Prince George Citizen August 8, 2024

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Selective logging called key to reviving forest industry

It involves using specialized equipment to cut down some, not all, trees in one area

TED CLARKE Citizen staff

Liam Parfitt thinks he has a forestry management solution that will keep northern B.C. mills operating, reduce the risk of wildfires and create habitats that will give plants and animals a better chance to thrive.

Parfitt is convinced that a switch away from clearcutting to selective logging practices that have been used for decades in European countries is what is needed to make Canada’s forest economy thrive again.

Selective logging involves the use of specialized equipment to cut some, not all, trees from a specific area.

Nico Kilgast operates a Ponsse Scorpion harvester, selectively logging and thinning a woodlot near the

Road west of Prince George.

The co-owner of Freya Logging says the thinning of forest cut blocks, ones that were clearcut and replanted as recently as 30 years ago, will create more than enough fibre to rejuvenate a forest industry decimated by beetle kills and wildfires. He said the industry is also challenged by a government bureaucracy that has delayed permitting and contributed to a shortage of economically available timber, which has forced companies to curtail mill operations at the cost of hundreds of jobs.

“We have to look at other ways of keeping the industry going,” said Parfitt. “All we’ve been doing is salvaging dead things, whether it’s beetle-killed or firekilled, we’re like a bunch of morticians. Forestry is all about live trees, habitat, ecosystems.”

Selective logging proponents think they have an alternative the province should be encouraging to inject life into what is seen by some as a dying industry.

McBride Timber

Construction of $30M apartment complex set to start

The two Park House buildings will offer tenants 135 new rental units in the heart of the city

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

After a couple of weeks of showery weather that left behind puddles of evidence, the blue-sky long-range forecast for Prince George was just what the doctor ordered for developer Peter Wise.

Now his construction crew can get started, laying down the chalk lines and curbs to mark the foundation of a $30-million downtown apartment complex that will create 135 rental units next to city hall beside the Park House condominium development and daycare centre.

“It’s taken a couple of years to put it all together but we’re pretty excited to get it going now, nothing takes a short period of time when you’re putting a project like this together,” said Wise, president of Ador Properties.

“We’re starting right now and it will probably take us about 18 months.”

Park House phases 2 and 3 will include two five-storey buildings, one with 60 units, the other with 75 units, to be built on top of the 290-stall underground parkade that touched off a powderkeg of controversy when it was built in 2020. The parkade cost spiked from $12.6 million in 2028 to $34.1 million by the time it was finished in December 2020.

The cost overrun was attributed to the city taking on all the risks associated with construction to try to spur development of shops and restaurants in a revitalized downtown and taxpayers were stuck with the bill. Persistent problems with flooding delayed the project and pushed up the cost.

That blown budget led to new rules that cap spending approvals without council permission and the city enacted a whistleblower provision to encourage staff to report concerns about how municipal finances are being handled.

The new Park House apartments will be either bachelor suites or one-bedroom units. Wise said he predicts the public will like the pleasing aesthetics of the two new buildings that will occupy

the site along Sixth Avenue just west of Queensway.

“I think we’ve created a really nice look for the buildings,” he said. “Recognizing there’s already a couple of buildings on-site we didn’t want to create something that will clash, but we always try to make it distinct. They’re going to be very high-end buildings and they’ll be finished nicely too.”

Aluminum cladding that resembles wood will be one of the exterior features, with no maintenance required, he said. The building’s open floor plan incorporates wood-look parallam beams and it will be built to the highest energy efficiencies with its heating/air condition systems, soundproof triple-glazed triple-paned windows and well-insulated roofs and walls.

“If I’m going to build something that people will want to live in, especially downtown, it should be really nice, and this building will be really nice,” said Wise.

“They did a nice job on (Park House) so it just makes sense that we do something equal to or better.”

The province, with its Housing Target Order under the Housing Supply Act, is targeting 1,803 new housing units to be built in Prince George over the next five years which represents 75

per cent of the 2,404 units it’s estimated the city will need to meet the demand.

The unobstructed views of Connaught Hill Park to the south, the McGregor Mountains to the east and the city to the west will also entice renters, Wise said.

Park House project site superintendent Peter Johnson, a former yacht builder from Maple Ridge, said the attention to detail and high quality in the building will be noticeable to tenants.

“I like the sheer beauty of the entire package. It’s going to be a really nice asset down here that’s aesthetically beautiful. The interior of the buildings is going to be gorgeous,” said Johnson.

“You will feel like you’re going into a very beautiful, well-known hotel lobby when you’re in the communal areas of this. It’s going to be very comfortable and easy to clean. I’ve never seen this level before, and I’m used to an upper standard.”

The buildings will be energy efficient, the builders said.

“With going to the upper (building) codes that we’re going to work to, you’re literally going to be able to warm this place up with a candle, that’s how efficient it will be,” Johnson said.

Enticing more people to live downtown is the goal of every city and Park House residents will be able to walk to most of the services they’ll need.

Wise can’t wait to see the city’s Civic Core District Plan unfold to create a pedestrian mall that will include a new downtown arena that will be built next to the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre and the hotel developments already in place.

“If the core becomes rotten, everything dies, so the core is really important and we have to focus our energies on the core,” said Wise.

“It’s a place where people want to spend money, buy a house, rent a house, start a business, go to a restaurant. So how do you make this a place where people will want to spend money?

“The only way to do that is to create a community, so we need a lot more homes to create a vibrancy and a sense of community. If you have a lot of people down here walking around, that creates a sense of safety. I know a lot of seniors that don’t want to come downtown because they feel unsafe. But we can make it more safe if there’s more people living here.”

CITIZEN PHOTO BY TED CLARKE

Ador Properties president Peter Wise, left, and site supervison Peter Johnson check out the site of Phase 2 and 3 and the Park House apartment complex now under construction in downtown Prince George.

New buildings will go up atop the downtown parkade

CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE

Wise figures people will eventually forget the controversy that surrounded the parking structure finances once Park House is finished and it becomes a people place.

At any given time the construction site will employ 30-50 workers.

Curbs should be in place by next week and the prefabricated concrete walls are being sourced locally from Lambert Built Ltd.

Wise said the first building should be finished by the summer of 2025 and expects the project, funded by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, to be complete by February or March 2026.

A year ago, Ador Properties opened the 42-unit Quebec Street House apartment complex across from the Canfor Leisure Pool that now serves as a B.C. Housing residence.

The developer also has the Live Well 60-unit high-end seniors apartment complex under construction at the north end of Ospika Boulevard and in October it will get started with the 100-unit Three Robins seniors apartments building on the west side of Foothills Boulevard between 5th Avenue and 15th Avenue.

This is what one of the two new Park House apartment buildings will look like from Patricia Boulevard. The first building is expected to be ready by summer 2025 and the second in 2026.

Province sets city’s target for new home construction

CITIZEN STAFF

A new target for home construction in Prince George has been set by the provincial government.

The housing target order, issued under the Housing Supply Act, aims to spur the completion of 1,803 net new housing units in the City of Prince George over the next five years.

“The City of Prince George is ready to step up to the plate and meet this challenge brought forward by the province,” said Mayor Simon Yu.

This target has been calculated as being 75 per cent of the estimated housing need (2,404 units) for the city.

“Supporting more housing, faster,

aligns with council’s strategic priorities to grow our city and improve the quality of life for all residents,” said Yu.

“We are optimistic that we will meet or exceed our target of 1,803 new housing units as there are a number of projects and initiatives currently taking place and planned for the near future in our community.”

Regular progress reports will track housing completions, demolitions, building permits, and projects in development, alongside municipal actions to support increased housing. The first progress report will be published in early spring 2025, following six months of the Housing Target Order’s implementation.

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Commonwealth Financial moves out of city core

MARK NIELSEN

Special to The Citizen

Another noted business has vacated Prince George’s downtown core.

Movers were busy earlier this week hauling furniture out of the Commonwealth Financial building at 331 George St. and taking it to the financial services provider’s new home at 575 Victoria St.

With the lease on the George Street building up for renewal, Commonwealth principal Dan McLaren said they opted for a spot in what could be called the city’s financial district.

The new digs also provide more space for what has turned out to be a growing venture.

“It’s a premier premise that we’ve got. We started almost 30 years ago with a desk and a phone and now we’re right across the street from the big boys,” McLaren said. “We’ve got the Royal Bank on one corner across from us, we’ve got TD, Scotiabank, HSBC.

We’re quite proud of the fact that we’ve expanded and we’ve been a success story and we’re in a really spectacular location.”

McLaren has been an outspoken critic about the state of the downtown core and was not shy about saying the ongoing trouble around its now-previous home played a role in the decision to move.

He puts the blame squarely at the feet of the provincial and federal governments.

Conversely, he said the measures the city has taken in the name of the safe streets bylaw has helped somewhat.

“The bylaw officers coming down was noticeable and picking up a lot of the needles and syringes and stuff like that,” he said.

“The city did as much as I think the city can do, and I know it’s kind of popular to beat up city hall because of the problems downtown, but they are the child of the provincial

and federal governments and the decriminalization.”

McLaren had high hopes for the core when Commonwealth moved to the George Street spot seven years ago.

“Downtown was a happy story to tell,” he said and went on to note major expansions and renovations to nearby restaurants, hotels and services.

But things did not get better, in fact just the opposite, in McLaren’s opinion.

Given its proximity to the courthouse, he suggested the spot would make a good home for a law office. It may also be attractive for a social services agency “because their clients are there.”

“The building itself is very good but it’s not conducive to retail,” McLaren said.

Although away from the core, McLaren said Commonwealth is still in the city’s downtown.

“We believe in downtown, and we believe in downtown Prince George, but

A “for sale” sign is now up on what was the Commonwealth Financial building at 331 George St. as the business has moved to 575 Victoria St.

parts of downtown Prince George are far better to do business in than being near the needle exchange that draws a certain crowd that is certainly not good for business,” McLaren said.

Sprinkler system, fire crews keep Barkerville safe after wildfire forces evacuation of historic village

KENNEDY GORDON Citizen Managing Editor

Despite a wildfire raging just over the horizon, there was no damage to Barkerville after the area had to be evacuated on July 21.

The popular tourist attraction, a restored gold-rush pioneer town, reopened Friday, Aug. 2.

Stewart Cawood, Barkerville’s manager of public programming and media, said things were in good shape when he and other staff returned. He credited hard work by fire crews to keep the flames away from the site, as well as the historic town’s sprinkler system.

The fire was not a surprise.

“On the night before, Saturday, July 20, we had a big plume of smoke over the mountains, so everyone went into the next day knowing it was going to be kind of hairy,” Cawood said. “The next morning, smoke was everywhere, and by 11 a.m. the alert had come in.”

The North Cariboo Regional District ordered the evacuation of the area, which also includes the town of Wells and Bowron Lake, as the Antler Creek wildfire neared.

CEO Kate Cox made the immediate decision to refund the admission of visitors on-site, send them on their way safely and prepare the departure of the town’s staff.

About 30 people work at the site.

Some were authorized by the B.C. Wildfire Service to stay to maintain the sprinkler system and assist fire crews. Most staff, though, left the area.

Cawood set up in Quesnel, while others headed to Vancouver and other communities to wait out the threat. Registered veterinary technologist Mia Cirotto was also at the site to care for Barkerville’s animals, which include horses and goats, while staff was away.

The powerful sprinkler system is set up along the roofs of the town’s historic wooden buildings. It’s meant to protect them in cases like this. Cawood explained that it sends up a “humidity dome” that keeps stray sparks from

igniting.

“We’ve all seen embers and witch’s hair drifting through, and we’ve seen scorch marks on the wooden walkways,” he said, adding that Barkerville office manager Carrie Chard was key to the implementation of the sprinklers.

It worked, and the village came through the fire unscathed.

“They lifted the order on Monday (July 29)” Cawood said.

The Barkerville team began working to reopen, and visitors were able to return Friday. Not everything is as it was, though. The campground is open for first-come, first served use, but no reservations will be taken. The cottages and Kelly Guest House will be closed until Aug. 11.

As well, some events planned for later this season have been postponed to 2025. These include the Indigenous People’s Celebrations and the Chinese Mid-Autumn Moon Festival.

“Those special events have a lot of people coming from out of town,” Cawood said, explaining that the possibility of another emergency shutdown prompted the decision.

The historic town of Barkerville has reopened after a nearby wildfire prompted the area’s evacuation on July 21.

Remembering Chuck Chin in the heart of the park

Connor Westergard is behind the camera as the approximately 150 people at Chuck Chin’s celebration of life line up to have their pictures taken Sunday, Aug. 4. The bench, installed at Chin’s favourite spot at Cottonwood Island Nature Park and dedicated to his memory, features a heart cutout for photography. The event included music, food trucks, face painting, the Khast’an drummers and remarks by MLA Shirley Bond, Mayor Simon Yu and David Mothus, founder of the Hell Yeah Prince George Facebook page and an admin of the page with Chin, who died suddenly in January.

Medal of Good Citizenship for Steve Hamilton

CITIZEN STAFF

Prince George’s Steve Hamilton will receive a 2024 Medal of Good Citizenship from the province in recognition of his years of dedication to conservation and community stewardship advocacy.

A local writer and communications manager, Hamilton is known for his advocacy for safe and healthy enjoyment of hunting and shooting sports.

“The incredible kindness and service of people like this year’s medal recipients make B.C. communities such thriving and welcoming places,” said selection committee chair Lana Popham, minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport.

“I am incredibly grateful for the dedication and passion of these extraordinary individuals. They exemplify the true spirit of community service,

touching the hearts of all they meet.”

Medal presentation ceremonies will be held in the province in August and early September.

“These 18 people have made a profound impact on their communities and a positive difference in the lives of so many,” said Premier David Eby. “By sharing their time, energy and talents, they are making B.C. a better place. Their selfless generosity is a model for us all and I thank them for it.”

Medal nominations of any current or former long-term B.C. residents are accepted year-round.

Youth and posthumous nominations are welcome.

Hamilton

Fair share agreements are paying off in the north

Prince George is not participating in the provincial funding program that has helped 21 other communities

MATT DRISCOLL

Special to The Citizen

Is Prince George getting its fair share when it comes to provincial funding for the community’s vital infrastructure?

It’s a question increasingly being asked locally as dozens of communities across rural British Columbia reap the benefits of agreements with the province.

Sometimes known as fair share agreements, the deals are intended to address challenges that rural local governments encounter raising revenue necessary to make critical investments in local infrastructure and services to support significant industrial development.

The most recent example is the Resource Benefit Alliance (RBA), a deal between the province and 21 local governments across northwestern British Columbia from Masset to Vanderhoof. First announced in February of 2024, the RBA will see $250 million pumped into the communities over the next five years.

“The funding is a game changer for all of our communities,” said Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond, RBA co-chair. “This allows us to fix, replace and build basic infrastructure that all our communities rely on … without the heavy financial burden being placed on our residents.”

The RBA was formed in 2014 to lobby the province to provide more funding to help cover costs for major projects like the coastal gas link pipeline and the LNG Canada export facility.

The argument is that these new projects place an increased burden on the infrastructure of municipalities.

However, the municipalities receive little in return, as the projects exist primarily outside their borders and do not contribute to their tax base.

Perhaps the best-known of the provincial fair share agreements is the Peace River Agreement, signed with eight municipal governments and renewed in 2015.

Houston Mayor Shane Breinen was instrumental in securing the PRA. He summed up the signing of the agreement in one word: “relief.”

“We’ve negotiated with the province since 2014 while watching our critical infrastructure fail,” he said.

“This agreement is going to have positive impacts on our region for decades to come.”

The Peace River Agreement will see a total of $1.1 billion pumped into local governments in the Peace River region over 20 years.

Under the PRA, when signatories meet requirements, the province will provide annual payments to the eight Peace River local governments to a maximum combined total of $50 million per year (plus a two per cent inflator).

Payments to individual local governments are determined by an allocation formula included in the PRA that’s calculated and certified by the Peace River Regional District.

The eight local government recipients that signed the PRA and will share this year’s $50-million payment are the District of Chetwynd, the City of Dawson

$50-million Northern Capital Grant for the NWRBA region. For Houston that meant we were able to replace two of our downtown streets and replace water and sewer lines. We had a year where we had eight water breaks on 9th Street at a cost of $8,0000 to $12,000 for each repair. We also have been able to get more paving done.”

Brienen says the background work included studies on industry, exports, ongoing projects and rail transport in an effort to provide a sense of what the northern economy does.

“Houston for example had well over a billion dollars of stumpage from our community since 1980,” he says. “There is still much work to be done as the deal will be renewed and adjusted in five years.”

Creek, the City of Fort St. John, the District of Hudson’s Hope, the Village of Pouce Coupe, the District of Taylor, the District of Tumbler Ridge and the Peace River Regional District.

Breinen said years of research and background work went into securing the PRA.

“To build a case we had to prove numbers,” he says. “Most northern communities are seen as a drain on the provincial tax system as it costs more to deliver many services in large geographic areas with a small population base. While this is true, we do punch way above our weight in what we contribute. People can say that it is the corporations paying and while this also is true, it is our residents that get up each morning and pull on their work boots and go out and work long hours, often this work is physically demanding and in extreme weather.”

As for any potential hidden downsides of such a deal with the province, Brienen says in the past nine years they haven’t seen any.

“Only positives,” he says. “While negotiating the provincial government recognized there were unique circumstances for our area as the pipeline came through the region and in 2019 put out a $100-million Northern Capital Grant, and the following year put out a

Research and analysis are important factors in informing conversations between the province and regions on the opportunities and challenges within a region, says Kerri Ralph, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.

“Local governments are important partners in rural industrial development throughout the province. They provide service centres, housing and recreational opportunities for rural industries and their workers,” she says.

“In B.C., regional funding agreements are intended to address challenges that small, rural local governments encounter in raising the revenues necessary to make the critical investments in local infrastructure and services to support significant industrial development.”

Since 2017, the province has provided over $55 million to the City of Prince George through a variety of grant programs to assist in the construction of new and expanded municipal infrastructure, and support local community services, according to the ministry.

However, a comprehensive deal between Prince George and the provincial government on a scale similar to the PRA has never been broached.

In a future article, The Citizen will look at why, and whether the municipality has any interest in such a deal.

BC GOVERNMENT PHOTO

A deal made in July will see $250 million in provincial funding go to 21 communities across the northern half of British Columbia. Prince George is not among them.

OPINION

We can’t move forward without a better downtown

KENNEDY GORDON Citizen Managing Editor

The City of Prince George has a target to meet: 1,803 new homes in five years. This was issued by the province earlier this month, and Mayor Simon Yu said the city is ready to meet that goal.

But there will be challenges. Across Canada, home affordability is reaching crisis levels. Home prices have shot up. Rents are out of reach for many, even those who can find decent housing in tight markets. Things aren’t as bad here, but there are signs that we may be in for much of the same in the years ahead. We need more places for people to live.

Those 1,803 net new units the province is calling for represent 75 per cent of the 2,404 housing units it’s estimated the city needs to accommodate projected growth.

Cities this size tend to go with two approaches to residential home development. One is to grow outwards, mapping out new subdivisions and building apartment complexes along the edges of the city. The other involves infill, particularly downtown or close to downtown.

This trend is growing in Canadian cities. Advocates promote the benefits of living close to the heart of the city. Walkability and easy access to work, shopping, services and leisure are two of the big ones. And, as we’re seeing in some cities that are reducing the number of parking spots required for new residential development, living

downtown means less driving and more use of alternative transportation, like transit, bicycles or scooters, to improve personal health and promote environmental sustainability.

You can see examples of infill happening in Prince George. One of the most striking buildings in the downtown area is the Park House condominium. Rising above the older buildings around it, it’s a high-end residence that makes use of modern eco-friendly construction methods and is clearly lived in by people who take pride in their homes.

Joining it over the next two years will be a pair of new rental buildings that will share the same aesthetic.

These projects are a step toward a revitalized downtown, but it will take time. And it will take interest. A lot of people won’t even consider living in downtown Prince George for the same reasons some businesses are leaving, with vacant storefront after vacant storefront a sign of their concerns. Drugs and crime – much of it linked to homelessness – have changed people’s perception of the city core.

Downtown needs to be a destination again. Last week we gave you a threepart look at one local citizen’s group’s efforts to bring new life to the Civic Core. That plan, the result of months of work, seems to now live in a dusty file cabinet at city hall.

Paul Wise, the developer of the Park House rental buildings, who is also building new properties on the outskirts of the city, summed it up: “If you have a lot of people down here walking around, that creates a sense of safety. I know a lot of seniors that don’t want to come downtown because they feel unsafe. But we can make it more safe if there’s more people living here.”

He’s right, but it’s a bit of a catch-22. Building more higher-end residences downtown will bring in new people, whose presence will gradually change the tenor of the neighbourhood. But to attract them, the city must fund muchneeded upgrades and adopt a stronger commitment to safety on downtown streets and sidewalks.

That’s a tough goal to meet, but not impossible. It will take political will.

Let’s start with the Civic Core District Plan, which aims to rejuvenate the city-owned properties around city hall (Prince George Conference and Civic Centre, Kopar Memorial Arena, Canfor Leisure Pool, Two Rivers Gallery, the library, the Civic Plaza and, more recently, Knight’s Inn).

After the completion and submission of the citizen’s group’s report (Disclosure: Cameron Stolz, owner of this newspaper, was part of the group before buying The Citizen), the city started from scratch. Public input has been collected through surveys and a community visioning process, but there’s been little movement in almost a year.

The public and private sectors both have roles to play here, as an improved Civic Core and new housing are key to reversing the downtown’s decline. Local people with an investment in their community have had their say. Let’s see some action.

Have your say about this or other news topics in a letter to the editor: editor@ pgcitizen.ca.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR editor@pgcitizen.ca

New residential development, including the Park House on the left, can bring more people to live in the area. However, many people still don’t want to, saying the area doesn’t feel safe because of drugs, crime and homelessness.

Cameron Stolz Owner

Terresa Randall-Stolz Owner

acknowledge the financial support of the government of Canada.

reconnaissons l’appui financier du gouvernement du Canada.

Kennedy Gordon Managing Editor

Elk pose a real threat to fire resistance and biodiversity

The Back Story

The news out of Jasper is tragic and my thoughts go to everyone who has had their lives upended, businesses destroyed, and homes burnt down. What a loss for one of our small-town gems.

We witnessed the stress and anxiety first-hand. We had some evacuated friends stay with us. Luckily their home on the east side of town was spared, but some of their friends and family weren’t so lucky.

Predictably, the disaster has now turned into a political blame game. Which is fine, I guess. We need to get to the bottom of what failed.

So I may as well jump in on the action and blame something no one else will: the elk. At least partially.

Yes, there should be more controlled burns happening, as Indigenous nations once routinely practised before being evicted from the park. And more of those dead pine should have been selectively logged like Freya Logging did on the north side of the Jasper townsite back in 2019.

But we also need to eradicate the elk herds, which never existed in Jasper in large numbers until 1920, when park authorities shipped in 88 elk from Yellowstone.

Like in Yellowstone, elk have had a massive impact on the most fire-resistant forest type we have - the aspen. A couple years ago we hiked on the trails directly around the Jasper townsite, and since I live with permanent “aspen goggles” strapped to my face, I looked at the health of the aspen. It was not good. Everywhere I looked, chewedoff aspen saplings were evident.

Just south of town I investigated a couple of pure aspen stands. Same deal. The young aspen were not getting past browse height. There were almost no young aspen to replace the sick and

dying elderly. It wasn’t just elk hammering the aspen, but moose too. The highly flammable conifer, which the elk and moose avoid eating, were gradually replacing the fire-resistant aspen. You

see the same thing around Banff. I went into the parks office and showed them the pictures I took. They looked at me with blank stares, and that’s maybe because they were

summer students and aspen conservation isn’t taught in Canada. To the contrary, we teach our youth that aspen is a weed of no value, unlike the United States, where ungulate destruction of aspen forests, like the famous Pando in Utah, is a well-recognized problem.

There is also a chance those blank stares were because they’d heard it all before.

Within a couple of decades of their introduction in 1920, the elk population had exploded. “The reproduction of aspen and other favourite elk foods ground to a halt,” writes Mark Bradley. So the elk were hunted. Between 1943 and 1969, 2,655 elk were culled to help the aspen. Wolves also chipped away at the numbers.

So maybe the elk overpopulation/ aspen decline issue was old news. But it sure didn’t look like that around town, where it matters most for us.

It will probably only get worse.

As the aspen attempt their comeback around Jasper, the resident plague of introduced elk, whose survival everyone is busy celebrating, will likely expand and stop the deciduous rebirth in its tracks.

Soon we will be right back to where we started: a forest of tinderbox conifer waiting for the next wave of drought, heat, and dry lighting.

It’s a high price to pay to satisfy the facade of animal welfare. Moving forward, we need to recognize the elk aren’t precious nor do they represent a natural park.

They are in fact a threat to not just fire resistance but biodiversity. They need to be either hunted again or possibly excluded in key areas with fencing.

It’s not an easy sell. I know my Jasper friends enjoy seeing the goofy elk around town. I would too.

But habitat is paramount, and the aspen must be given free rein to diversify the hills, provide more fire-resistance, and return the natural balance once more.

James Steidle is a Prince George writer.

JAMES STEIDLE PHOTO

An aspen forest just south of Jasper shows evidence of ungulate over-browsing with no juvenile aspen cohort visible.

JAMES STEIDLE

OPINION

City of Prince George has a target for new home construction: 1,803 units in five years

That’s great and everything but there’s absolutely nothing that can be done about making houses AFFORDABLE and easy to purchase.

There needs to be more done to get people to BUY houses. Make the older houses easier to mortgage maybe?

That’s great and everything, but there’s absolutely nothing that can be done about making houses AFFORDABLE and easy to purchase.

There needs to be more done to get people to BUY houses.

Make the older houses easier to mortgage maybe?

Hersam 1980

Rising housing prices are a sign of what’s wrong in Canada

RE: Buying a home is out of reach for many, and there’s no clear reason why, Aug. 1

Yes, the cost of home ownership is not the fault of any one Canadian government. But U.S. President Joe Biden recently promised no tax hikes for those earning less than $400,000middle class.

Yet Canadian resources have always sold for peanuts, and 30 years of wages increases have been abysmal.1-1 ½ baths, no garage, two adults and four kids shared bedrooms. Or, six people at 179 square feet per person.

In 2024 (millennial) homes average 2074 sq. ft. with garage, two adults, 1-2 kids, maybe lots of driveway. Or four people at 519 square feet per person. For some, a 3500-square-foot is even better.

Harry Backlin: 49-year history of Prince George development

A great story about a larger than life character ... still going strong and getting it done at 95! Thanks for everything you’ve accomplished for the city. We need more Harry Backlins to get things done!

BGeez

Buying a home is out of reach for many, but there’s no clear reason why

This is not a problem unique to Canada. This crisis is developing throughout the western world. As long as we treat housing as an investment and not a necessity, this is the inevitable outcome.

Grammys

LETTERS

Park House Phase 2 and 3 construction gets underway in downtown Prince George

That’s quite a few “high end” housing units.

Is that really where the need for housing exists? In folks who can afford “high end” units?

Also, as a senior, the last thing I want to do is live in a complex with only other seniors.

I always want to live in a multigenerational housing situation.

I love hearing kids playing outside when the weather is nice and seeing families walking or riding their bikes outside.

No way that I would ever live in a complex surrounded by only cranky old people!

PG Archer

Province reports 1,158 drug deaths in first half of 2024

The best and cheapest thing that BC can do to give addicts a chance to live is to offer free drug testing everywhere in the province.

When the addicts know what is in their “purchase”, they can choose to change “suppliers” if it is not a safe combination of drugs, or if it contains lethal amounts of fentynal or other. This is a good way to “out” the suppliers of lethal drugs, and would “self regulate” the illegal supply.

Mike Riemer

EDITOR to

the

an advanced level. To my surprise they were finishing their second year.

public should start taking matters into their own hands.

Monopolies are responsible for poor Canadian revenue, TFWs, wage stagnation.

Home ownership is out of the question. Until we, Canadians, make that change.

Jan Manning

Prince George

An American dollar costs C$1.39. But business says temporary foreign workers are necessary because they can’t afford wage demands. Our students go unemployed.

Hospital stay sparks a bit of hope for our health care system

Unfortunately, I had to spend time in UHNBC from May 26 to June 5 of this year.

But my reason for admission is not why I am writing this letter. Also, I want to say that I am a retired nurse, spending 25 years as an RN in UHNBC.

While on the surgical ward, I had the pleasure of being cared for by students. I thought they were third-year students as their care and knowledge was at such

Why am I writing this opinion is that there has been, and rightly so, a lot of negative articles about our health care system failing. It seems everyone has a tale to tell for themselves or a family member.

But having these students help me during my stay has given me hope for the future.

You all have a big job ahead of you. Thank you, students, with all my heart.

Sharon Clements

Prince George

Fight crime with the return of corporal punishment

Canada is supposed to be a civilized country. There is policing and a judicial system that is supposed to keep citizens safe. Or so I thought!

With the ongoing rash of theft and vandalism happening, the swinging door policy of charging perpetrators and just letting them go, is wrong.

I’m starting to think that the general

Some cultures, a long time ago, used to cut off the hand of a pickpocket or thief. I almost want to see that again, but I feel a thief should have his hand placed on a solid table and have it smacked (real hard) with the flat side of a shovel.

I’m of the mind that the general public has to “come undone” to wake up this idiotic judicial system that we have right now.

When the general public is basically shoved to the side and the thieves and murderers rule the roost, something has to be done.

Kerry Ness Lillooet

Letters to the editor are welcome at editor@pgcitizen.ca. The maximum length is 300 words. Submitted letters may be subjected to editing for length, clarity, grammar, spelling and legalities before publication. Please include your daytime contact information.

Brief wildfire evacuation for Blackwater Gold

Workers at the Artemis mine south of Vanderhoof had to leave the site for five days

TED CLARKE Citizen staff

Despite having to evacuate its employees for five days due to wildfires in the region south of Vanderhoof, Artemis Gold says it remains on target to conduct its first pour at its Blackwater Gold mine in the fourth quarter of this year.

Construction of the mine, 160 kilometres southwest of Prince George, was about 87 per cent complete as of the end of June and the company has spent $650 million of its $730-750 million capital budget.

“Through to June 30, 2024, we continued to advance construction and progress our operational readiness plans in-line with our expected timelines,” said Artemis Gold chairman and CEO Steven Dean.

“The development of gold mines is complex and requires multiple skill sets and disciplines including risk management. This month we were challenged again by wildfires in the area of the mine and I would like to recognize the Blackwater team’s efforts to safely and orderly demobilize staff upon receipt of the recent wildfire evacuation order. Last week’s response to the lifting of the order and commencement of an expedient return and ramp-up to full-scale construction was a credit to our team.”

The evacuation order was issued June 21 and all non-essential mine staff gathered at Vanderhoof Tourism and Cultural Centre. The evacuation order for Laidlaw Lake and Williamson Lake remained in effect until July 26.

In an update sent this week, Artemis reported completion of the water management pond and excavation of a trench through Mine Creek in the tailings storage facility and lining of the central water management pond is also finished. Work on the tailings storage facility is ongoing.

“Looking ahead to Q3 2024, we expect to complete construction of the new operations camp and decommission the original exploration camp,” said Jeremy Langford, Artemis Gold president and chief operating officer.

This is part of the fleet of rigid frame haul trucks that will serve Blackwater Gold mine.

“We will commence the pre-production mining works and expect to begin commissioning the process facility and the water management pond. By the end of Q3, we anticipate the transmission line will be nearing completion and we remain on track for first gold pour in Q4 2024.”

The Sedgman EPC contract work on the processing plant is 90 per cent complete and from April-June the key focus was on installation of structural steel, conveyors, platework, pipework and electrical infrastructure. Installation of the primary crusher and utilities is complete, and the cyclone, gravity concentrators and sulphur burner were installed in the mill.

Cladding of the reagents building was finished, and the exterior cladding of the mill building will soon be ready to be done after final equipment installation.

Process and raw water tanks was hydro-tested, and tank infrastructure was completed, with tank top installations nearing completion.

To power the mine requires construction of a hydro transmission line being built in two sections, each divided by the Nechako River.

The northern section covers about 50

and 10 per cent of the conductor was installed.

Upgrades to the B.C. Hydro Glenannan substation were completed and the main 25 kilovolt electrical substation to power infrastructure at Blackwater Mine was installed.

Construction and commissioning of the initial heavy equipment mining fleet is now complete. The fleet includes two 400-tonne hydraulic backhoe excavators, nine 240-tonne rigid frame haul trucks, and two large front-end loaders which are now fully assembled. Additional units are being assembled on-site, to be used as operations ramp up.

The mine employed 350 people in the second quarter of 2024 and has employed more than 800 workers, including staff and contractors, since the start of construction.

km while the southern section is about 80 km long.

On the north side, 98 per cent of foundations are complete, 97 per cent of pole structures are installed, 95 per cent of structural frames are complete and 25 per cent of the conductor was installed.

South of the river, 91 per cent of foundations are complete, 84 per cent of pole structures are installed, 69 per cent of structural frames are complete

Eighty per cent of the current workers are B.C. residents, with 45 per cent of the total being residents of the local region. Twenty per cent of Blackwater’s workers are women and 30 per cent identify as Indigenous.

As of June 30, mine employees had surpassed a total of 2.5 million work hours with no long-term injuries and an all injuries frequency rate of 78.44 (the total number of recordable incidents occurring per million man-hours worked, divided by total man-hours worked).

Notice of Public Hearing Meeting

Zoning Bylaw No. 2892, 2014, Amendment Bylaw No. 3361, 2024

Location: Northern Lights Way, Powder King

Purpose: to rezone the subject property to allow Recreation Accommodation use

Next Steps: attend a public hearing meeting in-person or by conference call on August 15, 2024 at 6:30 pm at the Regional District Board Room at 155 George Street

Logger says the method will also slow spread of fires

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They are convinced an industry shift to thinning practices would provide more than enough economical fibre to keep mills open and stop the trend of curtailments and closures.

Parfitt picked a privately owned 30-hectare woodlot on the McBride Timber Road on the western outskirts of Prince George as the site of a two-day demonstration of selective logging a few weeks ago.

It was attended by close to 200 foresters and industry stakeholders.

They came to see what can be accomplished using an agile harvester that fells, delimbs and measures trees to lumber length, and a nimble forwarder that gathers the fallen tree trunks and brings them to the road for transport.

Parfitt explained the effect this system has. Sunlight hidden by treetops for years suddenly beams down to the forest floor where the harvesters cleared five-metre wide trails that run the length of the cut block.

With the sky visible the forest floor is exposed to sun, rain and snow, which encourages the growth of willows, poplar, mountain ash and other broadleaf plants that moose and deer love to eat. The downed tree limbs and bark left by the harvester creates places for small animals to hide and new homes for insect populations.

Much like thinning a carrot crop, he said, if you take out some of the trees in close proximity to each other the remaining trees will grow faster because they get more light and moisture. With less competition for nutrients they will mature faster and be better able to survive droughts, windstorms and beetle attacks.

The provincial forest ministry doesn’t like seeing all those branches left on the ground by the harvesters, citing a fire risk, but Parfitt says in northern B.C. boreal forests, which typically receive

Notice of Intent to Consider Amending Regional Board Procedure Bylaw No. 3267, 2022

In accordance with the Local Government Act, notice is hereby given that the Regional Board of the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George intends to consider amending its Regional Board Procedure Bylaw No. 3267, 2022 on August 15, 2024 at 1:30 pm at 155 George Street, Prince George, BC.

In general terms, the proposed amendments include requiring votes in opposition to a motion to be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

A copy of the proposed bylaw and a report with more details will be published online at rdffg.ca on August 8, 2024, as part of the August 15, 2024 Regional Board Meeting Agenda.

For more information, contact M. Connelly, Corporate Officer at 250-960-4400 or corporateservices@rdffg.bc.ca

in this province is that’s all we’ve been doing, salvaging dead trees, especially this last 20 years, so bunchers is the most effective way to salvage when you’re doing a clearcut,” said registered professional forester Gord Chipman, executive director of Woodlots B.C.

“Our entire forest industry in British Columbia is centred around sawlogs. When we manage a forest like this it’s not about volume and sawlogs, we’re managing for the ecosystem and for tree resiliency for the forest to be able to survive. We’ve been so focused on volume and not focused on value, that’s a big shift we have to make in this forest industry.

“We have to move away from our clearcut mentality and (consider) value of the forests. It’s about the habitat, recreation, water quality and fire prevention.”

high snowfalls and moist growing seasons, that fallen material won’t be a fire hazard for long before it rots. He says the risk of crown fire from keeping an unbroken tree canopy intact is far more likely to get out of control than a ground fire would be.

“Instead of looking down, we should be looking up,” said Parfitt, while a nearby harvester made short work of a tree. “We’ve increased the windspeed needed to push a crown fire through this stand by several orders of magnitude.

“A crown fire, when it’s burning, will throw up dinner-sized plates of burning ash and that will go up to five kilometres ahead of the fire, and how far will your campfire spread a fire, maybe five metres? If a fire gets up in the crown it stays in the crown, and it can’t do that here because we’ve created some gaps.”

In Europe, a demonstration of the capabilities of harvester/forwarder logging would likely be ignored by the industry because selective logging is so pervasive and has been for decades, But it’s still relatively rare in British Columbia, where most logging utilizes feller-bunchers and skidders in clearcutting operations.

“The reason why we have so many bunchers and not as many harvesters

The private land Freya focused on for its harvesting demonstration was logged in 1987, replanted in 1989 and chemically brushed with an aerial spray in 1993.

The Vegetation Resources Inventory provincial government model predicts the trees will be 21 metres tall in another 18-22 years. But those trees have already reached 20 metres and will almost certainly exceed those projections and that suggests to Parfitt that there’s a lot more fibre available for harvesting than the industry has been led to believe.

In addition to underestimating growth rates, Parfitt says there’s a lack of modelling research data to estimate how much wood can be produced in a thinned forest. Government models based on clearcutting fail to take into account the value of pulp logs too small to make dimensional lumber, which are converted to wood chips to feed pulp mills.

Waiting 80 years for a forest to mature before it can be clearcut is no longer feasible, he said, with B.C. sawmills living on borrowed time and young workers leaving the province to find work or steering clear of forestry careers due to an uncertain future.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Liam Parfitt, co-owner of Freya Logging, and Gord Chipman, executive director of Woodlots B.C., explain the differences and advantages of thinning logging over clearcutting.

Selective logging has long been part of European forestry

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Harvester operator/forest consultant

Nico Kilgast moved to Prince George from Germany a year ago and says thinning and selective logging dominate forest harvesting practices in his native country, where cut blocks larger than a half-hectare are rare and larger cuts require a permit that can take years to acquire.

Scandinavian clearcuts rarely exceed three hectares, compared to 80-hectare cuts commonly seen in B.C. Hed says the goal in Europe is to have forest plots that contain multi-generational trees growing in the same spot.

“Most of the people I’ve met, the impression is they are tired of clearcuts and I think (selective logging) is the best thing you can sell to the public,” said Kilgast. “I think it’s better for the environment. You don’t want to see that kind of erosion on steep slopes that you have in a clearcut. You have bigger diversity in a managed forest.

“If you look at the quality of what you harvest in (primary forest) stands, it’s pretty poor quality, I would say 90 per cent (of the trees) are damaged one way or another. In a managed forest what we do is take all the crooked ones, the forked ones, the damaged ones out to leave a better and healthier forest, which creates a higher value of wood.”

Woodlots represent about 1.5 per cent of the province’s total timber supply. Of the 841 woodlots in B.C., about 100 of them are within an hour’s drive of Prince George, averaging about 800 hectares each. A woodlot license grants the license holder the right to manage and harvest Crown timber within that area.

Frank Varga, general manager of the Burns Lake Community Forest, is overseeing a managed forest research project and from November-March used a harvester and forwarder to log a woodlot similar to the McBride Timber Road lot he visited for the tour in July.

The Burns Lake experiment started with a 35-year-old stand that had never been thinned. Now, after thinning treatment was applied, that same pine/ spruce stand has fire breaks and is producing marketable timber while

Nico Kilgast has been running forestry equipment since 1989 and bought his first harvester in Germany in 1998. Kilgast came to Canada just over a year ago to ‘see what it was like.’

also encouraging new plant growth and increasing animal counts.

“It was so obvious,” said Varga. “To go from one summer walking in the stand and it was pretty quiet, to the next summer when it was full of songbirds - that was an eyeopener for me.”

The annual allowable cut is 197,000 cubic metres, mostly dead pine, and Varga says there’s enough harvesting work in the 92,500-hectare Burns Lake Community Forest to keep a team of two working year-round for the next five years. He said if selective logging takes root in the industry and the big companies get behind it there are enough trees in northern B.C. to keep mills operational.

“We need some policy support to push the innovation that’s happening at the private land level, at the community forest level, at the woodlot level and even at the licensee level,” said Varga. “There’s a push to make it happen at the executive level, it’s still stuck in that middle ground and we need to get the operational piece to link with the policy. The policy is not there for the certainty

like this in Finland. That stand would have been cleaned, it would have had been pre-commercial thinned and potentially even a second entry.

“With our tenure system there’s no incentive to manage beyond the legal free-to-grow obligation, that’s 20 years. Unless you’re in an area-based tenure or on private land there’s very little incentive for you to put value back on the land base because there’s no guarantee that you’ll be a license holder that will reap the rewards at year 40 or year 60. The tenure system needs some tweaks.”

While it costs 30 per cent more in stumpage to thin a forest than it does to clearcut it, Parfitt says there are savings that justify area-based tenures on previously-logged plots that are already accessible.

We’ve got to stop closing mills. There’s more wood than we’ll ever need if we just changed how we did things. We need to move fast to get it back.”

at this time.”

Varga toured Finland with a UBC research team last October and saw forests being managed for fire hazard abatement and to encourage sustainability. Finland has one-third the land base of B.C. but it’s harvesting twothirds more volume of trees than our province is.

So what is Finland doing that B.C. isn’t?

“If you look at this stand that we’re in today, this is the first time in 35 years this stand has been entered,” explained Varga. “You would never have a stand

“We don’t have to plant trees when we’re done and we don’t have to build roads, and the layout is cheaper,” said Parfitt. “The biggest reason why we’re not logging (private woodlots) right now is the government wants to study it more, they’re uncertain, which is ridiculous, because in Sweden and other places they’ve logged the exact same species with the same principles for decades if not half a century now.

“Permitting should be very easy. We’ve already logged this, this is a clearcut and the road is already in, and when we thin it we’re decreasing the fire hazard and increasing biodiversity and we’re not asking the government for money to do it. There should be no delays for thinning.”

He said recovery of the forest industry hinges on the government providing companies certainty they will have access to the fibre and they will be able to secure cutting permits without delay to get people working again.

“Logging is deemed as bad for the forest if you live in Vancouver,” said Parfitt. “But in this case it’s good for the forest. It increases the biodiversity and decreases the fire hazard, and as we do it we increase tax revenues that will pay for more nurses.

“We’ve got to stop closing mills. There’s more wood than we’ll ever need if we just changed how we did things. We need to move fast to get it back.”

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Integris Credit Union to open a branch in McBride

CITIZEN STAFF

Integris Credit Union has announced that it will be opening a branch in McBride, where the closure of the only bank in town will leave a gap for residents.

“We are thrilled to announce that Integris is building a partnership with the community of McBride to deliver in-community banking services,” stated CEO Alison Hoskins in a press release.

“As a financial cooperative, we recognize that physical access to financial services is a cornerstone to economic and business viability; that reality is no different in small and remote communities. What is different, however, is how we have to work, in partnership, to make that physical community infrastructure possible.”

Scotiabank, the village’s only financial institution, announced last year that it would close in the fall of 2024. In the announcement, Integris states that village residents reached out to

ask whether the credit union would consider opening a physical branch in the community east of Prince George to take fill the need left by Scotiabank’s departure.

It took seven months of research, market analysis, financial projections and community engagement by a business case working group, the credit

union stated in the announcement, before a plan came together. The project was approved by the Integris board on July 31.

The next step is finding a physical location, with updates to be made available to the McBride community in three-month intervals.

“In today’s world, where many

financial services are moving to digital channels, opening a physical bricks and mortar location is not the norm,” states the announcement. “For this expansion to be successful, partnership with the community is of the utmost importance.”

Integris already has a presence in McBride, as the credit union acquired Advantage Insurance in the village last year.

“The decision to expand our presence in McBride is rooted in our core values of collaboration and empowerment,” stated board chair Alex Goseltine.

“Our board firmly believes that this expansion will not only support the community’s immediate needs but also contribute to its long-term economic health and development.”

Integris is a financial co-operative with $1.8 billion in assets under administration, offering banking, insurance (including ICBC Autoplan), financial planning and group benefits to more than 27,000 members in north-central B.C.

Prince George-based Integris Credit Union has announced plans to open a branch in McBride. The credit union has previously acquired Advantage Insurance Services Ltd. located in the village east of Prince George.

German shepherds, pups rescued from local breeder

CITIZEN STAFF

Dogs found in “horrible” conditions have been seized from a breeder southeast of Prince George.

“The conditions these dogs were living in were horrible,” says Marcie Moriarty, the BC SPCA’s chief of protection and outreach services. “The plywood floors in their outdoor kennels were soaked with urine and there were piles of feces. The stench was overwhelming.”

There were 31 adult German shepherds and 12 puppies.

Moriarty said that when found, the dogs were exhibiting signs of distress, from circling and weaving inside their kennels to bashing their muzzles into the walls.

“When our animal protection officers entered their kennels, the dogs were so paralyzed with fear that some just cowered in the back corner, staring into the wall,” she said. “It was heartbreaking.” Officers realized how underweight the

CRIME NOTES

Man wanted on a criminal harassment charge

Russell Dale McDermid is wanted by the Prince George RCMP on one unendorsed warrant for a charge of criminal harassment.

McDermid is a white male, 5’8” (173 centimetres), weighing 201 pounds (91 kilograms).

He has brown, greying hair and blue eyes. His tattoos include a dragon and a cross on his right forearm, the word “free” on his right hand and a sleeve tattoo on his upper right arm with the words “Taylor Morgan.”

Police say McDermid is considered dangerous and should not be approached, and urge anyone who spots him to call local police.

Anyone with information about his

dogs were when they were lifting them into crates for transportation to the BC SPCA’s North Cariboo animal centre in Prince George.

“Their body condition scores range from a three to as low as a one out of nine,” Moriarty said. “An ideal score would be five.”

Water was found in each kennel but there was no signs of food, she added.

The 12 puppies range in age from approximately one week to nine months old. The youngest puppies were found with their mother in a dark basement in the house in a plastic pool with only paper towels for bedding. Another mother and her pups were being housed in a confined space with ammonia levels so high it was physically uncomfortable for the officers.

Most of the older dogs are suffering from stiff, arthritic joints, damaged teeth and some have painful stomach issues or visible wounds.

It is not yet known when these dogs will be available for adoption.

Prince George RCMP have released images of a pickup truck that was involved in a break-in at a local cell phone tower.

whereabouts is asked to call the Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300, or report it anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

RCMP seeks truck linked to cell tower break-in

Police in Prince George are reaching out to the public to help identify a truck

that was involved in a break and enter to a cell phone tower on July 23, 2024. The incident occurred between 3:30 a.m and 4:30 a.m. on McBride Timber Road South.

Prince George RCMP have released images of a pickup truck that was involved in a break-in at a local cell phone tower.

It happened July 23 between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. on McBride Timber Road South.

“Investigators were able to obtain two images of the truck the suspect was driving,” stated Cpl. Jennifer Cooper, media relations officer for the Prince George RCMP. “It is most likely an older model Chevy or GMC, with damage to the passenger side. There is a large headache rack and what appears to be a tidy tank in the box of the truck.”

Anyone with information on where this truck may be now, or who has been driving it, should call the Prince George RCMP non-emergency line at 250-5613300 to speak with an investigator. Please quote file number 2024-24044.

If you have any information about this or any other criminal offence, contact the Prince George RCMP at 250-5613300 or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1(800)222-8477 or online at www.northernbccrimestoppers.ca (English only).

Providing information that leads to an arrest or recovery of stolen property could make you eligible for a cash reward.

McDermid

B.C.

The 31 adult German shepherds and 12 puppies found in unhealthy and unsafe living conditions at an area breeder are being treated at the B.C. SPCA’s North Cariboo centre in Prince George.

What’s happening in PG

Fungi in World Folklore & Mythology goes Thursday, Aug. 8 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Prince George Public Library. Delve into how mushrooms and fungi are depicted in stories, from supernatural elements to quests for immortality and divine connection. This presentation explores common themes in the portrayal across global folklore and myth. Presented in partnership with the Northern B.C. Mycological Society. Free drop in event geared for adults.

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Ultimate Tribute to Adele goes Thursday, Aug. 8 with doors open at 6 p.m. at Northern Estates Winery, 745 Prince George Pulpmill Road. This is a new fundraiser for the Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Society and features performer Ashley Borody. Tickets are $60 each and available for purchase online at www.pghpcs.ca or in person at the Hospice Solace Centre.

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Legends, Live! With Elvis! goes Friday, Aug. 9 and Saturday, Aug. 10 at 8 p.m. presented by the Underground Show Lounge & Bar at 1177 Third Ave. An unforgettable night of legendary performances by talented tribute artists who pay homage to some of your favourite stars. Starring Kat Fullerton as Almost Marilyn, Cory Hicks as Elton Enough and Mark Kazakov as Elvis! Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30 on Eventbrite or $40 at the door. Meet and greet after the show for ages 19 and up. Tickets are at www.eventbrite.ca/e/ legends-live-prince-george-tickets.

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Repair Café: Small Appliance goes Saturday, Aug. 10 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Prince George Public Library. Bring your items in need of repair and get support and assistance from volunteers and other repair enthusiasts. Call to register for free at 250-563-9251, ext. 100. This event is geared for adults and seniors.

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The BCNE happens Thursday, Aug. 15 to Sunday, Aug. 18 at Exhibition

Ghostly Hounds performs with opening act Clanna Morna on Thursday, Aug. 15 at 8 p.m. at the PG Legion, 101-1116 Sixth Ave. Doors open at 7 p.m. Advance tickets are $15 or $20 at the door.

Park. Admission covers all mainstage entertainment, access to the 4-H shows, all equine events in the Ag Arena, Heritage Lane, featuring Yukon Dan and Barry the Goldsmith, Superdogs, Ryan the Chainsaw Carver, Kin 1 tradeshow and dancing performances, Kin 2 exhibits, Quilt Show and Photography Show, Kid Zone, and more. Adults 18-54 $10, Youth 12-17 $5, kids 11 and under free, senior 55 and up $54. Thursday, Aug. 14 is Seniors Day with $2 admission. Ride tickets are extra and can be purchased on-site. Free parking. Hours: 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, www.bcne.ca.

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Ghostly Hounds with Clanna Morna goes Thursday, Aug. 15 at 8 p.m. at the PG Legion, 101-1116 Sixth Ave. Celtic and old-time haunting folk music from Victoria comes to Prince George. Ghostly Hounds is the folk project of Francesca Mirai, singer-songwriter-banjo player accompanied by Finn Letourneau on fiddle and vocal

harmonies. Doors open at 7 p.m. Advance tickets are $15 or $20 at the door. For advance tickets www.madloon.ca/tickets/p/ghostlyhounds.

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Mid-Summer Eve Night Market goes on Thursday, Aug. 15 from 5 to 8 p.m at Studio 2880, 2880 15th Avenue. Explore the grounds of Studio 2880, find a variety of makers, food while enjoying eclectic music. Vendors can register at www.studio2880.com/programs/ artisan-markets.

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10 Years of 720 goes Saturday, Aug. 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Omineca Arts Centre, 369 Victoria St. Considered as one of the most integral rock bands to come from Prince George, Studio 720 is celebrating 10 years of their local brand of rock ’n’ roll. Special guest opener is Connor Rogers. Tickets are $7.20 in advance or $20 at the door. For advance tickets visit www.eventbrite.ca/e/ ten-years-of-studio-720-tickets.

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Community Services Table goes Tuesday, Aug. 20 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the

Prince George Public Library. Connect with services such as Work B.C., Service Canada, the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, PG Community Legal Clinic and PG Urban Aboriginal Justice Society. This is a free drop-in event geared for adults.

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Junk in the Trunk goes Saturday, Aug. 24 and Friday, August 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Park Drive-In Theatre & Raceway Fun Park, 9660 Raceway Road. Join in the epic buying and selling event with all proceeds from renting a space going to Ness Lake, Nukko Lake and Pilot Mountain Community Halls. Adult vendors pay $15 for one day, $20 for two days, Child vendors 12 and under $10. To register visit junkinthetrucksale.wixsite.com.

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Hart Sunset Market goes Wednesday, Aug. 28 from 4 to 9 p.m. at 6986 Hart Highway, the Hart Pioneer Centre parking lot. To register online visit www. justsugarcookies.ca.

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Thursdays at the Park goes every week, 4-8 p.m. at The Exploration Place, 333 Becott Place, and will see Cruisin Classic Car Club parked outside so people can check out the classic cars. Origins Kitchen will feature specials at their take-out window and the Little Prince steam engine will be running from noon to 8 p.m.

Prince George Farmers’ Market goes every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. where visitors will find around 100 members offering everything from local

vegetables, ethically raised grass-fed meats, baking, fruits, hot foods, coffee, honey and jams and jellies, preserves, and a wide variety of artisan products including jewelry and crafts. ***

Wilson Square Community Farmers’ Market goes every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. where local food producers fill the street as musicians pluck their instruments, and visitors start their weekends with a round of breakfast sandwiches and hot coffee. Traditional farm fresh meat and produce is available alongside wild-foraged seasonal fiddleheads and morels, rounded

out by local arts and baked treats. ***

Craft & Chat at the main branch of the Prince George Public Library goes every Saturday from 1 pm. to 3 p.m. in the magazine corner, second floor, where fibre artists are invited to bring their latest projects to share. Snacks provided. This event is in partnership with Great Northwest Fibre Fest.

***

Story Walk at Masich Place is open during public walking hours at the track. Simply start at the first sign and follow the story around the track. Stories change monthly. For the public walking

schedule visit www.princegeorge.ca/ masich-place-stadium.

***

Trivia Night at Nancy O’s goes every other Wednesday at 8 p.m., 1261 Third Ave. There are three rounds per game, each round has five themed questions and five music questions. There’s something for everyone. The winning team gets a custom Nancy O’s Trivia trophy and a round of drinks, their photo on the wall that goes into the winners’ book after two weeks. Those caught cheating will be publicly shamed and labelled as cheaters – good wholesome fun. Book your spot by calling ahead at 250-562-8066.

***

Coffee and Cars is a weekly event held every Saturday from 7 to 9 a.m. until Sept. 29 at Tim Hortons, 612 East Central St.

***

Omineca’s Coffee House Open Stage is every Sunday, 369 Victoria St., from 3 to 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome to step up and share their talents, stories and art forms of all kinds including but not limited to musical, literary, comedic and performative expressions of our diverse community. Snacks and refreshments are by donation. Sign-up is on-site. There are some house instruments provided but feel free to bring your own.

If you’ve got an event coming up email us at news@pgcitizen.ca to offer details including name of the event, the date, time and location, ticket price and where to get them and a little bit about what’s happening, too.

Studio 720 celebrates 10 years as a band on Saturday, Aug. 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Omineca Arts Centre, 369 Victoria St. Special guest opener is Connor Rogers. Tickets are $7.20 in advance or $20 at the door.

BCNE brings the fun to Prince George Aug. 15-18

You’ll see exhibits and competitions, 4-H, live entertainment, a midway, SuperDogs and more

CITIZEN STAFF

The BCNE is presented by the Prince George Agricultural and Historical Association from Thursday, Aug. 15 to Sunday, Aug. 18 at Exhibition Park.

Here are some things to know about the event, now in its 112th year:

The

history

The BCNE has been running since 1912 – three years before the City of Prince George was incorporated – and has grown into the area’s premier agricultural exhibition.

“The first exhibition was held downtown and brought in about 200 people,” states a history on the BCNE website.

“They hoped that townspeople and farmers in the district would exhibit, compete and enjoy themselves, drawing the community together.

“The fair continued at various downtown locations until 1964 when an agreement was made between the City of Prince George and the Exhibition Association to manage the fairgrounds from which they operate today.”

The Boys and Girls Club, now known as 4-H, began taking part in the 1930s and has been a key part of the fair ever since.

The oldest divisions are the Home Arts and Horticulture Divisions. Dozens of sections including baking, woodworking, spinning and weaving, quilting, cut flowers and baskets and hundreds of classes to enter are all featured in the annual Prize Book.

Participants are encouraged to enter at least three classes and challenge three friends to do the same.

Admission and hours

Hours: 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.

Adult admission (18-54) is $10. Youth (12-17) is $5. Children (11 and under) are free with an adult. Seniors (55 and up) pay $5.

Seniors Day is Thursday, Aug. 15, with admission for people 55 and up at $2.

Live entertainment

Thursday, Aug. 15

• 11 a.m. UHNBC Traditional Drummers

• Noon: Disco Beats

• 1:45 pm Comedy Magic Show

• 3 p.m. Ben Brown

• 4 p.m. Jack Jackson

• 7 p.m. Stewart White

• 9 p.m. YXS

Friday, Aug. 16

• 10:30 a.m. Zoe & Araya

• Noon: Water Walker

• 1 p.m. Comedy Magic Show

• 2:45 p.m. Rick Stavely

• 4 p.m. Stewart White & Friends

• 5 p.m. Far From Linear

• 7 p.m. Blacksmith

• 8 p.m. Rukus

Saturday, Aug. 17

• 11 a.m. North of Stoner

• 1 p.m. Comedy Magic Show

• 3 p.m. The Chevy’s

• 4 p.m. Tabor Creek Band

• 6 p.m. The Kickers

• 8 p.m. The Chris Goodwin Band

Sunday, Aug. 18

• Noon: Comedy Magic Show

• 2 p.m. McCoy Fortich

• 3 p.m. Sam Holden

• 5 p.m. UHNBC Traditional Drummers

All weekend

• Dancers will be performing in Kin 3.

Midway

The BCNE’s fair rides are provided by West Coast Amusements.

“Our state-of-the-art rides are constantly maintained and always clean and freshly painted,” WCA states.

Coupons are available at the event. All rides use between three and seven coupons.

Please note that children under 2 or under 36 inches and pregnant persons are not permitted to ride any ride. Weather permitting, Wristbands will be valid from open to close. Wristband sales will start at noon and will be cut off at 8 p.m. daily.

On Sunday, Aug. 18, wristband sales will end at 4 p.m.

SuperDogs

The Superdogs will be at the BCNE all four days.

• Aug. 15-17: 11 a.m., 1 p.m. 3 p.m., 6 p.m.

• Aug. 18:  11 a.m., 1 p.m. 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m.

The SuperDogs have been entertaining audiences all over the world for 40 years.

“To put it into perspective, they’ve been around longer than cellphones, IMAX movies, home computers, and all the SuperDogs really wanted us to mention this one, the Broadway show ‘Cats,’” BCNE organizers state.

“They’ve been the subject of television specials (ESPN’s ’SuperDogs! SuperJocks!’), the inspiration for feature films (‘Daniel and the Superdogs’), they’ve appeared on hundreds of television shows.

Touring constantly across North America, the SuperDogs show uses a talent pool of about 150 experienced trainers in different parts of the country who bring their family dogs and become cast members for these fast-paced, interactive, heart-warming and hilarious productions.

About 40 per cent of the SuperDogs have been adopted from SPCA, Humane Society and local shelters.

The Hurricane spins its riders around in 2019 at the midway during the 107th BCNE. West Coast Amusements is back this year with more rides for local thrillseekers.

Seniors Day is Aug. 15, with $2 admission for 55-plus

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Heritage Lane

Step into history and explore Old Town Fort George and its history. Volunteers will be on hand to provide live demonstrations of pioneer life in the area.

Seniors Day

Located in Kin 3 on Thursday, Aug. 15, Seniors Day is a great way to come and check out all the information booths (available Thursday only), visit with old friends and maybe make some new ones too.

Admission for seniors for this day is only $2.

4H

4-H youth leaders and their families work hard all year long to be able to showcase their achievements at the BCNE.

This program is for youth 6 to 25. They will have a variety of exhibits including beef, sheep, swine, rabbit, llama, goat, cake decorating, outdoor living and more.

BCNE Trade Route Beer and Cider Festival

British Colunbia brews and ciders will be featured, along with the chance to test out your lumberjack skills with the new inflatable axe-throwing game. Featuring DJ Laren.

About the PGAHA

The Prince George Agricultural and History Association’s goals are to:

“Educate and engage the general public, with an emphasis on youth, as to the significance and contribution of all aspects of agriculture, for the benefit of healthy comaunities and the environment, in the province of British Columbia, through partnerships, programs and activities that include sponsoring an annual agricultural exhibition.”

And: “Embrace and actively cultivate the opportunity to foster spirit and pride in the City of Prince George, British Columbia, as sponsors of an annual exhibition with roots in our community since 1912, interpreting our

ABOVE: 4-H club projects and programs will be featured at the

BELOW: The

community’s history to celebrate our diversity through programs, exhibits, events and activities held during the annual exhibition.”

A few reminders

• The BCNE takes place rain or shine

• Parking is free

• All sales are final. The PGAHA/ BCNE is not responsible for lost, stolen, or forgotten passes.

• All patrons are subject to being searched as a condition of entry.

• All bags are subject to search.

• The BCNE is a non-smoking venue.

• No outside food and beverage is allowed. Onsite concessions and bars are available.

• No public nudity or lewd conduct will be tolerated. If in violation you will be removed from the exhibition site.

• No pets are allowed.

• No weapons or fireworks.

• PGAHA/BCNE reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone at our discretion.

• All people attending the BCNE do so at their own risk.

• No verbal harassment will be tolerated.

B.C. Northern Exhibition at Exhibition Park Aug. 15-18.

SuperDogs return to Prince George this month for daily action at the BCNE.

Local comedians staging Jasper fundraiser at Knox

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

There’s nothing funny about the Jasper wildfire and the utter devastation it caused.

Hundreds of Jasper residents lost their homes, their jobs and unspoiled beauty of their mountain surroundings when a firestorm hit the townsite on Wednesday, July 24, destroying onethird of the town’s structures.

A group of comedians in Prince George want Jasperites to know they care about what happened to them and they’re ready to help.

They are organizing a fundraising evening of stand-up performances at Knox Performance Centre on Thursday, Aug. 8.

“Back in 2017 we did one up at UNBC through the Red Cross for Fort McMurray and when I saw the Jasper footage, about the only thing we can do as comics is tell jokes,” said Mike McGuire.

“I’m not going to fight fire and I’m not going to go rebuild a house but we can get some money for the Red Cross, that’s what we can do in the comedic community. It’s going to be a whole community effort, at least 10 of us will be performing. They immediately jumped on board.”

Joining McGuire on the Knox Centre

stage will be local comedians Sam Bennison, Mwanasi Loongo, Steph St. Laurent, Shannon Street, Dale Ehrstien, Cody Malbeuf, Sara Jones, Virginia O’Dine, Devon Flynn and Dianne Hewitt.

McGuire figures the last time they all got together on the same stage was for the 2017 Fort McMurray fundraiser.

The Jasper fire obviously hits closer to home for Prince George people.

“The one video I saw was the main street where you come in and remembering all those houses and the Petro-Can and it looks like a war zone,” said McGuire. “It’s devastating. You see places in Europe you’ve never been to and that’s terrible, but then you see something where you’ve been to, it hits that much harder. Who of us hasn’t spent some time in Jasper?”

The show starts at 7 p.m. and the doors open at 6:30, with admission by donation. The Knox Centre has a capacity of about 200 and McGuire is hoping the crowd will provide a minimum donation of $10 each.

McGuire says the Alberta and federal governments will provide matching funds to that collected by the Red Cross and he’s hoping for a minimum donation of $2,000, which would grow to $6,000 with the matched funding.

Fans enjoy a high-energy night of hip-hop music at the CN Centre

Popular B.C. hip-hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids opens up for Ludacris at the CN Centre

LEFT: Before Ludacris takes the stage, B.C. rap duo Quinton “Yung Trybez” Nyce (front) and Darren “Young D” Metz of Snotty Nose Rez Kids bring the energy to fans.

RIGHT: Ludacris, an American rapper and actor (known for his role in the ‘Fast and Furious’ movie series) uses his years of material as a rapper and actor to ignite the crowd of 1,600 at the CN Centre Tuesday, July 30 in Prince George.

HANDOUT PHOTO

Local comedian Mike McGuire is organizing a night of stand-up performers Aug. 8 to benefit people displaced by the Jasper wildfire.

Prince George steps up with food bank donations after Valemount helps people fleeing Jasper

Assisting with the wildfire evacuation drained supplies in the Robson Valley town

TED CLARKE Citizen staff

The Jasper wildfire is having long-lasting impacts on the region. Already, the tourism industry in the Valemount and McBride areas is feeling the pinch and that’s also trickling down to Prince George, with fewer visitors coming to the city because their route through Jasper National Park has been cut off.

Valemount was along the escape route for 25,000 people forced to suddenly leave Jasper on the night of July 24 when fire enveloped the town. That sudden crush of travellers, many of whom left with only a few personal possessions and the clothes on their backs, put a serious drain on the resources of that Robson Valley town.

The shelves were bare at the Valemount Food Bank and Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond sounded the alarm over social media channels that they need help with donations.

In response, a group of concerned Prince George residents, headed by Hell Yeah Prince George Facebook moderator David Mothus, organized a food bank drive for Valemount, asking people to bring food items to the bins at all four Save-On-Foods supermarkets in Prince George over the long weekend.

The collected food was to be driven in a truck to Valemount the following week by Wood Wheaton Supercentre.

Food bank donations were also being accepted at the Wood Wheaton car dealership at 2879 Highway 16.

Everybody who contributed to the bin at the dealership will be eligible to win one of four Robson Valley whitewater rafting packages.

Donations to the food bank are still welcomed. The list of suggested donations includes: fruit packs any kind, granola bars, canned fruit/canned veggies, canned (chicken, ham, tuna etc.), juice boxes, baking ingredients, mini-size shampoo/conditioner, menstrual products, toothbrushes/toothpaste, female shaving kits (razor and soap)

and contact lens solution.

Prince George Recycling & Return-It Centre at 2614 Petersen Rd., was also collecting customer donations over the long weekend to raise money

“Our communities rely on a strong year-round tourism industry. We can help by supporting them and sharing information.”

earmarked for the Valemount Food Bank.

“That’s one thing we can do immediately, is fill the food bank,” said Mothus. “They’ve been left a little drained and this is a super-simple thing to fix.

“Later, when everything reopens, then they get back to the point where they say, send us tourists, then we’re going to do the caravans and get everyone  to take planes, trains and buses take to Jasper to spend money. But in the meantime, the food bank in Valemount is the pressing priority and they reached out to Shirley.”

Bond has spent time in Valemount since the Jasper evacuation and knows how vital the summer tourism season is to local businesses there and along the Highway 16 and Highway 5 corridors.

“One of the things we are noticing already is the significant drop-off of visitors and tourism in the Robson Valley region. Let’s all do our part to help share the information about what is open and how we can support communities and local businesses during the critical summer tourism season,” said Bond in her Facebook post.

“Highway 16 remains closed from Mount Robson eastbound, but the Mount Robson Visitor Centre, the restaurant, the store and most trails are open. Many campgrounds in the area are open and the Kinney Lake trail is open. Whitewater rafting is also available and are in need of enough customers to keep guides working.

“Our communities rely on a strong year-round tourism industry. We can help by supporting them and sharing information.”

SHIRLEY BOND FACEBOOK PHOTO

Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond put the call out over social media about the need to help the Valemount Food Bank restock its shelves after it was left drained by the Jasper wildfire evacuees.

The road to Jasper along Highway 16 was ordered closed after the devastating fire swept through.

Cedars students can start earning credits at CNC

CITIZEN STAFF

Local students in Grade 11 and Grade 12 will soon have the opportunity to take college courses through a new agreement between the College of New Caledonia and Cedars Christian School.

Under the dual credit agreement, announced Wednesday, July 31, students who want to get a head start on post-secondary studies can start doing so at the College of New Caledonia as soon as September.

By taking first-year college courses, they can earn credits toward their high school graduation and post-secondary education, states a press release from the college.

“Many of our students have older siblings or parents who attended CNC so the College is a very familiar environment for them,” said Cedars principal Shane Nelson. “Through our agreement with CNC, there’s a lot of opportunities for students to start thinking and

dreaming about their future. It will open new doors to education and careers in areas such as health or child care, trades and technology.”

Students who take part will be able to continue their studies locally or transfer their credits to other post-secondary institutions once they graduate.

Site C reservoir filling begins late this summer

As part of the completion of the Site C project, we plan to begin filling the reservoir between Fort St. John and Hudson’s Hope in late August 2024.

There will be permanent changes to the Peace River. Here’s what to expect:

“The idea behind CNC’s dual credit programs is that high school students get to experience post-secondary learning in the comfort of their own communities, and hopefully will want to stay in the north for study and work,” said Cindy Heitman, CNC president. “It’s fantastic to partner with schools

○ Reservoir water levels will rise for up to four months, by 0.3 to three metres per day. The river will widen by two to three times on average.

○ The existing Halfway River boat launch will permanently close on August 12. New boat launches will be inaccessible until at least spring 2026 as BC Hydro monitors the surrounding slopes for safety.

○ Please stay off the reservoir and its tributaries, specifically the Halfway River, during filling and use extreme caution near the shoreline.

For more information visit SiteCproject.com/reservoir or call 1 877 217 0777

in the region that we serve and provide awn accessible transition for students into the post-secondary world. Many of CNC programs transfer to UNBC and other universities, which aligns with our mission to facilitate lifelong learning and support learners in where they want to be in life.”

Eligible Cedars students will have access to a broad range of tuition-free dual credit programs and courses at CNC together with on-campus student support services to help them navigate their way through college. CNC has dual credit agreements with three school districts: SD57 (Prince George), SD28 (Quesnel) and SD91 (Nechako Lakes).

In February, CNC, UNBC, and SD57 announced the new experiential Technology Exploration Dual Credit (TekX) program that gives Grade 11 students an introduction to careers in the tech sector.

The first cohort of TekX students will start in September. Visit www.cnc.bc.ca for more information about the college’s dual credit programs.

Watch the skies Monday night

JOE

Gary Boyle, The Backyard Astronomer, shared this photo of the Perseids meteor shower with The Citizen. He says that while the Perseids started July 14 and will be visible until Sept. 1, the peak time (weather permitting) to see them is the night of Monday, Aug. 12 and the early morning of Tuesday, Aug. 13. ‘The first quarter moon will set on the 12th around 11:30 p.m. local time and midnight on the 13th,’ he writes. ‘With the lunar glow gone, conditions will be ideal to see the estimated 90 meteors per hour including a few bright fireballs.’

BONNER PHOTO

Cedars principal Shane Nelson (left) and CNC president Cindy Heitman (right) hold the signed dual credit agreement that will support high school students transitioning to post-secondary education.

Harry Backlin and his 35 ‘game changers’ for PG

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

He saw the potential for future growth in the City of Prince George when he moved here from Vancouver in 1975.

Harry Backlin, now 95 years old, still works as a commercial realtor with Royal LePage on Fourth Avenue.

He could see in his mind’s eye all the commercial enterprises and industrial development it takes for a city to thrive and he has spent the last 49 years helping to make that happen in Prince George.

Mayor Simon Yu recently asked Backlin what businesses he was responsible for bringing to Prince George so he put them down on paper.

There are 35 game changers on the list, including White Spot, Tim Hortons and Wendy’s, Costco, Canadian Tire and Princess Auto, as well as industrial developments like Boundary Road, spaces for oil, lumber and forestry companies, several banks, and impactful institutions like the University of Northern BC and the Provincial and Supreme Courts of BC in downtown Prince George.

“Before I moved to Prince George I did a lot of work promoting different companies in Vancouver,” Backlin said. “When my wife Maybelle and I came to Prince George we said we’d stay for two years and see what happens.”

It’s a familiar story so many Prince George residents have lived.

Backlin said he thought he could promote the businesses he had worked with in Vancouver and bring them into Prince George.

“So I got started by snooping around and talking to people and made connections that introduced me to Mayor Harold Moffat, and when I met him I told him who I was and what I was doing,” Backlin said.

“I was welcome to come to City Hall and get any help I needed to do what I wanted to do.”

Back in 1975 the City was marketing thousands of acres of property donated by the Province of BC for development opportunities including residential,

commercial and industrial, Backlin added.

“The government said to the City of Prince George that they should arrange to develop these parcels of land for the market,” Backlin explained.

“When I found out what was happening I bought five lots from the city. They cost $2,000 each at the time. Can you imagine what they are worth today?”

That’s when Backlin became a realtor.

Backlin knew the White Spot from his time in Vancouver and when a lot in the heart of downtown Prince George became available he got hold of the owner, Peter Toigo, to pitch the new location.

“Peter and one of his assistants flew in one day and out the next,” Backlin said.

“They looked at it and I told them the City of Prince George would roll out the red carpet and roll away the red tape to help bring a business like the White Spot to town. The next day he phoned me from the head office in Toronto and he said ‘Harry, write it up!’ and that’s how we got the White Spot in town.”

And that was how it started for Backlin to bring more businesses into Prince George.

“As a matter of interest I was responsible for 17 restaurants opening in Prince George, including Moxie’s,” Backlin said. “I have appeared before city council

foundation of success.”

When industry developed to the maximum in Prince George, more than 2,000 acres of land on the outskirts of town were considered and that’s when Boundary Road became a viable option for development.

“That’s when I got hold of Henry Rempel who had 30 apartments in town,” Backlin recalled.

“So I asked him about the idea of Boundary Road and I showed him pictures and I rented a helicopter because that was the only way to see the land because it was all bush.”

Boundary Road was developed by Rempel as a connector road between Highway 97 and Highway 16.

over 100 times and have dealt with seven mayors during my time here. My philosophy of life is caring and sharing, I learned that from going to church every Sunday and I believe that is the

“Henry told us once it was done we would have a whole lifetime of promoting commercial, industrial on that 2,000 acres and it’s still being developed today,” Backlin said. “There’s a lot more opportunities to be had in Prince George, we just have to be positive

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Harry Backlin, 95, talks about how Prince George has developed over the years.

Vintage warplanes make a Prince George appearance

A B-17 Flying Fortress, a P-40 Kittyhawk and a P-51 Mustang circled the city before landing

KENNEDY GORDON Citizen Managing Editor

Three iconic vintage planes flew over Prince George on Thursday, Aug. 1 to provide a look at what to expect at last weekend’s Masters of the Air Exhibition in Vanderhoof.

The planes, a B-17 Flying Fortress, a P-40 Kittyhawk and a P-51 Mustang, were flying from Camrose to Vanderhoof and made a special flyover above the city before landing at the Prince George International Airport for a media-only event.

The Second World War-era B-17 came in first, landing at around 1:30 p.m. after circling the city. The P-40 and P-51 came in around 3:30 p.m. after a stop in Grande Prairie.

Members of the media and guests were given tours of the B-17, which, in the tradition of the Flying Fortresses, is nicknamed “Ye Olde Pub.”

The plane, one of only three B-17s still flying, was piloted to Prince George by Glenn Pearce of Vanderhoof, a retired Air Canada pilot.

“It gives you a whole appreciation for what it was like these young lads that were in their teens and early 20s who went to war,” Pearce said.

Masters of the Air happened at Vanderhoof Airport on Saturday, Aug. 3.

Paul Collard, president of the Vanderhoof Air Show Club, said this season’s wildfires meant the Vanderhoof Airport’s resources are being used by fire crews, so it wasn’t possible to hold a full-scale air show this year.

“In view of the fires and the fact that our airport is 50 per cent an effective fire base, we had to come up with ideas,” he said.

Organizers got to work in January to organize a different kind of event. This year, visitors were able to take half-hour rides in some of the vintage aircraft while other events will be held on the ground.

To make it happen, the club reached out to a network of vintage plane owners and started finding aircraft that could take part. The planes - there was

also a Harvard and a Tiger Moth - came from the Erickson Aircraft Collection and Yellow Thunder.

Having the pilot of the B-17 come from Vanderhoof was an added bonus, Collard said.

“He has four-engine radial experience, which a lot of pilots don’t have these days,” he said, describing the B-17’s engines. “So he was a shoo-in to fly this thing.”

Pearce retired in 2020 after a 31-year career with Air Canada. Before that, he flew bush planes.

“So it’s great to be able to fly these warbirds at this stage of the game for me,” he said.

The B-17 has a long wartime history, one Pearce enjoys reading about. “This particular plane is named after one called Ye Olde Pub, which is a great story,” Pearce said.

It happened on Dec. 20, 1943 after U.S. Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Charlie Brown led a B-17F team in Ye Olde Pub in a bombing run on Bremen before German fighters swept in and left the bomber with heavy damage.

Luftwaffe pilot Franz Stigler gave chase. “He tried numerous times to shoot them down, and even landed, reloaded and went back up,” Pearce said.

But Stigler reportedly noticed and respected Ye Olde Pub’s crew’s ability to keep the bomber airborne despite sustaining heavy damage and chose to escort it out of German airspace.

A P-40 Kittyhawk and a P-51 Mustang fly past Prince George International Airport before landing on Thursday, Aug. 1.

“When the (B-17) landed its tail fell off,” Pearce said.

Brown later tracked down Stigler after 50 years and the two developed a friendship before both men died in 2008.

Pearce said the story is inspiring, more so after flying a B-17 and

experiencing the bare-bones experience of the plane that still inspires wonder, one he was happy to share with his community.

“Vanderhoof has a real passion for aviation,” Pearce said. “Other shows have been called off but Vanderhoof is going strong.”

CITIZEN

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

A B17 Flying Fortress, one of three still flying, visits Prince George International Airport on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. The Second World War-era fighters that afternoon to take part in the Masters of the Air Exhibition in Vanderhoof.

Take a closer look at the B-17 Flying Fortress in photos

Members of the media were given the opportunity to tour the plane known as Ye Olde Pub during its recent stop in Prince George

The vintage plane still has (inert) bombs aboard. At top right is the tail gunner’s position, with the twin Browning M2 machine guns used to defend the plane in flight.

The cockpit of the B-17 Flying Fortress. Below is the drift meter used by the

by

how

The B-17’s crew could fire at enemy planes from almost any angle. Above is one of the .50 caliber Browning waist guns mounted in the B-17. In the belly of the plane is the Sperry ball turret, approximately four feet in diameter, which could rotate 360 degrees. The ball turret gunner had to be in a fetal position in the plexiglass ball to fire the twin Browning M2 machine guns.

navigator to improve dead reckoning

measuring

the wind affects the plane while in flight.

Citizen photos by Chuck Nisbett

Crafty cardmaker infuses art with humour and fun

Her most popular lines are her Sassy Lady cards and anything to do with golf or fishing

CHRISTINE DALGLEISH Citizen Staff

What happens at the salon, stays at the salon ... We’re still hot, only now it comes in flashes ... Dance like no one’s watching (who can have you committed) ... Still grinning from year to year - happy anniversary ... Let’s curl up together ... Wanna play a round?

These are just a few of the clever quips gracing the fronts of happy little cards created by Lyn Sturgeon.

Sturgeon has been making cards for the last four years and now makes about 30 cards a day to keep up with demand.

It all started with 20 years of scrapbooking. That’s when Sturgeon started making cards for family and friends on special occasions, mostly birthdays. As she grew more confident she would create cards for other occasions like the birth of a new baby in the family, anniversaries and the like.

“We moved back to Prince George about four years ago from Trail,” Sturgeon said.

“I had back surgery and it left me looking for something I could do that wasn’t too strenuous and that’s when I took up card making. People had always asked to buy my cards and this gave me some incentive to take my mind off the pain and focus on something else.”

Her most popular line is what Sturgeon has called her Sassy Lady cards.

“Those are for the ladies between 40 and 70 years old and they’re really sassy,” Sturgeon said. “They really seemed to catch on and people really liked them.”

Other cards that seem to leap off the racks are the fishing cards and golfing cards, she added.

“It keeps me busy, for sure,” Sturgeon said.

Tools of the trade include a Cricut, a personal electronic cutting machine.

“And I think the one I use the most is a die-cutting machine,” Sturgeon said.

She owns the Hobbycraft machine that cuts out all kinds of shapes.

Lyn Sturgeon is a Prince George card maker who infuses her creations with humour. She makes about 30 cards a day to keep up with demand. Check out some examples of her work in the other photos included here.

“You can cut intricate flowers, really beautiful lettering - all sorts of things,” Sturgeon said.

She also has a Brother ScaNCut machine where the image is scanned into the machine, which then cuts it out.

“So that saves a lot of time,” Sturgeon said. “And that saves me from cutting out each image by hand – fussy cutting, it’s called.”

Her cards are available all over town including The Jerky Factory in the Hart, Forever Florists, Northern Lights Estate Winery, Sisters Rock’n Gems downtown, Tourism PG, Art Knapp Plantland in College Heights, and even some stores in Vanderhoof.

CITIZEN PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE DALGLEISH

Aug. 8, 1979: Putting the finishing touches on a lot of work, 4-H members Andrea Badry, left, Barbara Badry and Clinton Badry give Playboy a final brushing before shipping him off to the Prince George Exhibition. The fair included the 4-H auction, a midway, logger sports, booths, displays, chariot racing, a horse show, a rodeo, an old-time fiddlers’ contest and more.

Citizen file photo by Dave Milne

Aug. 8, 2005: Naraa Little, 4, jumps from stone to stone with her balloons in tow at the Images Art Glass booth during 10th anniversary celebrations at the Farmers’ Market.

Citizen file photo by Dave Milne

Aug. 8, 1966: Paddlers in the 10-day Fort St.James-Victoria centennial canoe race encountered moose, bear and this deer on the first two legs of the journey between the Fort and Prince George on the weekend. Here, Quebec’s entry maneuvers around a big buck standing in the Nechako River. Earlier, a patrol boat came within feet of a black bear standing on the bank of the Stuart River. The huge animal watched as the boat approached, then ran off as the boat was beached on shore.

Citizen file photo by Dave Reidie

Aug. 9, 1993: Idaho Falls second baseman Jason Lords gets the force on Prince George’s Ryan Wood in the Babe Ruth Pacific Northwest Regional Championship at Heather Park. Prince George won the game 5-0, eliminating Idaho Falls from the nine-team tournament.

Healthy North

NH Virtual Clinic

The Virtual Clinic works with your family doctor, nurse practitioner, and health care team to complement the care you receive in your community, or to provide support for those who don’t have a family doctor. The Virtual Clinic provides culturally safe care to patients who need nonemergency medical help after hours and wish to speak to a heath care team member (doctor, nurse practitioner, or nurse) by phone or video. Call 1-844-645-7811, 10 am to 10 pm daily PST (including weekends and statutory holidays) to speak with a health care provider

NH Connections

Need to head to the Okanagan for a specialist appointment? We’ve got you covered. NH Connections and Interior Health’s Cariboo Connector can now deliver you to Kelowna, every Tuesday and Thursday. Ride with us to Cache Creek and our friends at IH will take you from there. We can also deliver you to locations in the lower mainland including Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Vancouver. Call 1-888-647-4997 to speak with our Connections booking staff to get all the details.

Breast Cancer Screening

About 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Regular screening mammograms can find breast cancer early, usually before it has spread. Make it part of your regular health routine. Call 1-800-663-9203 to book an appointment or visit BCcancer.bc.ca/screening/breast to find your closest screening location.

Study examines challenges for rural health workers

CITIZEN STAFF

Life in a rural community can be very intertwined, with no exception for local health professionals who have to balance friendships with patient care. Close connections are vital for quality of life, so how can practitioners in smaller communities navigate care delivery as professionals while also maintaining their social relationships?

Dr. Andrea Gingerich, an associate professor in the UBC Northern Medical Program, and her interprofessional team undertook two studies to better understand how different rural practitioners manage overlapping relationships to help prepare future health professionals interested in rural practice.

“I’m intrigued by overlapping relationships, also known as dual roles. I was raised in a farming region and took on a variety of healthcare roles in my hometown of about 2000 people where I needed to navigate overlapping personal and professional relationships,” she said. “As educators, we see students confronted by overlapping relationships in their clinical education. Teaching them to navigate dual roles is challenging in the absence of best practices, and our regulatory bodies warn us to avoid overlapping relationships to prevent boundary issues.”

The research was supported through a $10,000 grant awarded through the Centre for Health Education Scholarship at UBC.

The project team, which included Dr. Sean Maurice from the Northern Medical Program and Robin Roots from the UBC Master of Physical Therapy – North (MPT-N) at UNBC along with

students from both programs, conducted extensive interviews with rural practitioners to find out how they navigate ethical situations in the context of rural practice.

“We know practitioners in rural, northern, and remote communities are navigating overlapping relationships, but we didn’t know how they were doing it,” said Gingerich. “We interviewed family physicians and physiotherapists, including those who had returned to their hometowns to practice or who had lived and practiced in a small community for decades, and identified several strategies that they used to regulate their multiple personal and professional roles while maintaining professional boundaries.”

The studies have been published in the journals Medical Education and Advances in Health Sciences Education.

“This research has helped inform opportunities in the curriculum to better prepare physiotherapy students for clinical placements and practicing

practitioner and the patient.”

The study’s multiprofessional focus provided a key opportunity for knowledge gathering across separate health professions and learning from different approaches and perspectives.

in rural communities through a better understanding of how physicians and physiotherapists in rural practice navigate ethical situations,” said Roots.

The research findings will also help to facilitate further discussion on the impact of boundaries on rural practitioners’ personal and professional spheres.

“We want to initiate conversations on policies concerning overlapping relationships,” said Gingerich. “Practitioners can experience a paradox when their obligations to their professional associations and regulatory colleges conflict with their obligations to their community. Not maintaining professional boundaries risks harm to both patients and practitioners, but avoiding overlapping relationships to prevent boundary violations is not a feasible option for those practicing in rural communities. We want to propose developing best practices for navigating overlapping relationships while maintaining boundaries that protect both the

Coralee

BC UNITED MLA, CARIBOO NORTH PHONE: 250-991-0296

EMAIL: coralee.oakes.mla@leg.bc.ca #401-410 Kinchant St., Quesnel Serving Cariboo North since 2013

“This project was a wonderful example of the benefits of interprofessional collaboration,” said Roots. “The students involved had an opportunity to learn about the similarities and differences in how physicians and physiotherapists navigate similar, and different, ethical situations. The research team had an opportunity to learn from each other and benefit from the diverse connections we each had to community. We talk a lot about teambased primary care and the importance of interprofessional collaboration with students, and this project was an excellent example of that.”

Related research projects are currently underway to further examine how rural practitioners can best navigate dual roles.

“Navigating overlapping relationships is a rural reality,” emphasized Gingerich. “Without adequate teaching on maintaining professional boundaries within overlapping relationships, our graduates could enter known practice conditions in small, interconnected communities ill-prepared to put these skills into practice. This is important because practitioners who feel unable to cope with the repeated boundary challenges from overlapping relationships in these often medically underserved communities, tend to leave. The strategies we identified can now be critiqued within teaching discussions, analyzed in terms of healthcare ethics, and used to inform future research.”

UNBC PHOTO

UBC Northern Medical Program associate professor Dr. Andrea Gingerich (left) with one of her research team members, UBC Master of Physical Therapy –North Clinical Lead Robin Roots, at the UNBC campus in Prince George.

Special training helps hospital security teams provide patient care and trauma-informed services

In September, the first “class” of Northern Health relational security officers (RSOs) officially completed their training at the University Hospital of Northern BC (UHNBC) in Prince George.

Last year, Mills Memorial Hospital (MMH) in Terrace and Prince Rupert Regional Hospital (PRRH) saw their own “first classes” of complete their training and begin their new roles at the two hospitals.

Charles Leblanc, NH’s co-ordinator, protection services, shares an update on some of the work that’s been happening locally at PRRH.

How many RSOs are located in Prince Rupert?

There are four full-time supervisor positions and nine full-time Relational

Security Officer positions at Prince Rupert Regional Hospital. We’re also consistently recruiting to our team, including full-time and casual positions. To explore NH job listings, visit our

Let’s Fix Health Care.

Careers website.

How’s the Protection Services pilot project going?

The pilot is going well. RSOs have assisted in preventing violence through preventative patrols, officer presence, and responding to minor and more serious calls such as Code White [violent behaviour] in both PRRH and Acropolis Manor. Our team has also provided Safe Walk escorts to employees and visitors at all hours of the day.

How have RSOs been collaborating with staff on-site?

Relational Security introduced a Safe Walk Program and has connected with departments where clinical staff are called in after hours, or other staff members who work alone. Staff in areas like Diagnostic Imaging and Laboratory check in with Relational Security when called in after hours so that RSOs can check on them throughout their shifts. Some food service staff have an early start time, so Relational Security conducts patrols in the area and greets them when they arrive. RSO’s also attend patient bed meetings as a way to collaborate with clinical staff and to have a better understanding of the intricate care needs of our patients.

What is the RSO training like?

All the RSOs complete 255 hours of training with increased focus on trauma-informed care, reducing stigma,

and cultural safety/humility, as well as comprehensive training in the provincial Violence Prevention curriculum, Advanced Team Response, and Use of Force. This includes classroom training and field training, which is completed on site with a field trainer/coach. Are RSOs getting additional training?

Relational Security Officers have access to courses on the Learning Hub (a province-wide course registry and learning management system for health care) and a curriculum has been developed for continuing education within the first six months. In addition, we have begun providing Gentle Persuasive Approaches (GPA) in Dementia Care education for Relational Security to equip them for their interactions with people with dementia or brain injuries. How do RSOs help patients/clients?

Relational Security has maintained a presence at the main entrance to assist with wayfinding. For example, people who may need this service include maternity patients, people who are there for an appointment with a specialist, and people there to visit with a patient. They also provide information about alternatives such as Telehealth to those who may be seeking emergency care. This also frees up clinical staff so they can attend to clinical duties rather than screening at the entrance.

SANJA KNEZEVIC Northern Health

The RSOs and Protection Services team at Prince Rupert Regional Hospital was part of a new training program.

Jared Young is off to a strong start in South Korea

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

It didn’t take long for Jared Young to make a bunch of new friends in South Korea.

On July 31, in his second game playing professional baseball in the Korean Baseball Organization with the Doosan Bears, the 29-year-old from Prince George had himself a game for the ages.

He hit two home runs, drove in eight runs and went 5-for-6 at the plate to lead the Bears to a crushing 30-6 annihilation of the first-place Kia Tigers.

The 30 runs by the Bears set a single-game KBO record.

Young, who joined the Bears this week after securing his release from the triple-A Memphis Redbirds, silenced a Tigers crowd at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju in the third inning when he launched his first home run with a two-run shot to centre field that put the Bears ahead 3-2.

Then, in the sixth inning, after two consecutive walks, Young clubbed another ball far beyond the centerfield wall to increase the lead to 16-3.

In his second plate appearance of the inning with the bases loaded and two out, Young went low with his bat to slice a ball into deep left field to score three more runs.

But he wasn’t done.

The former Prince George Knight also hit an RBI single in the seventh and rapped out another base hit in the eighth.

Playing at left field and first base, his eight RBIs in the game tied the record for foreign players in the 10-team league.

On Tuesday in Gwangju, the Seoulbased Bears beat the Tigers 12-7. Young came close to hitting his first home run in that game when he bounced one off the top of the wall which landed for a double as he went 1-for-3.

Later in the week, Young was named international player of the week in the

Korean Baseball Organization.

Young tied a KBO record for foreign players on Wednesday when he racked up eight RBI and went 5-for-6 at the plate with two home runs, a double and two walks in a 30-6 win over the first-place Kia Tigers in Gwangju, South Korea.

The 30 runs established a single-game KBO record.

On Thursday, Young drew three walks in five plate appearances in what ended up a 1-0 Bears win over the Tigers.

Then on Friday, in Seoul, Young had one hit and scored a run in a 6-4 loss to the Kiwoom Heroes.

Through four games, Young was hitting .438 with seven hits, including two home runs and two doubles.

He also scored six runs while slotted in at left field and first base.

Young spoke to the Korean media and his comments were posted in the Maeil Business Newspaper.

“I’ve never played an eight-run game, but when I heard about it after the game, I was surprised because I couldn’t believe it. I made up my mind to swing hard, but a home run came out,” Young said.

Young also acknowledged the rabid Bears fans who made the trip down from Seoul to watch him play against the Tigers in Gwangju.

“Listening to Korean baseball’s unique support, I felt it was really great. I received a lot of energy at the plate, and I was surprised that the cheering did not cool down even

though the game was prolonged. I think I can confidently tell my family about the passion of Korean baseball.”

Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 15th round in 2017, Young made his major league debut Sept. 16, 2022. He went on to play 22 games over two seasons with Chicago, batting .210 with two home runs.

Young was picked up on waivers during the off-season by the St. Louis Cardinals.

In 74 games with Memphis, he batted .285/.411/.506 and had 11 home runs, 35 RBI, and six stolen bases.

He signed a $300,000 contract with Doosan on July 23 after obtaining his release from the Cardinals’ organization.

Prince George native Jared Young is all smiles as he rounds the bases after hitting his second home run of the game in a 30-6 win for the Doosan Bears over the Kia Tigers on July 31 in Gwangju, South Korea.

A first: pro basketball player Nathan Yu brings youth team from Hong Kong to play in Prince George

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

In a return to his old Prince George stomping grounds, former Duchess Park high school star Nathan Yu brought with him the first basketball team from Hong Kong ever to tour northern British Columbia.

Yu, 35, showed off his U16 elite travel team from the Triple Double Basketball Academy he started a three years ago in Hong Kong Monday, July 29. They took to the court at Cedars Christian School against the host Northern Bounce Academy U15 boys.

The P.G. boys had a height advantage but the visitors from Hong Kong matched that with their tenacity. It was a close game throughout, ending in a 69-64 Northern Bounce victory.

Some clutch three-point shooting from Gabe Tabora and six consecutive points from Kai Kim gave Northern Bounce an 11-point cushion midway through the second half.

After a late push from their Asian opponents reduced the gap to just four points, Taylor Hodgin put the game out of reach with a steal and consecutive baskets.

Although there was no scoresheet recorded, James Koo had nearly half his team’s points in his team’s first-ever game on Canadian soil.

The same teams met again that day at the Roll-A-Dome for one final tune-up before they headed to Langley for the Canadian Club Basketball Championships starting.

The Hong Kong visitors arrived in Prince George on the last weekend in July and in addition to their two-a-day workouts on the basketball court at the Roll-A-Dome they spent some time at Cluculz Lake, west of the city.

“I started playing basketball with TDBA, they basically taught me how to play the game and have been like family ever since,” said Jake Tam, who moved to Hong Kong from Vancouver four years ago.

“Nathan is one of the rare coaches you’ll find in Hong Kong, and he does

care about your development and how you play, it’s not just about scoring,” said the five-foot-eight point guard, 17.

“He’s really detail-focused and he won’t let you slack for sure. He’s hard on us but it’s something I’m grateful for. I expect it to be more physical, more intense,  people are bigger and stronger here, you can’t get away with as much. Nationals will be a really good experience.”

Tam was blown away by the new standalone gym that opened at Cedars in 2022 and his time on the lake will no doubt stand out as one of the trip’s highlights.

“This is a crazy gym to have at a school. Some schools (in Hong Kong) don’t even have gyms and other schools the courts are outdoors and the rims don’t even have nets, sports are not as big of deal,” said Tam.

“It’s a great opportunity to come over and experience this, I’m just grateful to

be here. I jet-skied for the first time and that was so fun.”

The water was colder than he expected, he said: “The water was freezing. I’ve heard it freezes over in the winter and you can drive trucks on it.”

Before the game Monday the Hong Kong players met Mayor Simon Yu, Nathan’s father, at his office at city hall.

“That was insane, it was like seeing the president, he’s a great guy,” said Tam.

Nathan Yu, who led Duchess Park to the double-A provincial championship in 2006, completed his Grade 12 year at Vancouver College and went on to a storied career in university basketball with the UBC Thunderbirds, which included two national silver medals (2009, 2010) and one bronze (2011).

He’s heading into his eighth season playing professional basketball in the 10-team Hong Kong A1 pro league.

After eight seasons with the South

China Athletic Association he’s switched teams and now plays for Winling after signing a two-year contract.

“I’ve just been lucky and blessed enough to have a (Chinese) passport to play overseas because my dad was born there,” said Nathan. “I started a basketball academy with one of my teammates and it’s always been a dream of mine to bring them back to where I came from and show them Canadian basketball.

“My brother Jordan started Northern Bounce in Prince George and we just started this partnership and now we’re here. I’ve been working with some of these kids for three years and we don’t have a lot of height, that’s hard to find in Hong Kong, but we’ve got some speed and some skill and some shooting and it’ll be good for them to measure up against Canadian boys.”

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Former Duchess Park Condor Nathan Yu addresses his U16 Triple Double Basketball Academy U-16 boys team from Hong Kong during an exhibition game Monday, July 29 at Cedars Christian School against Northern Bounce Academy.

The Northern Bounce teams competed at the Canadian Club national championships in Langley. Team photos are presented here, clockwise from upper left.

The U14 girls include Ana Davis, Merin Wilson, Cadence Hooft, Maeli Kelsh, Abi Popovich, Avery Lodge, Simran Sindhi, Meilin Cai, Sofie Delisle and Abbey Douglass. Head coach: Mike Davis; assistant coaches: Stace Kelsh, Loralyn Murdoch.

The U15 girls include Anja Sales, Emily Hunt, Aria Johnson, Sadie Robin, Sophia Stewart, Sofija Johnson, Aiyana Carpenter, Ana Mackenzie, Violet Salton, Zariya Manhas, Ava McNeill and Brenna Klitch. Head coach: Jordan Johnson; assistant coach: Emily Holmes.

The U16 girls include Zahra Ngabo, Alaina Skelly, Emily Clarke, Katya Marchlewitz, Keirat Sindhi, Alisha Powar, Devyn Bjorn, Kionae Roberts, Olivia Young, and Abigail Lloyd. Head coach: Jeff Ludditt.

The U17 girls include Maggie Malfair, Brooke Macdonald, Summer Toor, Mila Johnson, Kaysa Silver, Colby Konig, Mercedes Black, Molly Black, Kayleigh Kennedy, Lorenn Caceres, Tehya Carpenter and Naiha Manhas. Head coach: Jordan Yu.

Northern Bounce girls teams win hardware at Canadian Club basketball championships in Langley

Northern Bounce Basketball Academy girls travel teams gave their Prince George hometown plenty of reasons to celebrate last weekend at the Canadian Club Basketball Championships in Langley.

All four teams ended their tournaments with victories and all came home with medals for their efforts, taking on some of the top teams in Canada.

The Northern Bounce U14s and U16s, placed in seeding pools to start the

tournament, were matched in the first two games against Platinum Division teams which draw from larger population centres.

The U14s, coached by Mike David, Stace Kelsh and Loralyn Murdoch, lost to Vancouver and Burnaby opponents in those first two games, then went 3-1 the rest of the way to win the gold in the Gold Division.

They defeated Fraser Valley Prep of Abbotsford 57-35 in Sunday’s final.

The U16s, coached by Jeff Ludditt, went 4-2 to capture gold in the Silver

Division. They beat VIG Slam White of Saint-Lambert, Que., 48-25 for the championship.

The U15 girls from Northern Bounce, coached by Jordan Johnson and Emily Holmes, won five of their six games to claim silver in the Silver Division, ending with a 44-27 win over the Junior Elite U-15s of Langley.

The U17s from Prince George, coached by Northern Bounce founder Jordan Yu, also went 5-1 and claimed the bronze medal in the Silver Division. They defeated Flight Prep Red of

Victoria 54-39 in their final game.

“We are so incredibly proud of how well our girls teams played and the huge steps we took forward as a program,” said Yu, who founded the Northern Bounce Academy in 2017.

“It takes a village to grow and improve at the rate our girls and boys programs have over the last few years. Huge thank-you to our amazing coaches, players and parents who put so much energy and passion into our program and teams. This year has been nothing short of special.”

TED CLARKE Citizen Staff

River Kings representing Prince George at worlds

CITIZEN STAFF

The Prince George River Kings will be taking on the world next weekend in Surrey.

They are among 50 teams from 15 countries entered in the international Softball Congress World Men’s

Fastpitch championship at Softball City. Twelve local players are on the River Kings roster, including: Randy Potskin, Nicholas Potskin, Jarrett Potskin, Derlan Potskin, Evan Potskin, Tre Potskin, Chad Ghostkeeper, Tyson Ghostkeeper, Justin Fillion, Cole Laviolette, Jaeger Bush and Joel Walkey.

Seven other B.C. teams are entered in the championship bracket and five teams from B.C. will be in the hunt for masters title.

“This is a huge opportunity to rejuvenate the men’s game in BC,” said Team Canada coach and Vancouver native John Stuart.

“It should excite future and past fastpitch players to come out and witness the absolute best men’s players in the world.”

The top-ranked New York Gremlins will be bringing chucker Jack Besgrove of Australia considered the world’s top fastball pitcher.

Basketball is big in Hong Kong thanks to Yao Ming: Yu

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 32

Hong Kong is a densely packed city of seven million and Yu says there are thousands of basketball players there. It’s the second-most-popular team sport, after soccer, but it’s not as organized as it is in Canada.

“All the kids love basketball over there, it’s growing a lot,” said Yu. “The growing of the NBA in China and social media has had an effect. It started with Yao Ming and it grew from there and they did a good job of growing the game

in Asia.”

Yu, a six-foot-two shooting guard for Winling, grew up with basketball mentors in-house trying to keep up with his older siblings Lee-Wei, Reena and Jordan, who all played at a high level.

“Being in the driveway on Kingsley Crescent in College Heights I always had a dream I wanted to get paid to play this sport,” said Yu. I was lucky enough after UBC that I got an offer and I’ve been there since getting paid to play the sport I love.”

The pro league season starts in two

weeks. Each team plays a 26-game schedule that runs through the end of February. His schedule allows him to run the academy, which is based on the Northern Bounce business plan. Northern Bounce and its off-season training program didn’t exist when Nathan played youth basketball.

“I couldn’t imagine what my career would have been like if I had easy access to training like this as a young player,” he said. “We trained with UNBC And I had regional training with Todd Jordan, which helped a lot. These kids

are really lucky and I’m happy for all the young basketball players in Prince George.”

Nathan plans on hosting a Prince George Northern Bounce Academy team in Hong Kong next year. Jordan Yu wanted to be there for Monday’s exhibition game but was 750 kilometres away in Langley coaching his 17U girls team to the bronze medal in the Silver Division at the girls club nationals. On Tuesday, his Northern Bounce U13 boys team got started at club nationals.

CITIZEN PHOTO BY CHUCK NISBETT

Nathan Yu and his U16 Triple Double Basketball Academy U-16 boys team from Hong Kong (on left) line up next to the U-15 Northern Bounce Academy team prior to their exhibition game Monday, July 29 at Cedars Christian School.

Baseball’s Tigers and Knights battle it out at Citizen Field

ABOVE: Jacob Ross of PG Plumbing and Heating Tigers gets a hit against the Pomeroy Inn and Suites Knights Thursday, Aug. 1 at Citizen Field.

RIGHT: Jordan Dolland of the Knights is tagged out at home as he attempts to slide by Tigers catcher Reg Barry.

ABOVE: Peyton Leslie of the Knights sprints to get the flyball missed by Cole Nishnik.

LEFT: Adam Leslie of the Knights gets an RBI but was tagged out at first base by Adam Norn of the Tigers. The Tigers took the senior baseball contest 9-5 after scoring seven runs in the fifth inning.

Citizen photos by Chuck Nisbett

Life Events

Judith Elaine (Olson)Turner

“Judy”

It is with heavy hearts that the family of Judith “Judy” Elaine (Olson) Turner announce her passing at the Saint John Regional Hospital on July 28, 2024 at the age of 65.

Born in Prince George, BC on April 17, 1959; she was the daughter of the late Arthur and Madge (Doherty) Olson.

After single-handedly raising her daughters, Judy dedicated her life to her passion for teaching, striving to make a positive impact on each and every child she taught during her 15 years teaching with the Prince George School District No. 57. Judy’s legacy will be carried forth through the love, patience, and dedication she brought to educating future generations.

She will live on in the hearts of her daughters: Penny Aiton and her husband Jason of Belleisle Creek and Jennifer Wilson and her husband Rodney of Hampton; her grandchildren: Paige and Blake Wilson; her brothers: Ted Olson and his wife Linda, Raymond Olson and his wife Gail, Olaf Olson and his wife Sherill and George Olson all of BC; as well as several nieces, nephews, extended family members, and many friends.

Along with her parents, she is predeceased by her sister-in-law, Simone Chambers.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Wallace Funeral Home, 34 Sunnyside Drive, Sussex (506-433-1176). A celebration of Life will be held in Alberta at a later date.

Prince George

If you are considering making a memorial donation, the family has recommended Operation Smile or to the charity of the donor’s choice. Personal condolences to the family and donations may be made through wallacefuneralhome.com

Michael “Mike” Douglas Colbourne

February 17, 1958 – July 1, 2024

Michael Douglas Colbourne, resident of the County of Grande Prairie, AB, formerly of Westlock, AB, passed away on Thursday, July 4, 2024, at the age of 66 years.

Mike was simply one of a kind. His legacy will be unmatched. He was a straight shooter, which never left you with doubt about where you stood with him. Mike was unwaveringly loyal and steadfast, and he was quick-witted, so he never missed a beat.

He was a stubborn and stern father; however, his guidance always came from a place of love. As a grandpa, his favorite job of all, Mike truly shined. Mike will be missed dearly by his family and friends, but especially by his loving children and grandchildren.

An official Service will be held in Mike’s memory on Saturday, August 17, 2024, at 1:00 PM at the Bluffton Community Hall.

A Celebration of Mike’s life will be held from Friday, August 16, 2024, at 12:00 PM until August 19, 2024, at 12:00 PM at the Bluffton Community Hall in Ponoka County, AB (NW 31-43-2-W5).

Condolences may be sent by visiting

Cheryl Ann Norbraten July 1st/1951-June 10/2024

Our lovely Cher left us peacefully at home with husband and sons at her side. She endured a long battle with Lewy Body Dementia and never complained once. She was always up for a drive anywhere, a visit with Grandkids, or a round of golf at Aspen, where she is sorely missed by all who knew her.

She was predeceased by parents Orris an Helen. She is survived by husband Gary sons Kyle (Olivia), granddaughter Aria Kirk (Jenn), grandsons Beau and Lucas. In Oregon she is survived by sister Wanda, nephews Cory Curt, neice Heather, and sister Tracy, neices Kristi, Kayla, and nephew Zack. Numerous other relatives and close friends in Oregon.

Cher was born in North Bend Oregon and went on to attain her teaching degree at Oregon State University. She had a great teaching career in Prince George loved by her students and peers. She was very artistic and meticulous and had many unique self taught skills. She was the life of any occasion with her radiant smile sparkling eyes and infectious laugh. She loved camping, fishing, gardening with flowers especially, and adventures, like our vacations which we cherish the memories of. She always made her boys spend some time studying.

We are grateful for everyone in the healthcare industry that helped along the journey they were amazing. And Chers friends that never stopped visiting her with hugs and stories.

A celebration of life will be held at Aspen Grove Golf Course Sunday August 18th 3pm.

Prince George’s locally owned funeral service. We offer personalized services to suit your family’s wishes and requirements. You can count on us to help you plan a personal, lasting tribute to your loved one.

Classifieds

Dunkley Lumber Ltd. Forest Operations Map # DLL TFL-53 2024-2

Dunkley Lumber’s Forest Operations

Map # DLL TFL-53 2024-2 is open for public review and comment from August 8-September 9, 2024. Use link below, or in person by appointment Mon-Fri 9am-4pm. Contact the Dunkley Lumber forestry department at the email or phone number below in order to schedule an appointment. 17000 Dunkley Rd, Hixon, BC, V0K 1S1.

This FOM is applicable for 3 years. It may be relied upon to apply for a cutting permit or road permit, or to harvest a cutblock or construct a road that is displayed on the FOM. 250-998-4421

fom@dunkleylumber.com https://fom.nrs.gov.bc.ca/public/projects

LEGAL NOTICE

SHARED ACCOMMODATIONS

I would like a female to share a two bedroom apartment or house. 250-552-0735

Hay Bales For Sale

5X5 round hay bales, $275 each- net wrapped, barn stored. 250-614-6667

Firewood

BIRCH Firewood in 20 foot lengths.

Delivered by dumptruck load. $1100. or bucked to length $1300 per load delivered 250- 614-6667

Booking deadline: Friday noon

Approval deadline: Monday at noon

250.562.2441

or

NOTICE

CREDITORS & OTHERS

.

RE: Estate of Stanley Berezowski and of Nassa Logging & Excavating Co. LTD., who died Oct. 18/22.

All persons having claims against the estate named above are hereby notified to send particulars of their claims before Sept. 30/24, to: Dana Jardine, Executor, 8040 Shelley Townsite Rd, Prince George, BC. V2K 5X7. Dated at Prince George, BC, Jul 8/24.

MICHAEL CHARLES MIKOSCH, DECEASED, and THE ESTATE OF MICHAEL CHARLES MIKOSCH, DECEASED

RESPONDENTS

ADVERTISEMENT

To: Any Relative of Michael Charles Mikosch, Deceased (the “Deceased”)

TAKE NOTICE THAT in the above proceedings the Petitioner claims relief with respect to property located at 4083 Nordic Drive, Prince George, BC.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE THAT on July 22, 2024, the Court ordered that the Petitioner publish an advertisement advising that a relative of the Deceased may be entitled to the proceeds of his estate and they should contact the Petitioner (Lisa Frees, Financial Recovery Officer, Tel. 250-983-7008) or counsel for the Petitioner (Trevor S. Dungate, Tel. 250-563-7747) to obtain further information.

This advertisement is placed by Integris Credit Union whose address for service is c/o Dungate & Company, Barristers & Solicitors, 1209 Fourth Avenue, Prince George, BC, V2L 3J5.

SERVICE TECHNICIAN

Culligan is looking for a Service Technician at our Prince George location. Superior customer service skills & plumbing experience preferred.

Send resume to: recruiting@culliganwater.ca www.culligan.com

TERRITORY SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Culligan is looking for a Territory Sales Representative to promote our water filtration and softening systems in the Prince George Region.

Send resume to: recruiting@culliganwater.ca www.culligan.com/

Notice to creditors and others in the estate of Robert Bruce Johnston, late of Prince George BC Canada. All persons having claims against the estate of Robert Bruce Johnston, late of Prince George BC who passed away on January 28, 2023 are hereby notified to send particulars of their claims to the undersigned on or before September 22, 2024 after which date the estate will be distributed among the parties entitled to it, having regard only to the claims of which the undersigned has notice.

Claims should be sent to the following address: Robbin Hamilton, Estate Trustee of Robert Bruce Johnston 7768 Newton Cres Prince George, BC V2N 3L6 Dated at Prince George on this 25th day of July 2024.

CAREER OPPORTUNITY

IC Expert Painting Ltd. is an expanding company located in Prince George, BC and servicing central and northern BC. We provide industrial, commercial, and multi-family finishing work for new construction and are seeking an experienced painter supervisor to join our team.

Required Skills:

• Safety focused

• Minimum 5 years of related experience

• Knowledge of prepping surfaces for painting

• Ability to climb ladders and operate atop lift equipment.

• Knowledge and ability to operate a sprayer

• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs.

Additional Skills:

• Experience managing projects and staff

• Vinyl installation experience

All IC Expert Painting Employees:

• Have a safety conscience approach in all tasks and are able to maintain a clean workspace

• Must be punctual

• Have a cell phone

• Possess a valid drivers license and a reliable vehicle

• Have a positive, personable attitude

We offer:

• Continuous year-round work

• LOA and travel expense

• Costs covered to obtain your safety certifications

• A fun, diverse, and challenging work environment

Wage: Based on experience, plus benefits.

Contact: info@icepainting.ca

THE PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN IS HIRING!

We are looking for an Advertising Sales Manager to join our team. We offer a base wage, full benefits, plus commission.

Please contact: cameron@pgcitizen.ca

Your Exterior Cleaning Specialists

WANTED

STEEL STUD FRAMER

Steel stud framer for Prince George job on Bear Road, approximately 4 to 5 months Max Flynn 949 Joan Cres Victoria BC 250-818-2217 maxflynn949@gmail.com

How far can a puppy hike?

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I have a 1-year-old mixed-breed puppy named “Star” who I’d love to take on Saturday hikes with me. I’m an avid hiker who can do up to 20 miles or more per day. Is this too much for a young dog like her to handle? -- Gary in Boulder, Colorado

DEAR GARY: Your instincts are right-on -- that kind of mileage is too much for a puppy. But, depending on the dog, you can build Star’s stamina gradually, adding miles as she grows.

For a 1-year-old puppy, start with no more than a mile or two, and keep it light and fun. If Star whines at three-quarters of a mile, take a break for a few minutes and see if she’ll go on. If she shows signs of tiredness, like lagging behind and not being curious about things around her, it’s time to head back. Some pet parents will carry their puppy for the remaining miles, but that’s up to you -- I think that it’s better to just gradually build the miles.

Notice that I also said “depending on the dog.” Some dogs just aren’t enthusiastic about hiking long miles. Others -especially small dogs, toy and pocket breeds -- cannot walk very far without tiring. (Fortunately, they can be carried easily.) Don’t lament if hiking ultimately isn’t Star’s thing; just build an outdoor schedule where she can share in the fun on some days with short hikes, and you can still get in lots of mileage while she remains at home or with a friend.

An adult dog can do 5 to 20 miles depending on their fitness and enthusiasm. But you’ll need to adjust your lifestyle to gradually bring Star up to that kind of distance.

Send your tips, comments or questions to ask@pawscorner.com.

(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Avoid adding to the tension around you. Even a well-meant reaction against something you perceive as unfair could be misunderstood. Let things calm down, then talk about it.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20)

It’s a good time for romance for unattached Bovines -- and for reinforcing the bonds between existing partners. Children’s needs are important during the latter part of the week.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20)

A compliment from a surprising source sends you wafting way up into the clouds, where -- sorry to say -- your view of what’s going on is obscured. Come on down and face reality.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22)

Even a family-loving person like you can sometimes feel you’re at the end of the line with contentious kinfolk. But things can work out. Remember that it’s better to talk than walk.

LEO (July 23 to August 22)

A job-related move might hold more positive surprises than you’d expected. Go into it with confidence and look for all the advantages it offers. Then decide what you’ll do with what you find.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22)

Driving yourself too hard to get something done on a deadline that you set up can backfire. Ease into a more realistic finish date and add more breaks to your work schedule.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22)

Your sense of humor can brighten any dark period, and your laughter can dispel those gray clouds swirling around you. The weekend presents a surprising but welcome change.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21)

Be careful about the words you use, especially in touchy situations. The old saying that “speech is silver, but silence is golden” could apply well here.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21)

Some facts could emerge that shed light on unresolved past problems. What you learn might also help explain why a oncewarm relationship suddenly cooled down.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19)

Don’t let your pride get in the way of checking into what could be a great new opportunity. Get the facts first, then worry about procedure and protocol later.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18)

A health problem in the family might have other relatives assuming that, as before, you’ll take over the health care duties. Surprise them and insist they share in the caretaking.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20)

A series of changes can be unsettling, but in the long run, it can pay off with new perspectives on what you plan to do. Keep your mind open to the possibilities that might lie ahead.

Homes & Living

How to keep your granite countertop looking new

Granite countertops are popular for kitchens and bath rooms due to their durability, elegance and timeless appeal. However, it’s essential to implement proper care and maintenance. Here are some expert tips to help you keep your granite countertops looking brand new:

• Clean it regularly. Wipe down your granite countertop daily with a mild dish soap or commercial granite cleaner and

warm water. Avoid harsh cleansers or abrasive scrubbers, as they can damage the sealant and scratch the surface.

• Use coasters, trivets and cutting boards. Granite is naturally heat-resistant. However, prolonged expo sure to high temperatures can cause discolouration and cracking. Always use a cutting board when preparing food to prevent scratches on the surface.

• Seal it. Ideally, granite should be sealed every one to three years to maintain the stone’s integrity and prevent stains. Test the effectiveness of the sealant periodically by dripping water onto the surface. If the water beads, the sealant is still intact.

• Wipe spills and blot stains immediately. Blot spills immediately with a clean cloth to prevent them from seeping into the

stone. To help lift stubborn stains, create a paste with baking soda and water. Apply it to the affected area and let it sit overnight before rinsing.

Ensure you have everything you need to keep your counter top looking great by visiting local shops.

Options for updating your home’s siding

Updating your home’s siding can significantly enhance its curb appeal, energy efficiency, and overall value. There are various siding options available, each with its unique benefits, aesthetics, and maintenance requirements. Here are some popular siding options to consider:

Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding is one of the most popular and cost-effective options. It comes in a wide variety of colors and styles, including options that mimic wood grain. Vinyl is durable, resistant to moisture, and requires minimal maintenance, making it a practical choice for many homeowners. However, it can crack in extreme weather conditions and may fade over time.

Fiber Cement Siding

Fiber cement siding is known for its durability and ability to mimic the look of wood, stone, or brick. It’s resistant to termites, rot, and fire, making it a robust option. Fiber cement siding requires periodic repainting, but its long lifespan and minimal maintenance needs make it a worthwhile investment. It is more expensive than vinyl and requires professional installation.

Wood Siding

Wood siding offers a classic, timeless look and can be customized with various stains and paints. Types of wood siding include clapboard, shingles, and shakes. While wood provides a natural and attractive finish, it requires regular maintenance, such as painting or staining, and is susceptible to rot, insects, and fire.

Engineered Wood Siding

Engineered wood siding provides the aesthetic appeal of wood but with enhanced durability. It is made from wood fibers and resins, making it resistant to moisture and insects. Engineered wood is less expensive than natural wood and requires less maintenance, typically needing only occasional painting.

Metal Siding

Metal siding, often made from aluminum or steel, offers a modern, sleek appearance and excellent durability. It is resistant to fire, insects, and rot, and requires minimal maintenance. Metal siding can be prone to dents and may require repainting over time.

Brick and Stone Veneer

Brick and stone veneer siding give a home

a solid, elegant appearance. These materials are extremely durable and require little maintenance. While they are more expensive to install, their longevity and minimal upkeep can offset the initial costs.

Stucco

Stucco siding is a popular choice in warmer climates and provides a smooth, textured finish. It is made from cement, sand, and lime and can be tinted to various colors. Stucco is durable and energy-efficient but can crack in areas with significant temperature fluctuations.

Composite Siding

Composite siding is made from a combination of materials, such as wood fibers, plastic, and resin, offering the look of wood with greater durability. It is resistant to moisture, insects, and rot, and requires less maintenance than natural wood.

Choosing the right siding for your home involves considering factors like climate, budget, maintenance preferences, and desired aesthetics. Each siding option has its pros and cons, so it’s essential to weigh these aspects to find the best fit for your home’s exterior.

Take the opportunity in the Summer to inspect your roof

Summer is the ideal time to inspect your roof, taking advantage of the favorable weather conditions to ensure your home remains protected throughout the year. Warm temperatures and extended daylight hours provide the perfect opportunity to thoroughly examine your roof for any signs of damage or wear that may have occurred during the harsher winter and spring months.

Begin by checking for visible signs of dam-

age, such as missing or cracked shingles, which can compromise your roof’s ability to repel water. Inspect the flashing around chimneys, vents, and skylights to ensure it is intact and properly sealed, preventing potential leaks. Look for signs of moss or algae growth, which can indicate moisture retention and lead to further deterioration if not addressed promptly.

Pay attention to the condition of your gutters and downspouts, as clogged or

damaged systems can result in water accumulation and roof damage. Cleaning the gutters and ensuring they are securely attached will help maintain proper drainage and prevent water-related issues.

Inside your home, check for signs of roof damage, such as water stains on ceilings or walls, which could indicate a leak. Attic inspections are also crucial, as they can reveal issues with ventilation, insulation, or unseen leaks.

Taking the time to inspect your roof during the summer can help identify and address minor issues before they escalate into costly repairs, ensuring your home remains safe and secure. Regular summer inspections contribute to the longevity of your roof, providing peace of mind and protecting your investment in your home.

HOMES & LIVING

GO FOR GOLD.

5 things to consider when buying a rural property

Investing in a rural property can be an exciting venture, offering stillness, space and a closer connection to nature. However, before making such a significant decision, it’s crucial to consider the following factors to ensure a smooth transition:

1. Accessibility. Think about how easy it will be to get to and from your property, especially during bad weather. For example, make sure that the property is on a well-serviced road or prepare yourself for difficulties if the property is located on a dirt road that may become impassable during heavy rain or snowfall.

2. Community dynamics. Find out how close you are to amenities such as grocery stores, healthcare facilities, schools and recreational activities. You should also consider the sense of community and social opportunities available in the area.

3. Environmental considerations. Assess environmental factors like soil quality, water sources and the risk of natural disasters like floods or wildfires. Consult with local experts or agencies to better under- stand these factors.

4. Infrastructure and utilities. Check for availability and costs associated with utilities like water, electricity and internet connectivity. Septic systems and wells are also common in rural areas, so in- quire about their condition and maintenance requirements.

5. Zoning and land use regulations. Research local zoning laws and land use regulations to ensure that your intended use of the property aligns with zoning restrictions. Also, inquire about any future development plans in the area.

With these simple points in mind, you can make an informed decision when purchasing a rural property and ensure it meets all your needs and expectations for a fulfilling countryside lifestyle.

Pankaj

Summer entertaining

Summer entertaining is a delightful way to enjoy the warm weather, longer days, and the company of friends and family. Hosting a summer gathering can be a memorable experience with the right planning, setting, and activities. Here are some tips and ideas to ensure your summer entertaining is a success.

Planning and Preparation

Begin by deciding on the type of event you want to host. Whether it’s a casual barbecue, an elegant garden party, a poolside gathering, or a festive picnic, the theme will guide your preparations. Send out invitations well in advance, specifying the date, time, location, and any special instructions, such as what guests should bring.

Setting the Scene

Creating a welcoming and attractive environment is key to successful summer entertaining. Start with your outdoor space—whether it’s a backyard, patio, deck, or garden. Ensure the area is clean and tidy, and consider adding some decorations that match your theme. String lights, lanterns, and candles can create a magical ambiance as the sun sets.

Comfort is essential, so provide plenty of seating options. Use outdoor furniture, picnic blankets, and cushions to make your guests feel at ease. If the weather is particularly hot, set up shaded areas using umbrellas, canopies, or even DIY shade sails.

Food

and Drink

Food is a highlight of any summer gathering. Plan a menu that is seasonal, fresh, and easy to prepare. Grilled foods are a staple of summer entertaining—

think burgers, hot dogs, chicken, fish, and vegetables. Accompany these with a variety of salads, sides, and fresh fruits. Offer vegetarian and vegan options to cater to all dietary preferences.

Consider setting up a buffet or a food station to make serving easy and allow guests to help themselves. For drinks, provide a range of options including iced tea, lemonade, cocktails, mocktails, and plenty of water to keep everyone hydrated. A self-serve drink station with dispensers or coolers can be both practical and visually appealing.

Entertainment and Activities

Keeping your guests entertained is crucial for a lively and enjoyable gathering. Music is a must-have; create a playlist that suits the mood of your event, or hire a live band or DJ for a more festive atmosphere. Lawn games like cornhole, bocce ball, and frisbee can add a fun and competitive element to your party. If you have a pool, ensure it’s clean and safe for swimming, and consider adding some pool toys and floats.

For evening events, a fire pit can be a great addition, providing warmth, light, and a place for guests to gather. It also offers the opportunity for making s’mores, which can be a delightful treat for both kids and adults. If using a fire-pit with wood fuel, check for local fire bans.

Comfort and Safety

Summer weather can be unpredictable, so be prepared for any changes. Have a backup plan for moving the party indoors in case of rain. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and inform your guests if any adjustments need to be made.

Ensure your guests’ comfort by providing essentials like sunscreen, bug spray, and hand sanitizer. If the temperature drops in the evening, have some blankets or outdoor heaters available. Safety is also important—make sure your outdoor area is well-lit and free of hazards.

Personal Touches

Adding personal touches can make your gathering special and memorable. Consider creating custom invitations, personalized place settings, or themed decorations. Small details like fresh flowers, homemade treats, and thoughtful favors can leave a lasting impression on

your guests.

Clean-Up

Make the clean-up process easier by placing trash and recycling bins in convenient locations. Encourage guests to dispose of their waste properly, and have extra bags and containers ready for sorting recyclables and compostables.

By focusing on thoughtful planning, delicious food and drinks, engaging entertainment, and guest comfort, your summer entertaining can be a hit. Enjoy the season, celebrate with friends and family, and create lasting memories.

your dream door starts here

a viewing

407 Gillet St, unit B $1,400 includes utilities Bed-2 + Den Bath-1 Kitchen-Fridge and Stove Living room- Fire Place Feature Laundry- Ensuite Laundry Extra Details- bright and spacious Pets- 1 Pet Negotiable Parking- Yes No smoking Tenant insurance is required.

1319 Porter Ave

Lower Unit B BEDS-2 BATH-1

YARD-Yes KITCHEN APPLIANCES- fridge, stove LIVING ROOM-Yes DINING ROOMYes LAUNDRY-Yes-shared STORAGE-Yes-sheds PARKINGYes-driveway PET FRIENDLYYes small pets considered with deposit. UTILITIES-Included $1300 monthly No smoking Tenant insurance required

106-2478 Upland Street

$1150 1 bedroom 1 bath Fridge Stove Dishwasher. Walk out yard Hydro not included. Pet allowed

HOMES & LIVING

494 Irwin St

$1,650 utilities included Above Ground Basement Unit BEDS-2 BATH-1 KITCHENFridge, Stove, and Over- Range Microwave LIVING ROOM- YES YARD- YES LAUNDRY-WASHER/DRYER PARKING-OFF STREET PARKING No smoking Tenant insurance is required.

2892 Upland Street.

$1400 This is a bright and updated basement suite. This unit features 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and in-suite laundry in a spacious entryway. This unit has 1 spot in the driveway for off street parking, and shared use of the backyard. Utilities are included in the rent price. No Pets. No Smoking.

Upland St 2bed, 1 bath, top level

Negotiable

1737 Redwood Unit B Price $1,550 Available now! * BEDS- 3 BATH- 2 YARDShared KITCHEN APPLIANCESFridge, stove LIVING ROOM/ DINING ROOM- Yes LAUNDRYYes, in suite PETS-1 Negotiable with deposit UTILITIES- Included EXTRA DETAILS- Basement suite No smoking

849

Harper Street

$400.00 Garage Unit Perfect place to store your car, bikes or a good space to create a work shop. 350 square feet. Hydro is not included.

FEATURED RENTAL OF THE WEEK

FEATURED RENTAL OF THE WEEK

379 RUGGLES UNIT A

Price $1650 BEDS- 2 BATH- 1

YARD- Yes, Shared. Large shed, Shared KITCHEN APPLIANCESFridge, stove, dishwasher. LIVING ROOM/ DINING ROOM- Yes

LAUNDRY- Yes, shared. PARKING- 1 Off street parking PETS- 1 Negotiable with deposit. UTILITIES- Included

110 Claxton Cres

$2000 Beautiful 3 bedroom home located in heritage area. Top floor only rental. Kitchen has a fridge, stove and dishwasher. Large patio deck off the kitchen and shared yard space. Separate laundry as well. Utilities included. No smoking. Pet negotiable.

7491 Southridge Ave

Available September 1st, 2024

Lovely full house available for rent and is close to Southridge elementary school. 3 bedroom 2 bathrooms plus furnished basement. Upper Kitchen includes fridge, stove and dishwasher! Lots of cabinets. Large double car garage to store your cars in during winter! Large backyard with deck and extra storage. This wont last long! Apply today! No smoking Tenant insurance required

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS

2459 Carmicheal Plc

$1600.00, utilities included, with cap ground level basement suite. BED-2 BATH-1 KITCHEN- large Fridge, Stove, Dishwasher LIVING ROOMYES LAUNDRY- ensuite laundry Extra details- Patio space under deck Parking-one parking on driveway Pets- 1 pet negotiable No smoking Tenant insurance is required.

How to update your kitchen without a major renovation

Updating a kitchen without a major renovation can breathe new life into your space and improve its functionality and aesthetics without the time, cost, and disruption of a full remodel. Here are several strategies to consider:

1. Refresh Cabinetry

Paint or Stain: One of the most effective ways to update your kitchen is by painting or staining your existing cabinets. Choose a fresh, modern color to instantly transform the space.

Replace Hardware: Swapping out old cabinet handles and drawer pulls for new ones can have a big impact. Opt for trendy finishes like brushed nickel, matte black, or brass.

Add Trim or Molding: Installing crown molding on top of cabinets or decorative trim can add elegance and a custom look.

2. Update the Backsplash

Peel-and-Stick Tiles: These are an easy, budget-friendly option that can be installed over existing backsplashes. They come in a variety of styles, including subway tiles and mosaic patterns.

Paint: If your existing backsplash is outdated but in good condition, consider painting it with a special tile paint for a fresh, new look.

3. Change Lighting Fixtures

Overhead Lighting: Replace outdated ceiling fixtures with modern pendant lights or a chandelier to create a focal point.

Under-Cabinet Lighting: Installing under-cabinet LED strips or puck lights can improve task lighting and add a warm ambiance.

4. Upgrade Countertops

Laminate Overlays: Companies offer overlay solutions that can be installed directly over existing countertops for a new look

without the mess of demolition.

Resurface with Concrete: A concrete overlay can provide a sleek, modern finish to old countertops.

5. Add Open Shelving

Replace Upper Cabinets: Removing some upper cabinets and replacing them with open shelves can make the kitchen feel more spacious and provide an opportunity to display attractive dishware or decor. Install Floating Shelves: Floating shelves add a contemporary touch and can be used to store frequently used items.

6. Revamp Flooring

Peel-and-Stick Vinyl: Modern peel-andstick vinyl tiles come in various styles and are easy to install over existing floors.

Area Rugs: A stylish, washable rug can cover dated flooring and add warmth and color to your kitchen.

7. Enhance Storage

Organizational Solutions: Install pull-out shelves, lazy Susans, and drawer dividers to make better use of existing cabinet space. Add Hooks and Racks: Use wall-mounted hooks and racks for pots, pans, and utensils to free up counter and cabinet space.

8. Accessorize

New Decor: Add new curtains, blinds, or shades to windows. Update kitchen linens like towels and potholders to match your new color scheme.

Greenery: Introduce plants or a small herb garden to add life and freshness to your kitchen.

Artwork: Hang artwork or decorative pieces that reflect your style and add character to the space.

9. Paint and Wallpaper

Accent Walls: Use paint or wallpaper to create an accent wall. This can add a dra-

matic focal point without overwhelming the room.

Refresh Walls: A fresh coat of paint in a neutral or trendy color can make the entire kitchen feel updated.

10. Upgrade Appliances and Fixtures

New Fixtures: Replacing an old faucet with a modern one can make a big difference. Small Appliances: Updating small applianc-

es like toasters, microwaves, or coffee makers to more modern, stylish versions can improve both aesthetics and functionality.

By implementing these strategies, you can achieve a significant transformation in your kitchen without the need for a major renovation. These updates are not only cost-effective but also less disruptive, allowing you to enjoy your new space sooner.