PRINCE GEORGE
Three days after a crew of volunteers cleaned up a spot across from the Foothill landfill, the site was no better than it was before the effort.
LITTER UPSETS CLEANUP VOLUNTEER
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Residents are being asked to make sure their loads are secure after an effort to clean up litter near the Foothills landfill during the spring cleanup proved more trouble than it was worth for some Prince George residents.
Scott Nelson, his wife and his mother spent about four hours on Sunday picking up trash on the southeast corner of the intersection of Foothills and Austin, right across from the landfill - only to see the site back to its litter-strewn state just 48 hours later.
He sent the Citizen photos of what the area looked like just after they finished the job - litter free - and one of how it looked
by Tuesday On Wednesday, the spot remained just as bad, with plastic bags and other debris thoroughly dotting the area.
“Honestly, just speaking for myself, I’m more than a bit upset that I essentially wasted my time,” Nelson said
Renee McCloskey, spokeswoman for the Fraser-Fort George Regional District, which operates the landfill, said the FFGRD appreciates the efforts volunteers put in during the cleanup, “especially those who volunteered near our landfill.”
As for the litter, McCloskey said cleaning it up in and around the FFGRD’s facilities is a “high priority and we have additional staff during this time of year to take care of litter revealed by the snow melting Unfortunately, gusty winds aren’t our friend.”
She added that a rule requiring loads to
be secured remains in force seven years after it was first put into place.
“While this has reduced many of the issues related to the transport of unsecured waste, when there are windy days and periods of extremely high volumes of traffic, such as we experienced over the last few weekends, you are unfortunately going to still have some challenges with litter,” McCloskey said.
She went on to say that landfills and transfer stations are extremely busy this time of year.
“After a long winter, people are keen to clean up their yards and do some spring cleaning around the house. Over the past couple weekends, there have been long lines and wait times to access our facilities,” McCloskey said.
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The City of Prince George has taken issue with the claims set out in a lawsuit filed by two local businesses over a gravel mining operation southwest of Foothills Boulevard and North Nechako Road.
In a notice of claim filed in February, Rock’n’Roll Aggregates Ltd. and Rolling Mix Concrete (B.C.) Ltd. allege the city overreached its authority when it issued a stop work order in October 2020 and are seeking to overturn a city bylaw that imposes a 100-metre setback Instead, they contend the work should instead be subject to the B.C. Mines Act, which they say allows a five-metre setback.
However, in a response filed this month, the city says the stop work order was issued because the plaintiffs violated a notice of work issued by the B.C. inspector of mines which, in part, restricted excavation to no closer than 30 metres of the nearest home.
The city claims the setback was violated when the plaintiffs carried out road-building activity that was also “not proposed or envisioned” in the notice of work It says the permit was secured on the basis of existing road access and that the gravel was to be loaded into highway trucks. The city also claims the notice was contravened because the plaintiffs failed to install a proper berm completely around the site.
The claims have not yet been tested in court.
MARK NIELSEN
MARK NIELSEN
CITIZEN STAFF
HOMICIDE UNIT WINS COUNCIL SUPPORT
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Prince George city council voted unanimously to join a campaign to form a special police unit dedicated solely to solving murders in Northern B.C.
It would work like the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team that’s been operating in the Lower Mainland for years Along with homicides, IHIT also investigate suspicious deaths and missing persons cases where foul play is suspected.
Coun Brian Skakun said Prince George RCMP Supt. Shawn Wright first raised the idea in March when he met with council’s standing committee on intergovernmental resolutions.
He said the local detachment typically assigns six to eight members to investigate homicides each year.
“If we can get this team off the ground, then our local detachment would be able to free up other members to cover other duties,” Skakun said.
The team would also represent a cost savings for Prince George. While the city covers 90 per cent of the cost of running the Prince George RCMP detachment, the share would decline to 70 per cent with the federal government picking up the rest of the tab under the model now used in the Lower Mainland.
Municipalities with populations less than 15,000 pay 70 per cent of their policing costs.
“There’s a provincial homicide team in the North and then the larger municipalities deal with these investigations on their own, so everything’s kind of siloed,” Wright told council. “So this would really be pooling the resources to enhance both capacity for investigations and perhaps the opportunity to reduce those costs to the 70-30 cost-sharing model.”
Coun. Cori Ramsay said the smaller municipalities could raise a concern that they could see their costs rise as a result and that some advocacy work would have to be done to bring them on board
Wright said he understands that councils in Fort St. John, Prince Rupert and Terrace have signed letters of support for the move and several other communities will be
submitting letters as well.
Coun. Garth Frizzell noted the RCMP has suggested municipalities set aside up to two-and-a-half per cent of the policing budget as Mounties move to unionize and in light of that, suggested a separately-funded unit “could have more impact down the road.”
Council voted to send a letter of support to North District RCMP to pass on to the federal and provincial governments.
The move comes just days after the city saw its fourth homicide of the year (see related story below).
Police have said a man died in hospital on April 22 from injuries suffered in a 900-block Carney Street home that was also the scene of a drug seizure on Apr. 1.
RCMP puts clamp on drug trafficking Murder suspect faces charges
Street-level drug dealing suffered a blow as the Prince George RCMP’s downtown safety unit made several arrests and seized more than $7,000 worth of drugs over the course of 10 days last month.
On April 14, the unit responded to a call from someone who witnessed open drug use in the 1400-block of 9th Avenue and came across three people known to officers.
When they saw a hand-to-hand transaction, the officers moved in and arrested the trio
A subsequent search uncovered scales, containers, a phone, and a quantity of suspected fentanyl, valued at $3,500. Three days later, while patrolling in
an unmarked vehicle, officers arrested two people after spotting a hand-to-hand transaction at First Avenue and George Street.
$300 of suspected fentanyl was seized.
Then, on April 24, unit members pulled over a vehicle for a driving infraction at First and George.
The driver and passengers began to argue with police, who in turn arrested them for obstructing a peace officer
A search of the vehicle revealed quantities of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine, valued at $3,500, along with more than $1,500 cash, a replica firearm, pepper spray and a phone.
One of the arrestees was among those apprehended on April 14, RCMP added.
Fentanyl is considered particularly dangerous, RCMP said. because it is up to 100 times more potent than morphine and its effects can be unpredictable.
“Users have no idea the level of purity or the potency of what they take. When mixed with antidepressants, fentanyl is potentially lethal,” RCMP said.
All those arrested were released pending further investigation and charge approval.
RCMP urged the public to continue to notify the detachment of suspicious activity by calling 250-561-3300.
Tips can also be provided to the police anonymously through Northern B.C Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.northernbccrimestoppers.ca.
A man has been arrested and charged in relation to a homicide at a Pulp Mill Road home last month.
David MacLeod, 25, has been charged with one count of second-degree murder and two counts of attempt to commit murder, Prince George RCMP said Wednesday.
Second-degree murder implies the act was committed without planning and carries a minimum sentence of life in prison with no parole for 10 years.
RCMP said MacLeod was arrested shortly after police were called to the home during the early morning of April 10. MacLeod remains in custody
CLOSE CALL FOR RESIDENTS IN PARK
MARK NIELSEN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A trio of local residents can now be excused if they seem a little wary whenever they’re within range of a tree no matter where they may be.
Brendan Murphy, Darren Adams and Tim Gardner are all outdoor enthusiasts and are well aware of the dangers of walking through a forest during a high wind.
But when they gathered for a socially-distanced coffee at Paddle Wheel Park in mid-April, something very unexpected happened.
As they sat within the vicinity of three Cottonwood trees, Murphy began to hear creaking.
“It gradually became more pronounced which caused me to get up and look at it,” said Murphy, who was sitting closest to the trees. “Shortly before that, a small twig from near the top fell to the ground between the three of us.”
He also noticed the bark to crack open near the base of the middle tree and at that point suggested evasive action. It turned out to be for good reason as it toppled over and then crashed more or less where they had been sitting.
“I said to the others ‘this thing is gonna go’ and we picked up our chairs and ran, alerting others in the area,” Murphy said.
Neither Adams nor Gardner heard the cracking. But Adams said he noticed the
“I then looked up and saw the tree was coming over in my direction,” Adams said
NOTICE OF WAIVER OF PUBLIC HEARING
Zoning Bylaw No. 2892, Amendment Bylaw No. 3212, 2021
Notice is hereby given that the Regional District Boardhas waived the holding of a public hearing into Zoning Bylaw No. 2892, Amendment Bylaw No. 3212, 2021. The Regional District Boardwill consider third reading of Bylaw No. 3212 at its regular meeting scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 20, 2021 in the Regional District Board room located at 155 George Street, Prince George,BC.
The purpose of Bylaw No. 3212 is to rezone Lot 4District Lot 1564 Cariboo District Plan 916 from Rural 1(Ru1) to Rural 4(Ru4). The amendment is proposed to permit two Residential-Single Family uses on the subject propertyandotherpermittedusespursuantto the Ru4 zone. The subject property is located at9690GranbyRoad.
Acopy of the proposed Bylaw and any relevantbackgroundmaterialsareavailablefor review by the public on the Regional District’s website at http://www.rdffg.bc.ca/services/ development/land-use-planning/currentapplications/ (Electoral Area ‘D’) or at the Regional District office, by appointment only, Monday through Friday,8:00 am to 4:30 pm, between April 30 and May 20, 2021. To make anappointmentcontacttheRegionalDistrictat 250-960-4400 or at developmentservices@ rdffg.bc.ca
“I jumped up, grabbing for my chair and drone but missed my drone and had to take a step back to get it with only a couple seconds to spare,” Adams said.
Gardner said he worried he a large branch would hit him as the tree came down and had one hand over his head while he towed his lawn chair with the other
“I just wanted to get myself as far away from the trunk of the tree as it was falling as fast as I could,” he said.
Murphy suspects the tree’s demise had a lot to do with the expansion and contraction it was probably going through due to the overnight freezing and daytime heat typical of that time of year
At the time, temperatures were swinging from lows of about -3 C to highs of 20 C, according to Environment Canada online records.
Added to that, Murphy also noticed the tree was not in the best of health When he went over to check the aftermath, he found the core was “sawdust like” and “full of white larvae.”
“(The) only thing holding it together was the outer layers of bark,” Murphy said.
Adams had brought along a drone in hopes of getting a little video along the nearby Fraser River but nixed the idea when he learned it was a no fly zone.
The downed tree measures about 60 centimetres (two feet) in thickness and about 10 metres (33 feet) in length.
“(The) important thing for public to know is it came down in the absence of wind,” Murphy said.
Stolen vehicle found in under a day
Members of the Prince George RCMP Street Crew Unit were able to return a stolen vehicle to its owner in under 24 hours.
On April 22, just before 8 p.m. Prince George RCMP received a report of a stolen vehicle, according to a statement released by police.
The owner reported that he had parked at a restaurant in the 2000 block of Victoria Street and stepped away from the vehicle to dispose of some trash.
An unknown male got into his vehicle and drove away
Frontline police officers arrived on the scene quickly, but were unable to locate the vehicle
At approximately 8 a.m. the next day, members of the RCMP Street Crew Unit located the vehicle in a parking lot located in the 2100 block of Ferry Avenue.
Officers, assisted by the police dog team, arrested the driver and passenger without incident. The two men are known to police. Both were released, pending future court dates, and the investigation is ongoing.
“The driver was reunited with his vehicle within 24 hours of it being reported stolen. This is another great example of police units working together to effect positive change in Prince George,” RCMP spokesperson Cst. Jennifer Cooper said in a press release.
bark appearing to twist when alerted by Murphy.
PHOTO BY BRENDAN MURPHY
A tree toppled at Paddle Wheel Park in mid-April and came close to striking three people sitting nearby
Retired couple wins show home
Daryl Berger dropped the phone when his wife Pam handed it to him after telling him the news she had won the Spruce Kings Show Home Lottery.
He thought she was kidding when she relayed the news from Show Home Lottery manager Liz Bennett that they were the owners of a $670,000 furnished home as the grand prize winners in Friday’s draw
The Bergers buy one or two show home tickets every year and have been supporters of the Kings biggest annual fundraiser for 15 years.
Pam bought three tickets online in December.
She knew Friday was draw day but had no idea the call was coming their way Daryl used to work for the regional district in Vanderhoof and sometime his job put him behind the wheel of the Zamboni at Vanderhoof arena.
Both in their 60s, the Bergers retired last August and moved to Prince George from Vanderhoof in September when they bought a house in the Haldi subdivision at the south end of the city They had wanted to live in the Hart area but couldn’t find a house they wanted. Now they’ll get their wish. The show home is at 2754 Links Dr., close to the sixth hole of Aberdeen Glen Golf Course and they plan to move in as soon as they can.
Suspected impaired driver slams into sheriff’s van
A wild ride came to an end when the driver of a pickup truck rear ended a sheriff’s van.
The collision occurred April 26 on Highway 16 near Vance Road, shortly after 9:15 a.m. when RCMP in the city were notified that a suspected impaired driver was heading north on Highway 97 from the Quesnel area.
An officer in B C. RCMP traffic services drove south to intercept and came across a black Dodge pickup fitting the description and hitting a speed of over 150 km/h
When the driver refused to stop, the officer radioed ahead to alert police within city limits.
The driver was arrested at the scene of the collision.
The truck’s passenger and occupants of the van escaped injury.
The file remains under investigation and B.C. RCMP traffic services is asking anyone with information regarding this incident, including any dashboard camera video of the collision or events leading up to it, to contact the unit at 250-649-4004.
ANNOUNCEMENT
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RENTAL MANAGEMENT LICENSE
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PrinceGeorge,BCV2M 3R8 250-564-0022•eprm.pg.bc@gmail.com
Sandy Irish
RENTAL AND STRATA MANAGER LICENSE
#102-513 Ahbau Street
Prince George,BCV2M 3R8 •CARIBOOAREA 250-564-0022 •sandy@eprm.ca
NOTICE OF WAIVER OF PUBLIC HEARING
Zoning Bylaw No. 2892, Amendment Bylaw No. 3219, 2021
Notice is hereby given that the Regional District Boardhas waived the holding of a public hearing into Zoning Bylaw No. 2892, Amendment Bylaw No. 3219, 2021. The Regional District Boardwill consider third reading of Bylaw No. 3219 at its regular meeting scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 20, 2021 in the Regional District Board room located at 155 George Street, Prince George,BC.
The purpose of Bylaw No. 3219 is to rezone Lot 17 District Lot 2173 Cariboo District Plan 3471 from Seasonal Recreation 1(SR1) to Residential3(R3).Theamendmentisproposed to permit aResidential-Single Family use on thesubjectpropertyandotherpermitteduses pursuanttotheR3zone.Thesubjectproperty islocatedat550BatemanRoad.
Acopy of the proposed Bylaw and any relevant background materials areavailable for review by the public on the Regional District’swebsite at http://www.rdffg.bc.ca/ services/development/land-use-planning/ current-applications/ (Electoral Area ‘D’) or at the Regional District office, by appointment only,Monday through Friday,8:00 am to 4:30 pm, between April 30 and May 20, 2021. To make an appointment contact the Regional District at 250-960-4400 or at developmentservices@rdffg.bc.ca
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Pam and Daryl Berger sit together in their new $670,000 home they won in the Prince George Spruce Kings Show Home Lottery.
HOME OWNERSHIP TOPS PRICE THRESHOLD
MARK NIELSEN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The cost of owning a home in Prince George in 2020 was slightly above the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s suggested threshold, according to a report from the B.C. Northern Real Estate Board.
The costs of mortgage payments, municipal taxes and fees, and utilities for the average single-family home stood at 30.6 per cent of before-tax median household income. According to the CMHC, housing is considered affordable if it costs less than 30 per cent.
A typical single-family home sold for $406,943 in 2020, a $35,500 or 9.6-per-cent increase over the year before, according to
numbers derived from the Multiple Listing Service for the city.
“Historically, the largest cost contributor to annual changes in affordability has been house prices, and this trend continues for 2018,” the report says.
“Mortgage costs, which are based on house prices and interest rates, tend to comprise upwards of 70 per cent of the costs included in the housing affordability index. It is therefore not surprising that higher house prices tend to reflect lower affordability.”
For the northern B.C. region as a whole, the cost of home ownership stood at 26.1 per cent, down 1.4 percentage points from 2019. At 45.5 per cent, 100 Mile House was the
most onerous, “chiefly as a result of the median household income being markedly lower than that of northern B.C.”
In contrast, the burden in Fort St. John was the most affordable at 19.2 per cent, down 10.9 points from 2016, “largely due to a consistent drop in house prices over the period.”
Looking at other communities, affordability stood at 20.2 per cent in Kitimat, 26.6 per cent in Quesnel, 28 per cent in Prince Rupert, 28.3 per cent in Williams Lake, 28.5 per cent in Smithers and 29.9 per cent in Terrace.
Home ownership in all northern B.C. communities remains “very affordable especially when compared to the Vancouver region” where it stood at 103.3 per cent,
and Victoria, where it was 66.1 per cent.
However, sale prices remained on the upswing in Prince George, averaging $450,901 during the first quarter, according to a BCNREB report released earlier this month.
Mortgage costs are based on the average house price with a 25 per cent down payment and amortized over 25 years at a five-year fixed rate mortgage which, in turn, is based on Bank of Canada monthly data for a five-year conventional mortgage.
Median income is drawn from the census conducted in 2015 and adjusted by the growth rate for average weekly earnings for British Columbia as obtained from Statistics Canada.
Drug deaths on pace to exceed last year’s record
MARK NIELSEN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Illicit drugs claimed the lives of 16 people in Prince George in the first three months of 2021, according to the B.C. Coroners Service.
The count is on pace to exceed the record-setting 58 deaths recorded over 2020. Seven of those deaths occurred in March. Province-wide, there were 498 deaths by the end of March, surpassing the previous high of 401 deaths seen for the same period in 2017.
The Opposition B.C. Liberals called for immediate action to quell the crisis.
“More than just supplementing programs to keep people alive, this NDP government needs to take action to help people right now,” mental health and addictions critic Trevor Halford said. “The NDP is inexplicably spending less on support this year compared to the next three fiscal years.”
British Columbia’s finance minister has said the government is making the largest investment in mental health and addictions in the province’s history.
NOTICE OF WAIVER OF PUBLIC HEARING
Zoning Bylaw No. 2892, Amendment Bylaw No. 3221, 2021
Notice is hereby given that the Regional District Boardhas waived the holding of a public hearing into Zoning Bylaw No. 2892, Amendment Bylaw No. 3221, 2021. The Regional District Boardwill consider third reading of Bylaw No. 3221 at its regular meeting scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 20, 2021 in the Regional District Board room located at 155 George Street, Prince George,BC.
The purpose of Bylaw No. 3221 is to rezone Lot 1District Lot 1879 Cariboo District Plan EPP9249 from Small Holding (SH) to Rural 4(Ru4). The amendment is proposed to permit two Residential-Single Family uses on the subject property and other permitted uses pursuant to the Ru4 zone. The subject propertyislocatedat18400HughesRoad.
Acopy of the proposed Bylaw and any relevant background materials areavailable for review by the public on the Regional District’swebsite at http://www.rdffg.bc.ca/ services/development/land-use-planning/ current-applications/ (Electoral Area ‘C’) or at the Regional District office, by appointment only,Monday through Friday,8:00 am to 4:30 pm, between April 30 and May 20, 2021. To make an appointment contact the Regional District at 250-960-4400 or at developmentservices@rdffg.bc.ca
Selina Robinson said the budget includes $500 million over three years to expand youth mental health programs, add 195 treatment and recovery beds for substance users and expand programs that respond to the overdose crisis.
“We are taking action to help end the tragedy playing out in communities around British Columbia,” Robinson said “Our plan meets the unprecedented need with a historic response.”
That includes $330 million for treatment and recovery services for substance users,
$152 million of which is dedicated to opioid treatment.
Emergency overdose prevention supports introduced during the pandemic will become permanent, such as the operation of new supervised consumption sites, Assertive Community Treatment teams and additional nursing supports, she said. In the five years since B.C. declared a public health emergency in the overdose crisis, more than 7,000 people have died, including record numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Program helps cancer SIRvivors
CHRISTINE DALGLEISH
He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in February 2019 when he was 73 years old and just completed his final treatment this past January.
Throughout the process, Glen Schierer kept a positive attitude and reached out for help when he needed it
One program that was especially beneficial to Schierer was the 12-week SIRvivor BC prostate cancer exercise program, which is a virtual project that brings men from all over BC together to share their experiences and get some exercise twice a week.
The program is presented virtually because of the pandemic, which is ideal for anyone in the north who wouldn’t ordinarily be able to attend in-person sessions not in their community.
Schierer said when he first started he could do two pushups and by the end of the session he could do six. He also progressed with band work going from the weakest band to the strongest within the 12-week period as well.
“What I found was my coordination and my balance improved immensely,” Schierer said. “Lisa (Neukomm) is a great instructor and I was amazed at how engaged you could become with people when you’re doing this virtually.”
Along with the increased physical benefits is the connection with others that is also beneficial to those who share some-
thing in common.
“It gives men at any age the opportunity to connect with others going through a similar journey,” Lisa Neukomm, BCRPA, registered personal trainer, community health/CanRehab Cancer and exercise certified, said
“It doesn’t matter where they’re at within their journey - it doesn’t matter if they were diagnosed 10 years ago or have a current diagnosis, just completed treatment or going through treatment.”
The platform is there to do a little socialization to build a sense of camaraderie while participants are doing their exercises, she added.
“They start early so we can chat amongst ourselves because we all have something in common and that’s prostate cancer,” Schierer said. “You get to know these guys after a while so we kind of kibitz and tease each other It works out well.”
Schierer has been involved with all three programs that have been made available and numbers of participants are growing as there is more awareness of the service.
Schierer is glad about that because there’s a man from Fort St. John who he knows wouldn’t be able to attend in-person sessions because they wouldn’t be offered in his town
So the more participants the better, he said.
“For the north country virtually is actually better,” Schierer said. “So we’ve got
loss. The combined effect of these vitamins, minerals and nutrient co-factors directly counteracts the hair-damaging negatives caused by stress, illness, hormonal imbalances and other health and environmental concerns.
guys from Vancouver Island, from Burnaby and Coquitlam - there was even one from Dunster. We all fit together pretty good. We all started yakking and now it’s started to grow and now we correspond back and forth via internet with each other and send out information too. I think for the north country I think it’s going to be something they have to continue to do virtually because the guy in Fort St. John can’t drive down here twice a week to do an exercise program.”
The men are encouraged to use whatever they have in their homes by way of exercise equipment. Schierer used the four paces forward, four paces back method to increase his heart rate during the cardio sessions.
For strength training, it’s resistance to their own body weight and band work. It’s a circuit style system of exercise where the men do one to three sets of exercise and one minute of cardio between the different exercises.
“It’s important that each person work within their own abilities and limitations,” Neukomm said. “The goal of SIRvivor is to create a sustainable and accessible community-based exercise program for men with prostate cancer We do our best to create an environment that’s fun and accessible to all levels, providing different modifications and challenges for those who might be a little bit more able bodied. It really depends on where they’re at in
their cancer journey as well.”
Schierer said he was lucky because the doctor caught his cancer early and so he is grateful that he did not have to have a radical surgery to stop the cancer as others in the groups have had.
When participants first start the group, they are assessed to see where they’re at with their fitness Then a plan is created to suit their needs and limitations where exercises that are easily adapted are done, he added.
“This program is so beneficial, I know on the days I do the exercise session I find that night I sleep a lot better,” Schierer said. “And I know we all look forward to it.”
Each year in British Columbia approximately 2,800 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer.
SIRvivor BC: Prostate Cancer Exercise Program is part of a provincial initiative supported by the Prostate Cancer Supportive Care Program, a comprehensive cancer survivorship program developed at the Vancouver Prostate Centre, located at Vancouver General Hospital.
The program was successfully piloted in BC, Calgary and Halifax and results showed men improve their body composition, flexibility, dynamic balance and muscular endurance.
For more information visit https://cepl. rehab.med.ubc.ca/research-2/sirvivor-bc/ or visit the Facebook page at https://www facebook.com/sirvivorbc.
NOTICE OF WAIVER OF PUBLIC HEARING
Zoning Bylaw No. 2892, Amendment Bylaw No. 3218, 2021
Notice is hereby given that the Regional District Boardhas waived the holding of a public hearing into Zoning Bylaw No. 2892, Amendment Bylaw No. 3218, 2021. The Regional District Boardwill consider third reading of Bylaw No. 3218 at its regular meeting scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 20, 2021 in the Regional District Board room located at 155 George Street, Prince George,BC.
The purpose of Bylaw No. 3218 is to rezone Lot 6District Lot 1870 Cariboo District Plan 27811fromSmallHolding(SH)toRural4(Ru4). The amendment is proposed to permit two Residential-Single Family uses on the subject propertyandotherpermittedusespursuantto the Ru4 zone. The subject property is located at7730LarsonRoad.
Acopy of the proposed Bylaw and any relevant background materials areavailable for review by the public on the Regional District’swebsite at http://www.rdffg.bc.ca/ services/development/land-use-planning/ current-applications/ (Electoral Area ‘C’) or at the Regional District office, by appointment only,Monday through Friday,8:00 am to 4:30 pm, between April 30 and May 20, 2021. To make an appointment contact the Regional District at 250-960-4400 or at developmentservices@rdffg.bc.ca
UNBC supercomputer maps glacial change
A UNBC supercomputer has helped an international team of researchers discover that the rate of mass loss from Earth’s glaciers is accelerating.
The computer, jointly funded by UNBC and the Hakai Institute, constructed digital elevation models based on more than 440,000 satellite images.
“Processing spaceborne digital imagery to measure changes in surface elevation requires enormous computation power,” said UNBC professor and Hakai affiliate Brian Menounos, the Canada Research Chair in Glacier Change. “We needed an equivalent of about 584 modern computers running for about a year to derive these elevation models. Looked at another way, the generation of the elevation models required over five million compute hours.”
The computations are part of a paper published in the April 29 issue of Nature that found that between 2000 and 2004, glaciers lost 227 gigatonnes of ice per year, but between 2015 and 2019, this rate increased to 298 gigatonnes per year A gigatonne is equivalent to one billion tonnes. Loss of water from glaciers represents about 21 per cent of the observed rise in sea levels over the last 20 years – some 0.74 millimetres a year.
Researchers, led by ETH Zurich and University of Toulouse doctoral student Romain Hugonnet, measured elevation change from all of Earth’s glaciers – some 220,000 in total.
Hugonnet is also a former research associate at UNBC.
The researchers used the processed satellite images acquired from NASA’s ASTER sensor to measure elevation change over glacierized terrain through time.
“The UNBC and Hakai Institute computer facilities allowed us to generate time series of surface elevation, essentially time-varying topographies, at 100-metre resolution for about one-half of a billion individual locations over Earth’s glaciers and their surroundings,” Hugonnet said.
The researchers found that over the last 20 years, glacier mass loss from North American glaciers represented about onehalf of the global total with one-quarter coming from glaciers in Alaska and those that straddle the Alaska-Canada border Glaciers and icecaps in the eastern Canadian Arctic contributed an additional 21 per cent with three per cent originating from glaciers in central and southern British Columbia, Alberta and the conterminous United States.
The researchers also found that some of the world’s highest rates of mass loss over the last decade occurred in southern Alaska and western Canada.
“In addition to providing a detailed response of glaciers to regional and climate variability, the dataset will provide important observational data required to validate and improve physically-based models used to forecast changes in glacier and runoff in the decades ahead,” Menounos says.
Other key institutions that co-lead this work included Ulster University in the UK, the University of Oslo in Norway.
Elevation change over the Ha-Iltzuk Icefield in the Coast Mountains of B.C., south of the Alaska Panhandle, for the period 2000-2019.
CULINARY PROGRAM COMING TO PGSS
ARTHUR WILLIAMS
Students at Prince George Secondary School will have a chance to learn a variety of restaurant skills under the instruction of a red seal chef this fall.
School District 57 has approved a trio of new courses – prep cook, line cook and food service –that will be based in the school’s cafeteria. Teacher and certified red seal chef Erick Vilegenthart developed and will be teaching the classes.
“These courses will help students develop practical life skills,” Vilegenthart said.
Under his guidance, students in all three courses will work together to plan, prepare and present meals, host and promote events, and learn about kitchen management, he said. The goal is to give students a taste of what working in a busy restaurant is like, and give them useful experience that could lead to a job.
Each semester of the program will include a tour of the College of New Caledonia culinary arts program, and Vilegenthart said he hopes to get the program recognized so that students’ time counts
towards their red seal certification hours.
The courses will be offered at the Grade 11 and Grade 12 level, and Vilegenthart said he hopes to have 18 to 20 students per class In future years, he hopes Grade 11 students return and take the course in Grade 12, providing leadership in the kitchen to the new students.
Students will handle tasks ranging from planning menus to receiving orders and filling out invoices, he said.
The line cook students, “will do the majority of the food preparation and presenta-
tion,” he said. “(The food service students) will learn how to host, cater for events like the Spring Fling that just passed.”
The food service course will also include an element of event promotion and marketing. Throughout the program, students will create a “digital portfolio” of their work.
Board vice-chairperson Shuirose Valimohamed said the program will be a great opportunity for students to roll up their sleeves and get involved.
“Kids love creating things with their hands,” she said.
‘I’m almost Johnny Cash’ tribute show goes
Citizen staff
Prince George residents might remember David James and Big River as a Johnny Cash tribute band that would sell out the Treasure Cove lounge back in the day where people could gather together to enjoy live music.
This May 7 show is the online version that’s available for the band’s fans.
People might remember how James starts his show
“Hello, I’m almost Johnny Cash.”
James and the band will cover everyone’s favourites like Folson Prison, Boy Named Sue and Ring of Fire.
Tickets are only $10 to tune in.
To get in on the action visit https://www.onviva.live/en/channel/graffitti-music/c/davidjames-an-acoustic-tribute-to-johnny-cash.594.
UNBC HANDOUT IMAGE
CITY UPDATES EMERGENCY PREPARATION
The City of Prince George has updated its emergency risk document.
The last update of the document was in 2009, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadly 2012 Lakeland Mills fire, multiple flooding events on the Fraser and Nechako rivers, and the 2018 wildfires that forced the evacuation of thousands of people across north-central B.C.
“We felt with all the local, provincial and regional emergencies we’ve faced in the recent past, and in our history, we could make the document a little more specific to Prince George,” city emergency programs
manager Clay Sheen said.
The assessment looked at all the potential emergencies the city could face, and ranked them based on likelihood and the potential impact on the community, he said Atmospheric hazards such as snowstorms, wind storms, heat waves, cold snaps and other dangerous weather topped the city’s risk list – being both highly likely, and with very high potential impact on the community
Flooding, human disease, industrial fires, wildfires and hazardous material spills also ranked high on the list of risks to the city
Sheen’s report also included a look at the potential emergencies facing the city over the coming months.
“Flooding is a yearly occurrence here in Prince George, however our community except for a couple neighbourhoods is quite resilient,” Sheen wrote in his report to council “The Provincial River Forecast Centre anticipates an El Nina spring with cooler and wetter temperatures. Snow pack is above normal (132 & 122 per cent of normal for this time of year for the Upper West and East Fraser Regions that flow into PG) in watersheds in our locality We
CNC facing $3.57 million deficit
The College of New Caledonia’s board of governors has approved a deficit budget for 2021-22.
Under provincial legislation, post-secondary institutions are normally required to pass balanced budgets each year
However, the provincial government gave special permission for colleges and universities to run deficits during the upcoming year – as long as those deficits are covered by accumulated surplus funds from previous years
CNC president and CEO Dennis Johnson said the college has sufficient accumulated surpluses to cover the $3.57 million projected deficit for 2021-22.
“While much uncertainty remains around
the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the college, this budget is prudent and responsive to the times,” he said in a press release.
“The 2021/22 budget will maintain student services and support student success as we work to transition to increased activity on our campuses and help us to strengthen vital college systems as we prepare for students’ needs into the future.”
The college’s budget projects $77.22 million in revenue and $80.79 million in expenses, resulting in a 4.4 per cent shortfall.
Despite approving a two per cent hike in tuition fees for domestic and international students, the college is projecting a 13.52 per cent drop in tuition revenue and
a nearly six per cent drop in provincial grants.
“Budgeted amounts also recognize changes in enrolment patterns which includes an anticipated decrease in new international student intakes, a downward trend in domestic student enrolments in a number of program areas, and changes in course or program offerings,” the college budget documents say “An upward trend in the School of Health Sciences is reflective of increased enrolment in several programs.”
While the college is projecting an 18.61 per cent increase in tuition revenue from its health sciences programs, it’s anticipating decreases in all other areas of study
are not anticipating any significant flooding unless heavy rains or excessive heat occurs in the month of May/June.”
Some weather projections are also predicting a drier summer this year, which could result in a dangerous season for wildfires.
All Prince George residents should have an emergency kit with food, water and other supplies to survive 72 hours without help in an emergency, Sheen said.
“Let’s keep our fingers crossed we don’t have any issues this spring and summer,” Mayor Lyn Hall said.
– ranging from a 6.81 decrease in international education to a 64 per cent drop in English as a second language instruction.
“We’re taking a conservative approach with our budget projections,” CNC vice president Tara Szerencsi said in a press release. “Last year, CNC mitigated a potential deficit through savings and receiving more tuition revenue than expected. We will continue to review our budget and work to ensure that we are allocating funds in the most effective manner for student success and to achieve the college’s strategic goals.”
The college board also re-elected chairperson Gil Malfair and vice-chairperson Regina Toth by acclimation, last Friday
BALDY HUGHES REHAB CENTRE USED FOR POLITICAL WORK, PROBE FINDS
Glacier Media
Drug addicts seeking help at a B.C rehab allegedly found themselves doing B.C. Liberal Party political work and providing free labour at party-connected Prince George businesses, a Glacier Media investigation has found.
Further, documents show, the Baldy Hughes Therapeutic Community (BHTC) was used to funnel contract dollars to party donors for work at the site operated by the B.C. New Hope Recovery Society since 2007.
In one case, that included one society director’s company being allowed to test drive a biothermal heating system before marketing it, a pilot project heavily funded with tax dollars.
Set against the canvass of B.C.’s ongoing opioid crisis, events occured as overdose fatalities climbed – from 202 deaths in 2010 to 1,724 last year.
BHTC, 35 kilometres southwest of Prince George, was founded through the society in 2007 by then-MLA Lorne Mayencourt with real estate developer Kevin England, Mayencourt’s sister and brother-in-law Don and Bernice Willoughby and commercial realtor and Surrey politician Stephen Gammer.
Victoria has poured almost $10 million into BHTC since 2007.
Taxpayers’ money spent includes a $2.85 million, 2010 land purchase through the Provincial Rental Housing Corporation, annual operating subsidies and regular ministries’ payments.
“How can they give all this money to open that business and the rest of us are starving for money?” asked Dr. Sherry Mumford, who spent 15 years in Fraser Health Authority addictions leadership roles. “A lot of it doesn’t add up.”
And, she said, “I don’t know anybody who would ever refer a client to Baldy Hughes. Nobody in the business really knows what’s going on up there.”
But, said Mayencourt, a 2008 B.C. study found supporting one person homeless, addicted, mentally ill or with persistent and multiple employment barriers cost $125,000 annually.
“We were significantly more cost effective at approximately $40,000 per person,” he said.
Many men credit it with helping them escape the horrors of addiction. While living at BHCT, men receive intensive addictions counseling, health and fitness work, vocational training, agricultural instruction and leadership skills. Some consider BHTC a last-chance rehab for hardcore addicts to get well.
England said community involvement is a large piece of recovery and healing for residents within BHTC’s therapeutic model.
“Since the alleged volunteer experiences to which you refer took place many years ago and are just being reported to us in 2021, we are concerned that we may have been left out of being part of a real-time
solution,” England said. “We encourage any past residents with concerns to contact us so that we may address their concerns directly.”
Sources said BHTC senior staffer Marshall Smith, a former B.C. Liberal ministerial aide, gave addicts party membership phone lists.
AB, a former employee requesting anonymity due to job-loss fears due to current government employment, said Smith had addicts cold-calling party members to solicit support for then-Liberal cabinet Minister Kevin Falcon in his failed 2011 party leadership bid against Christy Clark.
AB said using addicts was “a clear violation of duty of responsibility. Some of them are court-assigned to be there.”
Certainly, Smith, himself in addiction recovery for years, was a Falcon supporter.
Two weeks before the vote Feb. 26, 2011, he tweeted, “Northern BC phone banks running like a HOT furnace. @KevinFalcon has the fastest growth by far. #leadbcl.”
“Kevin Falcon visited at one point,” AB said. “He was introduced as the next leader of the party. Right after Kevin Falcon lost, Marshall Smith was taken out of his position.”
EF, seeking anonymity due to job loss fears, said addicts told him they were pressed to do the Falcon work.
“They said ‘no.’ Marshall gave them grief,” EF said. “Marshall would explain why Falcon should be the next leader.
“It was a very political environment.”
Smith, now chief of staff to Alberta’s mental health and addiction associate minister, confirmed supporting Falcon.
“Clients or staff were never involved,” Smith said, hesitating before responding further, “in, you know, leadership contests.”
Mayencourt is unaware of such work. He would have discouraged it. Mumford called the phone work soliciting.
“That is not ethical.”
Mayencourt modeled BHTC on Italy’s longstanding San Patrignano therapeutic community.
However, discussions on political involvement as community service were part of BHTC life during the 2009 provincial election, said recovering addict Mark Harris.
“We were going to be contributing members of society again,” he said.
He said addicts would volunteer their chosen party. Harris did phone solicitation for current interim B.C. Liberal leader and Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond. “We were given the opportunity to campaign for whatever party we chose.”
Smith said addicts asked to volunteer but didn’t decide where they did so.
“We decided . . . we would have no problem with them spending a little bit of volunteering to see what the process was like and to exercise their instruments of citizenship,” he said.
“Clients were doing so as volunteers in the campaign of MLA Shirley Bond,” Mayencourt said. “Bond was a champion for Baldy Hughes and our clients, and clients wanted to help her be re-elected.”
Smith said inferences addicts were forced or asked to leave if they didn’t participate in political work were “patently outrageous.”
Canada Revenue Agency filings say the society doesn’t engage in political activities.
Mayencourt was Vancouver-Burrard MLA from 2001 to 2008.
While doing Legislature work, though, Mayencourt was also working to make BHTC a reality. In May 2008, he told the Legislature he took summer legislative intern Danica Wong to Baldy Hughes.
“Danica came with me up to Baldy Hughes and has stayed in my office and a whole bunch of things,” he told the Legislature May 1, 2008.
The Legislature’s clerk’s office said
an intern’s caucus placement provides opportunities to spend several weeks in a constituency office to observe and learn about an MLA’s work in their community.
“Interns are encouraged to visit constituency offices, or projects that are undertaken by MLAs,” Mayencourt said.
Between January 2006 and August 2008, Mayencourt had working with him future Liberal donor Craig Jangula as BHTC “intern executive director” or a “senior consultant,” according to LinkedIn.
Jangula said he was in Mayencourt’s office at the time.
“I would go up (to BHTC) from time to time and help out,” he said. “It was part of my responsibilities as a constituency assistant. I was his staff member and it was something [Mayencourt] was really committed to.”
Mayencourt said Jangula was involved after a BHTC executive director left unexpectedly.
“I had no one else to turn to,” Mayencourt said. “Our executive director had left, we had about a dozen clients onsite. I was at the legislature from Monday to Thursday and would often travel to (Prince George). Craig worked four days per week in the constituency office and was willing to volunteer as a manager in his free time. There were undoubtedly a few occasions when his constituency work overlapped with Baldy Hughes.”
Jangula was reimbursed for travel, meals and incidentals by B.C. New Hope, Mayencourt said.
Conflict of Interest Commissioner Ted Hughes said in 1992 there’s nothing wrong with MLAs being involved in outside projects, as long as they don’t further private interests.
Asked if he thinks he was in a conflict, Mayencourt said, “No,” adding he took no money for his efforts.
“I knew that I had to be very, very clean because I was an MLA,” he said.
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO
The goats mingle in their pen at the Baldy Hughes Therapeutic Centre in this 2016 file photo.
Baldy Hughes cited for safety violations
Glacier Media
WorkSafeBC has cited several times a government-owned addiction rehab facility’s operator for workplace safety infractions involving asbestos, safety checks and respirators.
Recovering addicts living at Baldy Hughes Therapeutic Community (BHTC) near Prince George to this day receive intensive addictions counselling, health and fitness instruction, vocational and agricultural instruction and leadership skills lessons. Some 1,200 men have been through the facility
However, studies from 1987 to 2018 of the property on which they live for a year indicate the presence of hazardous materials dating back to the Cold War.
The allegations were revealed in investigative articles published by Glacier Media last week.
A May 2015 WorkSafeBC inspection report released to Glacier Media said an inventory of asbestos was done and abatement has taken place “over the years ” However, the inspector found installation of new windows in the administration building was done without consulting the inventory and without taking precautions in case building material did contain asbestos.
“No risk assessment was conducted prior to cutting into the wall with a power tool,” the report said, adding those doing the work had not been given “adequate instruction or training about the potential of encountering asbestos dust.”
WorkSafeBC has long identified asbestos as a carcinogen.
“Asbestos exposure remains the number one killer of workers in B C.,” the regulator’s website said. “Whether you’re a general contractor, an abatement contractor or a demolition contractor, you are responsible for the health and safety of workers, and that includes protecting them from asbestos exposure.”
Samples of dust were taken by inspectors but came back negative for asbestos.
The report said B.C.’s Occupational Health and Safety Regulation requires that a qualified person assess such a situation and provide a risk assessment.
“There is no evidence of coordination or planning of this project,” the report said.
Further, the report said the law requires development of an asbestos exposure plan if someone could be exposed to potentially harmful levels of asbestos.
“A (sic) exposure control plan has not been fully developed,” the report said.
The staff member present for the inspection and receiver of the report was then BHTC executive director Roger Travale.
A follow-up inspection said the employer committed to providing asbestos awareness training for staff and that an asbestos control plan would be developed. The Prince George office of DWB Consulting Services did the compliance work.
Glacier Media’s investigations found multiple contracts for work at BHTC went to BC Liberal Party supporters.
A subsidiary of DWB Consulting Services, DWB Forestry Services, gave the Liberals $875 2005-2005
Baldy Hughes cofounder Lorne Mayencourt has said B.C New Hope Recovery Society did not award any contracts, explaining that work was done through BC Housing.
However, the DWB Consulting July 2015 notice of compliance on the asbestos issue describes the company as the society’s occupational health and safety contractor. Mayencourt, though, had left BHTC by that time.
In May 2019, an inspector found respirators had been issued to people without a program in place for use and care of the equipment in contravention of regulations.
Further, the report said workers had not been doing or documenting worksite inspections as assigned, another regulatory contravention.
The inspection report went to then-executive director Bill Pavich while the employer representative present for the inspection was Robert Hall.
The identity of employees doing work has been redacted from the WorkSafeBC documents
Former patient Mark Harris is 11 years clean from drugs, an achievement for which he partially credits Baldy Hughes.
He said patients were involved in removal of asbestos tiles during building renovations under expert supervision. He said patients wore protective suits and tiles were put into heavy bags.
“Everything was done legitimately,” Harris said.
NDP demand Liberals explain rehab centre politicking
Glacier Media
The BC NDP wants interim BC Liberal leader Shirley Bond and past party leadership contender Kevin Falcon to explain why residents of a publicly funded treatment centre were being allegedly used in their political campaigns.
“It’s disturbing that the BC Liberals would use residents in a publicly funded recovery facility for their own re-election,” Richmond-Queensborough NDP MLA Aman Singh said last week.
“Instead of ensuring every dollar goes into addictions supports, we’ve heard that facility staff were campaigning for the BC Liberals. Kevin Falcon and Shirley Bond should publicly disclose everything they know about this situation and explain why they think it’s OK to use public funds for partisan gain,” Singh said
Elections BC said there is no apparent contravention of the Election Act and that it would not be investigating.
Bond said she has long been a passionate advocate for and supporter of Baldy Hughes.
“I would never accept or allow anyone to be coerced into supporting a political candidate,” Bond said.
“Government’s job is to provide funding for a range of treatment options for those facing mental health and addictions issues in our province, Bond said. “I advocated for Baldy Hughes ten years ago and will continue to advocate for new resources for mental health and addictions throughout the province today.”
“My connection to Baldy Hughes is, and always has been, about getting people the help they so desperately need by providing an important pathway to treatment and re-
covery for addictions,” Bond said. “I make no apologies for supporting the Baldy Hughes residents, many of whom were at the lowest point in their lives.”
The Prince George-Valemount MLA said she’s spent many hours at graduation ceremonies, gratitude circles, attending events, visiting their garden, and being part of a program to provide Christmas stockings to residents.
“I’ve witnessed firsthand the difference it makes and getting to know residents who have had their lives turned around by the opportunities Baldy Hughes gave them,” Bond said “It should come as no surprise that people in my community, myself included, wanted to support a facility that provides hope to men struggling with addictions.”
Falcon said April 28 he had not campaigned at the facility
“I visited the facility once in July 2010 to deliver a grant cheque to refurbish the kitchen at Baldy Hughes,” he said. “I’m pleased to see the facility continues to provide important addiction recovery work,” Falcon said.
“The allegations of campaign calls by clients have already been denied,” he said. BHTC is operated by the BC New Hope Recovery Society, which leased the land in “as is” condition in 2007 before Premier Gordon Campbell’s Liberal government bought it in 2010 for $2.2 million over the assessed value.
Men living at BHCT to this day receive intensive addictions counseling, health and fitness instruction, vocational and agricultural instruction and leadership skills lessons. Some consider BHTC a lastchance rehab for individuals entrenched in addiction to get healthy.
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO
The Baldy Hughes Treatment Centre near Prince George.
Young returns to AA Cubs affiliate
TED CLARKE
It’s been a year and a half since Jared Young was playing meaningful games as an everyday baseball player but it won’t take him long to get back into that routine.
For the next five months, the 25-yearold from Prince George is going to get his chance to prove himself again as a Chicago Cubs prospect now that the minor leagues are back in business after a season lost to the pandemic.
Young is starting his fourth year of professional baseball with the Tennessee Smokies, the Cubs’ double-A affiliate, coming back to the team he played for in the spring and summer of 2019.
He’s one of 10 returning players on the Smokies roster and being reunited with his baseball brothers in familiar surroundings is a comfort Young hopes to use to his advantage as he resumes his drive to become a major leaguer
Listed at six-foot-two, 185 pounds, Young has worked hard in the gym and on the practice field to get stronger and improve his skills and he’s confident he will show that when he gets tested in game conditions this season. After 10 games the past month in minor league spring training in Arizona, he’s looking forward to a long hot summer taking his swings with the Smokies, playing either first base or in the outfield.
“I expected to be here,” said Young, from his hotel room in Knoxville. “I was hoping to prove something and move up (to the triple-A Iowa Cubs) but I’m glad I’m here right now
“It was a shorter spring, we played 10 games and we normally try to get in at least 20, but it was good. There was less people there and we kind of bonded as a team because we played with the same guys most of the time and it kind of got everyone fired up for the season. We have good returning guys and the new guys are studs, so it’s going to be fun. I know all the guys pretty well and that’s what’s fun about it.”
After a year of baseball stadiums
remaining dark, MLB has contracted its minor leagues Some teams lost their major league affiliations and the rookie leagues are no longer in operation. To reduce travel costs, minor league teams have been grouped according to their geographic location and teams will play fewer opponents
It’s not exactly a glamourous life riding the buses on minor league roadtrips but Young says he cherishes that time, spending as much as 15 hours a day together forming lifelong bonds with his teammates.
The Smokies are part of the eight-team Double-A South and will play a 120-game schedule with weekly six-game series against the same opponent from Tuesday-Sunday The Smokies got started Tuesday with a series at home against the Montgomery Biscuits.
Now that COVID-19 vaccines have be-
come more widespread, fans are allowed in the 6,000-seat Smokies Stadium, located in Kodak, Tenn., about a half-hour drove from Knoxville.
“It’s a great place, it brings back a lot of memories from a couple years ago, so I’m happy to be back,” he said “I think I’m going to like it, one series a week and a lot less travel.”
Young was disappointed with his own performance in his first season at the double-A level, in which he hit .235 with five home runs and 57 RBI in 123 games with the Smokies.
The Cubs’ minor league player of the year in 2018 went on to be selected by Chicago for the Arizona Fall League and played the six-week schedule with the Mesa Solar Sox. He’s learned from that experience and says he’s had a bit of an attitude adjustment that should help pro-
duce more satisfying results in his return to Tennessee.
“As cliché as it sounds, I want to take it one game at a time this year and not try to do too much,” said Young. “I think the last time I was here I put a bit too much pressure on myself to do great things instead of just playing how I normally play and letting everything else take care of itself.
“I had a year and a half to become a better player and I feel like I am but it’s time to show it now You don’t know until the season comes around Now it really means something. I think just being here as a second-year guy has just added comfort. I kind of know how things work in a bit more of a veteran role and I think it’s going to go well.”
Picked in the 15th round of the 2017 MLB draft after playing NCAA Division 1 college baseball at Old Dominion in Virginia, Young had minor league stops in Eugene, Ore., South Bend, Ind., and Myrtle Beach, S.C. before he got to Tennessee In three years as a minor league ball player he’s had 277 hits in 1,042 at-bats for a .266 batting average with 22 home runs, 148 RBI and 18 stolen bases.
Double-A is just two steps removed from the major leagues and one of Young’s former teammates – infielder Nico Hoehner – is drawing regular duty this season in Chicago as the Cubs’ starting second baseman. Smokies catcher Miguel Amaya, who played with Young in Eugene and South Bend, is considered Chicago’s No. 3 prospect and is on the Cubs’ 40-player MLB roster
Young has already taken his game further than anybody with Prince George roots has ever gone but he knows he’s still years away from his peak and like any minor leaguer he won’t be satisfied until he reaches the top.
“I try not to look back too much because it’s not going to help you in the long run, but I think so far I’ve been solid and I want to build on it and get better,” he said. ”I think there’s a lot more in there and I want to tap into that I want to see how far I can take this.”
Curling club plant set for upgrade
TED CLARKE
Chad Staley Memorial Arena, and the Prince George Golf and Curling Club that houses it, will be receiving infrastructure upgrades to make both arenas safer and more energy efficient.
A $648,000 project scheduled for completion in mid-August will replace the refrigeration plant at PGGCC and convert the system from ammonia to freon, which is considered less hazardous in the event of a leak and requires less rigourous monitoring of the system used to control it.
Many of the province’s curling rinks and arenas have been upgraded in the wake of the Oct. 17, 2017, accident at Fernie Memorial Arena in which an ammonia leak killed three workers while they were trying
to repair an aging system
“The freon product eliminates quite a bit of the danger that is associated with ammonia,” said PGGCC general manager Don McDermid “Aside from the safety piece, some of the operating requirements are diminished as far as monitoring and managing the system.”
The upgrades will install dual controls on the coolant system to allow operators of the curling ice and hockey rink ice to work independently of each other to provide optimal ice conditions.
That means the ice at Chad Staley rink can be retained during the summer months when the curling ice has been removed, which should help reduce overall cooling costs.
The cost of the ice plant project is being covered by a grant from the provincial economic recovery infrastructure program
The B.C. government set aside $100 million for the program to kickstart the economy that’s been battered by the 15-month pandemic. In February, 63 projects, including that of the PGGCC, were selected from the Community Economic Resilience stream.
Other approved infrastructure projects include the Mackenzie Arena compressor/ ice plant upgrade ($236,250); Fraser Lake Community Hall conversion of the curling rink into a year-round gathering place ($1 million); Granisle Curling Club rink upgrade ($362,148); and the Wells outdoor skating rink improvements ($441 600)
The PGGCC will also be improving its lighting with a switch from fluorescent bulbs to more energy-efficient Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). Northern Development Initiative Trust, a provincial fund established in 2004 after the sale of BC Rail to CN Rail, will cover 70 per cent ($35,000) of the lighting project, with the remainder ($15,000) to be paid for by the club. The ice at the Chad Staley rink is being removed next week to allow for the ice plant replacement. Before that happens the rink will be available this weekend for groups to rent by the hour and all proceeds will be donated to the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation to the pediatrics ward at UHNBC To book, go to the Northern Ice Sports website.
HANDOUT PHOTO
Prince George’s Jared Young is back with the Tennessee Smokies, the AA minor league team of the Chicago Cubs that he played for in 2019.
GLIMMER OF HOPE AT CITY HALL
There is change in the air at Prince George city hall but whether it will amount to anything still hangs in the balance, as it is dependent on the choice city council makes for the next city manager.
The parting of ways between Mayor Lyn Hall and the rest of council with Kathleen Soltis, a 35-year city employee who served six-and-a-half years as the City of Prince George’s top bureaucrat, last September was reportedly mutual. In other words, she had had enough of them and vice versa.
Although we’ll never truly know what went on behind the scenes, the glimpses offered in just the 2018 emails about the George Street Parkade show Soltis was a city manager who fervently protected her authority and did not appreciate challenges from city councillors - especially Brian Skakun - to her decisions.
While that kind of assertive leadership, along with being a calm, familiar hand on the wheel, was probably what got Soltis
the job in the wake of her predecessor, Beth James, in 2014, it clearly wore out its welcome over time with enough city councillors that a change had to happen.
Others in senior management followed Soltis. By November, Dave Dyer retired and public works director Gina Layte Liston and infrastructure service director Adam Homes were gone as acting city manager Walter Babicz restructured and streamlined the organization.
Then, in December and January, the shocking revelations about the true cost of the parkade. In December, council was told it was $22.4 million and then, upon council demanding more information, the final cost of $34 million. That’s a far cry from the $12.6 million originally budgeted, nor the $16.4 million reporting to council’s finance and audit committee in November 2019.
The entire senior management team knew about this financial disaster as it was happening, according to now deputy city manager Ian Wells, but was kept from
council and even the mayor Despite repeated requests from the Citizen for an interview, Hall has only answered questions from reporters about this once - back in late January - to adamantly deny he knew anything about the ballooning budget.
Although internal emails suggest he was given at least one “heads up” from Soltis and was having conversations with the parkade developer in the summer of 2018, there remains no direct, public evidence proving Hall wrong.
Meanwhile, the oversight changes Hall and council committed to back in January - a whistleblower policy, reconsideration of the city manager’s authority (especially around spending and budgets) and external reviews of the parkade in particular and other major projects in general - are moving along, albeit as drawn out and painful as a multi-appointment root canal.
This was a mess years in the making and it will take time and bold action to fix
The changes so far are small, promising
Grief is an ongoing journey
Have you noticed that the older you get, the more likely it is that someone you know just died?
Reading the obituaries has become a habit. I could just not pick up the paper but I like local news and I like reading a real paper Facebook is not that different. It just feels weird to see the loss among the cat videos
And frankly, if someone I know has gone and died on me, I would rather know
This past year it seems like someone I knew was dying every other week and it does not appear to be slowing down. When you are a child, you cry more about your pet dog dying that your uncle. Now, if you are like me, you cry when the cat dies and you cry when your uncle dies and you cry when some acquaintance dies. It is, I think,
FOCUS ON SENIORS CATHERINE MILLS
because these people, and the pets, have been around for years and you are never ready.
They are a piece of our life, our history, our childhood and now they are gone.
My faith says: “I have made death a messenger of joy. Wherefore dost thou grieve?”
And I say I grieve because I have lost the hugs. I may be able to send spiritual messages, but I can’t get the hugs anymore. I can’t talk in person. I can’t pet the cat.
Life does not pause at all while we are grieving. We still have to go to work, meet
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Don’t always stop for pedestrians
This is just a friendly reminder to please not stop for pedestrians when there isn’t a crosswalk, especially on a four-lane street.
I understand that it’s coming from a kind place, I totally see that But it is so dangerous for the pedestrian You may see them wanting to cross but the person who’s coming up beside you won’t be able to see that until it’s too late
first steps but the bold action (or not) will come in the form of the new city manager Local residents should know fairly soon after that how serious city council is about turning the page on the Soltis era.
City council needs to hire a “change agent,” someone who will dramatically alter the structure and culture of city hall with fresh ideas, bringing both transparency and accountability to the leadership of an organization in desperate need of it. If that kind of city manager is put in place this spring, the early results should be plainly obvious by the time by the snow flies again in the fall.
Mayor and council have so far showed a willingness to change but it will take a forceful instrument – in the form of the next city manager – to actually deliver.
What happens in the next 18 months, heading into next fall’s municipal election, hinges on that hire.
May they choose wisely
- Editor-in-chief Neil Godbout
deadlines, clean the house and cook. That can be good for you. I like being around small children in a time of grief. They are a reminder that the future will happen with or without me
Donna Flood at the Prince George Hospice Society says the demand for grieving programs tripled, maybe quadrupled, over the course of the pandemic. Everyone is grieving, not just for the people they have lost but also the life they lost - jobs, relationships, the ability to just go out and be with people. Learning how to cope with those losses and keep moving forward is hard work. You never “get over” the loss, you learn to accept it and make it part of your new normal.
Lately, I rediscovered the ability of my favourite books to help me get away. Going through my bookshelf, I found one that I
bought from the author a few years ago. It is Bucked Off by Joyce Helweg, a local author from Fort St. James. It ‘s about her journey through grief, memories, and acceptance after her husband’s sudden death It made me laugh, cry, and best of all, helped me get past the part of grief that paralyses me. I can look at the bright side of life again. I can remember the good times and the fun without breaking apart. Most days.
Grief is a journey, and journeys do not always go smoothly.
Spring is here.
The tulips are up in my yard and the deer have been by to snack on them. Taxes have been filed It will take a while but life is returning to normal.
I just hope the dying is done for a while At my age, I doubt it but I can dream.
and until that pedestrian is walking out in front of them
That vehicle beside you has very limited vision and if it’s not a crosswalk, unfortunately most people won’t be looking out for pedestrians.
People drive up and down these residential streets anywhere from 50 to 100 km/h It just isn’t always enough time to react unfortunately
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Lori Ridley Prince George
Canada’s two-faced foreign policy
The Cold War was a very interesting time. We were told that our allies did nothing wrong and that our enemies did nothing right. In the late 1970s, the Cambodian genocide was very well reported in the Western media. That was a good thing because Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge were horrendous war criminals.
Yet, at almost the exact same time, we heard nothing in the media about a comparable bloodbath happening in the former Portuguese colony of East Timor
That was because Indonesia was responsible and Western countries were supplying them with weapons. It was only after the Suharto dictatorship fell out of favour with the Americans in the late 1990s that the East Timorese experienced any relief from decades of genocide.
A number of scholars believe we are entering a second Cold War and they may be right. We are seeing the same type of finger pointing and the same kind of hypocrisy in our foreign policy
LESSONS IN LEARNING
GERRY CHIDIAC
In February, legislatures in several Western countries, including the United States and Canada, labeled the treatment of the Uyghur and other Muslim minorities in China as genocide. In Canada, this bill received unanimous support.
While usually reliable organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch did call attention to the plight of the Uyghur, Western media has been airing numerous reports from far less credible and more sensationalist sources regarding this issue. Why would they do this?
And why would the Canadian Parliament call the Uyghur situation genocide and say nothing about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where 24 million people, including 12 million children, are in dire need of assistance? Even worse, how could Canada continue to sell military equipment to Sau-
di Arabia, the foreign power responsible for much of the suffering there?
In another case, Human Rights Watch refers to the Israeli treatment of the Palestinians as “crimes of apartheid.” Yet, Israel remains one of Canada’s strongest allies and Justin Trudeau claims that we share a “commitment to freedom” with the State of Israel
When addressing global issues, there are indeed times when Canada can do almost nothing. In the case of the Uyghur, we can use diplomatic pressure, limit trade with China and put pressure on Canadian companies operating in China, but we can do little else.
We have much greater influence with our allies and countries that rely on our trade
We also need to recognize that, in many parts of the world, we are part of the problem and these are the situations we need to do something about. Canada’s reputation in Latin America is now almost as bad as that of the United States. We refuse to regulate Canadian mining companies working overseas and many of them continue to soil our international reputation.
Dancing is writing on your feet
As a big musical theatre fan, I am looking forward to kicking off Theatre NorthWest’s next season in November with a musical, The Marvelous Wonderettes.
I know we’re all sick of clichés about “the light at the end of the tunnel” but there is much that we at TNW are looking forward to as vaccinations continue to roll out. We look forward to the creation and sharing of joy through theatre and song. We look forward to having artists in our space who haven’t heard our jokes yet. We look forward to speaking to you face to face.
In addition to my work at Theatre NorthWest, I am currently writing a Masters thesis on musical theatre and language. When I’m not writing emails, event descriptions and grant applications, I’m writing notes on literary theory texts and trying to apply them to theatre. A worsening result of this combination is that I am insufferably inclined to wax philosophic at the mere mention of the stage musical and its many delights and wonders I have gotten really into etymologies as
TNW PASSAGES
SOLOMON GOUDSWARD
well. I’m fascinated by the way meanings become buried in words over time, waiting to be rediscovered sometimes thousands of years down the line. Take the word choreography This word comes from the Ancient Greek words khorós and gráph Khorós means “dance,” but it is also where we get the word “chorus” for both a group of performers and the repeated section of a song. Gráph is a verb meaning “to write” or “to draw.” Think of all the -graphy words you know – biography (life writing), geography (earth writing) Well, what about dance writing? The etymology of “choreography” makes me think that maybe dance is itself a kind of language. It makes me wonder whether choreography is the structured plan behind a dance or the movements of the
dance itself, or both. It makes me wonder how different dancing and writing really are. But don’t just take it from me and the ancient Greeks. Broadway Legend Bob Fosse, perhaps best known for directing, choreographing, and co-writing Chicago, is quoted as saying: “dancing is writing on your feet.”
Now you may be thinking, “Okay, that’s all well and good, Bob, but what do you mean exactly?”
Don’t worry, I’m thinking that too Well, let’s think about what we are doing when we write, in the traditional sense of writing. We use our bodies to put pen to paper – or fingertips to keys, as the case may be – in order to create strange shapes on a blank surface. These shapes are recognizable characters in a shared system called the alphabet. We have all learned which sounds each of them correspond to (and we know without thinking which movements of the human mouth create those sounds.) And we organize these strange shapes in a certain order to form recognizable and meaningful words and phrases.
Canada once acted honourably and we can do so again. The Brian Mulroney government was one of the first to boycott and sanction apartheid South Africa. They also chose to accept refugees from Central America while the United States continued to fight covert wars there. The Jean Chretien government chose not to participate in the second Iraq War, a devastating war that endures to this day.
Even now, there are elected officials who clearly prioritize human rights, thus their support for the Uyghur makes sense. The Green Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party, for example, have also called for the cancelation of arms deals with Saudi Arabia and the recognition of the rights of Palestinians.
The federal Liberals and Conservatives regularly stand in opposition to human rights initiatives. It is difficult to see their concern for the Uyghur as anything more than demonizing the Chinese government Genocide is a legal term linked to a moral responsibility to protect people in grave danger It should never be used for political gain
Now what do dancers in a musical do? They use their bodies to create strange shapes on a blank surface – the stage. An arm is lifted in the air, a foot sweeps the stage in a semi-circle. These shapes are not characters in a standardized alphabet but they are created by characters (there’s another etymology to look up for homework). More to the point, just like letters of the alphabet, these movements of the body are organized in a certain order to form recognizable and meaningful “phrases.”
In dance terminology, a “phrase” is a sequence of movements with a beginning, middle and end, just like a sentence. The meaning of a given dance phrase is not one we can translate into the language. But to anyone who has ever been moved by a beautiful dance performance, or experienced the joy of spontaneous dance breaks with friends, it’s not so crazy to suggest that dance can indeed convey meaning. This meaning may be of a different kind than we are used to – more direct, less precise; more intuitive, less intellectual. But it is meaningful nonetheless.
Can’t keep spending like there’s no tomorrow
The sun will come out tomorrow and we need to start acting like it.
Politicians keep telling us that we need to buckle up while they overspend like there’s no future, but, when we finally emerge from the COVID Tunnel of Hell, taxpayers can’t afford for governments to keep spending our bottom dollars.
Premier John Horgan has delivered his 2021 budget for British Columbia, and while there are some encouraging signs, it
GUEST COLUMN
KRIS SIMS
looks like Victoria is now hooked on emergency spending just as Ottawa is. But, for the sake of our collective sanity, let’s pick up our chins and look at the good news first.
The budget deficit isn’t as deep as most analysts were fearing During the last fiscal update, we were told to expect a deficit of about $13 billion, the cost of more than six St. Paul’s hospitals. Turns out the deficit is about $8 billion for the year. That’s four new hospitals. Still bad, but not as bad as we were bracing for Next, so far as we can ferret, there doesn’t appear to be any new taxes in this budget. That doesn’t mean they aren’t there Remember, last year’s Netflix tax
was buried under the generic phrase “registration requirements expanded ” But so far, there’s no proximity alarm pinging for new taxes.
Lastly, the Horgan government says it wants to be en route to balanced budgets within “seven to nine years.” That’s squishy and noncommittal, but it’s better than Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s fiscal plan which mentioned the term “balanced budget” exactly zero times in 725 pages.
Another step on the Citizen’s journey
What an exciting time to be in journalism.
While our industry continues to be challenged by declining ad revenue, as well as the economic impact of COVID-19, our audience is hungrier for local journalism than ever before Visits to the Citizen website continue to rise dramatically through our high quality coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, breaking local stories and investigations into political and social issues.
Now we’re thrilled to unveil a faster, deeper and broader new website by combining the very best of both Prince George Matters and the Prince George Citizen.
NIGHT SHIFT
NEIL GODBOUT
At the same time, we are also expanding our newsroom with the addition of Hanna Petersen from Prince George Matters.
Hanna’s work over the past three years has been excellent and deeply engaging. All of her past stories and the rest of Prince George Matters will be available on the Prince George Citizen’s revamped website. Hanna is Prince George through and
through, a Duchess Park and UNBC grad. She received her journalism training at King’s College in Nova Scotia.
Hanna brings youthful energy, fresh eyes and an additional female perspective to the Citizen, attributes we sorely needed more of and will benefit from going forward.
Hanna is eager to join a veteran group of reporters covering general and breaking news but with particular focus. She will devote much of her reporting to local and regional Indigenous affairs, another significant gap in our coverage in recent years.
The new website will let us present Hanna’s work and the rest of our reporting in a more compelling, user-friendly format.
Viruses don’t care about politics
We share this planet with countless other organisms.
Some are big and clearly visible, such as other people, elephants, eagles, and even mice. Some are small such as lice, ladybugs, and the fairy fly, which is less than 1 mm in length. But the vast majority are microscopic – bacteria, amoebas, and viruses.
And in order to survive, all organisms reproduce. They must make new versions of themselves.
There is a debate amongst scientists as to whether or not we should include viruses under the category of “living organisms.” It cannot reproduce without a target. It doesn’t eat or secrete. It is not mobile A virus is about as simple an organism as you can get. It is essentially a shell containing RNA or DNA code which, when injected into another cell, takes over the machinery of the host organism and forces it to produce more copies of the virus.
And it really doesn’t care about the organism it infects Indeed, some viruses are actually beneficial to human beings as they infect bacteria and help to control some of the nastier infectious organisms out there.
COVID-19 is a tiny ball of RNA wrapped
AS I SEE IT TODD WHITCOMBE
up in a protein shell covered with spikes. It can be seen using an electron microscope but it is way too small to be seen with the naked eye And it is very effective at doing what viruses do.
The trick to being a “good virus” is to infect your host without killing it.
Given that more than 3.2million people have died worldwide from the virus, it might seem a little inappropriate to make such a statement but killing a host is not what a successful virus does because then it will not be transmitted on to the next host.
Our physiology, though, is such that when we respond to the virus, our cells can get damaged. For a healthy adult, the result might be aches, pains, chills, fever, or other symptoms but generally, if the virus is not too virulent, people survive.
With COVID-19, the survival rate for those who have tested positive for the virus averages around 97 per cent, ranging from 92 per cent to 98 per cent, depending upon the variant.
Most people survive the disease. But not everyone. And not everyone who is infected displays symptoms, either People have tested positive with no or mild symptoms. Just because you don’t feel well doesn’t mean you can’t be passing it on to someone else.
Canada has seen nearly 25,000 deaths from COVID and roughly 1.23 million people infected. That is around one in every 30 people. In B.C., those numbers are about 1,600 deaths out of approximately 129,000 infections or 1 in every 36 people, with around 120,000 recovered.
Alberta is much worse shape with one in every 21 people infected and more than 2,100 deaths. The death rate is climbing due to the recent wave of infections. It is typically somewhere around two weeks after a wave of infection that the number of fatalities increases.
I mention all of this because it is a real epidemic hitting our country and the world hard. It is a “successful virus” as it makes people sick while only killing a small percentage – roughly 2.8 per cent of its hosts. Any more and the epidemic burns itself out.
And yet, there are many people who claim COVID-19 is a hoax. After all, they don’t know anyone who has died. They haven’t got any friends who are sick. It is
We have more changes in the works this spring and beyond, as we move into our post-pandemic world. We can’t wait to share them with you.
All of us at The Citizen wish to extend our gratitude and appreciation for your ongoing support. We appreciate the time you take out of your busy day to check in with us online for timely, accurate and informative news and opinion pieces. With the changes, we promise you even more compelling, relevant and local content, than ever.
We will redouble our efforts to retain and build your trust, and time with us, with each new day and each new story.
some form of “government police state lock down” or something like that, they say
Admittedly, the number of people claiming COVID-19 doesn’t exist or there isn’t really a pandemic in Prince George is relatively small. But it is large enough to have generated a rally complete with placards and signs declaring “Canada is not a police state” and “Wearing a mask is un-Canadian.”
I came across such a rally last week as I was driving past the CN Centre A crowd of perhaps 150 individuals were standing on the side of the road, making a lot of noise. And no one I saw in the crowd was wearing a mask.
Chances are some of those attending are carrying the virus. They might have been asymptomatic or they didn’t think their achy fever-y feeling had anything to do with the disease. Or maybe they thought because the rally was outside, they couldn’t catch or transmit the disease. But the facts are the facts. The disease exists in this town. And people are getting sick and dying. You might not know anyone personally but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
So get vaccinated and wear a mask. Do it for the loved ones you would miss if they succumbed to this virus.
‘Onto the credit cards of our children’
from page 12
However, comparing our province’s fiscal management to Trudeau’s is like comparing a reasonably maintained minivan to a ‘71 Pinto that’s already on fire.
Let’s steer clear of that.
Now for the bad news in B.C.
While the annual deficit isn’t as bad as we feared, the debt is horrible.
Right now, our provincial debt is about $87 billion. The Horgan government says that by 2024, it’s going to be $127 billion. That’s an increase of 45 per cent in three years. Debt is not free.
We are paying more than $2.7 billion in interest on that debt per year Instead of that money going to health care or to tax relief, that cash is going to bond fund managers on Bay Street.
In 2024, the interest on the debt will be $3.1 billion That could pay for more than 5,000 full time paramedics’ salaries for 10 years. We could cut the provincial sales tax almost in half for an entire year for that much money. The brightest flashing dashboard warning light on the B.C. budget is the speed at which politicians are spending our money and for how long they expect to keep up the pace.
In 2019, the government spent about $58.9 billion for the year Then, COVID hit us like a bus, and spending leapt up to $69.1 billion in the year 2020.
That’s understandable in an emergency If your car quits while you’re driving up the Malahat highway, you need to call a tow truck and get it fixed It’s an expensive hard knock, but it’s an emergency Does that mean you should call a tow truck every Saturday even after your mechanic got the car purring smoothly?
That’s what the government is doing.
In 2024, the Horgan government is planning on spending $68.9 billion. That’s three years from now, when we won’t be
in the middle of this COVID mess. So, why is the government going to spend as if we will be?
This COVID mess is a wreck on the road. It’s something that needs to be cleared away It’s not a political opportunity for a spending spree, as Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland dubbed it
When the government borrows money, it’s putting that cost onto the credit cards of our children.
We should only do that in a true emergency and with a troubled conscience because tomorrow is only a day away. - Kris Sims is the B.C. Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation
HORO SC OPES &P UZ ZLES
9. Reverent homage 10. Consult 11. No’s counterpart 19. Nut covering 21. Beginning part
25. Song of praise
26. Elongated fish
28. Sparkle
30. Troublemaker
31. Type of bean
32. Seek the love of
33. Instruct 36. Heavy hammer
37. Hockey player
40. Plod
42. Spins 43. Brook 44. Weighty
46. Overwhelmed
48. To’s associate 49. Attorney’s field 51. Motel
ACROSS 1. Perform on stage 4. Compass direction 8. Influence 12. Hawaiian garland 13. Ceremony 14. Firefighter’s need
15. Exclude 16. Locale
17. Annoys 18. Manipulates 20. Sinks
22. Intertwine
23. Blessing concluder
24. Weed tool
27. Omelet ingredient 29. Step
Get bigger
Drive away
Lots
Clump
Not me 39. Choir voice
Imprint firmly
Photographer’s device
Tempt
Defect
Sub store
Ump’s kin
Give agrade to
Due
Adam’s address
Blue yonder
Record
Discontinue
Wearies
Notable period 5. Auto safety device: 2 wds. 6. Iron output 7. Taunts 8. Leg part
Achieve 55. Hoopster’s target
PUZZLE NO. 816
HOWTOPLAY:
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains thenumbers 1through 9only once.
Each 3x3 box is outlined with adarker line. You already have afew numbers to get you started. Remember: youmustnot repeatthe numbers 1through 9inthe same line, column or 3x3 box.
CL ASSIF IEDS
HOURS: Monday-Friday8:30am -3:00pm •Closed 12:00pm -1:00pm forlunch
In Loving Memory of Erich Pfister
Nov 5, 1933 to May 8, 2018
You are missed everyday by your loving wife Regina and family.
Jarred A. J. Goyer
May 6/98 to May 6/99
Happy Birthday Sweetie !!! Hugs and Kisses just for you. We miss you so much and you know we will love you forever.
Grandma and Grandpa xxxxx ooooo
REMEMBRANCES
October 24, 1931February 8, 2021
Lovingly remembered by her children; Laurie Tabert, Brian Tabert, Shannon (Michael) Moleski, grandchildren; Stacey, Crystal, Deanne, Amanda, Thereysa, Marwas, Lindsay, Breana & Stephan. Predeceased by her husband; Peter Nielsen, daughter; Jody Nielsen, & granddaughter; Christena Van’t-Haff. Yvette loved her family, horses, her dogs, playing crib, crosswords, watching wrestling & old westerns, buying and selling Motorhomes and Real Estate! She will be greatly missed~ A small COVID celebration of her life was held by immediate family where she, and her daughter were laid to rest in Quesnel.
L’Hirondelle, William Cole
May 17, 1977April 7, 2021
March 7, 1952April 29, 2021
Marnie made heaven her home after passing away from cancer at University Hospital of Northern British Columbia.
Marnie will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered by her family: husband: Donald Rahn; children: Tanya (Bob) Kallis; grandchildren: Jaida, Julian, Kaitlyn and Kaeden Kallis; siblings: Sue Lorrie, Debbie (Tim) Taylor, and Ray (Debbie) Comtois. She is reunited in heaven with her parents, Leo and Flo Comtois. Hugs to all the other family and friends who feel her absence and appreciate the gift she was to us.
Marnie was born in Alert Bay, BC, but she lived in many parts of Canada prior to settling in Prince George, BC in 1968. She married in 1971, and her daughter was born in 1975. She worked for many years at the Ministry of Forests before retiring. She was an active member of Overcoming Faith Christian Center and loved the friends and family who she connected with over her lifetime.
It is with great sadness the family of William Cole L’Hirondelle announces his passing on Wednesday April 7th 2021 in Prince George at the age of 43.
Willy is survived by his wife Miranda, their children Nadine, Allie, Clay, Beverly, William, Jesse, Slade L’Hirondelle his brothers Shayne and Michael L’Hirondelle, Daniel Prediger, uncle John, brother-in-law Ralph Savard, sister-in-law Roberta Savard, nieces Teffny (Paul) Ellis, Tanya (Bretton) Savard-Willey, Tishanna, Payge, Pauletta, Gianna, Gemma, Meadow, nephews Lawrence (Ashley) McLeod, Mason, Logan, Jacob, Theodore, Kingston, grandchildren Miya, Madalynn, unborn grandson, numerous extended family and friends.
He was predeceased by his mother Beverly and father Lawrence L’Hirondelle, sister & brother-inlaw Maryanne and Roy McLeod, brother Slade L’Hirondelle, nephew Jordan Savard and cousin Joey Thompson.
It broke our hearts to lose you, but you didn’t go alone. For a part of us went with you, the day God called you home.
The family wishes to thank the many doctors and hospital staff who contributed to mom’s care.
In lieu of flowers, donations would be greatly appreciated for Youth For Christ (Mackenzie) - a charitable organization investing in the lives of youth (including her grandchildren) in Mackenzie, BC.
A Celebration of Life service is not planned due to Covid-19 restrictions. Letters of condolence may be mailed to: Tanya Kallis; PO Box 754; Mackenzie, BC; V0J 2C0.
Memoriam
Memoriam
Memoriam
In Loving Memory of
Yvette M Nielsen
Marnie Rahn
Margaret Joan Baker (nee Ryan)
1942-2021
Margaret Joan Baker (nee Ryan) passed away peacefully at the Simon Fraser Lodge in Prince George B.C. on April 19, 2021 at the age of 78 years. Joan, as she went by, was born in Pembroke, Ontario on November 22, 1942 to James and Isabelle Ryan (nee Romain). Joan spent the first years of her life in Pembroke temporarily moving to Ottawa to become a teacher, a career which she would enjoy doing for the majority of her life. Once back in Pembroke, Joan met Eric Baker, marrying him in 1966. Due to Eric’s career in the armed forces the family moved to several locations across the country eventually settling in Prince George, BC. Joan and Eric would go on to have three children, Maureita (Ian), Margaret, and Marvin (Ginger) as well as three grandchildren (Sarah, Gwendolyn and Joseph). When Joan wasn’t teaching she enjoyed spending time with her family camping and hunting and would like to play bingo whenever possible.
Joan is survived by her husband Eric as well as their three children and grandchildren. In addition, Joan is survived by her brothers Pat (Marilyn) of Ottawa, Joseph of Paisley and Gerald of Pembroke. Joan was predeceased by her parents as well as her sisters Catherine (Ken) Doucette and Sheila Ryan and brothers Jimmy, Tom and Michael. There will be no funeral service held at this time as Joan will be interned at the St Columba’s cemetery in Pembroke Ontario at a later date. The family would like to thank her family doctor, Dr Nadeem, and the staff at Simon Fraser Lodge for all of the care Joan received.
DAVID PEACOCK
2x63.8
PGC002179
Peacock,LorneM. May30,1942-April17,2021
LorneMcKenziePeacockpassedawaypeacefullyinhis sleep.HeleavesbehindhislovingwifeGinaPeacock,and his3sons,David(&Alex)Paul&Bryan,hisbrother Marty&sisterinlawBetty,nephewDean,nieceRiki,and 6grandchildren.
Lornewasanavidsportsfan:fromplayingBasketball,to coachingBaseball&Hockey,tobeingaPGCougars SeasonTicketHolder,tocheeringforhisbeloved VancouverCanucksandBCLions,hecouldalwaysbe foundatlocalsportingeventsandwasalwayswillingto shareasportsstorywherehehadanuncannytalentto recallsportsplayersjerseynumbersandobscure statistics.
Lornewasarailroaderthroughandthroughandtruly lovedall36years...staringwiththePacificGreatEastern in1965andretiringfromtheBCRailin2001.Heformed manylastingfriendshipsduringthistimeandalwayskept intouchwithhisrailroadbuddies.
Atalaterdatetherewillbeacelebrationoflife.
Bernice Gunderson
April 27, 1936April 29, 2021
Bernice Gunderson died Thursday, April 29th at the age of 85. Bernice was pre-deceased by her husband of 39 years, Elmer, and 7 of her 11 siblings. She is survived by her daughter Bertha, sons Chris (Melody) and Alan (Devinder), grandchildren Seth (Jessica), Violet (Justice), Sarban and Joban; and 2 great grandchildren, Jacen and Silas. Bernice was born in rural Saskatchewan but lived the last 55 years of her life in Prince George. Mom loved walking, gardening and doing almost any outdoor activity, including shoveling snow. She also got the travel bug later in life and enjoyed exploring by trips and cruises. We will miss her terribly. Her hope was to come to life again and live forever when this earth is a paradise.
RAWLINGS, Gwen
1953 – 2021
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden passing of our mother on April 14, 2021 at her home in Prince George, BC.
Gwen was predeceased by her beloved husband Bob and sister Sharon. She is survived and remembered by her loving sister Rosabelle (Art) Birch, her children Cheri (Kiyo) Hoshino, Alexandra, Genevieve, and Robert (Sheryl) Rawlings, as well as her much loved grandchildren (who could do no wrong) Savannah, Cavan, Ryder, Jordyn, Cassidy, Abbey, and Bobby. She leaves behind many brothers and sisters-in-law, countless nieces and nephews, as well as a multitude of friends, all of whom she loved fiercely.
She was a self-proclaimed klutz, crazy cat lady, and obviously, the world’s best grandma. Some of her most cherished memories in life were the times spent with the ball team at tournaments around the province and the deeply connected friendships made through those; family gatherings on Sundays at the house, where we’d start the croquet trash talk early in the morning before we all proceeded to lose to dad anyways, and then have the best dinner afterwards to soothe our wounded pride. She sure could cook. She loved gardening, and really sucked at driving; jumping curbs and tailgating were her strong points. We were always welcomed home by mom’s boisterous voice belting out a song as we walked through the front door. Catching her mid song, she always paused for a quick “Hi honey”.
Mom was, as dad used to say, “sharp as a tack”, and could often be found lost in a novel, doing crosswords, and kicking her friends’ butts in scrabble. Most notably though, was her wicked sense of humour; smart, witty and as dry as the Sahara. Gwen The Party Chicken was never unnoticed at gatherings. With her larger-than-life smile, laughter and jokes, hilarity always ensued. We’re sure all of her friends have a story or 4 that will bring most to their knees.
the lives of loved ones with your stories, photographs and tributes Celebrate the lives of loved ones with your stories, photographs and tributes
ASSMAN’S
Life is dynamic and complex, and Gwen, with her husband, navigated it well with love and humour. It is comforting to know that they are once again together as a hilarious comedic team.
Gunny, you will be missed.
A celebration of life will be announced and held at a later date this year. We invite everyone to share their stories of Gwen (and Bob) online for now.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
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• Be descriptive. Give customers a reason to respond. Advertisers have found that the more information you provide, the better the response.
• Limit abbreviations. Use only standard abbreviations to avoid confusion and misinterpretations.
• Limit abbreviations. Use only standard abbreviations to avoid confusion and misinterpretations.
• Include price. Always include price of the item for sale.
• Include price. Always include price of the item for sale.
• How to respond. Always include a phone number (with area code) and/or street and email address. To place your ad call:
• How to respond. Always include a phone number (with area code) and/or
Prince George Native Friendship Centre
“We are a dynamic and compassionate team facilitating individual, family, and community growth, wellbeing and mutual understanding through the “power of friendship”.
Come join our dynamic, highly motivated, Senior Leadership team as a:
Director of Health
You are a proven leader with a passion for wholistic and culturally based services that support urban Aboriginal communities. You are a proven leader that thrives in a multi-faceted role and has excellent organizational skills.
In this Senior Leadership role, you will oversee and support the health services programs and community development. As a proven leader, you will supervise the teams that support our wholistic and culturally based health programs, through a trauma informed delivery model. Using your innovation, and strategic skills, identify ongoing funding opportunities and develop new initiatives as identified by organizational and community need. Key to this role will be developing and maintaining strong relationships with local, regional, provincial and national partners. The preferred qualifications for this role include:
• Master’s Degree in Political Science, History, Indigenous Studies, Public Administration, Health Sciences or other comparable area of study
• A minimum of five (5) years’ experience working at a management level in a community-based in health and wellness relevant programming
• Combination of relevant experience, education, and training will be considered
• Demonstrated supervisory experience, at a management level
• Extensive knowledge of health-related programs and services provision in urban Aboriginal communities
• Proven experience in writing reports on activities, strategic work plans, goals and objectives
• A thorough appreciation, awareness, working experience and sensitivity of Aboriginal history and culture, as well as a thorough understanding of the complexities of working with diverse populations
• Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with local, regional, provincial and national partners of the PGNFC
• Professional communication proficiencies including presentation skills, writing ability, computer proficiency and authentic interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated teamwork, leadership skills and visionary ability to inspire and empower others
• In-depth knowledge of the social service sector, community-based programs and services, funding sources, community and board relations
• Complete Criminal Record Clearances and possess a valid Driver’s License
• Be willing to work flexible hours including on call, evenings & weekends
Sports Utilities & 4X4s
2012
2006
NOTICEOFLEGAL PROCEEDINGS
To:KarenCindy Ghostkeeper
TAKENOTICETHATon
February12,2021anorder wasmadeforserviceonyou ofaNoticeofApplication issuedfromtheVancouver RegistryoftheSupreme CourtofBritishColumbiain proceedingnumber158647 bywayofthis advertisement.
Intheproceeding,the Applicantseekstohavethe matterdismissedforwantof prosecution.
Youmayfilearesponse withintheperiodrequired undertheSupremeCourt CivilRulesfailingwhich furtherproceedings, includingjudgment,maybe takenagainstyouwithout noticetoyou.
Youmayobtain,fromthe VancouverRegistry,at800 SmitheStreetVancouver, BC,acopyoftheapplication andtheorderprovidingfor servicebythis advertisement.
Thisadvertisementisplaced bythedefendant/applicant whoseaddressforserviceis 301-2642MainStreet, VancouverBCV5T3E6. Email: cberry@hartmehl.com. Telephone:604-708-3775 ext.230
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Parts Trucks
Chrome tailgate, fits 3/4 ton GMC, cover
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DEVELOPMENT OF A PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN
Reference #PPC-03-21/26
As per the Integrated Pest Management Act of British Columbia, Section 61(1) this is Public Notification that:
Pembina Pipeline Corporation (Pembina) is performing vegetation management on its facilities, rights-of-way, and related infrastructure within the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, Peace River, Fraser-Fort George, Cariboo, and Thompson-Nicola Regional Districts as a public and employee safety measure and maintenance procedure from the years 2021 - 2026, a 5-year program. Associated communities in these regions are Fort St John, Chetwynd, Prince George, Quesnel, Williams Lake, Clinton, Kamloops and other smaller communities.
Select treatments including mechanical, manual, preventive and herbicides will be used at a low rate of application to control the growth of unwanted vegetation. This will reduce any potential fire risk, maximize public safety, and allow access to facilities and rights-of-way for maintenance and operational data collection. Pembina fenced facilities should only be accessed by authorized personnel.
These select treatment applications may also be used in accordance with the Weed Control Act by orders from the B.C. Ministry or local jurisdictional authorities. Herbicides will be applied by backpack sprayers with wands and ATV with spray tanks and power nozzles.
The trade name and active ingredient of the herbicides to be used are:
• Trade names that are proposed for use in this integrated pest management plan: VP 480, Arsenal, Clearview, Milestone, Navius VM, Escort, Banvel VM, Startup, Garlon XRT, 2,4-D amine, MCPA amine, Esplanade SC, Lontrel 360, Torpedo, Gateway, Hasten NT, LI700.
• Active ingredients that are proposed for use: Glyphosate, Aminopyralid, Metsulfuron-methyl, Aminocyclopyrachlor, Imazapyr, Dicamba, Triclopyr, 2,4-D, MCPA, Indaziflam, Clopyralid, Flumioxazin, Pyroxasulfone, Adjuvant, Surfactant.
Copies of the pest management plan and maps are available at request. For more information please contact: Pembina Pipeline Corporation
Attention: Ksenia Privalova, Specialist, Environment 4000, 585-8th Ave. SW, Calgary, AB T2P 1G1 kprivalova@pembina.com Phone: 403-231-6325
A person wishing to contribute information about a proposed treatment site, relevant to the development of this IPMP may send copies of the information to the email address above within 30 days of the publication of this notice.
Apartments / Condos-For Sale
Property For Sale
Out of Town Property
3BED/1BATH|$325,000 135acreswoodland/pasture onlakefront.Workshop, barn&greenhouse.25min commutetoBurnsLake. 250-692-0270
Recreational Property
1000sq m building lot, #L72NCorintoPearleco-development Honduras. Contact Recap Investments, Toronto 1-888-212-8584 for more info and owner 250-5634999 $35,000 Canadian 11.26 acres manicured sub-lakeshore at Cluculz
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Window treatments: shining a light on solar shades
From blinds and curtains to shutters and drapes, there’s no shortage of materials that can be used to enhance the look of your windows One practical option is to install solar shades.
Here are some of the benefits of this rollup window covering.
• They protect against harmful rays Solar shades are made of a tightly woven fabric designed to block out the sun’s UV rays The perforated material allows you to safely enjoy natural light in your home.
• They offer privacy with a view Solar shades provide a decent view of the out-
doors while preventingothersfromseeing into your home. They also reduce glare.
• They help conserve energy. Solar shades help keep your home cool on hot days, thereby reducing the strain on your air conditioner This lowers your energy bills and helps protect the environment.
Solar shades are available in a range of opaqueness levels, allowing you to select a loose or tight weave depending on what you use the space for and how much light you need.
Visit the stores in your area to find the right product for every window in your home.
Demolition projects: DIY vs. hiring a pro
If you want to renovate your home, you may need to remove some of the existing structures and fixtures However, when it comes to knocking down load-bearing walls, there’s no room for error. Here are some things to consider before you start a demolition project.
THE RISKS OF DOING IT YOURSELF
Even if you have experience as a handyman and strong friends to help you, there’s a lot that can go wrong Without the proper equipment and knowledge, you risk causing major structural damage and exposing yourself to hazardous materials Plus, there’s a chance your insurer won’t cover you if an accident occurs
THE PERKS OF HIRING A PROFESSIONAL Demolition contractors have the training to safely and efficiently tear down a wide range of structures From their initial inspection of the site to the removal of waste material, you can count on a professional demolition crew to take care of everything Since they have the right equipment, there’s much less risk of damage or delays
If you’re looking to hire a demolition contractor, take the time to find an expert in your region with the right credentials and a reliable track record. Make sure the company is insured and doesn’t have any warnings or violations from health and safety authorities
Kaycie
Janine
Donna Badowski***
Jasmine
Yakisugi: the charred-wood trend
Shou sugi ban is a traditional Japanese technique of burning wood planks usually cedar or larch to preserve the wood and protect it against UV rays, moisture, insects and other sources of damage The result of this weatherproofing process is a striking, charcoal-black wood plank known as yakisugi.
While yakisugi was traditionally used as a material for siding, this blackened wood is becoming increasingly popular for other applications The product can now be found indoors on walls and floors and outdoors to construct fences and decks.
In addition to its unique appearance, yakisugi is renowned for its durability. The process of scorching planks in a controlled environment eliminates moisture and hardens the wood In fact, it’s estimated that this material, when correctly made, has a usable lifespan of at least 80 years What’s more, burnt wood is resistant to fire.
In terms of care, these treated wood planks have the benefit of requiring virtually no maintenance. However, applying a natural oil to the surface every 15 years or so can help protect yakisugi from the elements.
4 essentials of opening your cottage
Once the weather gets warmer, you’ll likely be eager to take advantage of your summer cottage. However, it’s a good idea to inspect the property and complete any necessary upkeep before the start of the season. Here are four things you should do
1. IDENTIFY AND FIX PROBLEMS
During your first visit of the season, be on the lookout for unpleasant surprises If there’s water damage, an infestation or a broken window, take note of the work that needs to be done Avoid putting off repairs so your cottage will be ready to use as soon as possible. For major issues such as cracks in the foundation or a leaky roof, it’s best to hire a professional
2. INSPECT THE POWER SUPPLY
Whether your cottage runs on propane or electricity, you’ll need to make sure the system’s various components are in good condition before you restore the power. For example, there might be a gas leak, or mice could have chewed through wires over the winter. If you detect any issues, be sure to contact an electrician.
3. TURN THE WATER BACK ON
If your cottage is equipped with a pump that draws water directly from a lake, follow the manufacturer’s instructions If you have a regular plumbing system, start by opening a faucet followed by the main water shut-off valve. Let the water run for about five minutes Wait until the hot water tank is full before you connect and inspect the heater.
4 steps to patch up drywall
If you want to repair dents and shallow holes in drywall, here are four simple steps to ensure you get the best possible result
1. Sand down the edges This step ensures the wood putty or spackling compound adheres to the wall. Use a fine-grit sandpaper (120 or 150) to lightly sand the area around the hole.
2. Clean the surface. Once you finish sanding, vacuum up dust and debris clinging to the wall, then wipe down the area with a damp cloth. Be sure to let the wall dry completely before you apply the filler and paint.
3. Apply enough product. Use a trowel to completely fill the hole with wood putty or spackling compound. The product should overflow slightly around the edges Once it dries, you can sand down the filler until it’s smooth and blends in with the wall If the hole isn’t completely filled, you’ll need to repeat this step until the surface is even.
4. Repaint the entire wall. While it might be tempting to only paint
4. CHECK THE SEPTIC SYSTEM
Make sure there aren’t leaks in the pipes connected to your septic system and that they’re otherwise in good condition. Additionally, it’s important to empty and clean your septic tank every few years This type of maintenance requires specialized equipment, so it’s best to hire a plumber to complete the job.
By taking care of your cottage now, you’ll be able to kick back and enjoy the rest of the season without worry.
the affected area, the repair work will likely be noticeable if you do. For seamless results, take the time to repaint the entire wall
To find all the materials you need to complete this repair, visit your nearest hardware or home improvement store.
5 areas to modernize in your kitchen
Does your kitchen look like it’s from another decade? Unless you’re going for a vintage esthetic, it’s time to bring the space into the 21st century. Here are five ways you can modernize the appearance of your kitchen.
1. FLOORING
As a gathering place in your home, the kitchen’s floor gets a lot of wear. If yours is faded, scratched or stained, you have two options Either you can repair it swap out cracked tiles or sand and varnish hardwood or replace the entire surface. To help you make a decision that suits your needs and budget, seek advice from a professional
2. PAINT
Whether the colours in your kitchen are out-dated or the walls have faded over time, a fresh coat of paint is an affordable way to breathe new life into a space. Consider repainting the cabinets as well as the walls You can easily add a modern flair to your kitchen by choosing a second, bolder colour for the island or lower cabinets.
3.
COUNTERTOPS
Even if the material is timeless, years of preparing meals on them can leave kitchen countertops looking a little worse for wear Replacing them with a pristine surface can instantly change the look of the room. Visit specialized stores in your area to discover the wide range of materials, colours and textures available.
4. APPLIANCES
The stovetop, oven and range hood, along with the fridge, microwave and dishwasher, are focal points in a kitchen. If yours are scratched, mismatched or out-dated, consider selling or donating them so you can invest in newer models. To get the most out of your purchase, be sure to select Energy Star certified appliances or smart devices
5. DECOR
A variety of accessories can be used to transform the look of your kitchen in the blink of an eye. Visit local home decor shops to find curtains, blinds, mirrors, light fixtures and more to provide the wow effect you want. Smaller items such as island centrepieces and plants can be rotated with the seasons to freshen up the space every few months
From upgrading the sink and faucet to replacing cabinet hardware and installing a new backsplash, there are plenty of ways to modernize your kitchen. For best results, enlist the help of an interior designer
How to insulate a cathedral ceiling: interior vs. exterior
High ceilings, particularly cathedral and vaulted varieties, are beautiful in nearly any home. Unfortunately, they’re notoriousforlettingwarmairescape, which can be a problemduringthewinter Ifyouhave ceilingslikethisinyourhome,insulation is key
INSULATING FROM THE EXTERIOR Applying insulation from the roof is the best way to ensure a tight seal. First, spray a layer of polyurethane foam and then install a moisture-proof membrane to keep it dry Homes in coolerclimatesmayalso require rigid foam board to increase thermal performance.
INSULATING FROM THE INTERIOR
Insulating your home from the inside is possible, but it won’t create an air-tight seal. The best way to do it is to applyblown-incellulose insulation between the roof decking and the drywall ceiling. There are other ways, but these
involvecompletelyremovingthe ceiling.
Nomatterhowyoudecidetoinsulateyour roof, it’s important to leave enough room forventilationandbecertainthatmoisture can’t get through.
Insulating a ceiling is a complex job. To ensure it’s done right, consult a professional.
MarcieMatthews 250-565-1177
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Schlamp
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3072 WALLACE CRES $459,999
MLS #R2567734
This 6bedroom 3bathroom on a1/4 acrewithin city limits is agem. This nicely updated home has all the perks for alarge family or with an outside basement entry it has serious suite potential. The backyardhas pull through RV parking, patio, and ashed. The whole upstairs has fresh new paint and updates to the kitchen along with new countertops. Just offthe kitchen is alarge solarium which could be used for many things...workout room, yoga anyone? This home is amust see!
This 19.9 fully fenced acreage with year round Aquaponic greenhouse is amust see to appreciate! The 4bedroom 2bath home is just the start to this amazing property!
Upgrades include insulated exterior walls, newer windows, newer roof, newer hot water tank (2012) and well pump (2012). Many outbuildings include insulated chicken coop, 16x24 shed, 24x24 shed, separate area fenced for goats, fenced area for horses or cows...this could be the ultimate hobby farm. The aquaponic green house is 40x100 with attached building that includes work station, biomass boiler and aspace upstairs that could be made into asuite. This is atrue hidden gem!
3 considerations when choosing a floating floor
Floating floors have become increasingly popular in recent years thanks to their durability and improved quality Most of all, people appreciate how easy they are to install. Since the planks attach to each other instead of the subfloor, they’re also easy to replace. Here are threethingstoconsiderwhenchoosing a floating floor
1. THE MATERIAL
Themostpopulartypeoffloatingflooris laminate, which is an affordable option that can withstand a lot of abuse. However, you can also find planks made of vinyl, engineered wood and other materials like cork.
The material you choose will depend on your budget, where you’re planning to install it and the amount of traffic you
expect in the area.
2. THE QUALITY
Well-made floating floors lock together easily and seamlessly, while some lower-end materials may not connect properly
If you opt for laminate that mimics the look of wood, make sure there’s enough variety in the pattern for it to appear natural.
3. THE THICKNESS
Thicker floating floorboards aren’t necessarily a higher quality product. However, they’re easier to install, more resistanttodamageandthebestchoiceif yoursubfloor isn’t perfectly flat.
Before you install your floating floor, you’ll need to lay down a sheet of foam underlay A must for any floating floor, this layer acts as a moisture barrier, helps correct minor imperfections in the subfloor and adds a bit of cushioning under the planks. Be sure to remove any baseboards or trim from the wall prior to installation, and pull up the old flooring if necessary
7480 CARIBOU RD $559,999
MLS#R2567723
This nicely renovated home sits on a.35 acrecornerlot with apull through double garage and RV parking. 2bedrooms and 1bath upstairs with anew kitchen with corian countertops is astunner! In the basement is 1bedroom and 1bath with alarge recroom and living room great for entertaining. The sunroom is full of windows and has doors into the garage and the backyardfor an oasis within the city! The large deck and patio aregreat for entertaining with abeauty
905 LA SALLE $324,999
MLS R2526348
This nicelyupdated, three-suite, multi-family home on alarge lot is stepsaway from the river and Paddlewheel Park. These units have been updated in the past five years with newerhot water tank. This large lot with two sheds makes for agreat outside space
Curved shapes: a design trend to try
Forget geometric forms and strong lines – 2021 is all about bringing the shapes found in nature into your home. Curves and arcs revitalize interior spaces and rounded shapes lend energy and inspiration. Here’s how to incorporate thistrendinto your home.
FURNITURE
Be on the lookout for C-shaped sofas, round dinner tables and chairs with curved backs and arms. In the bedroom, consider updating your bed frame for one that features a circular headboard or placing an oval bench under your window.
ACCESSORIES
If you’re not in the market for new furniture this year, turn to your accessories. Arrangebowlsorroundvasesinpleasing clusters, or install globe-shaped light fixtures. You can also adorn your sofa with round cushions and dot- or wave-printed throws.
Thisyear’shottesthomedecoratingtrend is easy to try Best of all, it can work in practically any room, regardless of the space’s style and features.
JOHN HART PEACE RIVER HIGHWAY CHETWYND
52 unit Days Inn good occupancy and with 50 unit RV park beside the hotel for sale as well. Great location on the highway an attractive investment opportunity with all the economic activity in the Peace. For further information on financials and contact listing realtors. $7,000,000 MLS 184582
1602/1642/1656 VICTORIA ST
Excellent opportunity for commercial land spanning several lots. C5/C6 zoning with city services. $2,390,000 MLS#C8036369
JOHN HART PEACE RIVER HIGHWAY
50 unit RV park on 7acres great highway exposure beside the Days Inn. The RV has lots of room for expansion to expand this investment and grow your cash flow with servicing available.For further information contact listing realtors for financials and occupancy an well worth looking at.$1,300,000 MLS 184583
900 BRUNSWICK ST
FOR LEASE
4,000 sq ft Restaurant space located in the Marriott Courtyard, Prince George’snewest full service Hotel
1589 -7TH AVE.
Quality 9,900 sq ft corner lot on 7th and Vancouver St. High traffic area. Zoned C-7. $449,000 MLS C8037128
757 PRESTON RD.
1.76 Acres in City Limits. Zoned RM1 (Multiple Residential). Price $499,000 MLS #C8033659
2222 NICHOLSON ST FOR LEASE
Industrial zoned 5,733 sq ft, was previously operated as apool hall for the past 20 years. Paved yard, high ceilings &partial second floor office/lounge area. Located in prime Light Industrial area. Net-Lease. MLS #C8027687
Are you dreaming of redecorating your bedroom but don’t know where to start? Keep reading.
Pastel colours such as pale blue, pale pink and creamy yellow are big for bedrooms at themoment.Ifyouwanttocreatearomantic atmosphere, choose pale violet, which evokes love and creativity Paint your ceiling a slightly darker colour for a cozy feel, but
don’tgotoodarkorthespacewillseemtiny
To create a calming effect, opt for a light blue on the walls; for something more stimulating, choose apple green Ifyouwant to wake up feeling energized, try orange, andchooseashadeofyellowtoboostyour morale.
Don’t be afraid to mix different decoratingstylesinthebedroom.Forexample, you could add in a few vintage elements, such as antique bedside tables; they don’t even have to be identical. You can also hang some ofyourfavourite worksofartonthe walls.Whynotexhibitafewofyour own creations?
You love to read? Install light fixtures on the wall above the bed for just the right amount of light while keeping your nightstand clear An armchair that blends in with your decor is great if you like to read in your bedroom but don’t want to sit up in bed For bedspreads, you’re sure to find something you love in the huge selection on offer in stores. Just be sure that it’s comfortable. Quilted or embroidered models are perfect for any type of decor, in addition to being timeless.
The timelessness OF WHITE
When it comes to interior decorating, furniture and paint, you just can’t go wrong withwhite.It’salwayspopular!Herearea fewtipstohelpyoumakethemostofthis timeless neutral.
If you think white will give a rather chilly feel to your home, opt for a warm white that doesn’t have any blue undertones. Paint your ceilings and staircasewhiteifyouwanttocreate a relaxing atmosphere, and if you feel daring, go for white floors as well. Of course white is also a great colour for the bedroom.
Your home needs a bit of a facelift? Paint your kitchen cabinets white and add a gloss finish to reflect the light. Afraid that your decor is dull or bland? No problem! Use your white walls as a backdrop and simply add coloured accessories: curtains, cushions, throws and dishes for the kitchen. Pale walls help your accessories stand out whilebringingmorelightto the room.
Designers favour neutral colours, such as white, grey and beige, because they make your home feel welcoming and evoke relax-
ation, cleanliness and freshness. In addition, white is suitable for all decorating styles.Although this all sounds very simple, it’s still vital to harmonize the different shades of white.
So, if you want an atmosphere that’s Zen, relaxing, warm and elegant, an all-white interioris a must for you.
Tips for finding the PERFECT FLOORING
You’re ready to shop for flooring, but are totally confused with all the choices that are available to you. There’s so much out there! Don’t panic; here are some tips to steer you in the right direction.
Foraglamorousstylethatwillbedurable too, the material of choice is marble, vinyl or porcelain tiles. You prefer a classic, timeless look for floors? Hardwood, laminate flooring or vinyl planks are for you. To add an exotic touch to your decor, opt for bamboo. By the way, did you know that bamboo is more durable than hardwood and is more resistant to insects and mildew? It’s stylish as well
Vinyl is affordable and easy to maintain On the other hand, it can show scratches, stains and signs of wear and tear Laminate floors imitate wood, stoneorceramic.They’reeasytoinstall and are resistant to stains, shocks and scratches. You like ceramic tiles? Keep in mind that this material isn’t as resistant to damage as other types of tile, such as porcelain. Linoleum is easy to maintain and is extremely resilient. Nowadays it comes in many styles and forms, including biodegradable and hypoallergenic.
If your rooms are on the small side, light colours will make them appear larger and brighter If you hate cleaning,thenchoosetexturedsurfaces You lovekeepingupwithall thelatesttrends?Gofor a matte finish Lastly, make sure that your choice of flooring is suitable for the room where it will be laid For example, laminate flooring and hardwood are unsuitable for bathrooms because of their high humidity levels
Bamboo flooring is increasingly popular in homes.
How to create a home office
Ifyouregularlyworkorstudyfromhome, a comfortable office is vital. Here are five things to consider if you want to create a productive environment.
1. LOCATION
It’s best to choose a space that’s removed from the rest of your home. A door that separates your office from other rooms will help you concentrate during the day anddisconnectfromworkintheevening.
2. DESK
Choose the biggest desk that can comfortably fit in your office. If you choose an L- or U-shaped desk, it’ll provide ample room for computers, printers and other equipment.
3. STORAGE
A bookshelf, filing cabinet or other storage unit is required to hold the things you don’t need every day
4. LIGHTING
Ideally, your home office has big windows that let in lots of natural light. If not, you’ll need ambient lighting to ensure the space is bright enough. Task lighting,suchasadesklamp,is also a must.
5. CHAIR
Ifyouspendhoursatatimesittingdown, invest in a comfortable chair Choose an adjustable one with wheels that offers adequate lumbar support.
Don’t forget to personalize your home office. Paint the walls a cheery tone, hang inspiring art on the walls and adorn your desk with pictures of loved ones.
Speak with Owner & Managing Broker,Rod McLeod,Associate Brokers, David Blackand Melanie LupulatRoyal LePage, the largest Real Estate Brokerage in NorthernBC. We have acomprehensive training program to kick-start your career.
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