A nightclub owner forced to close after it was damaged by the downtown explosion Aug. 22 has filed a notice of claim against the City of Prince George.
The claim alleges the city is vicariously liable for the negligence of RCMP or bylaw enforcement personnel for failing to prevent the incident since they knew or ought to have known of the presence of persons committing crimes in that building, including breaking and entering for purposes of committing a crime with intent to steal components, including copper piping or wiring.
The claim states complaints about the strong smell of natural gas were reported
the day before the explosion. Police have determined the cause of the explosion was a thief or thieves who broke into the building and punctured a natural gas line while trying to steal copper piping. The blast injured three people, including a female city employee who suffered burns and other critical injuries.
Trevor Sakamoto, owner of Heartbreakers at 1192 Fifth Avenue, people have been allowed to take over city streets and alleyways where they’re free to use drugs, steal property and vandalize buildings seemingly without fear of repercussions.
“I honestly believe the city has let down business owners on the downtown core of Prince George and they need to be held accountable,” said Sakamoto.
See ‘THE CITY IS OBLIGATED’, page 3
PRINCEGEORGECITIZEN PGCITIZEN.CA
Heartbreakers nightclub owner Trevor Saskmoto is
City of Prince George for negligence.
Prince George RCMP officers launch lawsuit
MARK NIELSEN
Special to The Citizen
Two Prince George RCMP officers who faced charges that were later dropped in relation to an arrest caught on video are claiming they were the subject of a “negligent investigation and malicious prosecution.”
The allegations are cited in a civil notice of claim filed last week on behalf of Cst. Wayne Connell and Cpl. Kyle Sharpe. Citing a range of stress-related injuries, they are seeking a range of damages from the B.C. Attorney General and the Independent Investigations Office.
Charges of assault causing bodily harm against the two were stayed in October 2021, when it became apparent after 1 1/2 days of trial that Crown counsel’s case had fallen apart.
The charges stemmed from a takedown in an alleyway off the 2200 block of Oak St. during the early morning of Feb. 18, 2016 in which RCMP had boxed in a stolen pickup truck.
About a month after the arrest, a video from a security camera installed outside a nearby home showing the takedown caused a stir when it was provided to provincial media and IIO, B.C.’s civilian-based police watchdog launched an investigation.
While the video clearly showed RCMP Cst. Joshua Grafton deploying a police dog to pull Cuyler Aubichon out of the driver’s side and take him to the ground, the arrest of Nathaniel Basil by Connell and Sharpe on the passenger side was largely obscured by the vehicle.
That aspect was among a list of alleged shortcomings in the Crown’s case cited in the notice of claim.
It goes on to say the IIO’s investigations director at the time, Alison Carstairs, spoke to witnesses, secured exhibits and took photographs and, in a “use of force report” produced in April 2016, concluded the officers did not use excessive force.
As well, the IIO “did not request or obtain medical records” that could
substantiate Basil’s claim of bodily harm and, according to the claim, failed to disclose Carstair’s report when, in June 2018, the IIO’s findings were forwarded to Crown counsel for review.
In June 2020 - four years since the takedown - Connell and Sharpe were arrested, charged and released with no-contact conditions.
“Details of these arrests were released to the public and publicized in the media despite no actual arrest or suspected ongoing risk to the public,” the claim reads.
Carstair’s report was not disclosed to defence counsel prior to the trial and medical records disclosed for Basil did not show he suffered bodily harm, the claim states.
The first witness at the trial, Carstairs produced her report and, the next day, Basil was called to the witness stand. Despite Crown’s efforts, his testimony was vague and jumbled and given reluctantly.
The charges against Connell and Sharpe
were stayed later the same day and 5 1/2 years after the arrest.
“The Crown’s decision to proceed to trial was willful, malicious and a deliberate misuse of the office of the Crown. In the alternative, it was grossly negligent,” the statement of claim reads.
Connell and Sharpe are seeking general, punitive and aggravated damages and damages pursuant to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Their allegations have not been tested in court and the defendants - the B.C. Attorney General, the IIO and the provincial government - have not filed responses.
Following a lengthy trial, Grafton was found not guilty in August of assault, assault with a weapon and obstruction of justice in relation to the arrest but continues to face a civil claim from Aubichon.
For
‘The city is obligated to make sure the city is safe’
Continued from page 1
“In the last election the mayor said he would clean up crime downtown and he hasn’t done what he said would be done. They’ve let crime go to the point where it’s uncontrollable.”
In his claim for damages, Sakamoto is seeking financial compensation from the city for damage to his building and revenue lost from the shuttered nightclub since the explosion.
“The city is obligated to make sure the city is safe, healthy and that the people are looked after and that’s not happening,” Sakamoto said.
He says city council has to become more proactive in fighting crime and provide a budget to deal with the growing problem of street people.
Heartbreakers was insured at the time of the explosion but Sakamoto said the policy covers only depreciated replacement costs.
Electronic components, lighting
equipment, carpeting and air conditioning units were damaged by dust and smoke that was sucked into his 10,000 squarefoot building from rooftop vents from the explosion and subsequent fire and he faces having to replace many of those items before he can reopen his club.
Sakamoto is eligible for $1,000 grant from the city through the Downtown Business Improvement Association but he says that’s not enough to cover the cost of one window that was smashed on the wall that faces the former Achillion site.
Now two months since the explosion, Sakamoto says only about 50 per cent of the cleaning needed to reopen has been done and he’s already missed the busiest time of year with college students having returned to classes in September.
“We’ll be lucky to open in March,” he said.
“The amount of revenue I’ve lost to rebuild is unbelievable.”
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Specialty Avenue’s Sisters Rock ‘n Gems owner Sue Bloomingdale said there’s not been much excitement around the store as far as crime is concerned at her downtown Prince George location other than a kleptomaniac grabbing some higher end items and teens filling their pockets with lots of little treasures.
But there is one grab and run incident that she recalls quite vividly.
“It was more than two years ago and a woman came in and grabbed the Humane Society coin collection can and she ran out,” Bloomingdale recalled. “So I phoned the non-emergency line of the RCMP and they already knew about her. Well, I wasn’t going to let her get away with it. I made a guess that I might find her at the needle exchange so I went over there and there she was. I told her ‘you’ve got something of mine and that money is to help the animals. I want that can back’. She had a suitcase and she threw it at me and ran down the middle of George Street. RCMP came and they gave chase, guns drawn but they didn’t find her as far as I saw.”
Bloomingdale imagined that she had done something else to warrant the guns-drawn police chase.
“I’m sure all that wasn’t just for stealing a can of change,” Bloomingdale said.
Nothing more came of it as far as she knew. Then fast forward to Oct. 13.
“So this same lady came into the store and said ‘do you remember me?’ and I said ‘yes, I remember you,” Bloomingdale said. “She said ’there was $47 in that can
FLYERINDEXIN TODAY’SCITIZEN
and so here’s $60.’”
That doesn’t happen every day, Bloomingdale observed.
“So now the Humane Society is getting $60,” Bloomingdale smiled as she hugged her rescue dog.
Cat drowning investigated
TOM SUMMER Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Hudson’s Hope RCMP say they’re investigating the death of a family cat, which had been discovered deceased in a suspicious manner.
The investigation is still ongoing and charges are pending against a local resident for drowning the animal.
When Belle did not return home as usual, its owners tracked it using its GPS collar.
The owners discovered her wrapped in several bags and discarded in a trash can outside a local business.
Upon a veterinarian check of Belle, it was confirmed that she had been drowned, the RCMP noted in a monthly bulletin.
Sue Bloomingdale, owner of Sisters Rock ‘n Gems located in downtown Prince George.
CN Centre audio upgrade approved
HANNA PETERSEN Citizen staff
Prince George city council has approved funds to replace the aging audio system at CN Centre.
Funded from the Northern Capital and Planning Reserve fund, which is money given to the city from the provincial government for capital projects, the budgeted replacement cost is $950,000.
Most of the audio equipment in CN Centre dates back to the late 1990s and has exceeded its technical lifetime.
The existing systems were at high risk of a system-wide failure with little or no
access to spare parts or replacement pieces.
As COVID halted events at the CN Centre for two years the project wasn’t urgent, however as entertainment and sporting events are operating at full capacity once again city staff say the audio system can’t keep up.
“The system is absolutely failing, and part of the system is failing as we speak,” Andy Beesley, director of civic facilities and events told council during Monday night’s meeting.
He said the system is so old there are not even spare parts available for maintenance but staff was able to source a new
system that is fiscally responsible.
“Our option is far from the highest end sound system but will be a very good system,” said Beesley.
When asked by council why this project was coming forward now, Beesley said they have stretched it out as long as humanly possible.
He said if the system fails before they can replace it, CN Centre would be forced to rent a new sound system.
“I am of the opinion that doing this sooner rather than later will save us money,” added Coun. Cori Ramsay.
When it came to a vote, council unanimously approved the motion to replace
the audio system.
Council also approved another motion to use the Northern Capital and Planning Reserve to add an addition of $890,000 in funding to replace the city hall transformer.
The project will now come in at a total cost of $1.2 million.
The city hall transformer dates back to 1965 and is at end of life and was identified for full replacement by Technical Safety BC back in 2016.
Following the Civic Facilities Renewal Strategy in 2019, a budget was prepared and received funding approval in 2020 at $310,000.
Shane Sutherland was convicted of second degree murder Thursday for the February 2021 murder of his girlfriend, Amanda Black, after pleading guilty to the crime last week.
“His crime was horrifically brutal, tragic, and senseless,” said Justice Lisa Warren in her decision in Fort St. John Supreme Court.
“The extreme family violence left the young child of Ms. Black and Mr. Sutherland without their mother and essentially without their father as well,” explained Warren.
“It caused, and continues to cause profound pain for Ms.Black’s family and friends.”
Sutherland was arrested on Feb. 8, 2021, after RCMP officers were called to a home in the Village St. John townhouse complex where Amanda Black, 22, was found dead.
He has been held in custody ever since his arrest.
Sutherland used an axe and a knife to chop and stab Black multiple times, leaving the axe head in her skull and covered with a plastic bag, the court heard.
Their child was in a crib inside another bedroom at the residence during the murder.
A friend of Black was waiting for her outside just before the killing happened, as they had plans to hang out.
Black never left, as Sutherland murdered her shortly after she got off the phone with her friend.
After killing his spouse, Sutherland called his mother and father, telling them what he had done.
Sutherland’s mother then called 911, leading to his arrest.
It’s alleged that Black may have been unfaithful to Sutherland, which contributed to the attack, as Sutherland disclosed the alleged infidelity to a court ordered forensic psychiatrist.
“The nature of the injuries indicate that Mr. Sutherland killed Ms. Black in a state of extreme anger,” said Warren.
Had the trial continued without a guilty plea, it’s possible that a provocation defense could have been used as a mitigating factor, explained Warren, reducing the charge to manslaughter.
Warren further noted that Black bears no blame for the attack, and that no findings can be made whether Sutherland was telling the truth to the psychiatrist about his spouse’s alleged infidelity.
A conviction for second degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence in Canada.
Sutherland must serve a mandatory 10 years of incarceration before parole eligibility, which can only be granted at the discretion of the Parole Board of Canada.
No magic mushrooms store coming to PG
TED CLARKE Citizen staff
Although magic mushrooms are now available for customers to buy at unlicensed retail outlets in Vancouver and Kelowna, don’t expect a store to pop up in Prince George anytime soon.
Prince George RCMP media relations officer Cpl. Jennifer Cooper said magic mushrooms remain illegal and people possessing the drug could face charges.
“Prince George RCMP enforces the laws of Canada,” said Cooper. “Psilocybin is regulated as a controlled substance under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, which prohibits the importation, exportation, trafficking, cultivation/production, and possession of it or its derivatives. We do not speculate or comment on possible or probable contraventions of the CDSA unless there is an urgent public safety concern that would cause the police to issue a warning. Furthermore, we do not speak to other detachment or municipal police department priorities or enforcement decisions.”
Until such a time that psilocybin becomes legal, there’s no chance city staff in Prince George would approve a licence to a magic mushroom retailer.
“At present the City of Prince George
does not permit this use; nor are we considering it,” said Deanna Wasnik, the city’s director of planning and development. “We may consider this type of use should provincial legislation be in place that indicates the retail sale of mushrooms is permitted. When cannabis sales became legal in B.C., we need to write it into our zoning by-law to allow the retail. Implementation would also involve changes to the Liquor and Cannabis Policy.”
Prince George pot store owner Cam Thun, who owns Cosmic Cannabis, said he knows people who have responded well to microdose treatments and he fully
supports any move to legalize mushrooms for recreational use.
“I think they are evolving and I think that there is a need for them for certain people and any product we could sell legally through our store would help our business, so I believe that it is coming,” said Thun. “I know that people who use them moderately, they find it helps them. When people want to get high on mushrooms they take a whole bunch, like one or two grams. People who are microdosing take 0.4 of a gram every day and they’re not using them to get stoned, they’re using them to help with their mind. It does help a lot of people.”
Mayor and council, do your jobs or step aside
For six years now, Prince George has been running with the check engine light on, and now it’s going to get financially serious for the city and the taxpayers as a lawsuit is in the air.
Council has had a full year of pay cheques from the taxpayers for little change in our downtown core. If the vandalism and theft wasn’t bad enough, we have a building explode resulting in thousands of dollars in damages to surrounding businesses. With one failed mayor’s committee and thousands of wasted tax dollars on focus groups and research papers and reports, nothing has changed. Now a lawsuit should get some attention, but even worse, it could turn into a class action lawsuit against the city for doing nothing to address the issues. Mayor and council have earned a combined
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
WHEN IS ENOUGH?
I’ve made Prince George my home for the last 11 years, moved here from Smithers at 19 years old.
When I got here, I didn’t have a license so I walked everywhere. Took a bus when I could. It used to not be a problem, even walking to a job at 4 a.m.
Over the last two years there have been dozens of incidents -- fires, homicides, drug activity -- directly in the path of my day to day life, that now I don’t feel so safe anymore. I’ve changed routes to work a handful of times due to murders at places I pass. I manage a business down on First Avenue, a few blocks from the courthouse. The amount of needles and garbage I pick up and fence repairs I need
We acknowledge the financial support of the government of Canada.
Nous reconnaissons l’appui financier du gouvernement du Canada.
$433,781.00 for a year of “nothing substantive” to address the downtown issues. Other than the infighting and squabbling among councillors and alienation of the mayor, it’s safe to say their election promises are falling very short of expectations. Public “confidence” in our downtown core is at an all-time low, despite the hard efforts of Downtown Prince George to show the downtown in a favorable light.
It’s high time the mayor calls a meeting of the downtown businesses and that every city councillor listens and responds to the issues. Excuses are not an answer, nor is the finger pointing and responsibility downloading to other levels of government. Each councillor is accountable to the public they serve, that goes even more so for our mayor as the most forward-facing
to do is becoming insane.
I’ve had to hire after hours security just to ensure the safety of my building. I’m spending thousands of company dollars yearly to maintain this place.
I get it. I do. I grew up with my parents helping young women and their children escape drugs and abuse. I know that not every unhoused person is addicted to drugs and are just in hard times. I know Moccasin Flats isn’t safe for everyone, either. I know the cycle, I know how hard it is to escape without resources. Those resources seem impossible to get for those that want them.
We don’t have enough affordable housing, our healthcare system is so bogged down that providers have to essentially
NEIL GODBOUT EDITORIN-CHIEF CURTIS ARMSTRONG PUBLISHER
member of our council.
Council directs administration by means of bylaws and motions. It’s time these folks start earning the pay cheques they deposit. If any member of council feels they can’t come to the table and work the issues to a solution, they can feel free to leave council at any time. As one councillor likes to point out, it’s a part-time job, but that doesn’t mean only half the effort needs to be put into that job.
This needs to be addressed now before it snowballs (literally) in the coming months with the onset of winter. We can’t take any more of this lack of action from city council.
John Zukowski is a downtown Prince George business owner and operator.
pick and choose who gets to go first. It’s either who’s the most sick or who’s got the most money. We need less luxury apartments and designer malls. A pretty paint job and fancy new signs won’t bring people to Parkwood Mall. We need to be able to support local businesses and we can’t do that if people don’t feel safe leaving their vehicles downtown.
Myself? I’m 30 years old now and in the process of getting my license, then a vehicle, just so that I don’t have to walk anymore. To keep myself from being the next homicide on the headlines.
Mayor Simon Yu and the City of Prince George, I’m calling on you to answer this question: When is enough, enough?
Chey Bulley, Prince George
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ADDRESS SHOPLIFTING
Wondering if anyone knows of a store that actively tries to prevent shoplifting here in Prince George?
I would prefer to spend my money somewhere that actually tries to prevent shoplifting and actively charge the participants, rather then just turn a blind eye and pass the loss onto the honest people. Getting really tired of paying for mine at the till and watching people just walkout with theirs (well actually not theirs).
Any store that advertises they discourage shoplifting and do their utmost to prevent theft and or press charges or says they will absorb the losses from their own profits will have all my business.
Robert Richards, Prince George
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Aspen the answer to reducing wildfire risk
If there’s one thing this past fire season has told us, it’s that we need to get serious about reducing the fire risk around Prince George.
I want to do a couple pieces on this complex subject and to start I want to stress the pretty straightforward idea of prioritizing broadleaf over conifer, aspen over pine in particular.
It’s an undeniable fact the resinous pitch-soaked pine and spruce will light up much more swiftly than a water-logged aspen should a fire sweep into our city. The burn rates are different by orders of magnitude. Yet when I look out at the fairways at the golf and curling club, I see a lot of pine and spruce trees.
When I travel our boulevards, Ospika, Tyner, and Foothills to name a few, I see
pine plantation landscape features.
We have a habit of showcasing conifer tree farms as model forests. Up at Forests for the World, large areas of fire-resistant, moose-feeding broadleaf forests were levelled in the 1980s and converted to conifer plantations. Even UNBC’s forestry club took out some beautiful birch and aspen forest behind the university to grow a practice mini-plantation of fireprone conifer for Christmas trees.
More detrimentally, hundreds of hectares of broadleaf forests on regenerating cutblocks between the Nechako River and the city, probably the most likely path a fire will take to enter our city, were either sprayed with glyphosate or manually brushed to grow conifer. BC Timber Sales even aerially sprayed cutblocks
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
QUESTIONS NOT ASKED
If you are a Prince George Cougars fan and a City of Prince George fan, Andy Beesley has just made an Oscar-worthy performance for you.
He’s worked for both the city and the Cougars and he just helped approve around $1 million to help your tax subsidized WHL team! It was quite a feat. It involved much talk of a sound system near imminent failure and zero details about sound system complaints or problems that could be reasonably substantiated.
No one on city council bothered to ask the age of the sound systems at the Playhouse, Kopar or the Civic Centre before they voted. I will say that Coun. Cori Ramsay did bring up that the cost of upgrades at CN Centre were less than the revenue CN Centre brings in, even though she didn’t bother to bring up the cost of operating the building. Whoops!
Anyways, if you see him, congratulate Mr. Beesley on the performance that rendered a sound system beyond resuscitation. It was marvelous! Amazing! Stupendous!
Derek Carlson, Prince George GET VACCINATED
Vaccination science has improved from “getting infected with material from live cowpox blisters to prevent small pox” to the modern ability to tweak vaccines to match the variations mutating in the DNA of influenza, pneumonia, Covid(SARS2) and other diseases.
Weren’t we lucky that 18 years before Covid(SARS2), SARS1 was kind of a bust, but the scientific community studied it, so when SARS2 came along it didn’t take much tweaking to get us a vaccine? (SARS2 is very similar in structure to SARS1, except the most important structural proteins, the spike proteins, are a little different.)
inside city limits back in 2009 and 2010. We spent hundreds of thousands of public dollars doing this, and we did almost all of this after a 2009 city wildfire report told us not to.
The war on broadleaf in forestry rages around our city. Canfor, BC Timber Sales, Edgewater Holdings and other companies continue to suppress huge amounts of broadleaf in our surrounding forests, manually and chemically.
The goal in forestry is flammable conifer, not fire-resistant deciduous broadleaf.
We know it’s all about money, but I suggest we are losing sight of a few price tags when we trip along in our conifer-addicted haze: the risk of much more fire.
Of course it’s worth repeating aspen can burn too, especially before leaf-out,
or mixed with even a small component of conifer (pure aspen is best).
After a year like this year, we need to immediately prioritize pure broadleaf. Developers need to plant broadleaf, not conifer, when they reforest in city limits. When we thin “brush” in city parks, we need to remove the pine and spruce, not the aspen and birch.
Residents should be encouraged to keep their broadleaf, not the conifer. And perhaps more critically, we need to pressure provincial forestry officials to ask themselves what they care about: growing fire-trap plantation forests to threaten our communities or diverse forests with lots of aspen to dampen those flames and feed those moose and beaver?
James Steidle is a Prince George writer.
E-mail: letters@pgcitizen.ca
Some readers are stuck in a rabbit warren of conspiracy theory and hoaxers claiming vaccines are useless and, by the informal PG Citizen poll I just read, 33% of the population don’t think they need vaccine boosters. If you listen to “bottom of the pond” liars, who convince you that you don’t need vaccines, then when you get the disease, you need to pay your own way, from treatment, medication, a room in the hospital to all the expensive lifesaving equipment needed. You also need to sign an agreement to behave politely to your caregivers. Nay-saying non-vaxxers take up more than their fair share of rooms in hospitals. If they won’t find truth, then we, the vaccinated, shouldn’t have to pay for those who buy into the lies. Ignorance may be your choice, but like any choice you make, it comes with consequences. Please, climb out of the slimy parts of the web, and find
some reputable sites that can legitimately explain the science and the statistics to you.
We should not have to bear the cost of deliberate ignorance. The health care system is at point of collapse because of those who refuse to protect themselves and others by a simple vaccine.
Four of my close relatives work in health care. They are worked to the bone, their positions stressful beyond comprehension. Many of their fellow workers have left or are on stress leave because of overwork and the way the ignorant sick treat them. Hoax and conspiracy believers can be so hostile. Who would want to work in that environment? Makes me think of a statement my dad calmly made when I was trying to angrily argue my way out of a situation: “Your anger proves your guilt.”
Linda Wijcik-Nooski, Fort Fraser
Former Spruce Kings trainer mourned
TED CLARKE Citizen staff
Not long after he became the Prince George Spruce Kings trainer, Stu Berry had a hand in saving the hands of hockey tough guy Tony Twist.
Twist, who went on to an NHL career with the St. Louis Blues, was known as a fighter, and he knew when he lined up at left wing he was seconds away from engaging in a premeditated scrap with the heavyweight champ of the Williams Lake Mustangs. Before the game, likely inspired by the movie Slap Shot, Berry wrapped Twist’s knuckles in tin foil and hid his handiwork under wraps of hockey tape and a pair of thin gloves with the fingers cut short Twist wore under his hockey gloves.
Sure enough, right after the opening puck drop, the two combatants dropped their gloves, had their fight and were sent off the ice. Berry, as was the custom, followed Twist into the dressing room and made sure the evidence was disposed of
before he went back to his game duties behind the bench.
Berry, who died of cancer at age 80 Wednesday in Victoria, was the Kings trainer for 25 seasons from 1983-2008, a volunteer gig he first took on when his first-aid skills were put into practice to help an injured player at a game at the Prince George Coliseum.
To the hundreds of junior-aged players he got to know in that quarter century he was much more than the guy who taped their ankles, stitched their faces and nursed them back from injuries. He was their father figure and trusted confidant, a friend full of positive energy they could always count on to help them cope with the pressures of hockey and life away from their homes.
didn’t cross, not if you knew what was best for you.
Blessed with a heart of gold, he was always quick to raise his hand as a willing helper and would go through walls to protect his players, even if it meant locking them up against their will.
Not long after the Spruce Kings joined the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League in 1993, the team traveled north to renew their rivalry with the Fort St. John Huskies. Tom Bohmer has just been traded to the Spruce Kings and had been with the team for less than a month and was playing on a line with Chris Hawes. They both got thrown out of the game for fighting while the bad blood between the teams continued to build.
locked us in the dressing room.
“So the bench-clearing brawl ensues and Stu gets back out and gets sucker-punched by a fan. Chris and I would always tell him whenever we saw him, ‘Stu, if you hadn’t have locked us in the dressing room you never would have got sucker-punched.‘
To Stu and Diana, road trips were an essential part of their lives. Married for 57 years, they did everything as a couple, so why not be there together to greet the boys when they stepped off the bus and watch them play.
Even after they moved to Victoria, when the Spruce Kings made their annual Island Division trek, if they didn’t have a trainer, Stu was there for them.
Raised in a no-nonsense navy family that crossed the country from New Brunswick to Victoria, Berry himself grew to become a naval officer and with his burly build he was the kind of guy you
“We were sitting in the dressing room,” said Bohmer, “and Chris looks at me and says, ‘Hey Tom, don’t take off your gear, there’s going to be a brawl.’ No sooner did he finish saying that but the door closes from the outside because Stu
Stu and Diana first met as kids in Victoria and found each other again as adults and together they had two sons, Shawn and Brad, and a daughter, Denise, who died of cancer in 2010.
A celebration of his Stu’s life is being planned for the next spring of summer in Prince George.
A year ago, despite a strong training camp with the Prince George Cougars, Terik Parascak found out he was going to back to Alberta.
As a 16-year-old, he didn’t quite have what it took to make the Cats’ roster and was one of the last cuts before the season began.
He didn’t get mad. He went home and got to work. In 30 games with the EDGE School U-18 Prep team in Calgary, he racked up 32 goals and 66 points and kept up the pace in the playoffs, scoring six goals and 12 points in five games to lead Edge to the Canadian Sport School Hockey League championship.
“For me it was just better to go back home and get that experience, get more ice time,” said Parascak. “ I think here if I would have stayed the full year I would have been limited with opportunity with how good the team was last year and just being that young of a guy.”
The Lethbridge native carried that momentum into this year’s Cougar camp and he’s been nothing short of phenomenal, winning WHL rookie-of-the-week honours the first two weeks. His 12 goals in 10 games leads the WHL and with 19 points he ranks third in league scoring, two shy of left-side linemate Zac Funk and one off the pace of his centreman, Ondrej Becher.
“Our line just has a lot of chemistry right now, we’re playing our game and it’s working out,” said Parascak. “The production of it comes from both ends of the ice. Just being able to produce like that for our team is a big deal.
“The IQ and speed (Becher) has is next-level – he’s probably one of the fastest players in the league with an unbelievable amount of skill and he plays a two-way game as well. (Funk) is a bigger body out there who
adds that physical piece to our line and he can shoot the puck, he’s a goal-scorer.”
Drafted by the Cougars in the fourth round in 2021, Parascak averaged 2.2 points per game with Edge to finish second in the CSSHL scoring race. The only player to top him was Gavin McKenna, now with the Medicine Hat Tigers, who put up 77 points in 26 games with Southern Alberta Hockey Academy.
While visiting Prince George last Friday, Kevin Falcon, the leader of the BC United party, formerly the BC Liberals, announced that area MLAs Shirley Bond and Coralee Oakes will be seeking re-election.
Bond will be running in the Prince George-Valemount riding and Oakes will running in the newly formed Prince George-Cariboo North riding.
The next provincial election is a year away, in October 2024.
“We are pleased to have a great team of dedicated individuals who have shown exceptional leadership throughout their careers in the private and public sectors,” said Falcon.
“We are confident in their ability to continue delivering tangible results for British Columbians on the issues that matter most such as cost of living, public safety, health care and mental health and addictions supports.”
Falcon commended Bond for her years representing the north as she was first elected as MLA for Prince Geroge-Valemount in 2001 and was the first female attorney general in B.C. She currently serves as the shadow minister for Health, Senior Services and Long Term Care.
“I begged her to do another four years because she’s such a critical member and leader of our team,” he said.
“One of the things that motivates me to run again, is that we have work yet to do. Our hospital must be fixed. We have heard promise after promise after promise and frankly, this government has failed to deliver. We need cardiac care
here in the North,” said Bond.
“Those are the kinds of things that this team is going to be very fierce about I’m so glad to see the candidates we have, new and experienced, because I can tell you, they’re going to deliver for this part of the province under Kevin’s leadership. He knows the north, he understands the issues.”
Oakes was first elected as an MLA in 2013 and serves as a shadow minister for post-secondary education. Oakes will be running for reelection in the newly formed and redistributed Prince George-Cariboo North riding, which extends up from the North Cariboo into College Heights in Prince George.
“You are a strong voice and advocate for the Cariboo and I know you are going to be working so hard to bring that same passion to the folks in Prince George now that they are forming part of your
electoral district,” said Falcon. He also thanked Mike Morris, MLA for Prince-George Mackenzie, as he has announced his plan for retirement and is not seeking reelection.
“I want to take a moment to thank Mike for all his work over the last 10 years in public life as the MLA for Prince George McKenzie,” said Falcon. “He’s going to be missed by our entire BC United Caucus.”
Morris served as shadow minister for Public Safety and Solicitor General, as well as n various other roles, including Parliamentary Secretary for Forest, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations and Minister for Public Safety and Solicitor General – a position he held until 2017.
Bond and Oakes will be joining recently announced candidates Shane Brienen for Nechako Lakes, who is the current mayor of Houston, and Kiel Giddens for Prince George-Mackenzie, who is a past
president of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce and public affairs manager for Trans Canada’s Coastal GasLink project.
TRANSPORTION PRIORITY FOR REGION: FALCON
Falcon identified transportation as one of his party’s priorities for the north ahead of the next provincial election in October 2024.
“I know how important transportation investment isn’t in the province, and how critically important it is in the north,” he said. “We wanted to make very clear the kinds of things that we will be acting on, on day one, in terms of transportation, because by the time we go into the next election, I want the public to have absolutely no doubt about where we stand on key issues, and the things that we’re going to fix and start fixing immediately.”
Falcon said a BC United government would resurrect the Cariboo Connector program, starting with construction of the next two four-lane projects in the corridor between Cache Creek and Prince George. It would also fast track a new Taylor Bridge for the Peace region, enhance safety and efficiency on key highways by adding passing lanes and rest stops, and focus on long-term infrastructure safety and resiliency.
“What it comes down to is recognizing that the North, and as I always remind people down south, that the majority of wealth in this province is generated outside the Lower Mainland,” said Falcon. “We have to make sure that we are putting resources back into the communities that generate that wealth and we have never lost sight of that.”
CITIZEN STAFF PHOTO
From left, Prince George-Mackenzie candidate Kiel Giddens, outgoing Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris, Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond, BC United Leader Kevin Falcon, Cariboo North MLA Coralee Oakes, and Nechako Lakes candidate Shane Brienen.
Riders who enjoy pedaling the trail networks at Otway Nordic Centre or Pidherny Recreation Site might not know about a new mountain bike trail destination being built on the east side of Prince George.
After six years of planning and consultation, the Association of Caledonia TrailBuilders (ACT) opened the first 6.5-kilometres of the Tabor Mountain Bike Trails last summer and work to expand the facility has continued this year with volunteers and a professional trail building contractor collaborating on the project.
“We have plans for another three kilometres of cross-country, that’s something Prince George doesn’t have very much of and we’re surprised at the really positive reception it’s getting,” said ACT president Dan Domes. “Many folks are interested in getting out into the forest for a ride and not having to fight with roots and rocks. We’ve been fortunate to get enough grant funding from various sources to allow us to hire trail building contractors.”
Built to Recreational Sites and Trails BC standards, the new trails are geared to riders of all abilities – beginner, intermediate and advanced - and include a 1.75 km wider and flatter trail section for users with physical
or intellectual disabilities who require adaptive threewheeled bikes. A trail counter shows about 1,000 riders uses the trails each month. Domes says riders can use the service road that goes to the telecommunications towers on summit of Tabor Mountain to shuttle their bikes to the highest point of the new trails.
“We’re building our trail network from the bottom up,” said Domes. “Maybe next year we’ll be halfway up. I can see this project going on decades.”
The unseasonably warm and dry conditions over the past two months have kept the trail crew busy, and Sunday work parties have attracted as many as 15 volunteers to lend a hand. So far this year, another 4.5 km of trail has been cut into the forest on the west side of the mountain. Large Douglas fir stumps in the forest show evidence of when the area was logged decades ago and Domes said the old skid trails used to haul those big logs away are still visible and they used them to plan the routes of some of the cross-country trails.
The trails, which are also geared toward skiers and hikers, have been named after some of the people whose contributions brought the project to life.
Domes says the potential is there for the Tabor Mountain Bike Trails to become a tourist destination on par with bike trail networks in Valemount and Burns Lake.
Since the project got started in 2017, close to $600,000 has been raised through grants and private donations and a significant portion of that has not been spent. Contributors include Northern Development Initiative Trust, Northern Health, Regional District of Fraser-Fort George, and the province’s Destination Development Fund.
To find the trails, turn right from Highway 16 East at Tabor Lake East Road, then left at Giscome Road to the next right at Groveburn Road, which leads directly to the parking lot.
CHRISTINA HUTCHINSON PHOTO
Riders of all abilities will like what the Association of Caledonia TrailBuilders has done to build the Tabor Mountain Bike Trails east of Prince George.
Miracle Theatre raising funds for wildfire trailer
HANNA PETERSEN Citizen staff
The City of Prince George will be accepting a gift of a a Structural Protection Unit for wildfire mitigation from the Prince George Community Foundation and Miracle Theatre from their next production.
Miracle Theatre will be producing another play with performances beginning March 2024, and would like to donate the proceeds from this production to purchase a trailer that contains contain gear such as pumps, hoses, sprinklers and water delivery attachments and tools.
The hopes of Miracle Theatre and the community
foundation are to both jumpstart and augment the city’s plan to obtain its first fully equipped Structural Protection Unit over the next four years.
“We wish to accomplish this by providing an additional Protection Unit within one year. Any funding raised over the purchase price of the Structural Protection Unit would go to the foundation’s emergency response fund to help future crisis’ that may happen within our community,” said Mindy Stroet, the foundation’s director of development in a letter to city council.
“It is our understanding that having two of these units could provide several benefits: the most crucial being significant added protection for our community.”
Under the banner of Miracle Theatre, theatre practitioners Anne Laughlin and Ted Price, with the assistance of a group of dedicated supporters, annually create professional productions for the enjoyment of the region and then contribute to the financial welfare of local non-profits.
Since 2019, Miracle Theatre has worked with the Prince George Community Foundation, establishing the Children of Prince George Endowment Fund, the Prince George Hospice & Palliative Care Society Endowment Fund and the Refugee and Hope Endowment Fund. Over $500,000 has been donated through these four most recent productions.
Omineca Arts Centre gets new coordinator
CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen staff
Fernanda Salla is the new non-profits arts coordinator for Omineca Arts Centre.
The centre at 369 Victoria St. is managed by volunteer artists who hired Salla to support the organization as they facilitate collaboration and diversify opportunities for emerging and professional artists.
“I am very grateful for this wonderful opportunity,” Salla said. “I hope to be able to contribute to this
initiative so that the organization can reach its full potential.”
Salla has a bachelor degree in public relations and journalism and is originally from Brazil.
Salla, along with her husband and two daughters, moved to Prince George six years ago.
Throughout her career, Salla has worked for magazines, radio, online and in public relations.
Art has always been an important part of her life and she has been painting for more than 20 years.
“We are extremely grateful to the BC Arts Council Accelerate Program,” Jennifer Pighin, Omineca Arts Centre chair, said. “We are thrilled to welcome Fernanada to our team.”
Along with the new part-time employee comes the expansion of Omineca Arts Centre’s hours of operation. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, the centre is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Friday, the hours are extended from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Local senior set to release travel memoir
Retired Prince George physiotherapist Hilary Crowley has written a travel memoir.
Mini Saga in South Africa will be launched Saturday, Oct. 28 at Art Space above Books & Co., 1681 Third Ave., at 7 p.m.
“I spent a year in South Africa from 1967 to ’68 so it
was a long time ago but this is largely about my experiences at that time and it was during apartheid,” Crowley said. “A physio colleague, Penny, and I traveled around the country in her Morris Mini (similar to a Mini Cooper) and that’s why I called the book a Mini Saga. We worked long enough in each city to make enough money to go on to the next place.”
Crowley worked in hospitals in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg in Baragwanath, which is a 2,000 bed
hospital.
During their non-working hours, the young women hiked the Drakensberg, visited Zululand, viewed wildlife in Kruger National Park, getting stuck there when the Mini broke down and finding themselves surrounded by elephants.
During the book launch, Crowley will do a couple of readings, show slides of her travel and sign copies of her book.
It’simportanttogatherallthenecessaryinformation beforemakingadecision,evenifyou’reunder pressuretoactquickly.Takethetimetoconsider your choicecarefullybeforemakingitpublic.
I miss you as much today as I did the day you left.
Love Sherrie
Barry Lawrence Beddome
Celebration of Life
Barry’s celebration of life will be held on Saturday, November 4th between 1 pm and 4 pm at the Spruce Capital Seniors Rec Centre at 3701 Rainbow Drive (lower parking lot)
Desma Maureen Romanin
June 6, 1963 - October 9, 2023
CELEBRATION OF LIFE
Friday, November 24, 2023
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sandman Signature Hotel 2990 Recreation Place Prince George, BC
Milan (Mike) Surlan
September 29, 1944 - September 29, 2023
Obituaries
Celebration Of Life For Russ Johnson
August 9, 1955 - October 2, 2023
Saturday, October 28, 2023 1:00 - 4:30 PM
Bon Voyage Inn Banquet Room 4222 Highway 16 West Prince George, BC V2N 5N7
If you are requiring accommodations, Bon Voyage Inn has special rates set up.
Remembering Russ, with a heart bold and strong, A noble warrior who taught right from wrong. His words of honor echo in our mind, Guiding us, life’s treasures to find. Now at rest, his legacy lives on bright, An enduring beacon of strength, shining in the night.
July 8, 1935 - October 13, 2023
With sadness we announce the passing of Mike Surlan on September 29, 2023 at 70 years of age. Mike was born in 1944 in Bana Luca, Serbia. He worked at BC Rail for over 25 years and spent his free time golfing, bowling and fishing. Mike leaves to mourn his loving partner Clara, his three stepchildren; Michael, Sam and Robert and a brother and sister in Serbia.
A memorial will be planned for a later date.
Alfred Lang was born July 8, 1935 in Germany. He landed in Canada on August 30, 1965. Alfred is predeceased by his wife Pauline Gladue in 2004. He is survived by his 3 daughters and his 8 half children and family in Germany. He is the Proud Grandfather to over 70 grandchildren and great grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be held at the Elder Citizens Recreation Association- 1692 10th Ave on October 26, 2023 at 5 pm.
Alfred Lang
In Memoriam Memorial Services
REMEMBRANCES
ALLEN G. CAMERON
1942 - 2023
Allen passed October 11, 2023, in Kelowna, B C. Allen is survived by his wife Cathy of 61 years, son Garry (Christine) of Prince George and sister Ruth Wilson of Kelowna, grandsons Shawn and Thomas and many nieces and nephews. Allen was born in Watson, Sask, moved to Prince George 1951 where he met his wife Cathy and his lifelong friend Norm Harrop. Allen’s father bought Acme Electric Ltd 1959, Allen took over the business in 1970. Allen and Cathy retired to Kelowna in 2013. Allen requested no service. Arrangements entrusted to Everden Rust Funeral and Cremation Services.
Darlene Elva Gauthier
January 9, 1949 - October 7, 2023
It is with great sadness that in tragic accident we lost our loved one so suddenly. She will be missed by so many and void no one can fill is left behind.
She is survived by her son Shane Gauthier, grandson Thomas Gauthier, granddaughter Pamela Gauthier, brothers John, Mark (Trine) and sister Candice (Gary), nephews Derrick (Kim), David and Steve, great nephews Josh (Lex), Rylan (Breanna), and Grady (Emma). Also by many cousins and Friends which are too many to list.
Predeceased by her father Roy and her mother Eileen Hoagland and her great nephew Jarred Goyer.
A service will be held at Assmans Funeral Home on Monday, October 30, 2023 - 1908 Queensway Street at 11 am. In lieu of flowers please donate to the Heart Foundation.
MAIURI, Vincenzo (Vincent)
June 27, 1928 - October 20, 2023.
In loving memory of our husband, dad and proud Nonno who passed away peacefully on October 20, 2023 with his family by his side. Survived by his wife of 63 years, Giuliana, daughters, Diana (Malcolm), Angela (Don) and Susanna (Christopher) grandchildren, Gavyn, Megan, Sarah, Arthur, Hanna, Matthew & Martika and many extended family members in both Ontario and Italy.
Dad’s first trip into his new life in Canada began in June of 1951 when he crossed the Atlantic on the MS Saturnia first making land in Halifax followed by an eight-day train ride across Canada to the Kootenays where he worked a short time for CP Rail then moving to Ontario to be with family. After ten years, dad returned to Italy where he found the love of his life, Giuliana. They were married in February of 1960 and returned to Canada as a young married couple finally settling in Upper Fraser, BC in November of 1961. In May of 1965 the family moved into Prince George into the house on Heyer Road that dad and mom built together. After a few more moves, they established themselves as long term residents of the Seymour subdivision where the family, grape pergola and gardens were lovingly nurtured for 43 years. We would like to sincerely and wholeheartedly thank all of the Gateway Complex Care staff, (nurses, care aides and housekeeping staff), for the kindness, care, respect and dignity they showed dad during his time there; they are truly wonderful.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation made to the charity of your choice. The Celebrant for the Funeral Mass will be Father Rectorino Tolentino, on Friday, October 27th, 2023 at 1:30pm at Sacred Heart Cathedral with burial to follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Bernice Elizabeth Helsoe (nee Rey)
1933-2023
Bernice Elizabeth Helsoe (nee Rey) was born on September 6, 1933 and passed on October 5, 2023 after a bad fall. She was born in Melville, Saskatchewan to Anton and Sophie Rey. She was number three of six siblings: Helen, Walter, Bernie (her nickname), Margie, Eddy and Maryanne.
She was taught by the Nuns in a Catholic school, then moved to Williams Lake where she met Ken and had Gordy in 1955. She met Kjell Helsoe from Norway and they were married on May 27, 1961. They had two daughters Karin, born in 1963 and Janice, born in 1964. They moved to Prince George during a very cold winter and had their third daughter Trine in 1966.
Bernice started working at School District #57 on the ‘monitor’ which listened into schools in case of fire, unlawful entry or vandalism. She later became a custodian until her retirement at 65 years of age. Her family moved to Norway in 1971 but moved back to Prince George in November 1973.
She started her “Stitch and Bitch” group and carried on for 35 years with friends Desta, Leona, Beth, Marion, Mary, Diane, Murt, Blanche, Viva, Betty and Vi. She was a member of the Sons of Norway Lodge Rondane 71 at Six Mile Lake and met and became good friends with the Petersens, Smales, Nielsens, Itkonens, Aases, Lindquists and others. She stitched many wall hangings that will be enjoyed for many years to come. She was an avid card player of crib, canasta, shanghai rummy, and computer solitaire. She always watched tennis and had her favorites but wasn’t a fan of the one who ate grass at Wimbledon. She went to Vancouver to see her friend Vi on her 95th Birthday on December 27, 2019, with her son Ed, keeping her a surprise for Vi.
She moved to the Chateau in November 2019 because she was tired of dealing with the mowing, shoveling and wanted someone else to cook. She met some good friends there - Ethel, Fern, and Verna.
She is survived by her daughters, Karin, Janice (Bryan Keim), Trine (Mark Hoagland), granddaughter Randi (Tyler Whalen), grandsons David Hoagland and Steven Hoagland, great grandchildren Paige Whalen and Finlay Whalen, eldest sister Helen in Toronto and younger sister Margie (Bill) in 108 Mile House, many nieces and nephews in Norway and across Canada. She is predeceased by her husband Kjell, son Gordy, sister Maryanne and brothers Walter and Eddy.
On September 6th she celebrated her 90th birthday at Earl’s Restaurant and also met her retired physician Barry Hagen and his wife Thelma. She ate garlic bread and the rest of a large plate of calamari.
Thank you to her physicians, Drs. Grose, Klossen, Joss and Russell, for their help and care during a difficult time.
REMEMBRANCES
David Clayton Wegelin
Peacefully and with great dignity, David Clayton Wegelin (Dad) left this world for his next adventure surrounded by family and with the thoughts and prayers of so many.
Dad was born in the Turner Valley hospital one fine summer day in 1942. He was the baby of the family, with two brothers and a sister who were a few years older than him. As a child, Dad knew and loved the life on the family farm just south of Black Diamond. Dad often talked about his joy in growing up in what is now called Diamond Valley. He loved telling us about riding his horse to school and how the Turner Valley golf club house was once his high school.
To say Dad was kind was an understatement. He took the time to be present and listen attentively and would regularly offer help with a “let me know if I can do anything at all”. With a small smile and a quiet nature, Dad was that guy in your corner - always loving, caring and supportive. We will miss him very much.
Dad attended SAIT to become a radio technician after which he eagerly grasped the opportunity to work on the Distant Early Warning (DEW) line on Baffin Island. He and four other men were in charge of operating and maintaining the system during the Cold War. After the DEW line, Dad worked for the BC Ministry of Forests as a radio technician as well as for Motorola, Tad Radio and Daniels Electronics. He retired in 2012.
He and Mom (Carolyn) moved back to the family farm in 2013 to care for his only sister, Ida.
Gone far too soon, and loved greatly, Dad is survived by his son, Austin (Traci), nieces Danielle (Troy), Megan (Phil), Leah (Bob), Gail (Mike), Susan (Steve), Allison (Shawn) and nephews Steven, Pat (Penny) and Jim (Pao). Dad is predeceased by his wife, Carolyn, daughter, Adrianne, sister, Ida and brothers Etienne (Paul) and Gaspard (Gus).
A funeral will be held on November 18, 2023 at 2:00 pm at United Church in the Valley, followed by a reception at Royal Canadian Legion #78, both in Turner Valley, Alberta. Austin and Traci want to express their gratitude for the loving care of nurses and doctors at both Rockyview and Oilfields Hospitals.
Celebrate the lives of loved ones with your stories, photographs and tributes
Raymond Imbeault
1944-2023
It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Raymond Imbeault on October 4, 2023 at the age of 78. Survived by his wife Lise (Paquin), eldest daughter Sylvie (Walter), daughter Nancy, son Sylvain, and two grandchildren Kaiden and Zaren. He was predeceased by two siblings, Gratia and Francoise. He is survived by his other siblings, Yvonne, Rosaire, Jeanne, Marguerite, Gabrielle, Reine, Reginal, Joseph, Therese, Ernest, Claire and Rose. Raymond was born in Saint-Zenon du LacHumqui, Quebec on December 20, 1944. His first work was as a Peacekeeper in Cyprus. When he left the military, he married Lise Paquin in 1967. They first lived in Wawa, Ontario where he was a logger. They moved to Flin Flon, Manitoba where he worked in the mine. There they started their family. They moved to Prince George, British Columbia in 1973, and continued their family, and he went back to logging. Raymond preferred to be surrounded by family. Raymond loved life, enjoyed gardening, being in the woods, cooking, but most of all he loved caring for his family in every way he could. Funeral will take place at 2 pm on November 4, 2023, at St. Mary’s Church 1088 Gillett Street, Prince George, BC. Viewing will be available prior to the funeral at 1 pm. Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails; 22 What a person desires is unfailing love ; better to be poor than a liar. 23 The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
Celebrate the lives of loved ones with your stories, photographs and tributes
Scatter me not to restless winds, Nor toss my ashes to the sea. Remember now those years gone by When loving gifts I gave to thee. Remember now the happy times The family ties we shared. Don’t leave my resting place unmarked As though you never cared. Deny me not one final gift For all who come to see A single lasting proof that says I loved... & you loved me. by DJ Kramer
Evangelia Karaliolios also known as Angela passed away peacefully on October 17, 2023, surrounded by family.
She is survived by her devoted parents, Nikolaos and Nada, her sister Athanasia also known as Sia, her brother in law Maziar and her newly born niece, Aryanna. As well as her grandmother, Matija also known as Baba and many Uncles, Aunts and cousins.
Angela was born in 1982 in Prince George. Angela and her family later moved to the Okanagan for better weather and lifestyle in 2002. Angela enjoyed many hobbies including figure skating, soccer, horseback riding, music and most importantly sailing.
Angela will be remembered for her smile, love for life, strength and perseverance.
A service will be held at the St. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church at 1935 Barlee Road in Kelowna at 10am on Monday, October 30th, 2023.
Margaret
May Humphreys
May 14, 1934 - October 14, 2023
Our Mom passed away unexpectedly Oct. 14th at the Prince George hospital. She led a full life from being the 7th of 8 kids born in Penny, BC to her retirement years in Prince George.
Mom enjoyed time with family and many treasured friends and was always surrounded by music and laughter. On occasion she could be found at a casino with her friends.
Mom always kept an EVERLASTING FAITH IN HER CREATOR. 1+1+1 is 3, come together over me!
She is survived by brother Clarence, sister June, sons David (Jadine), Jim (Shauneen), Alan (Barb), 9 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A small family gathering will be held in Penny in the spring of 2024.
More of mom’s story is available on page 30 of this link from the PG Public Library http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc :2016-10-13/
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Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a Sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.
Male children
Robert Wagner
Unfolded
Digestive disease
Wednesday
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Conscientious investment strategy (abbr.)
Slowed
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It becomes something bigger
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Least aggressive
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DESIGN TRENDS • HOME IMPROVEMENTS & RENOVATIONS • OUTDOOR LIVING
Why you need a combi-boiler in your home
If you need to replace your boiler, you should consider upgrading to a modern combi-boiler system. A combination boiler heats your home and gives you hot water on demand. Here are some of the benefits.
• Increased efficiency. More efficient than a conventional water heater that heats a full tank of water whether you need it or not, a combi-boiler can reduce your energy consumption by up to 40 per cent.
• Save valuable space. You don’t need a lot of room for a combi-boiler because they’re compact. For example, you can install a combi-boiler in an apartment or condo or in the space under the stairs.
• Save money. Modern combi-boilers are less complex than conventional boilers and have fewer pipes to install. Moreover, combi-boilers are less expensive to install and repair than traditional ones.
• Enjoy unlimited hot water. You’ll never run out of hot
water because a combi-boiler doesn’t have a water tank. Therefore, you can enjoy leisurely showers and hot baths without worrying about having enough water in the tank.
FREEESTIMATES
• There’s less maintenance. A combi-boiler doesn’t have a water tank to flush and clean. Consequently, you don’t have to worry about scheduling maintenance every six months.
If you’re moving into a new house or making extensive renovations, it’s a perfect time to upgrade your home’s heating system. Talk to an expert at your local home renovation centre.
How to make your home more pet-centric
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people welcomed pets into their homes. Whether you’re a new pet owner or have had one for many years, why not try making your home more pleasing to your furry friend? Here are three ways to create a pet-centric home.
way in recent years. For example, older doors with a simple flap pose a security risk since other animals or heavy rain can also pass through them. Modern ones, in contrast, are electronic and use programmable collars or microchip implants to open only for your pet.
1. Wash station. If you own a dog, why not create a dedicated area to groom and clean them? A ground-level wash station featuring tiled walls, a vinyl pan base, and a hand-held showerhead will help keep your pet and your house clean.
2. Pet door. Do you want your cat or dog to come and go as it pleases? Fortunately, pet doors have come a long
3. Pet flooring. Pets can be messy. Rather than get annoyed and frustrated, why not choose floor materials like linoleum, vinyl or stain-resistant carpet that are easy to clean? A small area of radiant-floor heating will also give your pet a welcome place to lie down.
Contact an interior designer in your area to help you come up with unique ideas to make your home more pet friendly.
How to create a multifunctional room
Today, many people not only live in their homes but also
ASSESS
The first step is to evaluate the room’s characteristics. You must consider elements like the ceiling height and the number of doors and windows. These factors will help you decide what’s possible and how to achieve the best results.
DETERMINE THE FUNCTION
Next, consider what purposes you want the room to serve. If a living-guest room is what you’re after, you must determine what kind of bed it will have. If space is limited, a daybed or
Murphy bed would be best. However, consider a sofa bed or futon if you have more space.
Furthermore, working from home has become increasingly popular in recent years. Therefore, many people want to create home offices. If you want to create a functional workspace, you can easily purchase sliding panels to partition off just about any size room.
Moreover, other hybrid room possibilities include a living room-gym or a laundry room that doubles as an office. Use your imagination to come up with what would work for you.
Visit your local hardware store to find unique ways to convert your space.
If you lack storage in your home, there are many unique ways to utilize your space more efficiently. Here are a few ideas to consider.
• Purchase bags and bins specifically designed to fit underneath your bed. If your bed isn’t high enough, you can get bed risers to give you more room.
• Install a cabinet, shelf, or rack if you have an empty wall or door space. You may be surprised at how much you can fit inside.
• Invest in under-cabinet racks that slide conveniently out of the way when not in use. This is a great way to use the space underneath your cabinets and shelves.
• If you’re looking for a new entryway bench or coffee table, consider buying one that has hidden storage space inside for odds and ends.
• Did you know your ceiling is a great place to store things? For example, you can install overhead shelves in your kitchen to store various everyday goods.
Visit your local hardware store to find unique space-saving storage ideas.
ElishaFlynn SalesRepresentative 250-981-9898
GurinderPaul SalesRepresentative 250-613-1333
3 fun ways to use shiplap in your home
Traditionally used for barns and sheds, shiplap has made its way into the interior design world over the past decade. On top of being used for accent walls, you can also use shiplap in the following three ways around your home:
1. Headboard. You can easily create a rustic, Cape Cod-style headboard with shiplap.
2. Fireplace. Instead of brick, use shiplap around your fireplace. You can find shiplap made of fire-resistant fibre cement.
3. Door. You don’t have to buy an expensive pre-made barn-style door for your home when you can make your own using shiplap.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT MATERIAL
Wood shiplap has natural knots, which offers an authentic farmhouse look. However, it can be pricey. Medium-density fibreboard (MDF) shiplap, on the other hand, is inexpensive and smooth, making it ideal for painting. Moreover, PVC shiplap is waterproof and mould resistant. It’s also light and pre-finished, making it extremely easy to install.
Visit your local hardware store to pick up everything you need for your shiplap project.
