.
help but wonder how they got it so wrong. Where did they learn that friendships or relationships can only exist if they agree on everything? That’s not friendship, and certainly not a relationship, unless you consider being part of a fan club means you have a relationship with the celebrity. This post bothered me so much that a few days later I posted, in a sort of passive-aggressive way, hoping to encourage people to think differently about differences of opinion:
“If you think COVID is going to kill us all, if you think COVID is a scam, if you think Trudeau is great, if you think he is horrible, if you think there is a God, or if you are an atheist, or of you are anywhere in between, and if you disagree with lots of what I post: thank you for being my friend. I have
My favourite textbook in university was entitled Marxism: An American Christian Perspective. Other students would hear me talk about it and ask: “Aren’t those two perspectives diametrically opposed? Didn’t Marx call religion ‘the opiate of the people’? Aren’t the Christian churches opposed to Marxism?”
The most fundamental disagreement between the two schools of thought is the fact that Marx based his theory on an economic foundation, while that of Christianity is spiritual. Nonetheless, Marx unintentionally provided spiritual leaders with an ideal of what they should be striving for.
The rise of Marxism in the 19th and 20th centuries coincided with mainstream religions not only ignoring the plight of the downtrodden, but also supporting the political and economic institutions that brought about these injustices.
It is also interesting to note that the Soviet Empire, which was Marxist in name, faced its greatest challenge from the
GERRY CHIDIAC
Catholic Church in Poland, leading to the collapse of the Iron Curtain in the 1990s.
Upon closer examination, one can see that the ideals Karl Marx and those of Jesus of Nazareth are surprisingly compatible. Marx stated, “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.” This was indeed the practice of the earliest Christian communities.
One of the most valuable things we can do in life is to express our ideals and allow others to challenge us. I recall insisting to a friend that I was a Christian-Marxist because of what I believed. He looked at me and said, “Why don’t you just call yourself a Christian? Marx didn’t really espouse anything Jesus didn’t already say, and he lacked any spiritual basis.”
My friend was right. What I believed in was an uncompromising interpretation
of love of one’s neighbour. I also began to notice this form of radicalism in many movements, some of them Christian, some of them not, but all of them deeply spiritual.
Martin Luther King Jr was a Baptist preacher and a human rights advocate, but he was deeply influenced by Mohandas Gandhi, a Hindu who understood the power of passive resistance. What many do not realize about Gandhi, however, is that he was deeply influenced by the Quakers, a Christian group known for their passivism and respect for all humanity These same ideals are embraced by the Dalai Lama, a Buddhist leader, and in Indigenous North American spirituality, to name but a few.
Regardless of the opposition they face, these movements always endure because they embrace equality and justice, an honest and humble pursuit of truth along with a deep respect for each person with no exceptions.
In addition, the people involved in these movements recognize the inevitability of their success. Some may call this faith and others see it as wisdom. Perhaps it is both.
learned so much from my friends, and especially from those who disagree with me. It is not easy to disagree, so thank you for being willing to be uncomfortable Each of you add to my life. Thank you.”
I was very pleased at the positive response I got from both my conservative and liberal friends. That made me more hopeful for the future of humanity than what watching or reading the news would make me.
Thinking about this in light of my mom’s saying makes me wonder how well I tolerate narrow-minded people. My first impulse is I would rather not tolerate them, I would rather dismiss them, but I suspect they have much to teach me about stuff I don’t want to know about myself. At least, that’s what my mom would say.
Any movement that strays away from these ideals, however, is doomed to fail. They may obtain wealth, power and influence for a time, but they have never endured. The once influential and zealously anti-communist Catholic Church in Quebec, for example, has become more and more irrelevant in the lives of people since the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s. It is interesting to note that after decades of growth and strong alliances with rightwing governments, evangelical Christian churches are beginning to experience a similar decline. In truth, the message of radical respect and love of our neighbour isn’t that radical at all. It is simply the statement of a very deep truth that we so often try to ignore. We are all equal and we are all put on this earth to make life better for one another Regardless of the creed that resonates within us, if we embrace this sacred aspect of our humanity with integrity, everything will turn out well in the long run. If we choose to fight against it, we will bring about our own demise. There really is no getting around it.
I currently reside in the new apartment buildings on Stringer Crescent. On Oct. 1, my son was proceeding through the intersection of O’Grady and Stringer on a green light, when a vehicle exiting the CTC plaza made an illegal left turn into the driver’s side of his vehicle.
Neither driver was injured. However, my son’s vehicle sustained more than $16,000 in damage and took more than eight weeks to repair. The other vehicle was a write off.
Subsequently, I have avoided three near misses all stemming from drivers making an illegal left turn onto O’Grady when I have the through right of way on a green light.
On Jan. 17, I made a right turn from Stringer Crescent onto O’Grady Road on a green light. The driver of a massive white pickup turned left out of the CTC plaza onto O’Grady apparently believing he had the right of way
An incident of road rage ensued. The pickup driver followed me from Stringer Crescent to the intersection of O’Grady Road and Domanio Boulevard all the while attempting to push my SUV off the road and attempting to pass me in the face of oncoming traffic, while continuously sounding his horn The driver sped through a red light at O’Grady and Domano still sounding his horn.
I suspect during construction of the comple, there was a three-way lighted intersection and when construction was completed, a four-way lighted intersection was installed From the number of drivers who fail to give vehicular traffic from Stringer Crescent the right of way, I suspect the city failed to properly notify drivers of the change in the intersection status
I am reaching out in the hope you recognize this issue as a community safety problem and you will assist in educating the public, particularly those who frequent the shopping plaza at Stringer and O’Grady. Perhaps a front page photograph of the intersection lights would aid in the education process. Perhaps the city needs to proactively educate with new signage. The driver of the pickup clearly did not recognize I was turning on a green light and therefore had the right of way I hope you will give this issue the attention it requires.
H. Savard, Prince George Coverage welcomed
I want to thank you for maintaining a watch on all the foolishness going on around the City of Prince George and area. This has been a responsibility of the press for the last 200 years in Canada. The fourth estate is in good hands under your watch. First, I want to say that I can’t believe anyone would build, or even contemplate, an underground parkade in a known floodplain The library, built in the late 1970s/ early80s, was built on stilts because the ground level is barely above the floodplain. Now, in the 21st century, when flooding is even more prevalent than ever before due to the warming climate, it was proposed to build an underground parkade in this same floodplain. How is it possible that anyone would make this proposal and then
it be approved and then wonder why it is costing two or three times as much as the original estimate?
We care about the environment and we should endeavour to live within nature’s confines, not fight against it, as would happen when it becomes necessary to continually pump all the ground-water back into the river, or even worse pump it all into the sewer system to be treated and then into the river
Thank you again for keeping your finger on the pulse and for telling it like it is.
The Northern Regional Construction Association (NRCA) represents 250 industrial, commercial and institutional (union and non-union) companies in Northern BC, who are directly involved in construction services. Our collective voice advocates for fair, equal and transparent procurement practices
As such, the NRCA is providing an industry response to the January 14 Prince George Citizen article titled, “Albertans working on pool project, labour rep says.” We believe comments made by Mike Andrews of the BC Regional Council of Carpenters are misleading and inaccurate Mr Andrews states “there are plenty of qualified local carpenters who could do the work on what is a taxpayer-funded project.”
This statement is unfounded, especially in light of 2020 construction industry statistics indicating that labour needs associated with the current $112 billion dollar of construction contracts in BC cannot be met. It is estimated that about 29,000 construction jobs will be unfilled by 2029 due to shortages of workers and retirements This highlights the greatest challenge facing the construction industry, which continues to be the scarcity of locally qualified tradespeople.
Additionally, research indicates that 40 per cent of construction contracts awarded in BC during 2020 resulted in the hiring of workers from Alberta because qualified and skilled tradespeople were not available locally, regionally, or in BC
Labour mobility versus labour protectionism is a delicate balancing act in today’s construction environment and local governments are required to respect current trade agreements that endorse full labour mobility between Alberta and BC.
Mr. Andrews further commented that “as a Prince George taxpayer, you would hope that these projects and the money produced by these projects stays in the community And I find it upsetting that our leaders in the community aren’t making sure that this happens.”
It is important to note that the City of Prince George and Chandos Construction (leading construction of the new downtown pool) worked extensively with NRCA from the project outset to ensure every opportunity was provided to local contractors and suppliers to bid on the project requirements.
It is the opinion of NRCA that the city and Chandos Construction exceeded expectations in relation to the promotion
of fair and open bidding opportunities to local firms. Meetings with the NRCA Construction Advisory Council and the College of New Caledonia (to review trades programs), as well as consistent and diligent communication of bidding opportunities, are some examples of efforts to include local contractors and suppliers.
In some cases, local contractors decided not to respond to bid opportunities because their labour pool was allocated to other local and regional projects Commercial construction demands, combined with strong construction activity in the residential market, has exacerbated the problem of labour shortages.
The current reality is that the construction industry is trying to respond to significant infrastructure spending in BC, in the midst of persistent shortages of skilled tradespeople to meet the demand. While we fully recognize the value of employing local tradespeople, complex projects like the construction of the downtown pool depend on the availability of a significant number of qualified workers.
Scott
Bone, CEO, Northern Regional Construction Assoc.
Recently it’s come to our attention that the city has way overshot its budget on the new downtown parkade. Neil Godbout has written brilliantly about the matter and we now are left with more questions than answers.
Who is more to blame - Soltis or Wells? How much did council know and how much are they currently politicking to get out of this mess? As a lifelong resident, I think my neighbours are asking the wrong questions For example, why would council authorize an unelected official to spend $8 million without any oversight? What was council thinking when they gave Soltis this authority? Before we criticize the municipal bureaucracy or our elected officials however, we should first look at ourselves Less than 25 per cent of the eligible voting population actually voted in the 2018 municipal election, according to Civic Info BC. The vast majority (over 75 per cent) of Prince George residents didn’t care who was handling the city’s business. Our civic leaders in turn acted as anybody lacking oversight would do. The cost overrun is a prime example of what a lack in oversight leads to. Whether Mayor Hall allowed the parkade ordeal to get this far due to pure incompetence or some malicious intent is unknown but the fact is that millions of taxpayer money is now down the drain.
Prince Georgians and their lack of interest in how the city is run has allowed weak and incapable leadership to permeate throughout our city’s foundation. Elected officials shoved responsibility onto unelected bureaucrats and those same bureaucrats are rewarded by covering council’s back The next thing we know, the parkade is $22 million over budget and our city’s leadership is all acting like they were kept in the dark the entire time.
Mayor Hall, when asked by Carolina de Ryk in a CBC interview what level of responsibility he bears for this situation, responded “Well, I think we all bear respon-
sibility.” I am prone to agree with him on this. We should first put more responsibility onto our elected officials and be willing to show up to the ballot box to hold them accountable.
Sam McLaren, Prince George
I’m having difficulty deciding which is worse - the cost overruns for the downtown parkade or the utter ignorance of many attacking city council for the same. Former city manager Katherine Soltis is no longer an employee and it would seem to me that many others in the upper echelons of power at city hall should face the same fate. I do not know at this point as to whether or not Mayor Hall is complicit in these matters or not. If he is, he should be held accountable City council, on the other hand, appears to have been misled by upper management and it is those people that should be targeted if this is the case. For years, I have watched Coun. Brian Skakun react to money mismanagement, abuse and scandal in the right way, by calling attention to these acts and informing the taxpaying public. This isn’t just simple whistleblowing; it is his duty. Skakun bucks the trend of many politicians, by caring, by acting for not what he thinks is right, but what he knows is right for his constituents, and not just those who voted for him There have been a handful of like-minded council members over the years, who have acted as they should, for the taxpayer, and it seems as though many of us have forgotten what powers council has and how far they can go. They certainly cannot be expected to take the fall for actions undertaken by highly paid members of senior staff, especially when this staff acts behind closed doors, seemingly with impunity. Perhaps it is time for a forensic audit to be done at city hall, perhaps it’s time for us to hire local people with a vested interest in our city, and not continue to attract underqualified people with large amounts of money We have a university, we have a college, so surely these institutions are producing capable people?
We need to stop blaming council for everything and start weeding out those at city hall who are the real problem. Elections come and go, as do the politicians, but the rot will still be there, hiding behind a council that has become the target for many.
Mike Maslen, Prince George
Re: Cotton ball conservatives cling to censorship myth, Jan 17.
UNBC graduate Sydney Redpath gives us a good example of the creeping authoritarianism that has entered our politics. Fortunately, her arguments are not coherent. First, she denies that the censorship of conservatives is happening. Then she claims it is justified when it happens because of “the equal concept of restricted speech.” Then she demands that someone she opposes should be compelled to speak about an issue. Here are two more lessons for this former student: restricted speech is not equal to free speech and compelled speech is the very opposite.
Boris DeWiel, Prince George
ACROSS
“____ sells seashells ”
Did exceptionally well on
Roll tightly
Melt
Doing nothing
Tavern drink
Get sleepy
Sandwich store 18. Writing tool
Caustic liquid
Kept secret
Havana export 21. Favorable vote 23. Scale 24. Rider’s command 25. Assistance 26. Native metals 27. Ali
28. Teheran’s location
29. Dull person 31. Trio number
Paid athlete
Handsome
Swiss-cheese feature
Saloon
Criminal charges
Plus
Organized argument
Marry
Voice range
Double-reed instrument
Building land
Glide in the air
Winter eavehanger 24. What person? 27. Mr. Crosby 30. Deerskin 32. Type of code
Fish bait
Not any
Soak up
Golfer Irwin
“I Dream of Jeannie” star
Loft
Texas dish
Corn piece
Resided
“Eyes Shut”
Lemon drink
Unwell 11. Hawaiian wreath
Fill in the gridsothat every row, every columnand every3x3 box contains the numbers 1through 9only once
Each3x3 box is outlined withadarker line You already have afew numberstoget you started Remember: you must not repeatthe numbers 1through 9inthe same line, columnor3x3 box.
33. Country dance 36. “____ to a Nightingale” 40. Tree nut 41. School essay 42. Toil 44. European peaks
Bull, in Barcelona 46. Traffic sign
Cinder 48. Mr. Piniella
Beach shade 51. Halloween greeting
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our mother, Lena Soda. She went peacefully in her sleep on January 19, 2021 at the age of 88. Lena is survived by her children Nella Graham (Mike) and Frank Soda (Natalie), her grandchildren Justin, Kristi, Laura and Peter, her greatgrandchildren Brooklyn and Zachary and many nieces and nephews.
Lena was predeceased by her husband Maurino Soda, her parents Teresina and Antonio Mauro, her sisters Rosina Galati, Maria Tucci and Assunta Mauro, her brother Franchino Mauro, as well as three brothers who died at infancy. She was also preceded in death by her nephew and childhood best-friend, Michele Vommero.
Lena was born in Mangone, Cosenza, Italy. She married Maurino in 1954 and together started planning for a family and better life. Lena and Maurino came to Canada in 1961 with their 2 young children. After a brief stay in Prince George, Lena and the two children returned to Mangone for family and financial reasons. Lena and the children returned to Prince George in 1967 to rejoin Maurino, who by then was well established. Both of these trips were major adventures, involving 10 days travel on ship across the Atlantic and another five days on a train across Canada, all with 2 young children in tow. She worked for The London Hotel for 23 years and retired in 1990.
Lena was proud of her Italian heritage, followed all the village traditions and maintained the language and culture. Her first priority was her family. Love of her family ensured her husband was well cared for and that she set a positive role model for her children - hard work, education, and honesty were her traits -- which will be forever etched in the hearts of those she touched. Her second priority was community. She treasured her friends, was always a gracious host and always had time to stop and chat.
Her passion was food. She loved feeding people... the more you ate the better. She ensured that family, friends and community, and anyone else who visited her home were well fed. There was never a lack of food. Her amazing gardening skills and hard work always resulted in prodigious amounts of organic, non-gmo foods long before that was the trendy thing to do.
The family would like to thank the nurses and doctors at UHNBC Hospital Shortstay and Simon Fraser Lodge staff for the excellent care they gave mom. Adeline, in particular, you were mom’s Angel when we couldn’t be there. Thank you Mom, for always putting your family first. Your sacrifices were many, all of them to build a better life for us. Thank you for the work ethic and high standards you taught us. We wish so much the COVID restrictions were not in place, and we could have had hugs and dinners again. It wasn’t to be.
Rest in peace Mom. Love you forever. Say hi to Dad.
Grazie mamma, per averci amato e cresciuto, grazie per i valori che ci hai trasmesso. Addio mamma, resterai sempre nel nostro cuore. Lo sappiamo che Dio ti ha nelle sue braccia, noi nel nostro cuore. Saluti e abbracci a papa.
A private service was held at Assman’s funeral Chapel on Sunday, January 24th at 2:00 pm. Entombment will follow on Saturday, January 30th, at Oceanview Mausoleum in Burnaby at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer Society would be appreciated.
August 13, 1936December 18, 2020
On December 18, 2020 Elton left those he loves here in this life to join the love of his life, Ruby, on their next adventure.
We are so sad to say goodbye to one of the most generous and hardest working men we will ever know.
Elton was born in Sterling, Saskatchewan on August 13th, 1936.
Eventually moving to the Creston area in his young years and then growing up Elton took great pride in making his living in construction and road building through his life. This was also where he met and married Ruby Hallgren. Married for almost 63 years, they raised a family of 7 children, starting in the Kooteneys and eventually making Prince George their home. While not always easy, Elton always did what he had to, to make sure everyone was looked after.In Ruby’s last years and with her health deteriorating, Elton stepped up and came to be Ruby’s sole caretaker. Looking after the woman he loved after she spent so many years looking after him,as true partners do. In Elton’s last years,after Ruby passed away, and even in his very last days, that was what was most important to him, giving or doing whatever he could for those he loved.
Elton will be missed by everyone that understood the man he was. The ones who hold him in their memories and in their hearts. Those in his family, his friends, his poker buddies, the ladies at his and Ruby’s favourite coffee/lunch stop, and especially by his special companion Lexie who spent her days with him,getting spoiled by him, laying right next to his bed. After Ruby’s passing, the days were lonely and Lexie was there to make the days a little less lonely and never left his side,right up until the end.....she was his baby and he will be sadly missed by his 4 legged friend.
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Dr Higgins, Dr. Sainchuk, Dr Wankling and all the staff in ambulatory care for the incredible care you provided Elton. Although he never really liked coming in for his treatments he always looked forward to coming in to see “his girls” and always went on about how well they treated him. We would also like to thank Candace, Penny and Fay at PGHH for being such incredible people in doing what you do the way you do. There is no amount of gratitude we could possibly show for the compassion you provided Elton. Due to covid there will be no gathering at this time. Elton will be honoured by family and friends with a Celebration of Life later this summer as restrictions change. Date to be announced early summer.
February 2, 1933January 18, 2021
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Margaret Mero on Monday, January 18, 2021.
Margaret is survived by her children Liane (Bill) Kimmie, Bill (Barb) Mero, Becky (Dale) Hoskyn, John (Rosalyn) Mero, Alana Mero, Bob (Carli) Mero, Andrina (Gerry) Wessel, Melinda (Richard) Davis, Myra Mero (Cameron McIntyre), sister Betty Gray, brothers Don Parminter and David Parminter, 17 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and many close family friends.
Margaret was predeceased by her husband, Bill Mero (Feb. 2019), her infant son Michael (1962), daughter Dawn (2014), great-grandson Zack Lawlor (2008), her parents John and Greta Parminter, brothers Jack Parminter, Bill Parminter, sisters Barbara Parminter and Roberta Rines.
Margaret was born in Williams Lake BC, spent her early years in Horsefly and the family moved to Quesnel in 1942 where she met Bill December 1949. They were married September 1950 and after a brief sojourn in Ontario they and their growing family returned to BC. They lived in Quesnel, Anahim Lake and Prince George. Margaret kept busy with her family; the focal point of her life. Once Bill retired, they explored self-employment with an Aiko store, cooking for mushroom pickers in Northern BC followed by operating Marg’s TakeAway in Anahim Lake for 10 years. Following these adventures, they started travelling and enjoyed many international trips, making friends wherever they stopped, enjoying all the world had to offer in cuisine, experiences and friendships. Favourite destinations included Inuvik, Australia and Puerto Vallarta.
A Celebration of Life for Margaret will be held when gatherings are allowed again.
Donations in Margaret’s memory may be made to the Spirit of The North Healthcare Foundation, 1475 Edmonton St Prince George BC V2M 1S2.
MELANIE SUNDUK
2x42.8
PGC002125
April28,1931-January10,2021
Itiswithgreatsadnessandheavyheartsthatweshare thepassingofourlovelyGraceatJubileeLodge,Prince GeorgeBC.
SheleavesbehindherlovingdaughtersMelanie, Leslie(Garry),andgrandsonsKelly,Christopher,Scott andAdam.GraceleftustojoinherhusbandJohn,son BradandgrandsonDale.
Wemissyouandwillalwaysloveyou.
OurheartfeltthanksgoestothestaffatJubileeLodgefor yourcareandcompassionwithGrace.
1938 - 2021
It is with great sadness we announce the passing of George Shanner. Born in Estevan, Sask. April 15, 1938. Passed away in Prince George, B.C. Jan 21, 2021.
Husband of Betty, father of Marty (Dee-Brady & Darcee) stepfather to Shelley (Marvin-Crystal), Ron (Sue-Alysha), Don (Vickie-Katie, Brittany & Dallas), Ray (KathyDevon & Delaney) Shane (Amber & Nikita), Sherrey (Jason- Damon & Shae).
George was predeceased by his youngest son Dexter, parents, five brothers and one sister as well as a very special nephew. No funeral by George’s request. Donations can be made in George’s name to your favourite charity.
Feb 2, 1946 - Jan 19, 2021
It is with great sadness we announce the sudden passing of Harold Milum with his family by his side. Harold is survived by his wife Paula, sons Mike (Stephanie) and Chris (Tania DaSilva), and the loves of his life, his 3 grandchildren Julianna, Hunter, and Gabriel. He is also survived by his brothers and sisters Paul (Lynn), Joan (Keith), Barb (Del), Al (Gil), Carol (Bob), John (Judy), Bruce (Karen), Iris (Rocky), and Dennis, many nieces, nephews, extended family and good friends. Harold was well known for his big heart and infectious laugh that touched anyone who ever met him…and who could forget the infamous moustache! No service by his request, but will be a Celebration when Covid subsides. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Ronald McDonald House.
GORDON JOHNSON
2x49.8 PGC002128
It’swithgreatsorrowandsadnessweannouncepassing ofourMother,Grandmother,andGreatGrandmother.
MomhasleftustogoandjoinDadsotheycanbe togetheragain.I’mpositivebothhergrandsonsBlaine andKylewillbewaitingwithopenarms.Aswillher parentsRussellandEthelTurnbull,brothersRodney (Bud)andDonTurnbull.
WeloveyouMom
Gordon,Wendy Elisa,Mike,Ryder,Carter Ryan,Nicole,Taylor,Hannah,Kiley
EBERHERR,Helen
November04,1942-January16,2021
Itiswithprofoundsadnessthatourfamilyannouncesthe passingofHelenEberherr(Baumgarten)attheageof78 afterbattlingcovid-19.Helenwillbegreatlymissedbyher children,Kevin,TracyGlaicar(Jim),andTrevor(Valerie); hergrandchildren,Bailey,Brooke,Shaylene,Shelby,and Xavier;hersisterHilda;hersister-in-law,Irvena;andher manynieces,nephews,cousins,andfriends.Helenjoins herrecentlydeceasedhusbandof54years,John;her sisters,Kathy,Rose,andIrene;herbrothers,Frankand George;andherparents,MatildaSchikowskyandJoseph Baumgarten.
HelenwasbornandraisedinKelownaandmovedto PrinceGeorgetoworkattheRoyalBankattheageof23. ShemetJohnshortlyaftermovingtotheareaandwithin sixmonthsofmeeting,theyweremarried-itwasloveat firstsight.HelenandJohnthenwelcomedtheirthree children,andHelenworkedasastay-at-homemom.
Helenlovedherfamilyimmenselyandwasoftenfound spendingtimewithhergrandchildrenafterschool.Helen lovedtoscrap-book,playdice,andswimintheirindoor poolorattheirfamilylakepropertyatBednesti.Helen alsoenjoyedspendingtimewithherchurchgroupand recentlyplayedanactiveroleintheNorthCentralSeniors andtheCollegeHeightsSeniorHousingAssociation.
Mario (Joe) Niro 1937-2020
Joe was born March 19, 1937 and passed away December 24, 2020 with his wife, Myrna and daughter, Crystal by his side. Survived by son, Michele Niro (Lou) of MacKenzie, B.C. daughter, Crystal Niro (Rob) of Prince George, B.C., numerous nieces and nephews, and grandchildren Kiera, Taylor, Gage, Brian and Erik.
Joe was born in Vancouver, B.C. to parents Michele and Maria Niro. He was the youngest of four children also deceased; Ada Turgeon (Prince George, B.C.), Frances Niro (Kamloops B.C.) 2019, Ester Grant (Delta B.C.) 2020.
Joe worked in the pulp mill industry most of his life. In Woodfibre , Ocean Falls , Prince Albert. Sask , Prince Rupert and Mackenzie, B.C.
He could build anything and took great pride in everything he did from building the house of our dreams, other people’s homes, boats, and renovations.
He was also an avid fisherman and hunter and made the best moose pepperoni and sausage ever.
In 1957 he saw me and a girlfriend walking across the Burrard Bridge in Vancouver, B.C. and told his buddy “That’s the girl I’m going to marry!” and the rest is history.
A celebration of life will be announced at a later date.
Forever in our hearts.
Sylvia Garber (G-Ma)
December 4, 1941January 18, 2021
Sylvia passed away peacefully with family at her side. Sylvia had a love for family, traveling, shopping, the casino and never said no to a good campfire. She had the kindest heart, most beautiful soul, and the ability to always see the best in people.
Sylvia is survived by her sisters, Mary (Glenn), Linda (Brian), children Garry (Theresa), Karen, Barry (Sheryll), Rosanne (John), grandchildren: Russell (Angela), Teresa (Ken), Jamie, Krystal, Jeffery, Danielle (Jay), Ashley, Brandon; Amy (Alex), Lea (Cody), Kleo, great grandchildren: Damian, Ryley, Logan, Rider, Kato (Britt), Rhymond, and Jetson.
She also had a great love for the families’ fur kids and we are happy to know she has been reunited with Yogi and Missy.
Sylvia was predeceased by her parents: Martha and Henry, husband Russell, children Patricia, David, Dianne and brother Russel.
A Celebration of Sylvia’s life will be held at a later date.
OurfamilyextendsahugethankyoutoallofthehealthcareworkersatUHNBCthathelpedourmom/granny.We willforeverrememberthekindnessandcompassionyou allhadtowardsus.InHelen’smemory,weaskpeopleto bevigilantwiththisdeadlyvirus.Pleasecontinueto sanitizeyourhands,wearyourmask,andpracticesocial distancing.Thisvirusisunforgiving;ittookourdad/ grandpaandmom/grannywithindaysofoneanotherand wedonotwishanyoneelsetohavetoexperiencethis kindofloss.
We cannot thank the staff at the Prince George Hospice House enough, thank you for all that you do! In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Prince George Hospice Society.
WE LOVE YOU G-Ma, REST EASY
Helen Anderson
May 24, 1923January 23, 2021
With sadness in our hearts we announce the passing of Helen Anderson.
Despite the many adversities she endured in her youth, she led an incredible life due to her strength, her faith, her family and her many wonderful friends.
Helen had a generous heart and many will remember her for the very gifted seamstress she was, her angelic voice and her love for baking.
Left to cherish her memory is her son Del (Denise), daughters Diane (Rick), Darlene (Larry), grandchildren Tamara, Tannis (Doug), Treena (Simon), Trent (Denise), Rowena (Sarvi), and 9 great grandchildren who loved her dearly. She will also be remembered by her younger siblings Andy and Edna along with numerous nieces and nephews. Helen was predeceased by her husband Sam and many brothers and sisters.
Helen’s home for the last 4 years was Laurier Manor where she lived a happy life and made many friends. She was comfortable, content and received excellent care.
The family would like to sincerely thank Dr. Ahmed and the Prince George Hospice House for their outstanding care in her final days.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease, I shall possess, within the veil, A life of joy and peace.
1943 - 2021
It’s with heavy hearts we announce the passing of Merle Marit Metzler at the age of 78, on January 14, at Prince George, BC. She was predeceased by her husband Robert and son Desmond. She will be lovingly remembered by her children Cathy (Luca), Wendy, Kim (Marie), Dennis (Tania) and Krista (Phil), sisters Laura (Robin), Dawn (Vince) and Robin, 7 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date due to Covid-19 safety measures.
Donations in Merle’s name may be made to Prince George Hospice Society.
The family wishes to send a special thank you to the amazing staff at Prince George Hospice for their exceptional care and compassion during Merle’s stay.
This is a Thank you to those who supported, guided and watched over Murray Bleich, who moved on in his journey, Sunday Januray 3rd, 2021. We started this chapter of my Dad’s life knowing it was going to be up hill but kept the doors open to any and all treatments from different beliefs and education but all of these men and women gave it their best effort as did my Dad and I know he would want to thank you for all for ever ything you did for him.
Dr Neil McKinney Bsc ND, Dr. Andrew Eberding Msc ND, Dr. Ruth Powell MD Oncolog y, Dr. Linda Wilson MD Oncolog y, Dr. George Youseff MD, Dr. Kalen Geddes MD Thank you!
To the nurses and support staff at the BC Cancer Centre for the North, thank you for your care and attention to my fathers needs.
Thank you to the kind and loving nurses and support staff of the Rotary Hospice House.
To all the amazing nurses and support staff with Homecare Your kindness and compassion to my father was truly incredible
To the Canadian Red Cross and staff for the availability of lending equipment to help in the day to day needs of living with an illness
And last but certainly not least to all the professionals and support staff of the University of Northern British Columbia Hospital. Your hard work during this time of uncertainty is a bright light admist the darkness Murray faced during his illness. My father reached out to many of you and you were there and for that we are eternally grateful Thank you!
NWCDC PHYSIOTHERAPIST
LocatedinVanderhoof. Full-timepermanent positiontostartassoon aspossible.Relocation fundsavailable.Forfull descriptionofthe positionpleasevisit www.nwcdc.ca.Applyto hr@nwcdc.ca.
NWCDCSPEECHAND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
Thisisatemporaryfull time(35hours/week) positiontostartFebruary 1,2021,tillMarch1, 2022. ParentalLeaveCoverage. RelocationFunds Available. hr@nwcdc.ca www.nwcdc.ca
Pittman Asphalt, par t of the Terus Construction Ltd. group, is hiring for its Prince George operations. Terus Construction Ltd. is a leader in the construction industr y in British Columbia.
Paving Superintendent
How to write a classified ad that works.
• Responsible for implementation and operation of paving projects, including initial mobilization and set up of construction sites, scheduling and progress estimates.
• Obtain and allocate equipment, materials and human resources.
• Ensure compliance with company safety program, policies and procedures.
• Delegate responsibility and authority for planning and overseeing work to foremen
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.
• Minimum 5-10 years’ experience in roads and highway construction required
Projec t Coordinator
• Obtain, review and interpret tender documents
• Project estimating responsibilities including maintaining tendered and negotiated changes
• Coordinate sub -contractors, materials and other resources necessar y.
• 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
• Limit abbreviations
Use only standard abbreviations to avoid confusion and misinterpretations.
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.
• Ensure quality controls are in place and are followed.
• Establish good relationships with the team, the client and internal or external resources.
• Minimum 2 – 3 years of experience in construction operations estimating or equivalent.
• Strong computer sk ills and use of estimating software.
To submit your resume, please visit our website www.terusconstruction.ca, or email to pittman@ycs.bc.ca
Pittman Asphalt would like to thank all applicants for submitting their resume However, only applicants selected to be interviewed will be contacted.
To place your ad call: 604-630-3300 Writing an effective classified ad is easy when you use these time-tested principles.
To advertise, call 250-562-6666 or email cls@pgcitizen.ca
To place your ad call: 604-630-3300
AVON COLLECTIBLES, Valued $3600, asking $1500. 250-6171934
&
LOT Of 45 records $5 - $20 each, also Christmas LPs $10-20. 778-675-4716
COLLECTOR PURCHASING COINS & COIN COLLECTIONS! BUYING OLD COINS, ROLLS OF COINS, BANK BAGS OF COINS, RARE COINS, COLLECTOR COINS, OLYMPIC COINS, OLD PAPER MONEY, PRE 1968 COINS, ROYAL CANADIAN MINT COINS, US MINT, COLLECTIONS +. WANTED CANADA, USA & WORLD COLLECTIONS! “TODD THE COIN GUY” 250 864 3521
$27,900 obo. 596-5434 1998 FORD F250 Diesel w/ plow. Exc. cond. $10,000. 250-3980720 1977 FORD 1 ton, renovated, $2500. 250-306-2292
Take notice that Global Union Investment Group from Vancouver, BC, has applied to the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD), Omineca Region, for a Crown Grant for Residential Development purposes situated on Provincial Crown land located in the vicinity of Pilot Mountain.
The Lands File for this application is 7408246. Written comments concerning this application should be directed to Tricia Klein, Land Officer, Omineca Region, FLNRORD, at 5th Floor 499 George Street, Prince George, BC V2L 1R5, or Tricia.Klein@gov.bc.ca Comments will be received by FLNRORD up to March 15, 2021 FLNRORD may not be able to consider comments received after this date Please visit the website at https://comment.nrs.gov.bc.ca/applications more information
Be advised that any response to this advertisement will be considered part of the public record Access to these records requires the submission of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Visit http://www.gov.bc.ca/freedomofinformation to learn more about FOI submissions
PROPOSED STRUCTURE: As par t of the public consultation process required by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), TELUS is inviting the public to comment on a proposed telecommunications facility consisting of a 63.1-meter tall self-suppor t tower and ancillar y radio equipment situated on private land near Chief Lake in the Regional Distric t of Fraser-For t George
COORDINATES: 54.098024, -122.987908
ANY PERSON may comment by close of business day on March 1st, 2021 with respect to this matter.
TELUS CONTACT: Further information can be obtained by contacting: Brian Gregg, SitePath Consulting Ltd 2528 Alber ta Street, Vancouver, BC V5Y 3L1
Email: briangregg@sitepathconsulting.com
Mike &Erica Browne are thrilled to announce arrivalof their beautiful bab Nath Happy Birthday!
Bobby Erickson wants all his friendsto kno he made itto the
Manyofushave had to spend moretime at home. Thefunds we wouldnormally spend on travel and entertainmenthave beenput into adding valuetoour homes and improving our family’squalityoflife.
BeginNOW
If you arehoping to have any kind of home improvement work done this summer, especiallyfencing and/ordecking. Youwill want to start with your plan. Which includes design and budget, DIY or hireapro likePACEPropertyMaintenance, quotes, reading and signing contracts,insurance, liens permits and warranties. When hiring yourhome improvementspecialist,rememberthatyouwillneedtocommunicateandbewithinclose proximityof themandtheirstafffrom1to4weeksonsmalljobsand3-6monthsonlarger projects. Areyou comfortable with people in your space?
Beginning to plan for yoursumer renovations now willensurethatyou haveacontractor linedup.Thereisnothingworsethandecidingyouwanttostartthosehomeimprovements onlytofind thatthe contractor of your choice is bookedfor the foreseeable furniture. At PACE,wearealwaysaskthatourclientsbookus3-4weeksinadvancefordecking,fencing, and shed building projects and alittle moreleadtime for some of the larger projects.
DIY?Get your supplies orderednow.Especially doorsand windows or custom made fittingsfor any of your projects. Frenchsyle patio doors forinstance, will take6weeksto arrive.When calculating the time of the jobadd 20%,when considering cost add 10-15% Oftenoverlookedishavingtherighttoolsforthejob.Propertools,sharpenedblades,and, knowledgeofthe tools goesa verylongway in helping to makethe job look great, feel greatand last along time.
Thereisnothing likethe last clean-up on your home improvement project. Thesense of accomplishment and the, with the righthome improvement company,thatsense of goodness and enjoyment foryears to come.So,BEGINNOW!
Whether you just bought a fixer-upper or areupgradingyourhome,avoidingrenovationmistakeswillsaveyoutimeandmoney
Here are four rules to follow that will ensureyournextprojectgoessmoothly
1. HAVE A PLAN
Taking the time to plan your project will save you time and money in the long run. Makealistofeveryimprovementyouwant tomake,decideontheorderinwhichthey
should be completed and then establish a timelineandbudget.
2. EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
Moreoftenthannot,you’llencounterunexpected issues when renovating your home. Always allow yourself more time and money than you think you’ll need. This way, unforeseen complications are less likely to delaycompletion.
3. MAKE ROOM IN THE BUDGET
Whether you’re completing the work yourself or hiring contractors, you should allow for a contingency of at least 15 per cent and ideally 25 per cent. The additional funds will allow you to deal withunexpectedproblems.
4. DON’T DIY EVERYTHING
Trying to do everything yourself can be overwhelming. More importantly, some things need to bedonebyprofessionals,no matter how handy you are. This includes structural as wellaselectricalwork.
By following these tips, you’ll avoid making mistakes and help ensure that your next home improvementprojectgoessmoothly
Your roof is an integral part of your homeandplaysabigroleinshielding youandyourlovedonesfromtheelements. Though roofs last a long time, they must be inspected regularly and repairedasneeded.
So, how often should you inspect yourroof?
Most contractors recommend checkingittwiceayear;onceinthespring and once in the fall. However, if you’re not comfortable climbing on top of your house, it’s best to hire a professionalroofertoperformtheinspection.
Somethingstolookforare:
•Softspots
•Shinglesthatarelooseorcurling
•Loosematerialaroundthechimney
•Anythingprotrudingfromtheroof
•Largeamountsofshinglegranules inthegutters
Biannual inspections are crucial, but they aren’t the only time your roof should be given attention. Be sure to also visually check them after big storms, especially those with heavy precipitationandstrongwinds.
Your roof’s lifespan depends on its material. Slate, copper and tile roofs can last for up to 50 years, while wood shake roofs last for 30 and cement tiles have a lifespan of 25 years. Asphalt shingles will typically last around 20 years.
Paintingcanbeamessy,time-consuming task While some homeowners are capable of doing the job themselves, many choosetohireprofessionalsinstead Here arethreereasonsyoushoulddothesame
1. TO SAVE TIME
Experienced contractors can complete painting jobs quicker than the average homeowner. Not only will you avoid squandering your own time, but the job itself will be completed faster than you expect
2. TO GET GREAT RESULTS
Professional painters take pride in their workanddofarmorethanjustapplythe requiredcolour.Theyalsopreparewalls, repairsmallimperfectionsandmakecertaintoproperlysetupthearea.Following thesestepsensuresthattheresultsareas closetoperfectaspossible.
3. TO AVOID MISTAKES
Many people fail to realize that different roomsrequire distinct typesofpaint and that special brushes and rollers are needed in certain situations. Professionals are fully aware of these things and also have all the necessary drop sheets, pans and other equipment.
Aprohousepainterisakey ally when it comes to refreshing your home Not only do they have the skills neededtodoagreatjob,but they’ll also make sure the workisdoneright.
It’s no secret that renovating can be expensive. Here are some simple ways tosave.
1. PLAN CAREFULLY
It’s best to have a detailed plan before you renovate. This will help you see where you can cut expenses, allow you to stay on budget and ensure that the workgetsdonequicklyandefficiently.
2. CHOOSE THE RIGHT CONTRACTOR
Hire people that come with the best recommendations and who provide you with a detailed estimate, even if they charge more than some competitors. A contractor who quotes a cheaper price thaneveryoneelsemaynotbereliable.
3. DO SOME OF THE WORK YOURSELF
What you can contribute to the project willdependonyourabilities.Somemay be comfortable tiling a backsplash or painting walls themselves. Others might prefertosimplycleanupafter Everybit helpstokeepcostsdown.
4. GIVE OLD ITEMS A SECOND LIFE
You can save money by reusing and repurposing materials you already have
at home and buying some items second hand. In addition, hardware stores now offer recycled paint, which is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than newpaint.
5. SELL OLD MATERIALS
In addition, be sure to recoup some of your losses by selling old materials. Recycling centres often pay for copper and otherscrapmetal,andotheritemscanbe soldatyardsalesoronline.
Finally, make sure any contractors you hire are fully certified and insured. Otherwise, you’ll be liable for any accidents and damages that occur during the renovations, which is likely to wreck yourbudget.
Thougheveryhomerenovationisdifferent, here’s an overview of the key steps these projectstypicallyinvolve.
1.List all renovations. Prioritize repairs that are functional such as replacing faulty wiring or fixing the roof over those that are mostly cosmetic, like upgradingthekitchen.
2.Decideonabudget Youmaydecidetofocusonsomeprojectsratherthanothers or to change some ideas based on your budget
3.Hire professionals. For major overhauls, it’s a good idea to work with a designer, architect or general contractor whowillmanagetheprojectforyou.Alternatively, you can hire contractors as you need them and manage the workon yourown.
4.Contact the city. Depending on where you live and the work you’re doing, you mayneedtoobtainpermits.
5.Call your insurer. In order for your home to remain insured, you’ll need to alertyourproviderbeforeyoustartrenovating You’ll likely require additional protectionforyourhomewhileit’sunder construction
6.Shopformaterials.It’sbesttohaveallof thesuppliesandmaterialsyouneedonhand beforestartingyourrenovationproject.
Should
If you plan to renovate your home, you may be wondering if you need to hire an architect. While in some cases a designer or a contractor is the only pro required, other times, further expertise is vital. Here’swhenyoushouldhireanarchitect
YOU’RE NOT SURE WHAT YOU WANT
Do you want to change the layout of a room but aren’t sure how? If so, an architect can help you sort out your needs and preferences and come upwithadesignforthe spaceyou’lllove.
YOU’RE MAKING MAJOR CHANGES
If your renovation dreams include taking down a wall or creating an entirely new space, you need an architect They’ll ensure that your home remains structurally sound and help you obtaintheproperpermits.
YOU NEED HELP MANAGING THE PROJECT
Some people don’t havethetimeorexper-
7.Createatimeline.Alongwithwhoever is overseeing the project, plan how long eachstepoftherenovationwilltakeand theexpectedenddate
8.Keep things moving. During the renovation,touchbasewithyourprojectmanager regularly to make sure things are ontrack.
9.Inspect the finished work. Before making the final payment, make sure that all the work is completed to your satisfaction.
Afterward, remember to alert your insurance company of all changes that have been made to your home, as you may requiremorecoverageorevengetadiscount, dependingontheworkcompleted
tise to oversee a project. In this case, you canhireanarchitecttomakesuretherenovation goes according to plan, from start to finish.
While smaller renovations don’t necessarily need the expertise of an architect, you’ll never regret hiring one for larger projects.
5 signs it’s time to replace your windows
Do your windows need to be replaced? Herearefivesignsthatindicate it’stime foranupgrade.
1.There’s a noticeable draft. Even on cold, windy days, you shouldn’t feel any air coming in through your windows.
2.There’s lots of outside noise. If you can hear each car that drives by and every child playing in the street, your windowsprobablyneedtobeupdated.
3.The frames leak or are damaged. Chippedorsoftwoodaroundyourwin-
dowsisanindicatorofirreversiblewaterdamage.
4.They’re difficult to open or close. Windows should be simple to open and close and they should lock easily andsecurely
5.There’s condensation. Condensation between windowpanes suggests there’s a broken seal. If the seal is broken, any gasthatprovidedinsulationisgone.
If you notice one or more of these signs it’s time to invest in new windows for yourhome.
Insulation keeps your basement warm in the winter, cool in the summer and dryall year long. But because it’s underground,youcan’tapproachinsulating this area the same way you would the rest of the house. Here’s what you shouldknow.
EXTERIOR OR INTERIOR?
If you’re building a new home, insulating the exterior of the basement walls is preferable. Exterior insulation preventsheatloss,inhibitsmoistureinfiltration and takes up less space inside the house.
On an existing home, however, insulating the foundation is impractical and very expensive. Insulating behind the drywall provides similar heat retention and moisture inhibition. However, it does take up more room, which may be a consideration for people with smallerbasements.
Themostcommonlyusedtypesofinsulation in basements are foam board, fibreglass and spray foam. Fibreglass is inexpensive but can settle and doesn’t protectfrommoisture.Sprayfoamisthe most expensive type but can be used almost anywhere and, if properly installed, is water and air proof.Foamboardis theeasiesttoinstall
An uninsulated basement can be overly cold in the winter,toohotinthe summeranduncomfortably damp yearround. By insulatingthespace,you’ll lower your energy bills and make it a more comfortable part of yourhome.
Are you thinking about upgrading your stove?Ifso,herearesomethingstoconsiderbeforechoosinganewrange.
If you’re not completely renovating your kitchen, you’ll need to purchase a range thatfitsintotheavailablespace.On theother hand, a renovation means that you havemoreoptions.Perhapsaseparate cooktop and oven would be a good option? In either case, you need to know how much room you’ll have for your newappliance
Someone who doesn’t cook much may be happy with a basic range, but those who love to create in the kitchen will probably prefer a gas model.Alternatively, a parent may appreciate an induction stove, which works quickly but doesn’t get hot to the touch.
YOUR KITCHEN’S STYLE
A sleek, stainless steel range is well
suitedtoamodernkitchen,whileawhite enamel one complements a more traditional esthetic. If you have the budget for it, you can also order a custom range in a colour of your choice.
No matter what type of range you select, be sure to opt for one with an Energy Starlabel.Thiscertificationguarantees that your new cooker is energy efficient and eco-friendly.
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
4,000 sq ft Restaurant space located in the Marriott Courtyard, Prince George’snewest full service Hotel 5152 AIRPORT
100’ x120’ modern airport hanger.Includes office, board room and living quarters. Direct access to runway.More details available. MLS #C8027895
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
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
Welcomehome!Thishome is amust see situated in apark like setting in the exclusive ValleyviewSubdivision. All the benefits of rancher living butwith afull basement as well. Thelaundry,bedrooms, kitchen, 3bathrooms, dining and living room are on the main. Theliving room andmaster suite openonto a massive 20’X 50’deck andultra private back yard. Downstairs you will find aspacioustheater room, arec room, as well as afun in homehockey arena!Additionally,downstairs, you will find alarge cold room and plentiful storage.Hugesemi-detached garage whichallowsfor lots of room to workinthis spacious shop, wired and ready for welders out there. Theyard is beautifully landscapedoffering an underground sprinkler system. Updates include the main bathrooms upstairs with new tub, sinks,toilets, and vanity,new countertops and much more. This homeisideal for family gatherings insideand out or an oasis awayfrom the city.Check out the virtual tour.(25139478)
How to update your kitchen on a budget
Is your kitchen looking a little dated? Do youlongforanewcookingspace,butlack thebudget?Ifso,herearesomeaffordable waystorevitalizethisroom.
•Apply some paint. A fresh coat of colouronthewallsisaneasywaytorefresh
atiredlookingspace.Or,ifyourcabinets are in good condition, consider giving them a facelift by painting the doors and frames.
•Useopenshelving.Newcabinetsareexpensiveandmaynotbenecessary Make yourspacemoremodernandinvitingby removing one or more of the upper cabinets and replacing them with open shelves.
• Upgrade the countertops. Natural stone and quartzcountertopsaren’t exactly budget-friendly, but there are lots of options that mimic the look without the high cost.Think high-end laminateortile.
• Update the hardware. New pulls, handles and knobs can makeabigimpact.This isasimpleandinexpensiveupgradethatcanbe done in less than an hour
The kitchen is often the heart of a home, so make yours a place you love tobe.
3
Though the plumbing components in your home can work for years at a time withoutfail,theydohavealimitedlifespan. Here are three signs it may be time toupdateyours.
Water that’s brown, yellow or otherwise tinted is usually cause for concern. It could indicate that there’s corrosion in the pipes.When this happens, minerals build up and cause pressure, which in turncancausethepipestoburst.
2.
Modern plumbing systems use PVC,
copperorbrasspipes.Olderhousesusually havepipesmadeofgalvanizedsteel,cast iron or lead. Each material has a limited lifespan
Copper can last up to 80 years. Brass, cast iron and galvanized steel, however, maybegoodforupto100years.Modern PVC pipes will hold for a maximum of 45years.
If the pipes have outlasted their natural lifespan,it’stimetoreplacethem.
If you detect a foul odour coming from your tap, it could indicate that there is mould or mildew inside the pipes or in the wall around the plumbing. Not onlyisthisunpleasant,but itcouldposeahealthrisk.
If your home is at least 60 years old, there’s a good chance that some of your pipes are exposed. If so, take a look at them regularly If you spot any flakes, bumps or other signsofdamage,itmaybe time to have the whole system inspected by a plumber.
In many homes, the kitchen gets the most traffic. Consequently, an issue in this room is likely to be acutely felt Here are two common kitchen problems and some tipsonhowyoucan solvethem.
1. NOT ENOUGH STORAGE
Theidealwaytoapproach this issue is to entirely remodel your kitchen and thereby create the spaceandstorageyouneed.However,if thisisn’tcurrently feasible, you should consider implementing one or more workarounds.
makes it hard to prepare meals and keeptheroomtidy Onesolutiontothis problem,ifyouhavethespaceforit,is to install an island. Alternatively, you can buy a small cart that will give you moresurfaceareatoworkwith.
For example, you can add hooks under the cabinets to store mugs and thereby free some precious cabinet space. Or, youmightwanttoinvestinaprofessional storage system with racks and drawer dividers to make the most out ofthespaceyou’vegot.
2. NOT ENOUGH COUNTER SPACE
Not having enough counter space
Freeing up the counter space you have is also essential. Be sure to stow your toaster, coffee maker and other appliances in your cabinets when they’re notinuse.
Once your kitchen problems are solved,you’llbesurprisedjusthowmuch betterthewholehousewillrun.
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