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July 2019
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CONTENTS
Creative Director Aaron Orlando The 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
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5
DISC GOLF SCENE
15 SPOKIN’ WORD
Don’t call it frisbee golf
6
WOODEN HORSEMEN
Explore the relationship between music and spirituality
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JULY ENTERTAINMENT
Find out what’s happening around Revelstoke this month
11 NAMGAR
Modern arrangements of the sounds of ancient Siberia
12 NEW TANTRUM LOCATION Revy bike shop moves into new passive standard retail location
info@revelstokemountaineer.com PO BOX 112 606 Railway Avenue Revelstoke, B.C. V0E 2S0
14 CITY TAXES TAKE HIT
Successful RMR tax assessment appeal bites into city revenue
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30 WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE
Alpine biking scene grows with new options
Does Revelstoke have adequate healthcare options?
16 MARKET STYLE
31 REVY AFFORDABILITY
What’s behind Revelstoke’s summer looks?
18 PATIO GUIDE
32 FICTION
We tracked down many of Revelstoke’s growing patio drinking and dining options
McConaughey & me by Vilja Arnsteinsdatter
34 NEW CRAFT BREWERY
22 ROOMMATE TROUBLES
Living in Revy means living with roommates. Here are some stories.
New initiative seeks solutions to increasingly unaffordable mountain living
Rumpus Beer Co. opens its doors at new First Street location
37 HEALTH
24 HOME STYLE
We checking in with the McCarroll family on their new build
In defense of stomach acid
38 INSTA
#revelstokemountainer to get your photo featured
Contributors COVER PHOTO Revelstoke climber Tyler Jay takes on Vertical Poetry at Revy’s famous Victor Lake Wall climbing area. Photo: Laura Szanto Aaron Orlando
Alex Cooper
Vilja Arnsteinsdatter
Bryce Borlick
Louise Stanway
Melissa Jameson
Shannon MacLean
Claudia Bambi
Creative Director
Heather Hood
Laura Szanto
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OUTDOORS
A good walk improved
A light-hearted look at Revelstoke’s disc golf scene By Alex Cooper “There’s two kinds of disc golfers.” Photographer Laura Szanto lets the words hang. We’re six playing disc golf at the course near Revelstoke’s industrial park, discussing the finer frustrations of the sport while on assignment. She’s taking pictures and I’m taking notes, tasked with writing a “captivating” story on Revy’s disc golf scene. It’s the start of a perfect quote, but she doesn’t have a finish. “There’s two kinds of disc golfers,” someone repeats. “Those that disc golf, and those who just like beer.” Amidst the purple lupines, tall grass and groves of deciduous trees that line the course, we clearly fall in the second group. There are others out there who take the sport seriously – who carry multiple frisbees (discs, if you want to be taken seriously) and can throw them overhand the length of a football field. Revelstoke is home to three disc golf courses that I know of. There’s an old one along the greenbelt south of the Illecillewaet River, and the Woodchuck at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, whose first nine holes were set up in a haste to provide a diversion for people waiting hours for The Pipe. It has since been expanded to a full 18 holes – nine near the base and nine at mid-station. There’s been attempts to make an official, public course in one of Revelstoke’s parks, but so far they haven’t come to fruition. Multiple people deserve credit for starting and maintaining the industrial park course over the years. William Eaton, Clayton Carroll and a few friends are responsible for the first iteration, while James Eger and Will Moores rebuilt it last year . It’s the most popular in town and there’s been multiple groups about each time I’ve played. Hole one starts on the river path, just east of Bridge Creek. From there, a series of tee
boxes take you around the vacant lot. The area used to be home to snowmobile races and a motocross track, but now it’s home to this calmest and most casual of sports. It’s a wasteland being overtaken by nature, with paths trod by golfers in the tall grass. The original course had tires as targets, but the city eventually came in and cleaned things out and the targets are now made out from old fire hydrants and metal pipes (chopped up from Mountaineer editor’s Aaron Orlando’s old outdoor clothes
second go, I made a trip to Free Spirit Sports, where the employees were unboxing a shipment of multi-coloured frisbees, some translucent and sprinkled with sparkles. At the back of the store there was multiple stacks of discs to choose from, in all the colours of the rainbow. Like regular golf, there was drivers, mid-range, and putters, each costing $15-20. It’s much cheaper than regular golf, but there’s also no cluhouse and girls driving around in golf carts selling beer. It’s BYOB.
Photos: Alex Cooper, pictured below, gives disc golf a go with friends. Photos: Laura Szanto drying rack) spray painted orange. They provide a very satisfying ding when you hit one, though disc golf purists might cry out for the proper cages found at most courses. I borrowed a disc from a friend of a friend for my first game but for my
If I can provide any advice on buying frisbees for the purpose of disc golf, it’s to buy a disc, and not a frisbee. Don’t buy them at the Dollar Store, like the first time I ever played, unless you enjoy frustration. Make sure yours is a bright colour, but not green or yellow, because
you will spend time looking for it in the grass and the trees. If you’re not well practiced, throwing a frisbee is awkward and frustrating and you have better luck predicting Donald Trump’s next tweet than knowing where it will land. “I just remembered how much I suck at throwing things,” remarked one friend as took his turn at the tee box. For my first throw I leaned back, side-stepped forward a few times and swung my arm wildly, aiming for the moon. The disc soared high, arcing through the sky, before falling in the tall grass nowhere near the target. Good thing it was bright red. My friend Nicole preferred to shoot forehand, which involves more of a flick of a wrist than a whole arm swing. It isn’t as powerful, but goes a bit straighter before curving slightly to the right. “If you’re good at it,” she adds. I learned quickly that it’s best to aim short rather than go for the hole in one. I also learn quickly to call it disc golf – not frisbee golf and definitely not frolf, unless my goal is to antagonize the purists. The 18 holes flow efficiently around the old dirt bike track. Some targets are tucked in the trees and require a bit of scouting to find at first. Some let you throw across an open field and others through a path in the forest. A few have a lone tree blocking a path to the target that I always proved adept at hitting. My first game, on a humid afternoon, we played a full round, but this time we finished our beers after the front nine and called it a night. No one kept track of the score and no one seemed to care. It was a nice change of pace from the usual adrenaline-filled Revelstoke activities.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Summer Street Fest band preview: Wooden Horsemen Influenced by the gospel legacy of the American South, this energetic folk and blues band explores the relationship between music and spirituality. By Louise Stanway Driven by the simple goal of getting people dancing and spreading good vibes, Vancouver’s Wooden Horsemen’s infectious energy and silky-smooth harmonies will be sure to brighten up your evening on Saturday, July 6 at the Summer Street Festival in downtown Revelstoke. The band has come along way since its inception in 2013. The three-piece folk band was formed when a handful
of musicians found each other while backing other musical acts in Vancouver’s bustling bar scene. With an appetite for success, they combined forces and began to flesh out a small collection of songs from singer and songwriter, Steven Beddall. The project culminated in their folk, roots and blues debut album which received praise from critics across Canada.
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Steven Beddall and Missy Cross front this now seven-piece arrangement. What started as a trio engaging in gentle acoustics and soft harmonies, now boasts a bassist, a drummer, an electric guitarist, an organ player and more – delivering audiences with a busy, powerful, and invigorating live experience. Drawing influence from the gritty sound of the American South, their music has been described by critics as “swampy, sweaty and downright dirty.” Their lyrics are peppered with biblical overtones and are propelled by electric guitars, keys and organs. This fusion of gospel and modern rock ‘n’ roll is at the heart of their most recent album, Past Lives, too; the album acknowledges and
explores the relationship between music and spirituality. If you listen closely to their lyrics, you’ll begin to hear stories unravel in each song. Couple this with Beddall and Cross’s ethereal harmonies, and you can begin to picture the fire and ice that permeates the stage during their live shows – leaving the audience captivated by both the message and the delivery. Last year, the band gained momentum in the Canadian college radio circuit and became a staple in Western Canada’s festival circuit. As part of their 2019 tour, you can catch them playing at the free live music series put on annually be the Revelstoke Arts Council. For more information and for the full line-up of live acts, visit: www.revelstokeartscouncil.com.
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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. *Please check the event on the day as details may change*
WEEKLY EVENTS MONDAY Moto-Monday Motorcycle Tour @ Tim Hortons Parking Lot 7 p.m. Bring your street-legal motorcycle and enjoy a ride before meeting up at a local patio. For more info contact John @ 250-837-1430.
TUESDAY Downtown Walking Tours @ Revelstoke Museum & Archives 11 a.m.–12 p.m. Meet at the Museum for a one-hour walking tour through Revelstoke’s historic downtown. $8 per person. Free for children 12 and under. Bikes, Beers & Babes @ Revelstoke Community Centre Parking Lot 6p.m. A fun and friendly weekly ride for women of all skill levels. Meet at the community centre parking lot ready to ride. Revy Riders Group Ride @ Revy Riders Parking Area 6p.m. Meet with Revy Riders Dirtbike Club every Tuesday. For more information visit revyriders.ca.
THURSDAY
Pedal ‘n’ Pint @ Revelstoke Community Centre 6 p.m. The Pedal ‘n’ Pint series is a weekly gathering of riders for a Thursday evening pedal. Meet at the community centre parking lot. Riders meet at the pub for pints afterwards. All skill levels welcome.
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. Saturday Morning Drop-In Squash @ Revelstoke Racquet Den Squash Club 9 a.m.–1 p.m. The Revelstoke Squash Club offers public drop-in squash every Saturday. $10/person and court booking is available. The club is located at 207 Mackenzie Ave, below Mica Heliski.
JULY EVENTS MONDAY, JULY 1 Canada Day Celebrations @ Queen Elizabeth Park All Day Lots of fun activities are planned for Canada Day including a parade from Grizzly Plazato the park at 12 p.m., live music, a bocce tournament, face painting and more!
Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30p.m.–9p.m. The Staggers and Jaggs perform at Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
TUESDAY, JULY 2 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Myra Morrison & Denis Severino perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Broken Brothers perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
THURSDAY, JULY 4 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Under The Rocks perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
FRIDAY, JULY 5 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30p.m.–9p.m. Jackson Hollow perform at Revel-
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stoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
SATURDAY, JULY 6 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Wooden Horsemen perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer. Roller Derby @ Revelstoke Forum 7 p.m. Come see Revelstoke’s first coed Roller Derby Bout! Revelstoke will take on an Okanagan Mash Up team in their second bout of the 2019 season. Doors open at 6 and the game starts at 7. $10 in advance or $12 at the door.
SUNDAY JULY 7 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. WiL performs at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
MONDAY, JULY 8 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Naomi Shore performs at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
ENTERTAINMENT
JULY 2019 TUESDAY, JULY 9 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. The Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 10 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30p.m.–9p.m. The Al Lee Soundscape perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer. Bob Log III @ River City Pub 9 p.m. American slide-guitar one-man band Bob Log III performs at the River City Pub
THURSDAY, JULY 11 Holly Hyat
the cemetery gates or call the museum for a ride. $8 or less with a punch-card. Tours take place July 11 and July 25. Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Holly Hyatt performs at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
FRIDAY, JULY 12 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Willy Blizzard performs at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
SATURDAY, JULY 13 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Bassy Dave and The Groovineers perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
SUNDAY, JULY 14
Heritage Cemetery Tours @ Mountain View Cemetery 3p.m.–4:30 p.m. Join Revelstoke Museum & Archives curator Cathy English for a 1.5 hour guided tour of Revelstoke’s historic Mountain View Cemetery. Meet at
Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Coldwater Road perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
MONDAY, JULY 15
Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Flint and Feather perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
TUESDAY, JULY 16 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. The Red Hot Hayseeds perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
‘choose their own adventure’ while following David Thompson’s route on the Columbia River. Visit www. paddlerevelstoke.ca. for details Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Kutapira perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
SATURDAY, JULY 20 Summer Street Fest The Long War
WEDNESDAY, JULY 17 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. The Rev perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
THURSDAY, JULY 18 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Nice Verdes perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
FRIDAY, JULY 19 Revelstoke Paddlesport Challenge @ Revelstoke Aquatic Centre Until July 21 The Revelstoke Paddlesport Challenge allows paddlers of all types to
@ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Class Action perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer. Roller Derby @ Revelstoke Forum 7p.m. The Revelstoke Derailers take on the Okanagan Shuswap Roller Derby Association’s Farmers’ Slaughters in their final bout of the 2019 season.
SUNDAY, JULY 21 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Hanne Kah perform at Revelstoke
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ENTERTAINMENT 6 p.m.–9 p.m. The Visual Arts Centre’s newest exhibits include: Leanne Spanza’s “From Glacier to Glacier,” Trish Hartwick’s “Waste Not” and Katherine Russell’s “Memories are Malleable.” The artists’ works are on display until Aug. 23.
Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
MONDAY, JULY 22 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. The Long War perform at Revelstoke The Nova Scotiables
Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
TUESDAY, JULY 23 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Diyet and the Love Soldiers perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
Hanne Kah
WEDNESDAY, JULY 24 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. The Nova Scotiables perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
THURSDAY, JULY 25 Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Lester Mclean performs at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
FRIDAY, JULY 26 Exhibition Opening @ Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre
music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughout the summer.
MONDAY, JULY 29
Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. Bill Price with Grover Parido perform Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. music in Grizzly Plaza every night Tennyson King performs at Revelthroughout the summer. stoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughTUESDAY, JULY 30 out the summer. Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza SATURDAY, JULY 27 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. This Way North perform at RevelSummer Street Fest stoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music @ Grizzly Plaza in Grizzly Plaza every night through6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. out the summer. Mountain Sound perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music in Grizzly Plaza every night throughWEDNESDAY, JULY 31 out the summer. Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza SUNDAY, JULY 28 6:30p.m.–9p.m. The Paperboys perform at RevelSummer Street Fest stoke Street Fest. Enjoy live music @ Grizzly Plaza in Grizzly Plaza every night through6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. out the summer. El Niven and The Alibi perform at Revelstoke Street Fest. Enjoy live
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ENTERTAINMENT
Namgar plays the Revelstoke Summer Street Fest on Aug. 11. Photo: handout
Summer Street Fest band preview: Namgar Modern arrangements amplify the sounds and stories of ancient Siberia By Louise Stanway Namgar (meaning “white cloud” in Tibetan language) is the name of the Mongolian musical quartet that fuses together ethnic melodies as light as a morning mist, with earth-shaking beats as heavy as the historic drums of war. Yet somewhere between the gentle percussion instruments, the melodic dings of the chanza strings, and vocals that tell the story of ancient Mongol history – there lies an odd sense of rhythmic familiarity. The kind that makes you want to tap your feet, nod your head, and dance around in circles like no ones watching. This summer, Namgar will be gifting Revelstoke with their music for the first time. On Sunday, August 11, the band will be performing downtown on Mackenzie Avenue, as part of their 2019 tour around North America. Audiences can expect a fun fusion of IndigenousRock-Folk-World-Music. Really — there is something to suit everyone’s taste. Growing up in a small village in South Central Siberia, Namgar Lhasaranova (the lead singer) was immersed in a
rich tradition of song. Oral melodic versus were passed down to her by her father, mother and grandparents, to tell the story of her peoples’ history. Fast forward to present day, Namgar is able to fuse together the stories of her youth with modern, Western arrangements and instruments – such as electric and bass guitar – to bring us a fun and familiar sound that explores a deeper cultural heritage. Namgar’s band has two permanent cofounding members: Namgar herself (vocals, yataga, percussions) and her husband, Eugene Zolotarev (chanza, bass, back-up vocals). Her current acoustic lineup also includes drummer and percussionist Alexey Baev and guitarist Timur Zolotarev. It is not uncommon for Namgar to play around with her line-up; she’ll perform with between one and six other musicians. So, how did they end up in our small town? Since the band’s inception in 2001, their unique sound has developed as quickly as their appetite for travel. Their second album (released in 2009 and appropriately named “Nomad”)
moved away from traditional ballads and ancient nomadic songs of their first album, and instead boasts sounds of new ethno-rock arrangements. The album went on to receive critical acclaim from both Russian and Western music press. As a result, the band began to travel and make a name for themselves in European, North American and Asian markets. Namgar is simply one of the many world music bands playing at this year’s Summer Street Festival, put on by The Revelstoke Arts Council. More information as well as the full line up can be found on their website at www. revelstokeartscouncil. com. 11
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Tantrum Ride Co. moves into spacious new location The brand new First Street building will also house Selkirk Law Firm and commercial space
By Melissa Jameson Tantrum Ride Co. opened the doors to their newly built location on First Street in mid-June. Located between Kevin’s Kitchen and Traverse Night Club, the narrow yellow-painted exterior deceptively hides the building’s spacious interior. Inside the large layout provides ample space for the displays of bikes and accessories, along with the customer service counter and work benches. The doors at Tantrum Ride Co.’s 306 First Street digs were open for less than a week when the Mountaineer popped in to speak with co-owner Andrew Danyluk. At the time, construction on the two-and-a-half storey, 7,500 square foot building was still underway. Tantrum co-owner Selim Sabbagh and lawyer Michelle Bowlen worked with Tree Construction owner Greg Hoffart to create a commercial building that could meet the certifications for passive house standards in Western Canada. In a previous story with the Mountaineer, Sabbagh and Bowlen shared how building their own home using high emissions standards played into their desire to create a commercial building that would meet the stringent
set of rules used for passive housing standards, which helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the building’s air quality. Danyluk said construction efforts were focused on the Tantrum’s location on the main floor in order to allow the bike store to get relocated in time for the start of Revelstoke’s busy biking season. The other parts of the building will house Selkirk Law Corporation, as well as other tenants in the future. “There’s still work to be done, but we accomplished the goal of getting in here and getting operational,” said Danyluk. What’s been most surprising, said Danyluk, is the amount of people who didn’t even realize a brand new build was taking place along one of the busiest sections of First Street West. The response to the new location has been a positive one so far, although there were challenge as Tantrum chose not to close their old Connaught Avenue location, and some items are still being moved in. In terms of set up, the new location is drawing on the experience of the owners, as well as what worked and didn’t work in the old location.
LOCAL BUSINESS
Left: Tantrum Ride Co. co-owner Andrew Danyluk at their new First Street West location. This page: The interior of the passive standard retail location. Photos: Aaron Orlando/ Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine
“We moved an entire business without closing, so there has been a lot of improvisation of where things are living and seeing how it suits. There will be many changes over the coming months when we can see how the flow of the space feels,” said Danyluk. “I think most people would be surprised to know we’re making it all up as we
go along as far as the layout goes. We knew where we wanted to have the work benches and the cabinets, but outside of that we’re freestyling it, a lot of the placement of things. I suspect it will change in the coming months.” One item Danyluk and Sabbagh knew they wanted to incorporate into the design was an indoor bike wash, located
in a recessed area along one of the walls. As for everything else it’s been mostly seeing what fits where. “It’s a work in progress. I think the final vision is a year or so down the road,” said Danyluk.
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NEWS
City budget takes hit after RMR tax appeal The City of Revelstoke will be out about half a million in property tax revenue per year after Revelstoke Mountain Resort successfully appealed condo assessments By Aaron Orlando
The City of Revelstoke will lose over half a million per year in tax revenue per year on an ongoing basis after Revelstoke Mountain Resort (RMR) successfully appealed many of its tax classification assessments. In addition to the ongoing loss of over half a million in tax revenues each year, the city will have to pay back retroactive taxes it collected for the years 2016–2018, all of which were part of RMR’s successful appeal. That amount totals $1,548,944. The successful appeal was revealed in the City of Revelstoke’s 2018 Annual Report, which was tabled at Revelstoke City Council’s June 18 meeting. The appeal case revolved around the classification of condos inside the Sutton Place Hotel at the base of RMR. Many of the units in the existing buildings at the resort base are privately owned. The owners of the individual condos put them into a pool that allows the resort to rent the rooms out as hotel rooms. Prior to the appeal, these condos were classified as “class 6” commercial properties and were charged a higher rate of taxation. RMR appealed to the BC Assessment to have them reclassified as
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“class 1” residential properties, which pay a much lower rate. In B.C., BC Assessment is responsible for setting property assessments and setting annual assessed values for B.C. real estate. Local governments, such as the City of Revelstoke, are not directly involved in the assessment of properties. Although the City of Revelstoke will have to remit $1,548,944 back to BC Assessment, the city had established a special reserve fund to cover this eventuality. Each year for over at least five years, the city had put funds into the tax equalization fund that was established to provide a buffer if RMR’s appeals were successful. That reserve fund sat at $1,137,308 at the end of 2017. An additional amount was added in 2018, but with the subtraction of the $1,548,944, it sat at $31,002 in the 2018 report. BC Assessment’s Property Assessment Appeal Board released its decision on March 5, 2019. RMR’s taxation appeals were not only for condo units in the Sutton Place Hotel. The resort was also successful in appeals on undeveloped lands that it owns near the resort. Some of those assessments
included new split assessments to account for agricultural uses. City of Revelstoke Director of Finance Tania McCabe said that RMR has beekeepers operating on some of its properties and the resort argued that the large undeveloped lots should be classified as agricultural land, not residential, which would result in much lower assessment and taxes. The assessment appeal decisions show new split classification between residential and agricultural on some properties, and corresponding reductions in tax rates.
What does this mean for the Revelstoke taxpayer?
In 2018, the total amount of property taxes collected by the city was $11,538,000. The refund to RMR for that year was $564,072, or approximately 4.9% of the city’s property taxation revenue. Based solely on taxation revenue, the city would have to make up the approximately 4.9% in taxation revenue just to make it back to zero. However, property taxation revenues are not the only source of revenue for the city. The city’s revenue for 2018 was just under $21 million for 2018, including other sources of revenue such as fees and grants. McCabe said that the assessment determination is up to BC Assessment. “It is what it is. BC Assessment has to follow the legislation they’re required to follow,” McCabe said. “They are following
those rules and it’s correcting what was done incorrectly for a number of years.” She said she’s working through the setback by “belt tightening” in the city departments. “I’m not going to say it won’t be a challenge,” McCabe said, adding that the city will need to take “a really hard look at the budget.” She said a low snowfall year this past winter would provide a buffer since snow removal costs were low. McCabe said she’d communicated the news to city department directors and asked for budget savings. McCabe said the city also has other reserve funds in place to mitigate unexpected shocks to city revenues. She also noted that the new hotel at the base of RMR, which received development permit approval at the June 18 council meeting, will be operated as a hotel, not individually owned condos, so the city won’t have the same issue with the new hotel. Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s assessment appeals have been recognized as a risk to city tax revenue for years. As early as 2013, the resort has appealed its assessments, leading to reassessments on some of its properties, causing the city budgeting uncertainty after the city was forced to refund taxes well after the annual budget was completed. What’s changed this time is the BC Assessment determination appears to be permanent, although there will be some variability depending on the occupancy levels in individual condo units each year.
OUTDOORS NEWS BRIEFS
New lift-access mountain biking at Revelstoke Mountain Resort may mean more than just downhill laps. Photo: Ian Houghton
Laps on A-line? Laps on alpine! By Bryce Borlick Every mountain biker loves a good bike park. Here’s the math that proves it: 229,641 Newton-meters of total rider airtime over the last ten light years, divided by 352 terabytes of high fives, plus over a metric plethora of vomitinducing helmet cam footage. How can anyone argue with numbers like these? But what if, somewhere in all that, we forgot to carry the one? What if there is more to bike park riding than yo-yo laps? What if we used the lifts to access the alpine, and to pedal out to distant ridges, peaks, and meadows? The answer is yes, and it’s coming to a resort near you. There was a time when we enthusiastically welcomed any type of mechanism that would deliver us from the masochistic evil of having to pedal
an unpedalable 50 pound behemoth uphill in a glorified storm trooper costume. But the Whistler Bike Park in particular was a godsend, giving us the chance to ride downhill all day and build skills lap by lap. And we lapped it up like thirsty mongrels. I probably could‘ve broken a chain and not noticed for three years. But nowadays, like flipping through old party pics from university, I can smile knowing that’s firmly in the past. Luckily bikes have become much less evil and much more capable over the years and riders, chains now repaired, are all about turning the cranks. As the lifeblood of riders has trickled back towards pedal-oriented networks and newly minted singletrack ascents, the shuttle mountains and bike parks have lost a bit of swagger and turned an anaemic shade of blue on the heat maps. Earning your turns is definitely back, like a homecoming with every king and queen sporting a fanny pack, a water bottle, and a splash of turquoise. But why so black and white? Is there really no way to combine the best of the two worlds, like Chinese food and chocolate? After all, it’s been 15 years since the Collective filmmakers used floatplanes to splash into some type two Chilcotin backcountry fun. Similarly, European riders who openly coveted B.C.’s sculpted bike parks also quietly hoarded a treasure trove of rugged high alpine singletrack traverses and refugios, all accessed by gondola. This is how we ought to be rolling. The machines and contraptions that haul us up these mountains shouldn’t been seen as mere replacements for pedaling, they should be seen as enablers that augment
our pedaling and proper us further and higher. Instead of reaching the top station and looking toward distant peaks wistfully before heading back down, we could be starting our adventures up high and plotting our way out to those peaks. Perhaps I’m a dreamer and an optimist but if you’ve ever ski toured out the south side of Revelstoke Mountain Resort and surveyed the outlying terrain you may understand why I think the opening of the Kill the Banker gondola to bikes is a tremendous boon for mountain biking in Revelstoke. An after work spin out to Montana bowl? Why yes, that would be very acceptable. Or how about a big day, riding around the
back and down the front of Mount Cartier? And let’s not forget the nearby Sunnyside network, with trails eventually winding to valley bottom some 1,700 metres below. The potential is yuuuge. The fun of imagining what could be is almost better than the excitement of knowing what actually will be. But given Revelstoke’s track record for going big and sticking the landings, we should feel good about this one. And until our dreams become reality … who’s up for some laps in the bike park?
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STYLE
1 Market style The Revelstoke Farmers Market on Saturday mornings is Revelstoke’s place to catch up with the community. It’s also the place to break out your summer seasonal look. We stopped by a June market to catch up with the locals and get their opinions on Revy’s summertime styles and find out about the philosophies that guide their clothing decisions. Photos by Aaron Orlando
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5 6 1. Charlotte: What is the story behind a piece you are wearing in the photo? I bought this great straw hat from a Revy Sell post, which is a main source of most of my clothing “purchases.” Second hand for the win! Does Revelstoke have a unique summer look? Generally low-maintenance and casual. Also, it usually involves at least one article of technical outdoor apparel ... ha ha. 2. Dana and Petr: What is the story behind a piece you are wearing in the photo? Dana: The shirt has already made three people happy. I reusing it after my sister, who got it from a friend of hers. The shorts are from Whistler’s Reuse Centre, so the number of happy people is unknown! Do you have a philosophy that guides your style decisions? I like buying used clothes and things because it is more environmentally friendly and it also saves money. I take the clothing as a necessity though, the pressure of fashion companies to be trendy is unfortunate. 3. Jean-Marc: I own 1,000 vintage shirts and this is one of my faves as it’s colourful and light for summer. The hat is handmade from Mexico vacation. The pants are high tech nano material from the future. The shoes are Canadian Native brand. The Revelstoke look should never be hipster! Upcycle, recycle, locally made like my underwear from www. backyardboro.eco 4. Jamie: What is the story behind a piece you are wearing in the photo? Both the dress and top are redesigned from textile discards. I’m test wearing both
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7 pieces before I make a whole bunch. Do you have a philosophy that guides your style decisions? I love the permacouture philosophy. Relating slowfashion to the slowfood movement, it helps me seek sustainable style. 5. Kaitlan: What is a favourite piece you are wearing, and why? Since I am on my bicycle, I will include that as an accessory to my outfit. The cardboard box I have classily tied to my bike is my favourite. In your opinion, what is unique about the Revelstoke summer look? Revelstoke’s fashion sense is great physique and an Arc’teryx jacket. Lots of room for improvement in the style department. 6. Joel, Treanna and Ryland: What is the story behind a piece you are wearing in the photo? Our son’s safety goggles were just given to him by his Nana and he has insisted on wearing them everywhere! Tell us about your look. Summer, fun, party! 7. Karel and Hana: What is the story behind a piece you are wearing in the photo? Karel simply likes eggs so he is wearing a rooster covered T-shirt, and daisy is my favourite flower. Plus the dress is super breezy and will always fit me. Do you have a philosophy that guides your style decisions? We see no sense in buying new when there is so much being thrown away. Also, why buy overpriced clothes of poor quality when you can buy something that lasts, for one-tenth of the price? 17
Revy downtown summer patio guide THE INSIDE SCOOP FOR LOCALS AND VISITORS ALIKE Revelstoke is known as a year-round haven for lovers of the outdoors. But what do the locals do when they’re not hiking, mountain biking or climbing? Not likely to be indoors, you can find many of them still soaking up the sunshine but in the more relaxed setting of patios. Revelstoke has a surprising number of patios for its size, with each of them offering something a bit different. So if you’re new to the area or just passing through, we’ve got you covered with this guide to Revelstoke’s most popular downtown patios to kick back and enjoy a cold beer, iced coffee or a bite while still taking advantage of this great summer weather. Words and photos by Cara Smith
For your caffeine and pastry fix...
La Baguette
A bustling spot on the main drag, La Baguette boasts a large, fenced-in seating area and serves up breakfast, lunch and dinner options, including fresh baked goods, sandwiches, pasta and woodfired pizza. Capacity: 70 Hours: Monday–Sunday, 6:30 a.m.–7 p.m.
Dose
The Modern Bakeshop & Cafe
This cozy cafe is a hot spot for both those looking for a quick caffeine fix or a sit-down lunch. Grab one of their many vegetarian breakfast or lunch options, a flat white and enjoy the sidewalk seating in the sunshine. Capacity: 8-10 Hours: Monday - Sunday, 7 a.m.–3 p.m.
The perfect spot for a quick bite, The Modern serves up breakfast and lunch with a number of gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and nondairy options and a wide variety of baked goods made in-house. Capacity: 25 Hours: Monday - Saturday, 6:30 a.m. –5 p.m.
Big Bend Cafe
Another all-day breakfast find, this cafe is also open for lunch and dinner and specializes in eggs benny, Huevos Rancheros and specialty burritos. The Revelstoke location is the second for this cafe, with the first nearby in Golden. Capacity: 20 Hours: Monday–Sunday, 7:30 a.m. –2:30 p.m. & 4 p.m. –10 p.m.
Main Street Cafe
A popular downtown spot, Main Street Cafe’s patio is often filled to the brim with patrons hungry for lunch and all-day breakfast. Featuring dishes like the West Coast Eggs Benny and a breakfast skillet made with smoked meat and cheese curds, the cafe’s offerings are made completely from scratch. Capacity: 32 Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 8 a.m.–3 p.m.
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For an evening bite...
To top the night off...
The Village Idiot The Taco Club
This Mexican eatery has you covered for Taco Tuesdays, specialty margaritas and an extensive tequila menu for any day of the week. Having started out as a food truck, The Taco Club is no stranger to serving up tasty eats in the great outdoors. Capacity: 24 Hours: Monday–Sunday, 11 a.m. –10 p.m.
A popular spot for both après ski in the winter and drinks and dinner during warmer months, The Village Idiot’s patio is one of its most attractive qualities. Brightly coloured with options for shade or sunshine, the pub’s outdoor seating is a great spot to enjoy their pizza and grill fare. Capacity: 50 Hours: Monday–Sunday, 11 a.m. – late
Craft Bierhaus
This bar/restaurant hybrid has both front and back patios wellsuited for socialization and a cold draft on a hot day. Their menu options range from salads and shareables to both meat and veggie option mains and five kinds of mac & cheese. Capacity: 50 + 37 Hours: Monday–Thursday 3 p.m. –2 a.m. & Friday–Sunday, 11:30 a.m. –2 a.m.
Chubby Funsters Kitchen & Cocktails
Another spot with a double patio, this family-friendly restaurant serves up elevated Canadian classics and an extensive selection of funky, creative cocktails. Be sure to befriend their patio mascot: a chubby cat figurine. Capacity: 80 Hours: Monday–Sunday, 11:30 a.m. –midnight
The Last Drop
This pub has truly gone all out with the largest patio in town featuring outdoor pool tables and activities like frolf (Frisbee golf for those not in the know) and mini golf. The Last Drop serves up typical pub fare, daily drink specials and regularly hosts live entertainment. Capacity: 50-60
Rivercity Pub & Patio
This pub serves as the hotel bar for The Regent Hotel but has become a classic spot for locals as well. Rivercity Pub serves customers on both a front and back patio and with daily specials and an everyday happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Capacity: 44 Hours: Sunday–Wednesday 11 a.m. –1 a.m. & Thursday–Saturday 11 a.m. –2 a.m.
Nico’s Pizzeria
A classic pizza joint, Nico’s also offers fresh pastas, classic Quebecstyle poutines and east-coast style donairs. Their cozy sidewalk patio gives visitors the option to enjoy Italian and Canadian fare in the shade or sunshine. Capacity: 16 Hours: Monday–Thursday, 3 p.m.–11 p.m.; Friday Saturday 11:30 a.m. –midnight; Sunday, 11 a.m. –11 p.m.
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REVY LIFE
Revy roommate woes
From the gross to the awkward, we hear from residents who’ve had less than ideal roommate experiences and find out how to deal with them By Cara Smith
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either setting clear expectations for n a city like Revelstoke, where the living situation in the beginning or accommodation demand vastly communicating effectively when there is exceeds supply, finding a decent spot to a problem. live can sometimes feel like a compet“We think to ourselves, ‘How could itive sport. You scour Facebook rental you not know?’ But often people actugroups - a flurry of activity even during ally don’t so we have to be able to take shoulder season - send out feelers to a courageous and vulnerable step of your network, and desperately hope for somewhere half decent and affordable. With a market this competitive, the people we live with can almost seem like a secondary concern. But more people living together can mean less than ideal living situations. Talia Camozzi is a registered clinical counsellor in Revelstoke. She has seen a number of clients dealing with conflict in roommate relationships and believes it’s a common issue in the area. “I see people who are struggling with their roommates and struggling to feel comfortable in their house and feel like it’s their home,” she says. “If you don’t feel comfortable, how do you ever rest and relax at the end of the day? “I think it is quite unaffordable for people to live alone and I think that’s amplified in Revelstoke… They can’t afford not to live together. It’s the financially responsible thing to do. We do have one of the highest costs of living in the province so you just naturally see more of that here.” Jordan Beltran photo Revelstoke resident Vicky Roy experienced communication and say how it actually an instance of differing expectations impacted us,” she says. with a roommate when she came home “If we let things slide, maybe they looking forward to a high-quality cut of took your Miss Vickie’s salt and vinegar meat after a long day at work. chips and that wasn’t a big deal, but then “I once had a roommate eat my $25 they did something else. Suddenly your T-bone steak while I was at work. I roommate thinks this is all okay but remember coming home to him with it was never okay. You have to address his bong between his legs, watching TV expectations around sharing and not and eating my $25 T-bone,” she says. “It sharing food.” was a hell of a surprise after eight hours The kitchen seems to be a common of dreaming of my dinner. When I came centre of roommate woes, with the home not too impressed, he was like, possibility of unwashed dishes, dried ‘Don’t go crazy. It’s only a steak.’” and mouldy food bits, and fridge space Camozzi says she’s seen situations like arguments. Revelstoke resident Christin these with her clients before and that Plaice experienced an especially extreme living well with roommates requires 22
version of this. “My worst housemate story is from five years ago living on Catherwood Road. I lived with a friend and six dudes. Two of the guys refused to do dishes so would pile them across the kitchen,” she says. “When they ran out, they wouldn’t
wash them. Instead, they would go to the thrift store and buy a whole new set and throw the dirty ones in the trash.” This is a familiar story for Camozzi, who says one of the most common roommate issues is people having different comfort levels with different levels of cleanliness. Sometimes our roommate horror stories aren’t about what a roommate does, but rather who they are, as another Revelstoke resident, Matt Williams (name changed to remain anonymous), found out. “I met this girl on Tinder and we hung out for a bit and we got to know each
other pretty well and she went away travelling for quite a while. She left on good terms. When she got back into town, I had a bunch of fish so I invited her over for fish tacos. I invited a bunch of my friends too. She gave me this really sassy answer like, ‘I have a boyfriend now. I know what you’re trying to do.’ It was really weird and it ended our friendship.” “We had a new roommate that moved in downstairs but no one really knew him because he kept to himself quite a bit. One night he was down there and I went down to invite him upstairs for fish tacos and his new girlfriend, that same girl was in the basement there with him.” Of course, not everyone is going to have stories like these, but as shared living situations become more and more commonplace in Revelstoke, many may be wondering how to keep the peace with roommates. Camozzi says we should give our roommates the benefit of the doubt and not assume they’re just being assholes. “If you just assume that they meant well or at least that they didn’t mean bad, then it can really change how you approach the conversation,” she says. “Most people are good people and most of us make mistakes.” “I think you want to make it a simple conversation and it doesn’t have to be a big thing. But it’s important to address it before it gets out of control and it’s a set pattern.” Camozzi recommends having these conversations in person rather than over text message and to be aware that the conversation could bring up some shame about causing you harm for the other person. “Feeling connected and together on something is an important way to get through conflict and makes it a lot smoother on both sides and a little less like an attack.”
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HOME STYLE
FASHIONABLY FUNCTIONAL: This new Revelstoke home accommodates family-first values Words by Louise Stanway Photos by Laura Szanto
When snow-capped mountains, glassy lakes, and a welcoming community lured Kate and Kirk McCarroll to Revelstoke three years ago, the couple had no intention of building their own home. “We were initially hoping for an easy, move-in ready place,” said Kate McCarroll, as she reminisced on the early stages of the project. However, their quick perusal of the housing market confirmed that they weren’t the only ones seduced by the town’s charm. And so, for the two medical professionals, it was time to return to the drawing board — literally.
The couple hired Absolute Contracting to plan, design, and build their 4,490-square-foot family home. Kate admits that she took the reigns when it came to working with the designers on the structure and aesthetics. “We wanted the design of the house to be functional; it needed to be low maintenance and easy to live in,” she explained. With two young children – Max, 7, and Elliot, 5 – Kate wished to generate spaces that promoted creative flow and allowed the boys to roam freely.
After some careful calculations and a rerouted search, Kirk and Kate made the decision to step away from move-in ready properties and, instead, invest in something that more closely aligned with their lifestyle and home expectations. With timing and determination on their side, they purchased a beautiful vacant lot nestled in Cashato Crescent, Arrow Heights.
Working closely with Technical Architectural Designer, Kelvin Skoretz of Two73° Research. Design. Build., the Absolute team were able to deliver a finished product that is both modern and smart in its design, but simultaneously boasts rustic, homely values at its core. Skoretz said that one of his favourite features of the house is the shed roof, which has allowed for the maximisation of recreational space. The single-sloped roof has also enabled the creation of a loft space continues on page 29
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Revelstoke’s newest residence on the Cashato Bench is a custom-designed home featuring the latest in energy efficient design.
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HOME STYLE
The upstairs rooms feature custom play zones for the McCarroll kids.
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HOME STYLE
www.lortapkitchenandbath.com
Thank you to the McCarroll family for the trust that was given to Lortap Kitchen & Bath to provide the Millwork at your beautiful home. We appreciate your business and wish you happiness and harmony in your home.
250.837.6336 | 96 Cartier Street, Revelstoke
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Clockwise from left: A contemporary open kitchen adjoined to the living spaces allows for communal continuity. The efficient fireplace takes up the traditional TV spot, putting the focus on family interaction over media consumption. Kirk, Kate and kids in the living room.
attached to the kids’ shared bedroom, providing them with a personalised den-like retreat away from the rest of the house. There are no creaks or squeaks as you navigate the insulated concrete flooring that paves the way between rooms in the house. In the entranceway to one of the bedrooms, Kirk and Kate decided to insert a customised concrete tile with imprinted handprints of their two kids. It is one of the character-shaping hidden gems of the house that puts family sentiment above pristine aesthetics. Dissimilar to the deliberate hideaways of upstairs kid-zones, space is certainly not an issue on the ground floor of the house. Walking into the central living space is like biting into the centre of creamfilled donut — it’s the main event. From house plants, unique artwork, to boutique chairs — their interior designer, Heidi Hopkins of Hopkins Interior Design, has made sure that visual treats fill every corner of the house. Energy efficient Innotech Windows ensure that none of Hopkins’ intricate embellishments go unnoticed in this illuminated space. The windows were installed to seal out unwanted water, air, and sound, while simultaneously allowing natural daylight to pour through and light the room. Not just for show, the window placement is a Passive strategy employed here by Skoretz, to enable their thermal properties to reduce energy costs and emissions. It is simply a bonus that the idyllic mountainous skylines of Revelstoke – such as the Mount Cartier peak — fill their frames. A traditional log burner stove with accompanying wood sits in the centre of the main living area. Its uncanny resemblance to a television set (chrome, rectangular shape and central placement) reaffirms the McCarrolls’ family-centred agenda. It encourages conversation over media consumption.
Kirk and Kate were initially worried about counter and cabinet space in the kitchen, knowing that their growing family would require plenty of storage. Their worries turned out to be unfounded, as the cabinets installed by Lortap are functional right up to the high ceilings of the room. Meanwhile, the central counter has plenty of hidden cubbies to keep the countertop clutter-free and sparkling. The adjacent dining room area is equipped with a built-in sink and tap, glass cabinets, and all the necessary cocktail mixing accessories. The room is personalised with framed photos of their kids and overlooks their rustic (yet unfinished) backyard. Moving forward, the next step for the McCarrolls will be to work alongside Kelvin Skoretz to complete the outside landscaping this summer. The couple are over the moon with their new property and are looking forward to fully settling into the finished product. This will, of course, come as disappointing news for the two young boys, as they’ve been making use of playing in the dirt outside just as much as their indoor play zones!
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NEWS
Exploring women’s healthcare in Revelstoke We’ve come a long way, so why are we still afraid to talk openly about abortion? By Melissa Jameson It’s rare the stories I’m tasked with contain controversial subjects. The truth is, however, if we’re going to have a conversation about women’s healthcare, then we need to talk about abortion. Because, despite abortion’s legal status Canada, it remains an emotionally charged topic with people firmly camped in one of two beliefs: either you are pro-choice or you are not. The idea behind this story began innocuously enough: a conversation about recent changes to abortion laws in the U.S. leads to a request that I explore how well Revelstoke is doing when it comes to women’s healthcare. In truth, Revelstoke’s care providers seem actively engaged in ensuring a wide-range of women’s healthcare services, including both medical-model and alternative care options. Dr. Cam MacLeod, Selkirk Medical Group’s managing associate, tells the Mountaineer Revelstoke’s physicians consider women’s health an integral part of their practice. Certainly there are gaps, many of which are likely correlated to the fact that, from a medical-care perspective, Revelstoke is a smaller centre. “As primary care physicians we all have experience with a large range of women’s health issues and would feel very comfortable discussing these topics with our patients in a safe and confidential environment,” said MacLeod. “When confronted with a problem outside of our scope of practice, we would all feel equally obliged to refer and co-ordinate care with colleagues and/or specialists and act as advocates on behalf of our patients.” Vernon-based obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Nick Half has recently begun travelling to Revelstoke on a regular basis, providing outpatient specialist consultation and surgical services in addition to providing continuing education to local physicians. “It will be great for Revelstoke women to have the option of specialist care in Revelstoke. With that said, where planned surgeries require resources above and beyond what can safely be provided at our small hospital, patients will at times be required to travel to Vernon,” MacLeod said.
Over the past year, Revelstoke care providers have begun to focus on available maternity options, working towards optimizing accessibility, communication and follow-up care. Katherine Brown, Revelstoke Health Services Development Project Manager, said locally there are eight physicians providing maternity services in two groups of four. “[It’s] a care model that helps to ensure patients are able to develop a relationship with the physician who will ultimately be present for their delivery,” said Brown.
Safety concerns, misinformation and myths continue to create barriers around the topic of abortion When it comes to women’s health, pregnancy is a safe and socially acceptable subject matter to speak about. So too are carefully worded discussions about mammograms and contraceptives, and maybe a paragraph or two talking about menstruation or menopause. From a comprehensive perspective, however, abortion is a part of women’s healthcare. So why am I met with resistance when I ask local care providers to speak about available abortion services? Cheryl Davies, chief operating officer of BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre tells me that in spite of the many years of advancement in this area of women’s health there are still stigmas, misinformation and myths that continue to exist around the topic of abortion. She shares that the concerns care providers in smaller centres have when it comes to speaking publicly about abortion are extremely valid. “The reality is there are often anti-choice people who are trying to get at information, and so often care providers are very cautious about people approaching them for information because they’re not sure what their intentions are,” said Davies. At present, both medical and surgical abortions remain legal in Canada. In July 2018, the BC Ministry of Health
announced it would provide universal, nocost coverage for Mifegymiso, more commonly known as the abortion pill. Pharmacists are able to dispense Mifegymiso to patients with a valid prescription, which can be obtained by visiting a physician or nurse practitioner. Davies said women’s increased accessibility to the abortion pill, which can be used to terminate pregnancies up to nine weeks from the start of the last menstrual period, means it’s less likely for women or girls to rely on surgical services, which are typically delivered in a hospital or clinic setting. From a statistical point of view, Davies said more than 90 per cent of abortions performed within the province are done early on, with few complications. Late-term abortions are typically only done for more serious reasons, with women needing to access specialist services. Currently, there is legislation in place providing protection not only for care providers, but also women, by preventing acts such as taking photographs or harassing people around places where abortion services are provided. However, Davies said while the legislation has been helpful in reducing violent-related acts against abortion services, there is still a stigma and concern over psychological harassment and social ostracism that can occur, particularly for medical practitioners in smaller communities. “The objective risk of physical harm and safety is low, but it’s still important to respect providers who prefer to be low key and not identified,” said Davies “There are other providers who like to take on the
role of advocacy on behalf of the provider community.” It’s understandable then, that I am only able to elicit a brief and careful response from a local care provider after offering anonymity. The local practitioner I’m able to connect with shares that Revelstoke care providers have a strong belief in supporting their patients around what is an emotionally charged issue. “All of our doctors will ensure that women have access to the information they need to make informed decisions around pregnancy termination, will ensure that they understand the various topics available at the different stages of pregnancy, and will facilitate the connections with the required services and follow-up,” the care provider wrote in an email to the Mountaineer. “We’d encourage all women confronting issues around abortion to seek the assistance of a family physician. If their own family physician is not available, any of our doctors would also be happy to see them through our walk-in clinic.” Locally, women can also seek out information from the Options for Sexual Health (OPT) weekly drop-in clinic. OPT’s website, optionsforsexualhealth.org, also provides information and resources about abortion and other women’s health topics. In addition, The Pregnancy Options Line: 1-888-875-3136 provides information, resources and referral for all abortion services, including counselling. The Sex Sense Line: 1-800-739-7367 is a service offering general sexual and reproductive health information, as well as referral resources.
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COMMUNITY
Can Revelstoke find solutions to its affordability problem? By Melissa Jameson
The ever increasing need to address Revelstoke’s affordability challenges isn’t new. What hasn’t happened, until now, is a collaboration of people meeting to discuss ways to reduce the impacts that numerous issues surrounding affordability issues are having on everyone in the community. For the better part of two days, a cross-section of Revelstoke residents met to do just that. Hosted by Collective Impact Revelstoke, Vibrant Revelstoke — Affordability For All saw 100 individuals gathered together in the Community Centre on June 4 and 5 to collectively address the significant impacts over our community’s increasing rate of affordability, and what we can do to address that. The outcomes of the event led to discussions on how improvements in the following areas can help reduce the impacts of affordability in Revelstoke including: transportation, food resources, shelter/housing, and creating neighbourhood hubs that help connect people. While next steps haven’t been set out just yet, attendees were invited to sign up for future working groups and a report on the event is expected sometime soon. You can view an outline of the Collective Impact presentations from June 4 and 5 here. As a journalist, I usually recuse myself from taking part in the story. My job is to report facts and to remove my biases, because that is what is expected. So I might tell you here, that the Collective Impact group in Revelstoke is a member of the Tamarack Institute’s Vibrant Communities Initiative, and that the institute has been invited by the organizers’ to help guide the process of change in Revelstoke. I can tell you that City of Revelstoke Director of Community Economic Development Ingrid Bron shared statistics showing that single individuals and lone-parent families make up the bulk of low income households
in our community. I can share bits about the insightful presentation Revelstoke Museum Curator Cathy English made on our community’s history of success, including her acknowledgement that, despite years of denial from all levels of government, that the traditional
how rising costs and affordability issues are increasingly impacting all residents. “It is becoming ever more challenging to house and recruit our labour force. Anyone on a fixed income is having trouble making ends meet. It is challenging for young people to get ahead. We know that when affordability challenges exist, the entire community is impacted,” reads the invitation. I arrive at the event to find I’ve been assigned to a table, as has everyone else. The event is comprised of a series of “round table talks” — discussions in a small group. From there, one representative from each group heads into the “fish bowl” (a circle of chairs set up in the middle of the room), to bring
Attendees at the early June Collective Impact gathering. Photo: contributed territories of First Nations Peoples in the area did include parts of what is now Revelstoke. I can tell you Kerri Wall, Healthy Communities Facilitator with Interior Health, facilitated the Collective Impact Event, and that perhaps the most profound words she spoke were asking us to actually listen to one another, and not just take turns speaking. I could do all that, but the truth is I am part of the story, and so instead I’ll share the experiences and insights I had during the event: It’s sometime in May the invitation appears in the inbox of my personal email account. The attached letter is sent by the events invitees: Community Connections Executive Director Sheena Bell, Community Futures Revelstoke General Manager Kevin Dorrius, Revelstoke Mayor Gary Sulz, and Living Experience Volunteer Michelle Cole. The invitation letter speaks to Revelstoke’s history as a community whose collaborations have led to an incredible array of programs, services and facilities. It speaks also to our present as a community ripe with opportunity, but also
forward thoughts from each table for a broader discussion. Early on we’re divided into groups of three. Each of us sitting with two other people not part of our assigned tables. I’m sitting with a man and a woman. The man I have never seen or spoken to before. The woman I know, but only on a professional level. We both know of each other, but not about each other. The rules of the exercise are incredibly simple: One person talks, one person asks the questions, and one person is there only to listen. The person speaking is there to answer the following questions: Who am I? Why am I here today? The person asking questions is instructed to ask only one thing: tell me more. I’ve been pondering the answers to the questions presented since receiving my email invitation nearly a month prior to the event. The invitation is sent to my personal email. The invitation states I have been invited because, “We feel your passion, strengths and experience would be a valuable addition to the process.” I have spent weeks mulling over that statement. Am I being asked for my ex-
perience as a journalist? For the insights I have after spending multiple years as a front-line worker, assisting others experiencing the varying levels of poverty in our community? Or have I been invited as someone who now lives, daily, the reality of poverty in a community where the cost of even basic necessities can seem like expensive luxuries? I speak first in my small group. I hesitate for a moment, but then decide it’s the latter I’ll speak about: I’m Melissa, a single mother who is chronically ill, disabled and poor. I survive on a fixed income that is well below Revelstoke’s current living wage. Although I really shouldn’t work at all, I continue to write because my doctors have agreed it provides me with a sense of purpose. As anyone who is chronically ill and lives in poverty will tell you, there is a fear in speaking our reality. More often than not sharing our truth results in responses of judgement, demands to share how each dollar is spent, to prove we are not living beyond our already meagre means, to prove we are really sick, and well-meaning but misplaced suggestions of ‘Have you tried? (I have, thanks). None of the above happens, though. For the five minutes I speak the woman simply states “tell me more” whenever I pause. The man listens. I want to cry. It’s the first time I’ve spoken about my reality without feeling as though I need to defend it. My story isn’t unique. I’m not special. Throughout the Collective Impact Event there are other stories of people struggling to afford the ever rising cost of living in Revelstoke. They vary from those like myself who live on fixed income to the working poor to stories about the impacts affordability has on local businesses and the broader community. Choosing to share stories of poverty is an extremely personal decision, though. People don’t share their stories of struggling to afford basic necessities like food or shelter, because they’re so often misconstrued as seeking handouts and pity. In truth, what needs to happen are more collaborative events like Collective Impact, where people with individual experiences can connect with one another and begin working towards solutions. I know I’m looking forward to seeing how Revelstoke can continue to collaborate and create actionable items that address all levels of affordability and connection within our community.
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FICTION
H
e told me he wanted to marry me in an old town by the sea. It wasn’t a grand gesture. It was more of a declaration, and it suited him. As he did it, I had memories flashing before my eyes – memories of lost times, of good times, and of how we got here. I could see the men I had dated before him, I could see mistakes, and I could see wrong turns that eventually had led to some right ones. I could see old friends lost and new friends found. I could visualize the road we had walked and danced upon together. The final stretch of it was dusty, warm, sunny; sprinkled with voices calling in a foreign language, scented with grass and flowers baking in the sun. There had been stretches like this one before. The summers in British Columbia’s Interior get hot and dry and smoky. They were busy seasons for all my fire fighting and tree planting friends. The mountains would be riddled with climbers and hikers. The wildlife and the flora would be booming. One could spot bears and cougars and wild salmon. Every little bar and café would have an outdoor seating area which would be filled to the brim all day and especially all night. My first of these summers, I hated. It was so far from what I was used to and what I knew. I couldn’t handle the heat, I didn’t know how to dress. I was living far outside town and didn’t have a car. I had romanticized the idea of living like that, and at times it truly was as great as I had imagined. Challenging hikes and rewarding views, bike rides along the river, horseback riding through the forests. Long summer sunsets with nothing but the sound of grasshoppers and howling wolves. Warm, early mornings with coffee on the steps, scaring away the deer as I opened my front door. Barbeque evenings and beer-fuelled nights. The roaring fireplace as autumn grew nearer. The excitement of the first snowfall, gazing out the window as it blanketed my raspberry bushes. But for most of the time, I wished for something else. I longed for other places and arrangements. I wanted to be elsewhere. The house itself I loved, and it became my refuge. When the forest fires covered the whole valley in smoke, when the temperatures soared to over 40 degrees Celsius and the loneliness overtook me, I withdrew to this shelter of mine, and behind these crooked, wind affected walls I found solace and comfort, if only for a moment. In my solitude out by the Blaeberry River I gained a life experience or two. This was the summer when I met him, and I’ve always found it fascinating to look back at moments like that. Those life-defining moments that you don’t know are happening when they are, and how large an impact they will have on your future. We both moved from that tiny town to the next one over, where we were friends for a long time before anything else happened. The friendship was given time to grow and to prosper, which allowed our love to do the same. Before him, there had been someone else. Where the summer had been fiery and intense with fleeting moments of happiness, the winter before was quite the opposite. It was the first time I could pursue my dream without interruption, and the mountains kept calling me back. It changed me forever. It was one of those periods one never wants to come to a close, when the days all blend and blur, where the happiness is so complete one starts to feel settled – the daily rhythm feels safe yet still exciting, nothing needs to change and one is content. He was French and I was as Norwegian as they come and we found something unexpected in each other. We would laugh about how we both came to Canada only to find another European. We knew it could never be; the two of us would never work in real life. But in that moment, in the midst of those snow-covered mountain tops, while sliding down runs and chutes, while clicking in and out of our bindings, day after day, it could be us. Ours was a kind of love that gained strength from pure joy and from having fun together.
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Later I learned that this is the kind of love that I want. It does not ignite an immediate spark, it doesn’t burst into fireworks and impressive words, only to dwindle and asphyxiate once the spark has died. It slowly grows over time, from laughter and late night drinks, from shared passions and the pursuit of dreams, from mutual respect, admiration and deep friendship. I did not realise this until it happened again, the next winter, only this time with a Canadian. “Jordan calls me McConaughey,” he laughed one morning as we were making our usual commute to the ski hill. It had been snowing the night before. The drive to the hill was as familiar as his car, as his voice, as the streets. I had only been in the town for three months but it felt much longer. It felt like home and I was having the time of my life. “Why is that? Oh wait, I get it. Matthew McConaughey.” I started laughing too. “That’s a good one.” “I know, right,” he said smiling, while moving to the music. Nothing got us going like some hip-hop in the morning. “So I started calling him Michael. As in Michael Jordan. So now we’re Michael and McConaughey.” I could never resist his playfulness. It drew me in, and then his serious side kept me there. His ability to seamlessly slide from toying with me to partaking in deep discussions to casual chats about everyday matters was part of what enthused me. With all the different men that had starred in my life, from main characters to brief supporting actors, I could no longer tell if we were an unlikely match or not. There were certain parts of him that I could recognise in previous lovers, yet other parts that felt brand new, different, exciting. His spontaneous yet clever speech, his enthusiasm for his interests, his eagerness for life. It was the second winter in a row that I never wanted to end. That whole season I had felt a sense of belonging, a sense of community and companionship and shared life that I had not felt in years. When going there, to Revelstoke, I had opened myself up to opportunities and chances, and I had been greatly rewarded. As the end of the season came closer, it felt more and more like a physical entity that I could grab, that I was dragging around while it was weighing me down. The late nights at the bars, the early mornings on the chair lift, the dinners and the card games in between. It all felt like a dream I wasn’t ready to wake up from. I was heading home for the summer, and the insecurity of not knowing when or if I would be back was stressful. I told myself it would be ok, it might be different, and by closing one of life’s chapters another one begins. McConaughey was so excited about his upcoming summer, his job on the river and his mountain biking plans, and I shared his excitement as best I could. I engaged myself in the ideas of future explorations and adventures to come, but it was challenging. “I’m afraid of going home,” I confided to one of my closest friends. Sebastian was nine years older than me, with greying hair and wise eyes. He was a beautiful man, yet nothing more than friendship came of our time together. It was good. I felt inferior when I met him, in that peculiar way one feels secondary and subordinate to curiously beautiful people. That was long gone, and what replaced it was a cordial and generous affection between friends. “I worry about treading up well-walked pathways in worn out shoes. Of falling back into previous patterns and old habits.” I knew he understood, as we had had this conversation before, but from his perspective. His plans and desires would change every time we talked, and we were both concerned with what was to follow our time in Revelstoke. I left my heart there, in that small mountain town, surrounded by the Kootenay Rockies. Months later, I flew back to pick it up again. Standing on that dusty road, feeling the salty wind from the sea on my hair, the warm sun on my back, I could picture him lying on our sofa.
“I have a surprise for you,” he declared when he came over that night, before rolling up a joint with weed from his house. I could see him now, wrapped in my roommate Lucy’s blanket, smoking the joint and looking me in the eyes while explaining gravity to me. Such a mundane moment. I had played it countless times in my mind, and here it was again. I remembered how I felt. I visualised our basement suite with all the homemade furniture and I could hear the ceaseless footsteps from our upstairs neighbours. I reminisced over how our entrance was buried behind a massive pile of snow from the garage roof, and how we had to dig our windows out of the snow so we could get some daylight. I could almost feel the sweat dripping down my neck from chipping away at the ice to make steps down to our door. I could sense the frustration we felt over all the plumbing issues we had that winter, I could vividly picture the surprise party they threw for my birthday, and the nights of joy that never seemed to end. Just like the snow that wouldn’t stop falling. I remembered how blown away I was by his very de-
McConaughey & me By Vilja Arnsteinsdatter
tailed description of how gravity works, how the weed accentuated every feeling I had, and how sweet he was for even explaining it. As I had stepped out of his truck earlier that day, he had interrupted my talking because there was a car behind us and I had to get out so he could move. “Sorry but you need to shut up,” he grinned. “I promise you deep conversations tonight.” And he delivered as promised. This wasn’t the moment I knew I had fallen in love with him. It had happened before, but it certainly opened my eyes to it. I was dating someone else when it happened. A tall, skinny guy with curly hair and trucker hats. He had dark brown eyes which lit up when he smiled. We met just before Christmas that winter. He wore old university T-shirts and he was a snowboarder, not a skier. He had a beautiful singing voice, he was up for fun and adventures, and we shared a calm, collected demeanour. I thought it could be something good, but it was short lived. Partially because he was younger than me, and I
missed the security of an older man. Mainly because our conversations ran dry. But he was kind and I think about him still. The defining moment, even though I did not understand it when it occurred, was our Christmas Eve party. Lucy and I had invited all of our friends, we had cooked and decorated, and it ended up being one of the best nights of that season. I was homesick and missing Norwegian traditions, including how we all get dressed up more than they do in Canada. Canadians dress differently than us Europeans. They have a more relaxed way of going about things. Everything happens at a slower pace, and while in the beginning it would drive me crazy, Norwegian efficiency still in mind, I learned to embrace it and later came to adore it. Now I gladly participate in small talk with whomever is around, I find the easy going way of life endearing, and I appreciate how no one cares what you look like or how you dress. But this night I missed our ways of doing things back up north. It was my second Christmas abroad and I wanted a piece of home. And so I dressed up, skirt and jewellery and all, expecting
to be the only one who would. And then he showed up in a suit. That was it. He wasn’t wearing a suit when he proposed, nor was he wearing that purple jacket and those yellow ski pants I’d grown so accustomed to seeing him in during our first winter in the mountains. We had travelled to Europe together, to walk upon warm, soft beaches, to admire ancient architecture, to listen as our shoes resonated on the cobblestone; to be where the wine was flowing and the food was made with love. It wasn’t as smoky as our first summer, and it wasn’t as adventurous as our first winter. It was something else. “I want to marry you,” he said. I wondered if he had taken as long to gather the courage to speak those words as I had taken to say my own words. I had been scared of ruining our relationship; of bringing something into our world that didn’t belong there. How wrong I had been. It all felt like one long, good conversation with him. And how can you say no to more of that? Photo: Federico Beccari
33
FOOD & DRINK
Love meets brewing at Rumpus Beer Co. Revelstoke’s newest brews focus on creating a unique tasting experience. By Melissa Jameson
You could say love is at least partly responsible for the craft brew pouring from the taps of Revelstoke’s newly opened Rumpus Beer Co. Brewer/co-owner Fred Orndorff was working at Eldo Brewery in Colorado when he met his now wife and co-owner, Dana, who was on vacation from Canada. The couple kept up a long-distance relationship for a couple of years, with Dana living in Calgary where she worked in nursing. The two began discussing if Orndorff should move to Canada, and at some point they took a 10-day road road trip where one of the stops happened to be Revelstoke. For Orndorff, it felt like home and from that point moving to Revelstoke and opening a brewery became the dream. Orndorff did move to Canada, but he and Dana ended up in Canmore, not Revelstoke, where he got a job at Grizzly Paw Brewing. That allowed him to obtain his work permit and eventually his Canadian residency. It’s taken a few years, but the couple did eventually make it to Revelstoke where they began working towards opening their own brewery. However, even the process of opening their Revelstoke location took a bit of time. In an interview with the Mountaineer, Orndorff said they’d been “about to open” for the past two winters. It’s likely that build-up of anticipation is what led to a packed to capacity opening, with a line-up out the door when Rumpus finally opened in mid-June. “We opened at 2 p.m. and there were people in lawn chairs waiting for the doors to be unlocked,” Orndorff said. 34
“We were at capacity at 3 p.m. and it was stuck like that until midnight.” The interior of Rumpus Beer Co. is a cozy 28-seat capacity space, with stools lined up along the bar, and a small selection of tables and window seating. There aren’t any tours, but patrons can see the
large brewing tanks located behind the bar. It’s all part of creating a package experience, said Orndorff, with an atmosphere that’s fun and comfortable, but also happens to have great beers. “I get to meet people face-to-face who are drinking the beers and get feedback
and do something small.,” said Orndorff. “The place I was working in Colorado I didn’t realize that was not normal. There it was ‘Oh, it’s a brew day, what should I make today? This would be cool.’ It was a lot of experimentation versus being a shift brewer in a bigger brewery making
A sampling of organic wines By Heather Hood This month the Beaumont and Alive wines are both organic wines as well as made from Pinot Noir. It is amazing the range of flavours that can be found in wines to satisfy any palate.
Beaumont Pinot Noir, 2014 West Kelowna, B.C. $31.87 This Pinot Noir is from the 2014 vintage. It has flavours of dark cherry, tobacco, oak and a hint of caramel with medium tannins. This wine needs an opportunity to open up to appreciate its characteristics Pairs well with BBQ salmon or pasta with tomato sauce
Inside Revelstoke’s newest drinking establishment, Rumpus Beer Co., located in the 200 block of First Street East. Below left: Brewer/co-owner Fred Orndorff and co-owner Dana Orndorff. Photos: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine the same thing over and over.” Rumpus won’t have a set beer menu, although Orndorff said he’ll work in themes and there will always be some saisons, something sour and something hoppy on the menu. Even brews that are likely to maintain a regular presence won’t taste exactly the same each time, as Orndorff likes to experiment a bit with each new batch. Space Nugs, a pale ale, is a good example of that. “Space Nugs is one that I’ve made on my little home system in the backyard 12 different ways. So anyone that’s been to a backyard barbecue or birthday party at our house over the last two years has tried some version of that. I had five different people by opening day say, ‘Well, you’re not going to get rid of Space Nugs, are you? You’ve gotta keep that.’ At least for the summer we’ll have it, maybe always
we’ll see.” The spelt used in Space Nugs comes from Fieldstone Granary in Armstrong, and Orndorff has plans to source more local ingredients. He’s even begun experimenting with collecting local yeast culture to use in the fermentation. He’s had success at a smaller scale, so he knows it’s doable. Typically breweries purchase yeasts that are grown in a lab environment, but Orndorff said there’s a resurgence of old-school Belgian techniques using spontaneous fermentation. That process creates a yeast that is environment-specific and cannot be reproduced anywhere else. Along with exploring the creation of yeast cultures, Orndorff said he’d also like to create a fresh hops beer using locally grown, backyard hops. Rumpus Beer Co. is located at 208 First Street East.
Alive - Summerhill Rosé, 2018 Kelowna, B.C. $21.22 A fun rosé made from Pinot Noir. It is full of characteristics of red cherry, strawberry and a nice minerality. The tannins are subtle, rounding out this lovely wine. Pairs well with roasted vegetables, fruity desserts or can be enjoyed on its own
Rollingdale Riesling, 2018 Kelowna, B.C. $24.22 Sometimes there is such thing as a perfect wine. A fantastic Riesling that is bursting with notes of lime, green apple and floral with hints of honey and ripe nectarine. This wine is sweet with perfectly balanced acidity, which leaves a lovely lingering finish. Pairs well with spicy food, cheese platters or a casual Thursday
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36
HEALTH
In defense of stomach acid …and why you might not have enough There are many logical fallacies in the health and wellness world, many the result of seeing the body as a machine made of independent parts, rather than complex, interdependent, and communicative. We see cooking fat clog a kitchen sink and assume that our arteries must become clogged by saturated fat. When we get heartburn, we assume we must have too much stomach acid – after all, it’s burning, and acid is corrosive, right? Acid-suppressing drugs are a multibillion-dollar-a-year industry vested in convincing you the cause of your digestive woes comes from your hyper-acidic stomach and can be addressed with that Pepto pink solution. Clever marketing combined with trending alkaline diets may lead you to the assumption that acid is the opposite of healthy and we can live well without it. Au contraire, your stomach acid is the prized conductor of a most important bodily symphony: digestion.
What’s up?
Antacids may quell the symptom short term – but this doesn’t mean excess stomach acid is the issue. Most of the time, heartburn is caused by too little acid struggling to churn, which can shoot back up through the esophagus causing irritation and inflammation. Low stomach acid also sets off a chain of events which leads to lower esophageal sphincter malfunction (which allows churning acid to shoot up). Low stomach acid leads to bacterial overgrowth in the stomach and intestines, which sets the stage for maldigested carbohydrates. The resulting gas increases intrabdominal pressure, causing the lower esophageal sphincter to malfunction.
Breakin’ it down to build you up
Stomach acid (HCL) plays a key role in the digestion of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals. When food is eaten, the production of stomach acid triggers pepsin, an enzyme that breaks down protein. Without this, proteins don’t get broken down into individual amino acids and peptides. Since amino acids are the precursors to neurotransmitters, this can lead to anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Intact proteins are more likely to become inflammatory once they reach the small intestine, where they can leak through the gut and trigger allergic and autoimmune reactions. Vitamin B12 requires stomach acid and subsequent intrinsic factor to be absorbed. Low stomach acid can interfere with folate absorption by lowering pH in the small intestine. Stomach acid is also necessary to absorb minerals, in particular iron, calcium, and zinc.
Downstream digestion
Downstream, HCL triggers the secretion of hormones that stimulate the pancreas and gallbladder to release their own secretions, including enzymes, bicarbonate, and bile. Without our acid conductor, these hormones are underproduced and these stages of digestion underperform,
negatively affecting absorption of carbohydrates, fats, and bowel motility.
Gate keeper
Stomach acid is our first line of defense against harmful bacteria and parasites in food, liquid, and air we consume. On the other end of the stomach, HCL prevents normal bacteria present in the intestines from travelling into the stomach and esophagus, where they can cause problems. Lowering stomach acid increases vulnerability to h.pylori, a bacteria which resides in the stomach lining and decreases acidity levels in order to survive. When this bacteria proliferates, its presence can lead to chronic heartburn, GERD, and ulcers.
Light my fire
As we’ve seen, you aren’t just what you eat, you’re what you absorb and digest. Digestion begins in the mouth, where chewing breaks down food. Life is busy and this stage often gets rushed. Chewing food well is important. It’s why our teeth are in our mouth and not our stomach. Well-chewed food reduces stress downstream, begins breakdown of starches, and can even help us relax and be mindful while eating. Taking some slow, deep breaths and sharing gratitude for your meal can help you feel safe enough to secrete digestive juices (rest and digest mode). Drink room temperature water in between rather than with meals to avoid diluting stomach acid when eating. Aim to avoid overeating as this increases intra-abdominal pressure. Easy on the alcohol, sugar, spicy foods, caffeine, and suspected allergens; these foods can weaken the lower esophageal sphincter and irritate the stomach lining. Leafy greens, grated raw beets, bitter herbs, lemon, and apple cider vinegar all stimulate digestive secretions. Most importantly, getting our nervous systems into rest and digest (aka eat and secrete) mode requires stress management/vagal tone. Tone your vagus nerve by taking 5-7 deep belly breaths per minute, singing, laughing, and doing yoga. Diagnosing and treating heartburn is layered. It involves assessing acidity levels, hormones, h.pylori, condition of stomach lining, digestive efficacy, and microbiome. Appropriate action can include supplementation, stress management, and dietary changes. If you are experiencing symptoms of chronic indigestion, instead of suppressing symptoms, work with a qualified healthcare professional who can help you safely restore healthy digestive function. Shannon MacLean is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist with a BA in International Relations. Open for bookings at Balu Yoga and Wellness, she is passionate about root-cause health and wellness education, delicious/nutritious/local/seasonal food, and empowering clients to heal and thrive through reflective listening, diet, supplementation, and lifestyle changes that suit their own unique needs.
Aperitifs are a popular way to increase digestive secretions before a European meal.
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