M
April/May 2019
A
G
A
Z
I
N
E
FREE
Ryan Creary Photo
EARLY BIRD PASS SALE 2019.20 SEASON PASS $969 ADULT INDIVIDUAL $819 ADULT FAMILY Interest Free Payment Plan
Split the cost of your Pass into 10 Payments from $96.90 plus GST / month
Unlimited Hiking & Sightseeing
Enjoy unlimited hiking and sightseeing on the Revelation Gondola this summer.
Unlimited Spring Skiing
New Season Passholders receive unlimited access this spring until April 21, 2019. Additional Benefits and Perks • Save 50% off at Mountain Collective Destinations, including Lake Louise and Sunshine Village. • Save 10-20% on Retail, Rentals, Food & Beverage and select Snow School programs. All rates are subject to GST
EARLY BIRD SALE ENDS APRIL 30 REVELSTOKEMOUNTAINRESORT.COM/EARLYBIRD
CONTENTS
Creative Director Aaron Orlando Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine is a free monthly publication featuring the best of Revelstoke outdoor life, food, style, visitor experiences, lifestyles, entertainment, home style, and healthy living. Each month we distribute 3,000 free copies to over 200 public venues across Revelstoke, including accommodations, shops, restaurants, cafes, community centres, bars and everywhere people meet. We are an independent, locally owned publication dedicated to showcasing our amazing mountain town and the great people who create the stoke. For more information, including details on our very affordable advertising rates, please contact us: www.revelstokemountaineer.com on the advertising tab. 250-814-8710 info@revelstokemountaineer.com
18
28
4 New summer offerings at 12 Arts profile: Ariel Hill We profile glass artist Ariel RMR
28 Charging through adversity
6
Bike trails and rope course coming for 2019
Hill
Plastic from wood waste
Tech firm eyes Revelstoke for wood-based plastic manufacturing
7
Just the Stats!
Quarterly Revelstoke real estate statistics
8
14 Fat trails
New groomer enables fat biking trails on the Greenbelt
16 Spring breakup
Words by Bryce Borlick
Find out what’s happening in Revelstoke
New trails planning document outlines plans for future Revelstoke trails
22 Caribou concerns
New group puts focus on potential caribou recovery 11 Mountain View update closures An update on Revelstoke’s last large lot in the downtown area
24 A lifetime at the lodge
Kate Devine on growing up and growing into lodge life
Paralympic snowboarder transitions into sled life
30 Searching for alpine gold
Take on a spring traverse from the Revelstoke area
32 Slow growth
18 New MTB trails plan
April/May calendar
PO BOX 112, 606 Railway Avenue, Revelstoke, B.C. V0E 2S0
COVER PHOTO The annual Revelstoke Timber Days features pro and amateur logging sports events. Come down to Revelstoke’s Centennial Park on May 18 this year to take in the full day of logging competitions. Here, Erin Lavoie competes at the 2017 event. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine
14
Voices challenging the resort town growth model
34 Population survey
Really, how many people are living in Revelstoke?
36 Mind the gut Your microbiome and mental wellness
38 Insta
Your pics from late spring
Contributors
Aaron Orlando
Alex Cooper
Amaris Bourdeau
Bryce Borlick
Cassandra Prochera
Abby Cooper
Emily Beaumont
Louise Stanway
Heather Hood
Shannon MacLean
Claudia Bambi
Creative Director
Melissa Jameson
3
An all-season resort: RMR expands summer operations In a bid to boost year-round tourism, Revelstoke Mountain Resort announces the opening of multiple new summer activities. Plans include a rope adventure park and lift-assisted mountain biking. By Louise Stanway
Forget the snow, the season of dirt and dust will soon be upon us. This summer, Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s upcoming lift-assisted mountain biking and aerial adventure park will bring a new dimension to summer activities in Revelstoke. RMR has been edging closer to the coveted “all-seasons resort” reputation for the past three summers, overcoming hurdles of wildfire ash and smoke along the way. But where did this journey begin and where is it heading?
4
the resort had improved their flow in the summer. Last summer the village base was home to multiple non-pipe activities: visitors could jump around on the Euro Bungee (a giant trampoline which involves being rigged up to a safety harness), try their hand at a 9-hole disc golf course, navigate the network of moderate-difficulty hiking trails or buy a popsicle made by a local vendor.
How it started
Summer tourism on the rise
When RMR launched the Pipe Mountain Coaster in spring 2016, social media blew up. The promotional Facebook video received over 2.2 million views (from around the world) and over 49 thousand ‘likes.’ With video comments such as, “can fat people go too?” and, “so happy it has got speed control … I’m not an adrenaline junkie like my husband!” it was clear that the seed of change had been planted. It was the unofficial birthplace of a new, open-armed Revelstoke; a time for the regular crowd of serious bikers, hikers and climbers, to step aside and make way for the incoming common-folk. Although May 2016 saw a slow lead-in (things quietened down after the initial buzz of opening week), June came flying around the corner as hot as a 40 km/h pipe-cart. Longer hours of operation, as well as various systems of queuing (people could leave with a number and return to ride the coaster when their number was called), were added to streamline the waiting process. The pipe coaster was proving to be a success. Skip forward two years to 2018, and
Wait — where are these people coming from? For those who’ve been living in Revelstoke for the past few years or more, it doesn’t take statistics to realize that summers here are getting busier. But, as it happens, the figures do agree. In February, a delegation from Tourism Revelstoke presented 2018 numbers to the Revelstoke city council. Based on visits to the Revelstoke Visitor Centre, the town had seen a 43% increase in tourism numbers between 2015 and 2018. Spring numbers (measured March to May) had truly sprung; the figures from the presentation revealed an 85% increase in the town’s spring tourism across that three-year period (5,526 visits in 2015 against 10,206 in 2018). Likewise, summer visits (June to August) were also on the rise; there was a 33% increase in that three-year period. The statistics also showed that 51% of visitors were from Europe, confirming that our small-town has a growing reputation. Although these numbers do not reflect the resort foot traffic, there is an undeniable connection between the
Top: Revelstoke Mountain Resort will be opening alpine mountain biking trails this year, a new offering for the resort. Photo: Ian Houghton/Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Bottom: RMR will be opening a new ropes course similar to the one pictured. Photo: Revelstoke Mountain Resort
launch of RMR’s summer operations in 2016 and the steady rise in summer tourism in Revelstoke.
So, what’s next for RMR? RMR wants to solidify its status as a year-round destination. The resort has recently announced the addition of two new attractions for summer 2019: a fifteen-kilometre enduro-style mountain bike trail and an aerial adventure park. The Aerial Adventure Park — located a short walk from the plaza and suitable for all fitness levels — will take an estimated two hours to complete and will feature over 50 different elements, including a 10-metre climbing wall, freefall tower and zipline. “This new attraction complements The Pipe Mountain Coaster perfectly, providing guests with a multitude of fun things to do from our village base,” said Vice President of Operations, Peter Nielsen. Mountain bikers from all over can finally look forward to some lift-assisted riding. Each gondola cabin can take up
to three bikes to the Mackenzie Outpost. From there, riders will ascend the 7-kilometre multi-use climb trail to the top of the Stoke Chair. Once at the top, they’ll find the trailhead for the new 15 km intermediate trail, Fifty Six Twenty (named in reference to the hill’s 5,620 feet of lift-accessed vertical), that winds all the way down to the base. The trail will open mid to late July and is a part of a multi-phased development plan that will create an established mountain bike trail network at the resort. These new developments have meant that RMR has almost doubled its job listings since last summer. We can expect to see an expansion in pre-existing departments too. Bike rentals will be available through the rental shop, and a greater store selection at the base. This year, pipe operations will kick off on Friday, May 17. Upper gondola hiking, sightseeing and the Aerial Adventure Park are set to open mid-June, with alpine hiking trails opening gradually based on snowmelt. Based on previous years, we can anticipate an influx of eager visitors around mid-June. What this means for Revelstoke One thing is for sure, Revelstoke is not just a town for die-hard skiers. Or climber girls with rock-hard abs. Or mountain-biker dudes who spend more money on bike parts each month than on rent. Increasingly, Revelstoke’s growing summer offerings make it a place for everyone — from every walk of life and of all fitness levels — to experience, in one form or another, the beauty of the Selkirk mountains.
5
LOCAL NEWS
Advanced BioCarbon CEO Darrel Fry’s company is developing plastic-like materials made entirely from wood waste products. Photo: ABC 3D
Replacing plastic with wood-waste Advanced BioCarbon 3D says Revelstoke’s economic spirit creates a perfect opportunity to use its technology By Melissa Jameson A Rossland-based company wants to replace traditional petroleum-based plastics with a biodegradable version made from wood chips, and they say Revelstoke is the perfect fit when it comes to practical applications of its innovative technology. Advanced BioCarbon 3D uses lignin, a complex molecule found in trees and other plants, to create high performance products using 3D printer filament made from a wood-based biodegradable ‘plastic.’ Brent Anhel, ABC 3D chief marketing officer, says the result is high performance products that satisfy the requirements of high performance industries like tooling and manufacturing. The difference between ABC 3D and other products, says Anhel, is that theirs is a carbon negative plastic that 6
doesn’t add organic material to petroleum-based plastics. “Our technology is a precise science and has a consistent product and process,” said Anhel. The biggest draw for the biodegradable plastic, however, is its low impact on the environment. ABC 3D CEO Darrel Fry explains that the current process of using oil results in a plastic product with no end of life. He says petroleum-based plastics break down, but never go away. Creating a plastic product made entirely from wood means that if that product is no longer of use and is deposited in the ground it could actually break down and biodegrade. “As it breaks down it supports life, whether on land or water, it breaks down into useful compounds and de-
posits carbon in the soil,” said Fry. “The biggest opportunity we have to reduce carbon levels in the atmosphere is by depositing them back in our soils, that’s what nature does when it grows a plant. We’re just utilizing what nature already does, instead of using it as lumber, we’re using it as plastic.” The company is also conscientious when it comes to how they acquire the trees necessary to create the biodegradable plastics. Currently ABC 3D uses poplar trees normally left behind by logging companies because they have very little market value. Fry said since poplar trees grow incredibly quickly there are also potential opportunities to grow poplar trees for use in plastic products, while simultaneously solving other environmental issues. This includes planting poplar trees near streams where cows congregate — the trees would help filter toxins from cow manure which can seep into the stream and contaminate the water supply.
Company eyeing up Revelstoke for manufacturing possibilities Fry says there’s a revolution happening in manufacturing, and says the ability to use its wood-based plastics means cities
like Revelstoke can create products on demand. Instead of shipping raw logs to create products, communities can produce those same products right in their own backyards. “Want to make skis? You have all the materials to make it,” he said. There’s plenty of opportunity for creating other products too. Need a new muffler on your car? The repair shop can print one up for you, or you can head down to your local 3-D print shop and print one up yourself. The same goes for hundreds of other products made from plastic. While currently there aren’t any concrete plans in the works to set up a location in Revelstoke, Fry says it’s the community’s excitement around producing other materials that makes it ideal. The company has even had a call from a Revelstoke business interested in the materials. The company would need a location about two acres in size and would employ about 25 people. “The attitude and economic spirit that’s there in Revelstoke is why we are thinking it would be the ideal solution,” said Fry, noting Revelstoke is a leader when it comes to local manufacturing and creating a green economy. “Revelstoke is a leader in that vision. It’s shown by the fab lab being put in and efforts going into that. It’s that tech that will allow this localized manufacturing to grow and carry on.”
LOCAL NEWS FIGURE 1: Average Sale Price Single-Family Home 600K
$536,126*
$486,708
500K
$538,172
400K 300K
$376,931
200K 2016
2017
2018
2019
*2019 average pricing based on sales from January 1 – March 18, 2019
FIGURE 2: Total Transactions (Single-Family, Strata , Lots, Manufactured Homes) 250 200 193
185
2016
2017
150
166
Just the Stats! First quarter 2019 Revelstoke real estate stats By Emily Beaumont
140**
100 50 2018
2019
**2019 projected transactions, based on total transactions as of March 18 multiplied by 4.
FIGURE 3: Average Number of Days on Market to Sell 100 86*** 80
72
69
62 60 40 20 2016
2017
2018
2019
0
***2019 average days on market based on data from January 1 – March 18, 2019 All data sourced from Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board
info@royallepagerevelstoke.ca www.royallepagerevelstoke.ca 1 (250) 837-9544
Although it seems the national and international media spotlight on Revelstoke is getting brighter, the law of supply and demand continues to impact homeownership opportunities in Revelstoke. Total transactions annually are on the decline while prices are on the rise; however, prices are showing a slight dip as we approach the end of the first quarter of 2019. Last spring we saw some pushback to the steadily rising prices since 2015. Although it’s too early to tell, it’s not surprising that the market is responding to this swift increase in property values (18% in 2018 according to BC Assessment) by not responding. Already in the first quarter of 2019 single family homes may be spending more time on the
market than in the previous three years, triggering sellers of homes with higher price points to be strategic with their pricing should they hope for a swifter sale. Those willing to wait are typically achieving 95–96% of their asking pricing. With the majority of buyers looking for homes under $400,000, this price range remains very competitive. As of March 19 only five homes were listed under $500,000, three of which had an accepted offer, awaiting removal of conditions. The local buyer is still placing a strong demand on properties, as with the trend toward 2015–2016 first-time buyers upgrading and/or adding properties to their investment collection. But regardless of the motivation to buy, it remains to be seen what will happen with pricing in the coming months as
we move further into the new year, with approximately 75% of the volume of single-family homes as compared to this time last year.
Current Listings: • • • •
14 Commercial 9 Strata 27 lots and acreages 27 Single Family Residential.
For more on the local market, buying and selling, visit the team at Royal Lepage Revelstoke.
THE REVELSTOKE PADDLESPORT ASSOCIATION PRESENTS THE THE REVELSTOKE PADDLESPORT ASSOCIATION PRESENTS THE
David David Thompson Thompson Classic Classic
Lake Revelstoke Paddlesport Challenge paddle 1 day - 39 km,
paddle paddle125 125km kmover over33days dayswith with66short short portages portages with withaanon-competitive non-competitiveclass class option option
2 days - 75 km with no portages
or
3 days 125 km
AND THE
LakeonRevelstoke Paddlesport Challenge Lake Revelstoke, in the beautiful mountains of British can ouColumbia paddle 1 day - 39 km,
Y
2 days - 75 km or 3 days 125 km JULY 19 - 21, 2019 with no portages
do it!
on Lake Revelstoke, in the beautiful mountains of British Columbia 19 boat classes: Canoes (8), Voyageur canoes (2), Kayaks (3), SUP’s (2), Outriggers (3), Dragon boats. Also age and gender classes
JULY 19 - 21, 2019
n You ca ! t i do
All entries include snacks and post-race BBQ awards and festivities 19 boat classes: Canoes (8), Voyageur canoes (2), Kayaksdeadline (3), SUP’sis(2), Outriggers Registration July 3, 2019 (3), Dragon boats. Also age and gender classes
Register before JuneAll7,entries save $30 perandpaddler andawards getand a free include snacks post-race BBQ festivities t-shirt. Registration deadline is July 3, 2019
For more details or to register go to
q Register before June 7, save $30 per SPONSORS Revelstoke Accommodation Association, paddler and get a free t-shirt. or email billpollock40@gmail.com
www.paddlerevelstoke.ca/revelstoke-paddlesport-challenge/
Revelstoke Credit Union, Columbia
Questions call (250) 814-7473 Basin Trust, City of Revelstoke, The Cube For more details or to register go to Boutique Hotel, Mackenzie Peak Law www.paddlerevelstoke.ca/revelstoke-paddlesport-challenge/
Group, Stella-Jones Hosted by the Revelstoke Paddlesport or Association, email billpollock40@gmail.com Lakeside Printing, P.O. Box 78, Revelstoke, BC, V0E 2S0, Canada. Questions call (250) 814-7473 Revelstoke Mini Storage
Hosted by the Revelstoke Paddlesport Association, P.O. Box 78, Revelstoke, BC, V0E 2S0, Canada.
“Just wanted to say thanks again for putting on such an amazing event! And also a big thanks to all the volunteers who took time out of their weekend to help out. It was definitely a challenging event for us, but still “Just wanted to say thanks again for putting on such an amazing And also a big thanks to allwe thedecided volunteers whoup for it! Thanks and take care” C S, Revelstoke, BC very funevent! and memorable. Very glad that to sign took time out of their weekend to help out. It was definitely a challenging event for us, but still very fun and memorable. Very glad that we decided to sign up for it! Thanks and take care” C S, Revelstoke, BC
7
ENTERTAINMENT VISIT REVELSTOKEMOUNTAINEER.COM/CALENDAR FOR MORE DETAILS AND TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN EVENT FOR FREE FOR INCLUSION ONLINE AND IN OUR MONTHLY PRINT CALENDAR.
APRIL EVENTS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 Composting Class by CSRD @ RCU Community Room 5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. Join CSRD’s Waste Reduction Facilitator Carmen Fennell for an informative class on the science, importance of, and the how-tos of composting. Admission by donation.
THURSDAY, APRIL 4
The 2019 Trashion Show features the best of recycled clothing creations. This year’s event is on April 21 at the Revelstoke Legion. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine
*Please check the event on the day as details may change*
WEEKLY EVENTS MONDAY Soup and a Smile @ Revelstoke United Church 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Enjoy soup and a sandwich each week at the Revelstoke United Church. Cost is by donation or free for those who cannot afford to pay.
WEDNESDAY Free meditation @ Balu Yoga 7:30 a.m. Guided meditation using the practice known as Sadhana. No experience necessary and all are welcome.
THURSDAY Revelstoke Winter Farmers Market @ Revelstoke Community Centre 12 p.m.–5 p.m. The Winter Farmers Market brings together farm and craft vendors from Revelstoke and beyond. The market
takes place every second Thursday until May.
Art, A Comedy @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre 8p.m.–9:30 p.m. Set in Paris, the story revolves around three friends who find their previously solid 15-year friendship on shaky ground when one of them buys an expensive painting. Tickets $15 available online at revelstoketheatrecompany.org or in person at Revelstoke Credit Union. Runs April 4&5
SATURDAY Revelstoke Farmers Markets @ Grizzly Plaza 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Fresh local fruits and vegetables, local honey, baking, preserves, locally-made crafts, knitting, fresh flowers, unique metal and woodworks, food vendors and more. Starts in May.
FRIDAY, APRIL 5 See The Forest for The Trees & Interiors @ Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre 6 p.m.–9 p.m. The Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre unveils two new exhibits, See The Forest for The Trees features art by Michelle Spragg while Interiors features art by members of the Revel-
RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL FULL EXTERIOR RESTORATIONS INTERIOR NEW CONSTRUCTION
250-200-0250 8
ironlotuspainting.ca
ENTERTAINMENT
APRIL/MAY 2019 stoke Visual Arts Society. Admission is by donation.
MONDAY, APRIL 8 Menopause The Musical @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre 7 p.m. In this original off-Broadway musical comedy four women in a department store form a sisterhood and a unique
bond with the audience as they rejoice in celebrating menopause. Tickets are $65 and $55. Charge by phone at 1-855-985-5000 or online at www.ticketmaster.ca.
SATURDAY, APRIL 13 The Guess Who’s Donnie McDougall @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre
7:30 p.m. Donnie McDougall performs hits like American Woman, Bus Rider, No Time, Share the Land and more. Tickets $25 at revelstoketheatretickets.com.
SUNDAY, APRIL 14 April Grom Con @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort
9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. A rail jam competition in the Gnome Zone just for kids ages 5-12! Entry fee is $20. Pre-register by emailing info@somewoncollective.com or register at Guest Services from 9:30am on the day of competition.
SATURDAY, APRIL 20 Closing Weekend Spring Melter @
Drop by Centennial Park on Saturday, May 18 for Revelstoke Timber Days, which features pro and amateur logging sports competitions. Want to participate? Get in touch with organizers to be part of the action. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine
book your FREE 1 5 min Meet & Greet
Pro loth erapy
The nonsurgical method for permanent repair of damaged connective tissue
Good for acute or chronic injuries, helping to resolve pain and improve joint function
222 1st St E - Revelstoke | Visit us online for more info | Call to Book 778-252-0702
www . dr k imn idd e ry . ca
9
ENTERTAINMENT Revelstoke Mountain Resort 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m. Send off the season with a bang. Catch some beats, grab a burger and a cold one at the Mackenzie Outpost with DJ’s spinning from 11a.m.–2p.m. then ski down to a rockin’ party featuring live music at the Rockford Plaza.
SUNDAY, APRIL 21 Trashion Show Fundraiser @ Revelstoke Legion 3 p.m.–6 p.m. In honor of Earth Month (April), Birch & Lace will be hosting their 4th annual Trashion Show Contest. Participants design and create outfits out of recycling & garbage. Info at birchandlacesalon.com/
SATURDAY, APRIL 27 Sixth Annual Bike & Gear Swap @ Revelstoke Forum 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m. The Bike Swap & Expo is a great way to get your hands on a (gently used) new bike, or sell your old bike. Prod-
uct registration starts at 10 a.m., doors open to the public 12 p.m. $3 to register your gear for sale, with 15% of the sale price (up to $50) going to the NCES.$3 entry or $5 per family, kids under 5 are free. Muck Mud Run & Sausage Festival @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort 1 p.m.–5 p.m. Come enjoy a spring day in the mountains with the local farmers market in the morning, rubber boot race and festivities in the afternoon. Register online at mudscorer.com or in person at Universal Footwear.
SUNDAY, APRIL 28 Death Cafe @ Dose Coffee 7 p.m.–9 p.m. At a Death Cafe people drink tea, eat cake and discuss death. Our aim is to increase awareness of death to help people make the most of their (finite) lives.
MAY EVENTS
SATURDAY, MAY 4 Spring Block Party @ Downtown Revelstoke 9a.m.–4p.m. Head to downtown Revelstoke to take part in the Spring Block Party. Details TBA.
SUNDAY, MAY 5 RCU Family Fun Run and Road Races @ Queen Elizabeth Park All Day Family fun in the park with plenty of great prizes. Starts 9:30 a.m. Cash prizes in 16 categories of 2KM, 5KM, & 10KM races! Register and find details at www.revcu.com. 4th Annual Women’s Clothing Swap Mega Fundraiser @ Revelstoke Community Centre 12 p.m.–3 p.m. Swap your gently used clothing, shoes and accessories. Proceeds of this volunteer-run event will be donated to the The Revelstoke Aquaducks. Entry fee is $5 if you bring a bag of clothes to donate or $10
without.
SATURDAY, MAY 11 National Garage Sale for Shelter @ Downtown Revelstoke 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Presented by Royal LePage Revelstoke in Partnership with the Revelstoke Women’s Shelter 2nd Street. Between Mackenzie Ave and Dose Laneway 100% of proceeds go to the Woman’s Shelter. Donation drop-off: 9 a.m.–11 a.m., Saturday April 27 & May 4. Contact: info@royallepagerevelstoke.ca for drop off location details.
SATURDAY, MAY 18 Revelstoke Timber Days @ Centennial Park All Day Timber Days features professional CANLOG events, locals’ events, pie gobble and kids events to keep the whole family entertained. Entry by donation.
Not quite a cube, or a hotel!
ski packages.
10
,
NEWS BRIEFS
No movement on Mountain View
The Mountain View property is the last major property available for development in downtown Revelstoke. Photo: Alex Cooper
By Alex Cooper
It’s arguably the most desirable piece of real estate in Revelstoke, and it’s sat vacant for more than five years. The future of the old Mountain View Elementary site remains unknown, almost six years after the students moved out. “We have not done anything with it since Dean Strachan left,” said Mike Hooker, the superintendent of the Revelstoke School District, referring to the former city planner who left his post at the end of 2016. The school district has been moving deliberately slow on the disposal of its old properties, proceeding one at a time. Initially, it wanted to sell off the Big Eddy Elementary site first, followed by Mountain View, and Mount Begbie. Big Eddy was held up by water issues, and is the final stages of being approved for sub-division. The historic Mountain View school building was sold to a developer, and the MBE site was just sold to BC Housing, leaving the rest of the MVE property as the last to go. It’s been some seven years in the making. In May 2012, before Begbie View Elementary opened, I wrote my first article about the future of the old school sites.
There is interest in the property, confirmed Mass Spataro, the managing broker at Revelstoke Remax. “We’ve had people ask about when these lots would be coming up,” he told me. “I’ve heard of a couple of people that would probably take the whole site.” Whether or not the site gets sub-divided or is sold as a whole is not known. Five and a half years ago, the school board held an open house asking people their thoughts and the response they got was to divide the bulk of the property into singlefamily lots, with townhomes along Garden Avenue and some parkland preserved. The school district looked at submitting a subdivision application, but was turned down because the city, as outlined in the Official Community Plan, wanted multi-family development on the property. I spoke to a few people involved in planning and real estate and heard a mix of ideas that jibed with both the school district’s and the city’s plans. One said it should be divided into 30-foot wide lots, which would encourage smaller homes accessible to young families, while still maintaining the character of the existing neighbourhood. Another said it would be a great spot for single-story townhomes
for seniors looking to downgrade to something requiring less maintenance. Another voiced an opinion for mixed-use development with multi-family buildings. There’s technical complications on the site because of old city streets crisscrossing the property that exist on maps, though not on the ground. One proposal floated by Strachan saw the city and school district trade land, with the city portion going to Community Connections for a new building. Any development would likely be preceded by a land-swap between the school district and the city. Hooker said the school district wants to work with the city on re-zoning the site
before it puts it up to sale. “There would be more (community) consultation at this point because the consultation that was done is getting long in the tooth,” he said. “We want to ensure what happens to that site is good for the community and good for the school district.” Marianne Wade, the city’s new director of development services, said she and Ingrid Bron, the director of economic development, want to meet with the school district before talking about the site. “Myself and Ingrid will be reaching out to Mike from the school board to have a conversation to see where things have been left in their mind,” she said.
UNLOCK THE POTENTIAL OF YOUR INNER HEALER
Our integrative and holistic family practice offers
• OSTEOPATHY • RMT • NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE • FAMILY DOCTOR 222 First Street East, Revelstoke, BC www.revelstokeosteopathy.ca | 250-814-8983
• EXPERIENTIAL ADVENTURE PROGRAMS • OUTDOOR CERTIFICATION COURSES • WOMEN’S WELLNESS RETREATS
WWW.FLEXPEDITIONS.COM 1-866-929-3539 | INFO@FLEXPEDITIONS.COM
11
Clear as glass How glass artist Ariel Hill is putting Revelstoke on the glass map By Amaris Bourdeau There aren’t many art forms that require a literal full commitment from start to finish. But for Ariel Hill, a Revelstoke glass artist, that’s a regular Sunday afternoon — or at least a regular bi-monthly Sunday afternoon. Hill is an Indigenous artist with roots in Ontario’s Six Nations and Wikwemikong First Nations. She originally planned to pursue jewellery professionally then decided to complete a certificate program in jewellery and metals in Nelson. Though she still does jewellery on the side, her professional focus quickly shifted to glass, and went on to study the 12
medium at the Alberta College of Art & Design. She’s since taken countless glass classes and visited studios in the likes of New York City, Pittsburgh, Corning, NY, and the Yukon on a summer-long pursuit of renowned glassblowing studios. Her artwork can be found at Revelstoke’s ArtFirst! Gallery, where she’ll be the artist of the month in July. (And FYI: plan to be wowed with new pieces she has in the works for the occasion.) The artist also has representation in Nanaimo and Canmore, nearby her old homestead of Banff where she lived from 2006-2016, and she will be a visiting artist at the Adäka Cultural Festival in Whitehorse late this June. Hill now makes the trip to Vancouver at least every couple months and makes her dreams come true out of Terminal City Glass Co-op, a cooperative glass arts facility. There she puts in a
ARTS
full weekend of production, where she’s lucky enough to work with friends who make Terminal City their full-time studio. She also has the opportunity to trade a helping hand for studio time at glass artist Ryan Bavin’s studio in Invermere. Glasswork, it turns out, requires a pretty in-depth setup. We’re talking at least $100,000 for a decent space, a furnace capable of melting glass to unbelievable temperatures, kilns to manoeuvre the glass, standard shop tools, as well as the many mandatory safety certifications. Glass isn’t really a craft that’s done on a casual basis — something that rings true when taking into account Hill’s passionate demeanour. It takes years before you can materialize a piece exactly as you’d envisioned it — not to mention without breaking it. The piece is done in one go, every single time. “As soon as you start a piece you have to work with it until it’s done,” says the artist. “That’s the big difference between glass and other mediums. You really have to commit to your piece.” And does she ever commit. When her glass is at a melting point (as high as 1150°C), Hill does not
let it out of sight, twirling it with a piece of metal like you would honey on a stick. Standard glass pieces take as little as 20 minutes (think decorative Christmas bulbs) and as long as three hours for vases and more intricate pattern/colour work, some of which was displayed in a recent group show by the Glass Art Association of Canada. But intricacy isn’t uncommon for the artist who accumulates inspiration from her environment— mountains, streams, lakes, rivers, and rocks. Her popular sedimentinspired glass series is an obvious example, perfectly mimicking a rock’s different layers. In fact, she argues that her surroundings are the best part of being an artist in Revelstoke. Where the town lacks volume, making it a tough market for sales, it makes up for in tranquility and deliberation. While we still have her — the artist has grad school on her mind — she can be found displaying her artwork in Revelstoke’s finest independent gallery or making jewellery at her home studio, always dreaming of her next project. ArtFirst! Gallery is located at 113 First Street East in downtown Revelstoke.
Clockwise from top centre: Selections from Ariel Hill’s Sediment series (top and top left) are available for viewing at ArtFirst! Gallery in Revelstoke. Photos: Brandynn Leigh Bottom left: Hill’s Weight Series was included in the Glass Art Association of Canada’s juried exhibit called Contrasts and Contradictions: The Polarizing Qualities of Glass. The exhibition took place at the Living Arts Centre in Missisauga this winter. Bottom left: Ariel Hill (in black) at work in the studio.
13
OUTDOORS
Fat is back! New fatbike trails offer opportunities for more than just cyclists By Bryce Borlick It wasn’t long ago, roughly a year back, that I wrote about fatbiking in Revelstoke. I had a lot of questions about these snow-specific mountain bikes and the trail grooming required for them. Is it really possible with our heavy snowfalls? What trails would be groomed? Who would pay for all this? I was skeptical. But just twelve months later, a system of trails has been groomed around the ‘flats,’ proving that where there’s a will, there’s a way. Ward Kemerer has been quietly chiseling away at this project ever since hip problems took him off his skis several years ago. Looking for alternate winter activities, Ward took a fatbike and his dog Allie to the groomed trails of the Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club, but quizzical looks soon understandably became an official policy prohibiting bicycles. Undeterred, and inspired by the fun of biking on groomed snow, Ward drummed up enthusiasm amongst other local mountain bikers for a dedicated singletrack grooming machine. “They encouraged me to build my
14
machine. And I did. And it was a total failure,” laughs Ward. Options for commercially built machines were very limited four years ago when fatbiking was a micro-niche sport, and those early creations were often inadequate in deep snow. So with the help of friends, Ward designed and built his own. “It didn’t work, too top heavy,” explains Ward. “At the same time a fellow named August Lockwood down in Montana had developed something new that looked like it would work. So I took a chance and said ‘build me one,’” Ward’s new machine has been performing superbly this winter. It weighs 440 pounds with half of that weight in three large Panasonic battery packs that are most commonly used in the Mercedes Smart car. The studable, 24-inch wide front track pulls one toboggan that holds the operator and another that holds the weighted grooming piece. It tops out around 20 kilometers per hour but Ward, who currently grooms four to five days per week, generally operates at about half
that. In good conditions it has a range of roughly 20 kilometers. The cost? A little over $21,000, with Tantrum Ride Company pledging to cover five thousand and the rest coming out of Ward’s own pocket. As you might expect with a project that’s driven by a single determined
individual, the grooming has simply outpaced the red tape and there are still lots of lingering questions. Although Ward is currently operating as part of the Illecillewaet Greenbelt Society and has encouragement from the City of Revelstoke and BC Hydro, the exact structure for this grooming endeavour is
OUTDOORS
Clockwise from left: Dave Pearson rides the trails on the Greenbelt. Photo: Tourism Revelstoke The footbridge across the Illecillewaet River provides access to points south. Photo: Tourism Revelstoke Ward Kemerer shows off his new fatbike trails groomer he’s using to carve out trails on the Revelstoke Greenbelt. Photo: Bryce Borlick
uncertain, as is future funding. “We’re working on the details,” says Ward. “At this point…” “Thanks for the trails, eh!” someone shouts from across the way. “This is constant,” Ward beams. I’m not surprised. As a regular user of the greenbelt trails, I noticed the first machine tracks in early January and the expansions south of the pedestrian bridge just a few weeks later. But what really caught my attention was the increased number and broader diversity of trail users, especially those with reduced mobility who can now use pathways that are normally too narrow and icy in the winter. There’s a lot of
Age 19 +
enthusiasm for Ward’s contribution to our community. “I’d say it’s mostly walkers near town, dog walkers south of the Illecillewaet, and more trail runners than I’ve seen before,” offers Ward. “Fatbike numbers are small but growing fast.” As the winter winds down and snow levels dwindle, the groomer will soon be tucked away for the summer. For next year, Ward hopes to have a heated storage container installed in a corner of Kovach Park to keep the machine charged, safe, and easily accessible so that other volunteers can potentially take on some of the grooming. Expanding into other
areas, such as lower Macpherson or the Soren Sorenson trail in Mount Revelstoke National Park, is also a possibility. “And maybe public awareness can be part of it and we can get people to pick up their dog’s poop,“ suggests Ward. “I’m now over 1,000 poop tosses officially.” My skepticism returns, but I’m hopeful that Ward can prove me wrong once again.
25+ Years!
Vapers get your Loyalty Card at Spice O' Life! Adult Gifts, Body Lotions, Candles, Incense, Hemp CBD, Nic Salts, Premium E-Liquids, Party Ideas, Grow Tents, T-Shirts,Vaporizers etc!
DON'T FORGET YOUR SPICE BUCKS! 427-B Second Street East | Tuesday - Saturday Noon - 7 p.m. | 250-837-2002
15
LIFE Briefs
Spring Breakup By Bryce Borlick The energy was palpable in those early days, when the sun’s Autumn rays cast long solemn shadows across the first snowfalls of the season. The long slow dance had begun. In our timber framed cabin, a crackling fire and bottle of whiskey brought warm dreams of the deep days ahead, and we slept well. The excitement and butterflies of something new, of the first few turns that bring back the rhythm and those fleeting ecstatic moments — I wondered how I ever lived without this. In due time, nature unveiled her features and we explored new territory, learning to read her signs, to feel her moods and to trust her. There were moments of sharp focus but on most days we floated joyously amongst the clouds and vapour trails. It was love. It was also hard. The stormy days and life commitments that kept us apart. The weak layers reactive to the slightest touch. There was disagreement and compromise, frustration and quiet drives home. Injury and pain. Sometimes, secretly, I’d pine for the simpler days of summer. Was it all worth it? Of course it was. It always is. Often we move through life uninspired, distracted and shackled by routine, forgetting that passion is what ignites our souls and creates pinnacles in the landscapes of our lives. Pursue that passion and embrace it tightly, because one rainy day you’ll just have to let it all go. I know … there will be other seasons and other partners, but I’ll always remember this one, long after our slow dance is over.
There’s more online at
REVELSTOKEMOUNTAINEER.COM revelstokemountaineer.com is Revelstoke’s source for daily news, breaking stories, online features, multi-media storytelling, and comprehensive Revelstoke event listings.
LIKE OR FOLLOW US TO STAY IN THE LOOP.
b @REVELSTOKEMOUNTAINEERMAGAZINE a @REVELSTOKEMTNR v @REVELSTOKE_MOUNTAINEER 16
Trashion Show Enter Our 4th Annual Trashion Show Applications at www.birchandlacesalon.com Register as a vendor, or purchase tickets.
Sunday April 21 2019
3PM
at the
Legion Tickets available at Birch & Lace birchandlacesalon.com events@birchandlacehaircompany.com
$15 in advance $20 at the door 17
n
OUTDOORS NEWS BRIEFS
What’s the plan for bike trails? A master trail plan for the Revelstoke area gives us a glimpse into our future singletrack By Bryce Borlick Vision is a trait not uniquely human. In fact, we’re probably at the shoddy end of the mammalian scale in terms of eyesight. But what we do have is the ability to envision and shape our own future, and that’s exactly what Recreation Sites and Trails BC, a division of the Ministry of Forests, has been doing over the last couple of years. In cooperation with the Revelstoke Cycling Association, RSTBC has created a comprehensive trail master plan for the valley that outlines how existing trail networks should be managed and what trail expansion opportunities may better fulfill growing demand for singletrack. Essentially, it’s a glimpse at what trails we’ll be hiking, biking, and running on in five to ten years time.
“Revelstoke has unique opportunities and areas that can possibly be developed. This idea behind this study was to get professional recommendations on how this should be done,” explains Steve Scott, RCA Director of Trail Planning. Mount Macpherson and Boulder Mountain - Revelstoke’s stalwart anchors of mountain biking - will remain largely unchanged for the foreseeable future. No major logging operations are planned, the climbing trail proposal for Boulder has been shelved, and most trails will only see minor re-routes to address erosion or to improve rider flow. In 2019 we’ll officially say farewell to Man Purse and Chair and we’ll welcome a new blue-rated trail - Upper Tall
204 First St East CHINESE MEDICINE, ACUPUNCTURE, REGISTERED MASSAGE THERAPAY, CHIROPRACTIC CHECK OUT OUR HERBAL TEAS, SUPPLEMENTS & NATURAL CARE PRODUCTS
Online booking and direct billing available Contact us at 250-837-3900 or www.jadewellness.co
18
Left: Proposed new ‘Sunnyside’ trails south of Revelstoke on the east side of the Columbia River. Image: Revelstoke Cycling Association report Bottom left: Volunteers work on bike trails in the Mount Macpherson area. Photo: Bryce Borlick
Timber. It’s also possible that we’ll be welcoming the Blanket Creek trails into Revelstoke’s official network in 2019. The master plan recommends that maintenance for the Baby Blanket, Rolling Stone, and Lost Boys trails be assumed by RSTBC and that those trails be brought up to provincial standards, or best management practices of design and construction. These BMP’s may dictate re-routes of problematic sections of trail, but the network will likely retain its challenging nature and unique rock slab features. Having received a five-and-a-half kilometre extension through the alpine in 2018, Frisby Ridge won’t see significant changes in coming years. However, due to the growing popularity of the area, changes are recommended for the Ultimate Frisby trail. This could mean the addition of easier ‘ride-arounds’ for steeply graded sections, or possibly the construction of an entirely new blue-rated trail.
So far, so good, right? Well the RSTBC master plan saves the best news for last. On the low elevation slopes just north of Mount Cartier, dubbed Sunnyside, an extensive new trail network is in the works. Chosen for its southwest exposure and its lack of tenure, logging, and wildlife conflicts, the currently undeveloped mountainside would offer ‘enduro’ style biking and would significantly expand Revelstoke’s riding options. The ambitious plan for Sunnyside calls for a 10-km blue-rated climbing trail that would access a wide variety of 700m+ sustained descents. Staged development would see the lower third developed in the next two years, the middle third in two to five years, and the upper third in five to ten years. Although the specific trail routing has not been established, the master plan estimates the costs at $300,000 in the first five years and $750,000 by the ten year mark, with those funds expected to come from provincial and federal grants. Possible inclusions are e-bike specific trails, a helipad at the top for heli-drops, and connections to the alpine trails currently being built on Mount Mackenzie. Exciting times lay ahead for trail users in Revelstoke if these grand plans translate into reality. Popping the champagne may be premature but given this community’s proficiency at getting things done, you might want to keep some on ice. To view the trails plan document, visit this story online at www.revelstokemountaineer.com.
MASSAGE THERAPY ACUPUNCTURE HOT YOGA
www.hilltoptoyota.net
Where will you go?
1-888-290-3388 2 3 8 0 Tr a n s C a n a d a H w y N E , S a l m o n A r m , B C V 1 E 4 P 6
Online Booking & Direct Billing Now Available
Stay & Relax Camping and Suites available RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED 1-855-836-4097 - WWW.CRAZYCREEKRESORT.COM 509 Fourth St E, Revelstoke, BC | (250) 837-6084 | www.welwinds.com
6162 Trans-Canada Highway | Malakwa, BC 19
NEWS
Caribou recovery plan emerges as resource groups organize B.C. government plans local consultation meetings in April or May on newly released draft Section 11 agreement By Aaron Orlando A scan of the parking lot at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre was an indication of the crowd gathered inside for a caribou-related presentation on Mar. 7. Instead of the townie bikes and Patagonia jackets typical of past caribou-related presentations, the parking lot was full of pickups hauling sleds. Inside, snowmobile-brand jackets were the style choice. The audience of just under 200 was rounded out by constituents from the forestry and backcountry adventure crowds. They were there for the Caribou & Communities presentation, hosted by the newly formed coalition of groups concerned about losing access to the backcountry due to the ongoing caribou recovery plan development in B.C. The main speaker at the presentation was Milt Hamilton, a retired scientist who did work with mountain caribou. He presented a series of slides on the background of the caribou recovery plan, which kicked into high gear in May of 2018 when the Catherine McKenna, the federal environment minister, declared some caribou in B.C. were facing an “imminent threat.” This led to a series of developments that today is focused on the B.C. and federal governments negotiating a Section 11 agreement for mountain caribou
recovery. This has caused concern for socio-economic interests that rely on the backcountry, including forestry, mining, snowmobiling, heliskiing and other backcountry users. The message from the presenters was clear. They were concerned about a lack of consultation on the ongoing development of the caribou strategy, and they wanted a seat at the table. “You’ve got to get proactive and be part of the solutions, be part of the process, be part of the decision making,” Hamilton said. Nakusp mayor Tom Zeleznik made the trip up for the presentation. He said a similar coalition had just formed in Nakusp. “We want to be able to collaborate with you as a group.” Zelznik said. “No one’s contacting us. I had no idea this was going on.” Later in the presentation, Kathleen Connolly from Concerned Citizens for Caribou Recovery (CCCR), was patched in from her home in Northeast B.C. Her group has been at the forefront of pushback on the ongoing caribou recovery program. In Central and Northeastern B.C., the issue has had a lot more public involvement; they’ve petitioned government for more information and say as the plan is developed. “We need meaningful consultation,” Connolly said. “We are going to be making delegations to the council. We
A caribou herd in Jasper National Park. Photo: M. Bradley
22
Milt Hamilton (left) and Dave Seaton of Caribou & Communities present to the audience at a Mar. 7 meeting at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine all need to be involved in this and we desperately need to be at the table.” All of the groups have commonalities. Their primary constituents have socio-economic concerns about any more caribou closures, and they are calling for consultation and more information about the developing plans. All of the groups have been backed by opposition Liberal MLAs, who have echoed the calls for consultation and local meetings — a hard-to-assail political position, although it belies the reality that an effective recovery plan won’t be hashed out at a town hall meeting in a gymnasium. Since the meeting in early May, a local chapter has formed.
Section 11 draft agreement announced Just before our press time, the B.C. government released a draft Section 11 agreement for mountain caribou recovery, including plans for local stakeholder
meetings sometime in April or May. The Mountaineer didn’t have time to analyze the document, but there were some key developments in the press conference with Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development minister Doug Donaldson. The Section 11 agreement covers the Revelstoke area. It is between the federal and provincial governments. In the conference, minister Donaldson said that by entering into an agreement with the federal government, B.C. was trying to avoid unilateral action by the federal government. He said the plan was an overall, coordinated effort across the areas of the province where caribou live. He said the plan was, “rooted in the best available science and traditional knowledge.” “We are in the situation that we are in because this overall approach was ignored by the previous government,” Donaldson said. The agreement comes with $5.35 million over three years from the federal government for conservation initiatives. Notably absent from the plan was specific restrictions on snowmobiling; a B.C. government spokesperson said that new protected areas and closures only relate to “resource development activities.” Potential new snowmobile closures are to be hashed out later during upcoming public consultations. “There are no restrictions in the draft agreements as they stand now,” Donaldson said. “What we want to do is go out and gather local knowledge and input.” The Section 11 agreement does contain specifics for the northern, central and southern caribou, but Donaldson said that the details of specific herd plans, including potential snowmobile closures, would be worked out later when plans for each individual herd was developed. He said the public consultation sessions would inform those decisions. “The purpose of the public engagement is to move ahead on getting local input on the draft agreement,” Donaldson said. “We are launching the engagement process for snowmobile management.” As of press time, the dates for local consultations have not been set. Visit www.revelstokemountaineer.com for more on the caribou recovery plans.
The Revelstoke Arts Council thanks you! Our Performance, Family and Movies in the Mountains series’ were a great success and we appreciate everyone who came out to support superb artistic performances at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre.
We’d like to offer special thanks to our local show and season sponsors, who make it possible to offer such great talent to our community:
The Sutton Place Hotel Mountain CoLab TD Bank Royal Bank Taco Club Universal Footwear Downie Timber
Edward Jones Mt Begbie Brewing Co. Revelstoke Optometry Centre Monashee Spirits Birch and Lace Revelstoke Credit Union Revelstoke Community Foundation
Revelstoke Chamber of Commerce Revelstoke Accommodation Association School District 19 The Revelstoke Mountaineer EZ Rock
You can continue to support the Revelstoke Arts Council by coming out to our
AGM ON THURSDAY, MAY 9TH AT 7 PM AT THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE. We look forward to an exciting summer and to seeing you all at our 2019 Summer Street Fest and Luna Nocturnal Art and Wonder.
23
FEATURE
A lifetime at the lodge From a childhood spent in a mountain lodge to guide and now operator, Kate Devine reflects on lodge life. Words and photos by Abby Cooper “Revelstoke is central to who I am,” states Kate Devine, a third-generation Revelstokian. With respect for the past and eyes for the future, she’s simultaneously carrying on a family legacy and carving her own path. Her family set big shoes to fill, but Kate’s tall, so her foot fits a Cinderella ski boot just right. Plus she has one rock-solid partner by her side that’s up for the adventure. Kate wants what is best for the town she loves, the people she cares about and the mountains that hold her soul. Kate’s character is often defined with the following phrases: ski guide, Selkirk Lodge, long blond ponytail, avalanche forecaster and having a deep respect for all that is sacred mountain culture. While that’s how you might know her presently, her story didn’t start, nor does it stop here.
24
Growing up in Revelstoke Three-month-old Kate Devine boarded her first helicopter wrapped in her mother’s arms in 1987 bound for Selkirk Lodge. Her parents had spent the last year constructing the alluring backcountry accommodations, and a new babe wouldn’t change the mountain rich lifestyle Grania and Steve Devine were quite literally building. At the time of Kate’s birth, Steve Devine was working as a Full Assistant Guide with only two exams to go before he would become a full-fledged mountain guide. Steve’s plans for guiding, the lodge and his family came to an abrupt ending when he was killed in an avalanche. Kate was only four months old when her father passed away, but the impression he left would stay with her for life. “I imagine my father’s intentions for
building Selkirk Lodge were pretty simple. He wanted to work alongside his wife and spend as much time as possible enjoying life in the mountains and raising a family. What his story has imprinted on me is the importance of pursuing happiness. Life is short — each day and each experience is something to be cherished.” Kate’s mother Grania has always been strong and adaptable as most women in the mountains must be. After losing her husband Steve, she quickly grew her own roots in Revelstoke by purchasing a small home and continuing on with the plans for the lodge with the help of her sister and friends. Little did she know her brave face and remarkable efforts would dub her ‘Queen of the Selkirks’ in the years to come. It’s important to note that while Kate’s birth father Steve Devine started Selkirk Lodge, the man she calls dad today has been an instrumental part of its executed success. Mike Cummings is a builder, woodworker
Selkirk Lodge early in the winter season. Photo: Abby Cooper 25
and carpentry artist, but most importantly Kate’s adopted father. “He has been a pillar in my life since he met my mom when I was still a toddler. He’s an amazing father to me and partner to my mom. He is an essential piece of the Selkirk Lodge puzzle. My mom may be the face of Selkirk Lodge, but my dad has been right beside her for over 30 years. He has devoted tens of thousands of hours into improvements to the business and the building.” While some might view the upbringing of being raised by backcountry lodge owners as difficult or somewhat broken, the bond between Kate and her parents was so strong that she never thought differently and only wanted the same for herself someday. The non-traditional but wholesome Revelstoke childhood showed her what it meant to be strong and self motivated. Unsurprisingly, her parents’ choices brought skiing to the epicenter of Kate’s life. She quickly understood that skiing made people happy and making people happy was rewarding. “I realized that I wanted to be a guide while skiing at Selkirk Lodge over a spring break in high school. I pretty much started working towards being a guide and spending my life in the mountains as soon as I finished high school.”
Forging her path “I love the mountains, and Selkirk Lodge so much, I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. I was and still am drawn to the simplicity of mountain life, and being off the grid. I want to honour the hard work of my parents, and carry it forward with my partner Joel.” It was always Kate’s dream to one day “carry the torch” of running
Selkirk Lodge and working towards her ACMG ski-guiding certificate was the natural progression. After high school she took various mountaineering and avalanche courses and worked alongside her mother at the lodge as a cook and caretaker. She then did a twoyear diploma at Thompson Rivers University in the Adventure Studies program. While working as a ski patroller and on building her ski touring resume, she was able to complete her Apprentice Ski Guide exam at age 24. Impressively, two years later she had completed her full ski guide exam, making her one of the youngest females to complete the program. In 2012 a friend and colleague of Kate’s, Anne Keller, started the SheJumps Alpine Finishing School under direction of Claire Smallwood, the SheJumps Executive Director. The Alpine Finishing School is an all-women’s ski mountaineering course run at Selkirk Lodge and the program host, SheJumps is a non-profit whose mission is to increase the participation of women and girls in outdoor activities. This course opened Kate’s eyes and authentically drove her to pursue more opportunities of this nature. Her ambition was fuelled by the realization that she could play a role in knocking down barriers for other women in a male-dominated industry. “This is so important to me because I hear endless stories from women who are intimidated to get into backcountry skiing and other outdoor pursuits. I was so lucky to grow up backcountry skiing with my parents. It never occurred to me that anyone might think that I don’t belong out there, or that I should be intimidated. When I began to realize how unique that was, I wanted to try to pass that on to women.”
Emily Beaumont
R E V E L S T O K E
Royal LePage Realtor
Helping you “Home” in Revelstoke, BC
RESID E NTI A L | R E SO RT | D E V E LO P M E NT View Listings www.royallepagerevelstoke.ca
26
REVELSTOKE TIMBER DAYS SATURDAY MAY 18 2019 CENTENNIAL PARK Above: Kate takes a break from guiding duties. Left: A tour group sets out for a day in the backcountry. Photos by Abby Cooper
After working under Anne Keller for two years, Kate took the lead on the Alpine Finishing School, which is now in its eighth season at Selkirk Lodge. Kate has been able aid well over a hundred women in their development of backcountry skills and confidence. Through the course she has also been able to give back to apprentice ski guides through her mentorship as Anne once did for Kate.
A celebration of Revelstoke’s logging heritage, come see professional and amateur competitors chop, saw, climb, throw and buck for prizes and glory. Plus many more family friendly activities.
Leading a legacy Her versed and solidified foundation in the Revelstoke ski world is the perfect platform for Kate to begin laying down her own legacy in her backyard. After a recent expansion at the lodge, Kate was able to offer her first women’s yoga and ski retreat this past January and it was well received. She wants to continue to pursue female specific courses and add more of them to the calendar at Selkirk Lodge as she sees a need in the industry to mentor and break down barriers for females wanting to participate in the outdoors. “I am motivated to get more women into the mountains and teach them the skills to be proficient and comfortable making decisions out there. This has been a big focus of mine throughout my guiding career and something I will continue to expand upon. I see a real need for this type of mentorship in a typically male dominated environment. I hope that I can be a force for good and encourage more women to get after it in the mountains.” As she takes on more responsibility in leading the lodge as a business she intends to eventually expand into summer operations. She hopes to one day offer things like mountaineering, hiking, and mountain biking — Kate’s second love after skiing. Leading her life with purpose, Kate recognizes over and over again that her journey is a shared one. She is a product of her parents’ example of hard work and ability to prioritize fun. Their encouragement and support has been an instrumental part of Kate’s confidence in her career path. “I am also very grateful to have a wonderful partner who is excited to be part of my life and a group of amazing friends, most of whom I have known virtually my entire life. I am very fortunate to be able to live in one of the most beautiful places on the planet, and to be able to be part of a really incredible family business. I hope I express that gratitude often enough!”
“Canada’s Ultimate Extreme Heritage Sport” For more information: ww.revelstoketimberdays.ca facebook.com/revelstoketimberdays #RevyTimberDays 27
OUTDOORS
Michelle Salt is charging forward through adversity The competitive Paralympic snowboarder refuses to shy away from a challenge Words and photos by Cassandra Prochera Michelle Salt, a former Paralympic snowboarder, has decided to try her hand — and prosthetic leg — at snowmobiling. Driven by an inherent determination that stems from her competitive snowboarding roots, Michelle has refused to let her prosthetic get in the way of achieving her goals. Breaking into a new sport is the same as breaking in a new boot — it takes time and persistence. As with any sport, first comes the logistics; the newbie must decipher when, where, and how these people meet. Michelle’s journey started in Revelstoke where she, like many others, was welcomed by the snowmobiling community with open arms. Her journey may have started as most others would, but it was certainly not going to be the same experience. The challenge of learning how to snowmobile with a prosthetic leg, coupled with being coached by others who have never dealt with this kind of situation, would have been enough for most to throw in the towel. The daily obstacles she faces, due to her impairment, have driven her to become a creative and dynamic thinker. From sled and gear modifications, to changing bolts on her prosthetic leg, Michelle has been doing just about anything she can to see her snowmobiling dream come to fruition. As a paraplegic, Michelle’s sporting background is rooted in Paralympic snowboarding. Now that she has 28
stepped out of the competitive field, she is trying to find time to reinvent her active leg. This is proving more of a challenge than she initially thought, as snowmobiling demands a high level of agility.
Yet, what started as taking corners on the heel, has evolved after adjusting the hydraulic shock in the knee; more compression has allowed for better rotation and has made for easier and sharper turns. An on-going process, Michelle continually makes minor tweaks and
adjustments to her gear. Whether it’s during the climbs on the up-trail, or warming up in the cabin after a rip, it’s not uncommon to see her pulling out a multi-tool from her pack. These minor tweaks may have served
Above: Former Paralympic snowboard competitor Michelle Salt is now taking up backcountry adventures on a sled. Bottom left: Salt adjusts her prosthetic leg for a day of sledding in the hills. Photos by Cassandra Prochera
as temporary fixes for discomfort and stability issues, but the sport of sledding is not as forgiving as most — it wasn’t long before parts began to bend and break. While out in the backcountry one afternoon, Michelle was forced to sit on her sled after one of the bolts broke at the knee joint of her prosthetic. “We will figure it out!” was the immediate (and mutually shared) response to the problem, as her and her friends joked about splinting the prosthetic with duct tape and tree branches. Not all problems, however, can be fixed with duct tape, tree branches and a positive attitude. It seemed that
Michelle’s prosthetic could not match her own stamina levels. After driving on trips every weekend in pursuit of her new passion, her prosthetic finally crumbled under the weight of expectation; overuse caused it to snap clean in half at the knee. After some reading up, it seemed that a replacement would take weeks to arrive and would cost a pretty penny. After jumping straight into the sport, Michelle didn’t have much to spare for extra leg parts as well as the cost of sled parts. But still, “We will figure it out. Who knows a welder?” Trevor, local business owner and
+
journeyman welder at Mac’s Machine, has been welding power sports equipment and various types of watercraft for years. After meeting Michelle, he found himself adding “prosthetic leg” to his resume. The unusual experience was one that neither Trevor nor Michelle will likely forget anytime soon. Yet, it seems that the local welder was the right person for the job — fresh out of the shop, Michelle was ready to put the tack to the test with an afternoon back on the sled.
looking to get into the sport. She has just purchased her first sled set up and is fully committed to driving forward with the sport. With her avalanche pack on her back, multi-tool in her hand and a smile on her face, she is ready to face any obstacles that may fall on the track in front of her.
Despite her obvious setbacks, Michelle’s willful attitude to achieve has set a positive precedent for those
N OW O F F E R I N G
B12
IV Nutrient Infusions & Vitamin B12 shots 222 1st St E - Revelstoke | Visit us online for more info | Call to Book 778-252-0702
www . dr k imn idd e ry . ca
29
OUTDOORS
Searching for alpine gold The Gold Range was first traversed on skis 40 years ago and has emerged as a classic amongst serious tourers in Revelstoke By Alex Cooper The Gold Range tantalizes skies from the top of Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Looking south across the Columbia River, it presents a string of snowfields that bridge the distance from the gap-toothed double-summit of Burnham and Grady to Mount Begbie’s voluptuous twin peaks. Its valleys of dense, jungle-like brush make penetrating its heart a project for only the most stubborn in summer. In winter, a string of glaciers and rocky ridges link narrow valleys blanketed in deep snow from end to end, luring skiers to traverse along its spine for decades. It has now become a local classic, a traverse that when done from south to north practically deposits you at the Big Eddy Pub for celebratory drinks. The first group to attempt the Gold Range traverse was Tim Auger, Dave Smith, Don Vockeroth and Bob Sawyer 40 years ago in 1979. They were all guides, highly-skilled mountaineers, passionate about the mountains, and three would be named Honorary Members of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides due to their lengthy accomplishments as guides. They were part of a generation of ski mountaineers that sought out big adventures and big traverses throughout Alberta and British Columbia. In 1979, the Gold Range was one of the chains of peaks that had yet to be explored to any great extent in winter and it appealed to their sense of adventure. “We had interest in exploring new terrain,” said Vokeroth. “At the time ski traversing was a thing to do and finding new areas to explore was open.” It was before the days when heli-skiing was just being established in Revelstoke, before backcountry ski lodges and Google Earth, when few logging roads entered the area, and even a summer excursion would require a huge effort. Vockeroth climbed in the region the summer prior, but in general they had very little idea of what to expect as they planned their route using a mix of topo maps and aerial photos, explained Smith. The quartet began at Blanket Creek and bushwhacked through steep terrain and heavy rain up the Mulvehill Ridge before settling down for a wet night. The weather would be their adversary for almost the whole trip, hampering progress and causing the avalanche danger to spike. They toured south, over the Blanket Glacier and ascending the north ridge of Cranberry Mountain during one of the only breaks in the weather they experienced. “On our left, the north glacier flowed and tumbled into its long canyon in wild contrast to our ethereal road,” wrote Smith of the climb. “Those few hours ascending 30
the ridge were among the finest I have ever enjoyed ski touring.” A stormy descent brought them to what they dubbed Avalanche Lake, where they
looked up at the exposed terrain between them and the Gates glacier and opted to pull the pin after five days of mostly stormy weather. “It was a sinister place, and it didn’t take us too long to agree that with the existing conditions, we stood a good chance to trigger a slide,” recalled Smith. The group skied out via Pingston Lake, reaching a logging road that they followed to their vehicle. Vockeroth would attempt the traverse two years later, but would again be turned back by foul weather. According to Chic Scott and Mark Klassen’s book, Alpine Ski Tours in the Columbia Mountains, Remy Bernier and James Madden completed the full 60-kilometre traverse in 2006, traveling from Mount Odin to Mount Macpherson, establishing the traditional north-to-south route most follow to this day. Since then, it’s been skied pretty much annually by numerous groups. “It’s a stunning traverse if the weather
is cooperating,” said Yann Bourdon, who travelled the route with Patrick Donker and Bill Sperling over six mostly sunny days last May. “It should definitely be on the ski traverse bucket list of any keen ski tourer, especially if you live in Revelstoke.”
Three more traverses that end in Revelstoke Sitting on the Columbia River, between two of the great ranges of the Columbia Mountains, Revelstoke makes a great place to finish a ski traverse. Vast, glaciated mountains spread out in all four directions and all hold potential for multi-day traverses. We’ve already highlighted the Gold Range, but here’s three more that end in town. Full credit is given to Chic Scott
and Mark Klassen’s guidebook, Alpine Ski Tours in the Columbia Mountains, which provides detailed descriptions of all of these routes.
Bostock Creek to Revelstoke This 80-kilometre traverse will take you from the western edge of Glacier National Park, through high alpine terrain around the Durrand Glacier, into Mount Revelstoke National Park. It was first skied in 1999 by locals Eric Dafoe, John Kelly, and J.P. Kors, and Lake Louise’s Percy Woods. They described it as a “hidden, unknown gem,” that required good route finding skills.
Golden to Revelstoke AKA, Revy East to Golden West, this 130-kilometre traverse was accomplished by Dafoe, Kelly and Kors in 1998. Start
from the top of Kicking Horse resort (if it’s still open) and make your way up and down a series of big valleys, crossing the Purcells and Selkirks until you reach the slopes of Mount Mackenzie and the familiar runs of Revelstoke Mountain Resort.
Monashee Traverse This is the granddaddy of all traverses that end in town. The Monashee Traverse travels through 210 kilometres of big mountains from Moonbeam Creek north of Blue River to Revelstoke. It was pioneered by Greg Hill, Aaron Chance and Ian Bissonette (Dave Sproule and Jeff Volp joined for the first week), who completed it in 21 days, summiting 21 peaks along the way. They started with an ascent of Mount Lempriere and finished with a ski from a summit of Turtle Mountain down to Westside Road.
A variety of nectar of the gods By Heather Hood Spring has arrived bringing a changeover in seasons and the time to try out new wines. One of the wines this month is made from honey and is called mead. Mead is made by fermenting honey, water, and yeast. The oldest discovery of mead is thought to have gone back as far as 7000 B.C. Mead has been the basis of the saying ‘nectar of the gods.’ As well, the origin of the word honeymoon comes from drinking mead. outcome of this process.
Meadow Vista Cloud Horse 2018 Kelowna, B.C. $25.09 A sweet but tart wine with stone fruit and honey notes that are aromatic on the nose. It is bright and zippy on the palate with flavours of candy apple, honeycomb, and floral notes. The finish is lovely and lingers on the palate. It is a delicious alternative if you’re looking for something other than traditional grape wine. Pairing: Fish, Spicy curry, roasted vegetables. It can also be enjoyed on its own
Hester Creek Cabernet Franc Rosé, 2017 Oliver, B.C. $22.30 A lovely Rosé with flavours of strawberry, rhubarb, spice, and a slight minerality. The wine is viscous on the palate and has an aromatic nose. The flavour of stewed rhubarb lingers nicely on the long finish. Pairing: Spicy curry, roast chicken, or charcuterie. It can also be enjoyed on its own.
Nichol Syrah ‘Nate’s Vineyard’, 2016 Naramata, B.C. $26.22 A clean and bright Syrah that is very refined on the palate with mineral notes, black cherry, violet, a hint of pepper, and fine tannins. The finish is long and has nice flavours of dried fruit and pepper. Pairing: Lamb, soft cheeses or mushrooms. This wine can also be enjoyed on its own.
Patrick Donker and Bill Sperling hike to the col between Mount Kelly and Mount Niflheim on day two of their traverse of the Gold Range in May 2018. Behind them is the 1,600-metre descent of Mount Odin they skied the previous day. Photo by Yann Bourdon
All wines available at Cheers! Downtown Revelstoke Open 9am to 11pm Delivery to your door Call 250-837-4550 31
Nakusp is Calling BRAND NEW CERTIFIED PASSIVE HOUSES
Slow growth: Challengi town development grow Does Revelstoke need to grow to succeed? By Aaron Orlando
‘Whistler’s that way,’ read a bumper sticker I spotted when I first moved to town in 2008. The graphic was an old-timey pointing hand, except with the index finger curled up and the middle finger fully extended. It was a common theme of conversations over pints at the time: Whatever happens, let’s not become Whistler. It still is. Consternation about what then-new Revelstoke Mountain Resort would mean for Revelstoke has been an ongoing theme here. Will Revelstoke’s resort-town trajectory destroy the mountain town character that makes Revelstoke attractive in the first place? Just like suburban developments named after what got bulldozed to create them — Aspen Grove, Cedar Slopes, Marmot Fields — is Revelstoke bulldozing itself in an effort to become ... what?
The ‘slow growth’ movement In late November, planners from mountain resort towns across the west converged on the sprawling mountain community of Canmore to talk shop at the Mountain and Resort Town Planners Summit. Planners from Revelstoke’s city hall attended, taking in sessions on worker housing, wildlife issues, short-term vacation rentals and the other challenges mountain towns share in common. While most presentations focused on dealing with the problems associated with resort growth, one challenged whether growth was needed at all. A panel titled Challenging the Growth Paradigm featured panelists Karen Sorensen, Mayor of Banff; homogenous corporate resort-model opponent and Jackson Hole resident Jonathan Schechter; and anti-growth activist Dave Gardner. The panel focused on the downsides of rapid resort development, asking whether growth, which is often cast as a panacea for issues such as taxation and infrastructure renewal, is necessary at all, and whether it actually causes more problems than it solves. To better understand where they were coming from, the Mountaineer reached out to all three.
Jonathan Schechter
• ECO-MINDED DISCERNING BUYERS WILL APPRECIATE THE AVERAGE MONTHLY ENERGY COSTS OF $65 • HANDCRAFTED FIR WOODWORK THROUGHOUT
Custom Built • 1500 sq/ft 2 Storeys • 2 Bedrooms 2.5 Bathrooms • All appliances included Garage • Caretaker on Site Private Patio • Lakefront $749,000
Selkirkrealty.com 32
•
Bel-Air-Nakusp.com
Schechter is the founder and executive director of Jackson Hole’s Charture Institute, a think tank that focuses on growth, change and sustainability in places of ecological significance. He challenged Revelstoke residents to see their problems — housing shortages, increasing infrastructure costs, unsustainable wages, unattainable housing — as universal problems faced by all mountain resort towns. “Your community seems to be sick with this ailment that everybody recognizes is not right, but you tend to get focused on the symptoms,” Schechter said. “The fundamental cause of the disease is the kind of economy you’ve chosen for yourself by signing up to have the mountain resort — that kind of economy tends to destroy the character of the community as you know it. The tourism economy that you have embraced is fundamentally non-sustainable ... [it] rests on a business model [of] hiring a ton of people and paying them dirt.” In a slow-paced Wyoming drawl, Schechter said he sees the same passionate and divisive arguments play out in mountain communities across the West. “These are damnably important issues made more complicated still by passion, because people care desperately about these communities,” he said. In Revelstoke, the vacation rentals issue has pitted those opposed to the practice with vacation rental owners who say it’s a necessity to get by in an increasingly expensive town. He said the economies of resort towns change faster than perception, and the perception changes faster than policy, leaving the community in a perpetual reactionary phase. “Your planning mindset is not focusing on the economic realities, because again you’re in a reactive mode. It never becomes a question of, ‘What do we want for our community?’ It’s, ‘How do we cope with things that are crashing over us like a tidal wave?’” Schechter, who visited Revelstoke during RMR’s early development phase, recommends that the community takes a step back and inventories what’s important, such as quality of life, the natural environment and community character. Without community priorities, city leaders default to tracking economic indicators such as tourism or development growth, he said. He worries that in the end, what made Revelstoke a special place will be destroyed.
Banff mayor Karen Sorensen In our telephone conversation, Karen Sorensen comes across as about what you’d expect from a small-town mayor: upbeat, booster-y and sleeves-rolled-up for the next challenge. (The new snow removal infographic map that town staff had created worked really well, she tells me.)
NEWS
ing the mountain wth paradigm Banff, Alberta is located within a national park. As a result, the agreement that created the municipality in 1990 contained many exceptional restrictions designed to limit the town’s impact on the natural environment. These restrictions mean Banff has avoided many development-growth-related pressures, making it unique among mountain resort towns. “The horse never left this barn,” mayor Sorensen told the Mountaineer. “We are blessed because we never got too far ahead of ourselves.” The town restricts residency to those who work in town, is essentially out of commercial space and can’t grow out of its existing footprint. “There really isn’t any negotiation here,” she said. “This is the way it is.” Vacation rentals are strictly forbidden, and city staff “aggressively enforce” violators. “We do challenge that growth paradigm, in the concept that growth is needed to sustain economic prosperity,” she said. Despite these restrictions, Sorensen noted the community is still experiencing growth in visitation and tourism, noting they are doing it without increasing physical development. “When nobody can build another hotel, or we are never going to have another Walmart, you don’t need the people to work there.” Sorensen said that although Banff ’s rules were established when the town was formally founded, it has benefitted from them. She recommends that similar
mountain towns be proactive in seeking clarity about its future goals. “Whatever rules that are put in place, they need to be black and white and they need to be enforced. I think it takes political will,” she said. She added that operating on data instead of anecdotes has been key to Banff ’s success. She also acknowledged the town still faces many of the struggles that plague mountain resorts, such as unaffordable housing and a housing shortage.
GrowthBuster Dave Gardner Gardener is the host of the GrowthBusters podcast, which critiques development pressure and its interplay with municipal political cultures. At its core, his advocacy seeks to dispel the “myth” that growth equals prosperity. “It all really started with my observations of urban growth in my own hometown of Colorado Springs [which was] in a hurry to be like Denver,” he said. He started out focusing on Colorado Springs, but since then he’s moved on to challenge all things development-growth related, with a particular focus on how development is sold as solution to infrastructure challenges, yet it creates its own infrastructure challenges. “Every growing community faces those, and it’s largely because virtually no communities are requiring the behaviour of growth to pay its way,” Gardner
said. “The developers putting together the projects are frequently subsidized.” The one-two punch of sprawl was the advent of car culture in the 20th Century then the post-Second World War drive suburbanize. The urban landscape was transformed, and the suburban landscape created. These low-density, drive-everywhere spaces required a massive effort to create the infrastructure to support new modes of living, and the taxpayer footed the bill, like it or not. Now the infrastructure that enables these suburban landscapes needs to be repaired, replaced and upgraded, leaving virtually all municipalities in Canada with an ‘infrastructure deficit,’ which describes the gap between what it would cost to upgrade and the empty coffers at city halls. “Those citizens are left holding the bag,” says Gardner. “No one’s willing to raise taxes on themselves.” Gardner’s activism focuses on how development, pitched as a solution to problems, begets more problems. Another focus is general environmental sustainability of development decisions and encouraging communities to act locally to live within the biosphere’s means. “Now we’re on a full planet,” Gardner says. “There’s no away to throw things. If a community’s ecological footprint exceeds its bio-capacity ... that means somewhere else is having to give that up.” When asked to distill his activism into advice for Revelstoke, Gardner emphasizes the need to reach back to our roots. “I would be careful to advise them not to kill the goose that laid the golden egg.”
presents
APRIL 27TH AT THE ROCKFORD PLAZA AT RMR. 1 PM race pack pick up 130 PM warm up yoga 2 PM line up at the start line *Must run in rubber boots
Rubber Boot Race
GREAT PRIZES! 2km family race & 5km individual
AFTER PARTY
Live Music, Beer & Local Sausage
REGISTER
IN STORE: 25$ for Individuals, 50$ for families. ONLINE: http://universal-footwear.com/muck-mud-run/ or Facebook page, 30$ for individuals, 55$ for families Contact us at Universal Footwear in the Alpine plaza in Revelstoke for more information or call 250 837 3855
33
NEWS BRIEFS
Crowds flock to Mackenzie Avenue for the annual Canada Day parade. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine
How many people really live in Revelstoke?
New cell-tower data study points to a much larger population than census data reports, but the details are still TBA By Aaron Orlando
If you spend time trying to track down quantitative information on our town, you soon discover Revelstoke is a data desert. Looking for health-care related stats, such as vaccination rates? We’re lumped into a larger Interior Health catchment area, making the stats largely irrelevant. The situation repeats itself again and again. For those parched for data on what’s really happening in Revelstoke, the release of some early information from the Telus Insights study in March was interesting. The study, which was commissioned last year by the City of Revelstoke, the Revelstoke Accommodation Association and Revelstoke Mountain Resort, uses data scraped by Telus from cell phone tower traffic to provide data breakdowns on what’s happening in town. It can provide information on population, visitors, demographics, country of origin and who-knows-whatelse that can be gleaned from your cell phone’s handshake with the cell tower. Telus delivered a preliminary report to the City of Revelstoke, which then turned around and released a teaser of information from the study in March. The “resident” count grabbed the headlines. The report found that the number of residents in town was about double that of the 2016 Canada Census figures. The study also found that there was a “monthly unique count” of 200,000 34
people in Revelstoke in May, including visitors, but that includes people who may have just been passing through town. Are there really twice as many residents here as is reflected in the census? To compare the Telus data resident count (an estimated 13,500 in October, peaking at 14,750 at the end of December) with the 2016 Canada Census number (6,719) is comparing apples to oranges. For example, the Canada Census doesn’t count “foreign residents,” such as the many here to work and play for the snow season. The federal census also counts the “main residence” for those with more than one home; there are many second homes in Revelstoke. The census data is taken in May, which is among the slowest seasons in Revelstoke; the Telus data is spread over the entire year. So, what was the study’s definition of a resident? “Collectively, we decided, anybody who has been in town for 45 [consecutive] days,” said Ingrid Bron, the Director of Community Economic Development for the City of Revelstoke. She said the intent of the data study is to get a better handle on what’s actually happening on the ground. As we talked, Bron flipped through the document, which looked to be about 75 pages. It contained lots of graphs and charts. Since the city is only releasing
high-level summaries of the data, who really knows what it says. The data will have many practical benefits for Revelstoke. When you flush a toilet, the sewage system doesn’t care if you’re a seasonnaire from Sydney, a born-’n’-raised Revelstokian or a heliskiier from Hamburg. Basic infrastructure like water, sewer and roads is all affected by population, be it seasonal, permanent or tourist. Basic municipal services, like police, health care and emergency services are also affected. The Revelstoke RCMP, for example, has for years made the case to city council for more officers, comparing population and RCMP staff levels with similar communities in B.C. You can bet your Strathcona High-Brown Police Boots that during next year’s budget cycle the detachment commander will wield the new data while making the ask for more officers again. With so much data available in the report, the fact that the city chose to highlight the population numbers in their first communiqué is telling. The city has high hopes that the information will help it make the case for additional funding from other levels of government. While the long-suffering residential property-tax payer may feel like the weight of the tax burden is entirely on their shoulders, the reality is a significant chunk of any municipality’s budget comes from the province and the feds in the form of grants and other subsidies. The data will be useful when making the case for assistance, but it will be a caseby-case basis and will also have mixed outcomes. For example, the data will be helpful when making the case for more affordable housing assistance from various funding partners. Bron said that issues like housing and infrastructure motivated the city to participate in the study. “We’re seeing pressure from every one of those areas. That’s what compelled the city to get this data,” she said. However, in the case physical infrastructure, such as sewage treatment, it could help make the case for more fund-
ing, but it could also trigger additional requirements and costs — if you say you need a new treatment plant because there are twice as many people in town as before, you’re also going to have to build a bigger, more expensive facility. There will be a variety of considerations for many dozens of infrastructure funding asks of other levels of government. Bron said that to her knowledge Revelstoke was the first municipality in B.C. to commission a Telus Insights reports. Will the data convince partners that we’re a special case? Maybe, maybe not. Any municipality could make a special-case argument — Salmon Arm is slammed with lake tourists in the summer, and Golden gets an influx of winter tourists just like us, for example. In our interview, Bron repeatedly stressed the need to “validate” the data. “It’s understanding the methodology, understanding what it means,” she said. Bron said the city will be releasing information in stages, but be prepared to wait. A non-disclosure agreement with Telus means the city is keeping the data under wraps. The full-year cycle of data collection doesn’t end until May. When will we find out more? “It’ll be a long period of the next six months or longer,” Bron said “So we understand the impacts of this information. We don’t know what that means, which is why we need to do more analysis.” Bron added that further data releases could be a year or more off and will likely come in stages. She said city staff would be looking at the data department-by-department to better understand its relevance to their operations. In a statement, mayor Gary Sulz said the data will help the city plan for the future. “We have known for some time that our population far exceeds what census figures tell us it is. We will be able to use more accurate population figures to understand the demand for housing, to understand the demands on city services and infrastructure, and to make sure that the community’s growth leaves no one behind,” Sulz said.
HERITAGE BUILDING | CRAFT SPIRITS | TASTING ROOM | RESTAURANT
OPEN: THURSDAY - SUNDAY
AVAILABLE FOR FUNCTIONS
1:00 PM - 6:00 PM
& SPECIAL EVENTS
616 THIRD STREET WEST | JONESDISTILLING.COM 35
HEALTH
Mind the gut Gut sensations, or why food really is food for thought By Shannon MacLean, RHN, CHNC, BA-IR Less than one generation ago, the body was looked at as a complicated machine whose parts could be “fixed” individually. Today, we are learning to see that the whole body is intimately connected. The brain, gut and trillions of microorganisms living in it are constantly communicating with one another. We now know that these brain-gut communications are integral to all aspects of our health.
The second brain Your gut has capabilities that can outshine all your other organs and even contend with your brain’s capabilities. It has its own nervous system, known as the enteric nervous system, and is made up of 50-100 million nerve cells, as many as are contained in your spinal cord. The lining of your gut contains many endocrine cells, specialized cells that contain up to twenty different types of hormones that can be released into the bloodstream.
Communication pathways The gut and brain communicate through the vagus nerve, hormones, and inflammatory molecules. The vagus nerve travels from either side of the brain stem, through your chest cavity, innervating your heart, digestive system, and spleen, and branching out just below your sternum. This nerve is a bi-directional super highway linking the gut to the brain. Interestingly, the vast majority of signals conveyed run from the gut to the brain, while only 10% run North to South. This tells us that the gut can handle most of its activities without any interference from the brain, while the brain relies greatly on information from the gut and microbes within it.
Gut sensations/gut feelings/gut reactions Gut signals reaching the brain generate a wide range of gut sensations, such as anxiety, fullness, nausea and even feelings of well-being, satiety and safety. These gut feelings or sensations are stored in vast databases in the brain, which can later be accessed when making decisions. The brain responds to gut sensations by signaling back to the gut to adjust its function. This is known as a gut reaction. A simple way to think of this is that when your emotions change, your brain sends out a pattern of signals to your digestive system, just as it does to your facial muscles. With the help of microbiota, this interaction plays a critical role in generation of both emotions and optimal gut function; the two are 36
intricately linked.
Serotonin storehouse The gut is also the largest producer and storage facility for serotonin in the body. 95% of the body’s serotonin is stored in gut warehouses. This signaling molecule that plays a crucial role within the gut-brain axis: not only essential for normal intestinal functions, it also affects appetite, pain sensitivity, happiness and overall well-being. The cells storing serotonin in the gut are influenced by food we eat, chemicals released by our gut microbes, and brain signals.
Toning your vagus nerve Toning and strengthening your vagus nerve is integral to stress management, as it helps one to switch into the parasympathetic nervous system state, also known as “rest and digest.” It is in this state that we digest and heal. Nourishing this nerve also improves mind/gut communication. Not surprisingly, many stress-reducing activities tone the vagus nerve. These include yoga, meditation, and breath work. Cat/cow yoga pose is particularly helpful, and the vagus nerve is stimulated by breath when we reduce our breathing down to some 5-7 long, slow breaths per minute. Other ways to tone the vagus nerve include chanting, singing, humming, laughing, cold exposure (see Wim Hoff method) and even gargling.
Explore the connection between gut health and mental health. Photo: Unsplash
Mind the microbe Microbes are an integral part of brain/ gut communication. Keep your microbes happy by eliminating refined sugars and processed foods, and eating a wide variety of organic vegetables. Known as prebiotics, many vegetables contain complex carbohydrates with long-chain sugars that reach the colon intact, where they become food for our “good” bacteria. Other ways to nurture your microbiome include eating fermented foods, spending time playing outside in the dirt and optimizing digestive function. Shannon MacLean is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist with a BA in International Relations. Open for bookings at www.baluyoga.com, she is passionate about wild foraging, recipe creation, and all things health and wellness.
SHANNON MACLEAN
RHN, CHNC, BA-IR
Registered Holistic Nutrition.
BOOK NOW www.baluyoga.com
Fatigue? Weight gain? Mood swings? Indigestion? Anxiety? Insomnia? Pain and inflammation? Autoimmunity? IBS? Skin issues? Depression? Heart disease? Diabetes? Hormonal imbalance? Food allergies? Low immunity? Bloating? I CAN HELP.
NEW LOCATION 414 1st Street West shannon@sprucetipnutrition.com
COMING THIS APRIL ATTILA THE HONEY
AVAILABLE IN 355ML 6 PACKS
2155 OAK DRIVE (NEXT TO HILLCREST HOTEL) 250-837-2756 M MT. BEGBIE BREWING CO. P MTBEGBIEBEER
37
M
A
G
A
Z
I
N
E
#revelstokemountaineer Get your photos featured in Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine by including #revelstokemoutaineer in your comment!
@photosbyyeatman
@jlilford
@revelstoke_mountaineer
@bambibacon
@adam_captures
@adam_captures
@revelstoke_mountaineer
@nolangale
@adam_captures
@adam_captures
38
1, 2 & 3 BEDROOM CONDOS
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST W W W.M AC K E N Z I E V I L L AG E.C A
This is not an offer 39 for sale
Refresh
your body and soul S P R I N G PA C K A G E S O N L I N E !
Refresh your body and soul in our world renowned mineral pools, day lodge, accommodations and full service spa. Experience gourmet food and wine with spectacular views in the Kingfisher Restaurant and Lounge. Reserve our beautiful private meeting and dining room for your special event.
OPEN YEAR-ROUND
#halcyonhotsprings
68K M SOUTH OF REVELSTOK E OVERLOOK I NG A RROW LA K E
1. 888. 689. 4699 H A L C YO N - H OT S P R I N G S . C O M