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June 2018
Jones Distilling opens in historic location Tenure track: perspective on the complex backcountry system Kayak community in the wake of trauma
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 info@revelstokemountaineer.com PO BOX 112, 606 Railway Avenue, Revelstoke, B.C. V0E 2S0
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News Briefs
Hotel development is hot in Revelstoke with two new planned
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Revelstoke weekly + monthly events
10 Summer festival guide
Our guide to the best summer fests in striking distance from Revy
12 Edelweiss fever How Revelstoke nearly went Bavarian
29 Nutrition
In the aftermath of kayaking tragedies, the survivors strive to paddle on
32 Style
New boutique distillery opens in Revelstoke’s historic Mountain View building
26 RMR update
27 Caribou conflict
14 E-Bikes
Don’t grind your gears — they’re coming
Slow down and get conscious on with our local slow style guide
New planning document fore casts the path forward for Revelstoke’s mountain resort
36 Essay
How to toss decoratives with delicious for a beautiful backyard mix
22 Jones Distilling
13 Spokin’ Word Your guide to summer 2018 MTB events
A primer on the path forward through the complex tenure thicket
Watering your ways through the summer months
31 Gardening tips
16 Dealing with trauma
20 Tenure track
June events guide
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Porches create community
38 Street Fest
Our guide to the free Summer Street Fest
Federal order turns up the heat on the mountain caribou file
Contributors COVER PHOTO Revelstoke-based kayaker Katrina Van Wijk drops Toketee Falls on the North Umpqua River in Oregon. Our June feature (p. 16) explores personal struggle and recovery in the wake of tragedy. Photo: Charlie Munsey
Aaron Orlando
Alex Cooper
Amaris Bourdeau
Bryce Borlick
Fraser Blyth
Heather Hood
Ian Tomm
Sara Sansom
Shannon MacLean
Imogen Whale
Katie Langmuir
Lindsay Borque
Louise Stanway
Claudia Bambi
Creative Director
Melissa Jameson
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NEWS BRIEFS
Hotel development heats up in Revelstoke Two new hotels in the works, another undergoing more renovations By Melissa Jameson The Fairfield Inn & Suites Marriott, otherwise known as Fairfield Inn by Marriott, is an economy chain of hotels licensed by Marriott International, a well-known international hotel chain brand. The hotel developer is CanWest, a largely Golden, B.C.The Stoke Hotel is getting a makeover this based company that made its summer. first foray into the Revelstoke market with the Ramada, Revelstoke’s hotel offerings are set to which opened in 2017. grow in the coming year, with two new The new Fairfield Marriott repeats the large hotels in the works, and other ren- formula used by the Ramada. It uses a ovations planned to an existing hotel. pre-fabricated building method, where In April, the owners of the still-new large, mostly finished blocks of rooms Ramada by Wyndham hotel on the were built offsite by a Kamloops-based Trans-Canada Highway unveiled plans manufacturer, then stacked in place like for a six-storey, 87-room Fairfield Marbricks on the worksite. riott Hotel to be located next to their The new hotel still faces hurdles, existing business at the junction with including feedback from the city’s Highway 23. Advisory Planning Committee, which
advised tweaks to the form of the building to soften its fairly erect and square appearance. Also in the works is a new hotel at the base of Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Although details are scarce, Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s Master Plan Update indicates that the resort plans to build a
new hotel in 2018. On the highway corridor, the Stoke Hotel, a smaller, aging hotel that underwent extensive renovations and a rebranding last year, has proposed a facelift that would improve its curb appeal by adding a triangular timber frame portico with a balcony on top.
The proposed new Fairfield Marriott Hotel in Revelstoke.
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NEWS BRIEFS
Heli-biking application spurs call for planning
Increasing backcountry recreation in the Revelstoke area has led to conflicts with traditional resource industry and environmental concerns By Melissa Jameson A heli-biking tenure application for Mt. Cartier near Revelstoke has led to a call for the provincial government to take the lead on a land-use plan for the Revelstoke area. The backcountry recreation industry is expanding rapidly in the area, and without an established plan, new tenure applications are proceeding on a piecemeal basis. In Revelstoke, divisive controversies over competing recreation, resource and environmental concerns pop up regularly, but in the end the decisions rest with distant bureaucrats. The latest application from Revelstoke-based mountain bike guiding company Wandering Wheels sought to expand their tenure to allow for heli-drops on the triangular peak just south of town. City council received a referral request from provincial authorities, and sent it to its environmental and economic development committees, who returned differing recommendations. The city process highlighted a number of concerns, including overlapping tenures and existing unregulated use. The most
contentious recommendation was an environment committee recommendation for a moratorium on new tenures until the province firmed up a land use plan. Provincially led, local land use plans outside of city limits have long been a goal of local governments. A staff report cited 10 requests from local governments dating back to 1989 for the province to take a lead on creating land use plans. In the end, council opted to forward a list of concerns about the application to the provincial authorities, but stopped short of the moratorium request. In his presentatin to council, Wandering Wheels owner Matt Yaki emphasized that his application included a management plan to address environmental and trail management concerns. Council also voted to reiterate its support a recent motion from the Southern Interior Local Government Association by including its wording in the referral letter to FLinRO. The letter will request that FLiNRO, “take a leadership role in supporting a community-based, collab-
Heli-biking on Mt. Cartier. Photo: Matt Timmins/Revelstoke Mountaineer orative land use planning process.” Yaki said he supports the need for a land use management plan and has already been in discussions with a local provincial recreation officer to work on a local plan for the Mt. Cartier trail. Yaki said he hopes to create level playing field for users and to develop adequate maintenance plans, which would include financial contributions from
commercial operators on the trail, including unguided heli-charters. Yaki said he wasn’t surprised to find council wasn’t supportive of the suggested moratorium. “I think overall the meeting went well, they were receptive to what I had to say,” Yaki said. “I’m relieved the city aspect is over. I’m looking forward to seeing what they submit.”
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MOUNTAINEER SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL GUIDE Revelstoke Mountaineer’s guide to some of the best music festivals happening in the B.C. Interior this summer. The only thing left to do now is to free up your calendar!
KAMP FESTIVAL - JUNE 29–JULY 2 AT WHATSHAN LAKE, B.C.
SUMMER STOMP & BURNOUT- JULY 19–22 IN SICAMOUS, BC.
Did you miss out on going to summer camp as a kid? Well, fret no more: KAMP Festival offers a chance for us big kids to make up for lost time! Offering activities covering Arts & Crafts, Health & Wellness, Movement & Play and Outdoor Recreation, the festival promotes personal growth through teamwork and collaboration. KAMP encourages its attendees to disconnect from the daily grind, leave their phones at home and soak up their beautiful surroundings at the Whatshan Lake Retreat, nestled on the edge of the Kootenay Mountains in B.C. Oh, and did we mention that these kids stay up late? In the evenings, you’ll find a lively stage featuring fresh music, theatrical performances and engaging visuals. 2018’s line-up features music from the likes of Moontricks, Meow Mix and Frase.
Get your engines revved, dust off your leather jackets and pay no mind to the Sicamous heat, as you prepare to roll into the highly-anticipated Summer Stomp & Burnout festival! Let loose to some rock ‘n’ roll music, rip a burnout, then cool down in the wet T-shirt competitions. Hell, even stop off at one of the tattoo booths to help remember it all. Adults can expect to rock-out to sounds from The Derby Mill Project, Aviator Shades, High Voltage and more. TICKETS: WEEKEND PASS $100.
TICKETS: FULL WEEKEND STANDARD $300.
BASS COAST MUSIC FESTIVAL - JULY 6–9 IN MERRITT, B.C.
Here, we have the quintessential festival for all the B.C. bassheads out there! The electronic-music event, held in the picturesque Nicola Valley, encourages attendees to be at one with nature through thought-provoking art installations, immersive audio-visual environments, meditation workshops and of-course, invigorating beats. With an explosive line-up (featuring artists such as The Funkhunters, IvyLab and Banks, to name a few), electronic-music lovers are guaranteed to have a blast. TICKETS: SOLD OUT.
ARMSTRONG METALFEST - JULY 13–14 IN ARMSTRONG, B.C.
Armstrong Metal Fest was born from a sulphurous cavern in the ground 2009, when a handful of local metal musicians came together to play and party in a backyard. Almost ten years down the line, the festival is alive and stronger than ever, with almost 1,000 fans turning up each year to mosh and head-bang to a rowdy line up. When free of the mosh-pit, dare to join in with one of the weekend highlights — the Thrash Wrestling event — where a “balls to the wall” attitude is strongly encouraged. TICKETS: GENERAL ADMISSION (INCL. CAMPING) $125, OR $165 AT THE GATE.
KASLO JAZZ FESTIVAL - AUGUST 3–5 IN KASLO, B.C.
This intimate and relaxed festival has been putting the rural, quaint town of Kaslo on the map since 1992. Festival-goers can expect to hear a broad array of music genres from blues, jazz, folk, Latin, to world music and more, all performed on Kaslo Bay’s infamous floating stage. Whether you’re keen to have a boogie, or simply sit back and soak up the sound, Kaslo Jazz fest encourages the appreciation of talented musicians from around the globe. This year’s line-up includes Shakey Graves, Cave Singers, Shred Kelly and Frase. TICKETS: ADVANCE WEEKEND PASS (INCL. TAX) $220.
get Outside & Enjoy
REVELSTOKE OUTDOOR ADVENTURES WI T H
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The time has come to plan some epic mountain pilgrimages — but forget about the skis or hiking boots — the only thing you’ll need to bring with you is an open mind and some killer dance moves! Natural mountainous backdrops, coupled with a steady stream of established and emerging talent, enables B.C. to play host to some of the most artistic and visually dynamic festivals in the world. Ranging from family-friendly and acoustic folk festivals to rock ‘n’ roll and metal ragers, there really is something for everyone. By Louise Stanway
CENTER OF GRAVITY FESTIVAL - JULY 27–29 IN KELOWNA, B.C.
SALMON ARM ROOTS & BLUES FESTIVAL - AUGUST 16–19 IN SALMON ARM, BC.
Just shifted your winter weight and starting to feel guilty about an inevitably boozy weekend? Well, here we have your solution. Located on the sandy shores of Kelowna City Park, Center of Gravity festival is an infusion of sport, music and partying. Bounce around to Wu-Tang-Clan and Zedd as a warm up routine for an adrenaline-fueled volleyball game on the beach. Or, if sport isn’t your thing, take a break from the action and explore the wide selection paintings, trending apparel and rare jewellery from local artisans that can be found in the festival village area.
Music lovers of all ages are welcomed with open arms at this family-friendly event that boasts four daytime stages and two evening stages. Attendees can expect to hear a diverse selection of music ranging from blues to bluegrass, Celtic to Cuban and Americana to Afro-beat. In its 26th year, the festival will continue to provide a platform for up-and-coming artists, as well as welcoming highly-anticipated performers such as Harpdog Brown, Colin James, Michael Franti & Spearhead and Oktopus. TICKETS: WEEKEND ADVANCE PASS $179.
TICKETS: WEEKEND PASS (EXCL. CAMPING) $189.
INVERMERE MUSICFEST - AUGUST 17–18 IN INVERMERE, BC. With beautiful Lake Windermere as a backdrop, an ensemble of high-energy bands, and plenty of room for dancing, Invermere MusicFest is set to be an exciting and memorable event for all the family. Approximately three hours southeast of Revelstoke, the festival is an affordable option for those seeking a fun weekend getaway that won’t cut too deeply into the vacation fund! TICKETS: FULL WEEKEND EARLY-BIRD $52.38.
MOTION NOTION - AUGUST 23–27 IN GOLDEN, BC. Trance DJ, John Flemming, described Motion Notion as, “the hidden gem of Canadian festivals.” Its renowned reputation is even more impressive when taking into consideration its intimate crowd and remote setting. Located at the Beaverfoot Lodge festival grounds, spend your days camping by the riverside with new and old friends, building a dreamcatcher or hula hoop, or attending a yoga workshop. At night, get caught up in the web of psychedelic visual displays that weave together intelligent lighting and artistry, as you bounce and shake to the hypnotic beats of Datsik, Stickybuds and K+Lab.
SHAMBHALA MUSIC FESTIVAL - AUGUST 10–13 AT THE SALMO RIVER RANCH, Shambhala is more than just a music festival. For more than 20 years, the event has attracted audiences from all walks of life, who seek the opportunity to connect with nature and like-minded souls, as well as the exposure to groundbreaking new sounds and trends. The festival prides itself on its all-around positive energy and wishes to start people on their journey to self-discovery. That being said, its unparalleled electronic music scene, along with 11,000 elaborately costumed and glitter-clad music-lovers, is enough in itself to guarantee a good time. This year, headliners include Beardyman, A.Skillz, Dizzie Rascal and Grammatik to name but a few.
TICKETS: WEEKEND PASS (FRIDAY – MONDAY) $269.
TICKETS: SOLD OUT.
AB PROJECT YOUTH THEATRE PERFORMANCE The AB Project is an international theatre project occurring in 9 countries and explores the themes of racism, radicalisation and violence against young people. This theatre project has been devised by the young performers in the show, with the assistance of Flying Arrow Productions Artistic Director, Anita Hallewas, and UK based theatre director David Glass.
JUNE 16-17 7.30pm @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre $10 TICKETS Rec Centre & Online (Scan QR Code) FOR MORE INFORMATION flyingarrowproductions.ca & FB/flyingarrowproductions.ca
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CALENDAR VISIT REVELSTOKEMOUNTAINEER.COM/CALENDAR FOR MORE DETAILS AND TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN EVENT FOR FREE FOR INCLUSION ONLINE AND IN OUR MONTHLY PRINT CALENDAR.
WEEKLY EVENTS
SATURDAY
MONDAY
Farmers Markets @ Grizzly Plaza & Mackenzie Avenue
Soup & A Smile @ Revelstoke United Church 11:30a.m.–1p.m. Enjoy a soup, coffee, tea and desserts every Monday at the United Church. All are welcome.
LOL Monday open night Comedy @ The Last Drop Pub 8:30 p.m.–11 p.m. An open mic, hosted by comedian Katie Burrell.
TUESDAY Downtown Walking Tour @ Revelstoke Museum & Archives 11a.m.–12p.m. A one hour guided tour of Revelstoke’s historic downtown. $5/person. Teens can enjoy board games, pizza and snacks.
Bikes, Beers & Babes @ Revelstoke Community Centre Parking Lot 6p.m.–9p.m. Ladies bikes together, drink beer, build camaraderie, and have fun. The group is open to all riding abilities and fitness levels. Post ride beers will be at The Big Eddy Pub.
WEDNESDAY Brown Bag History @ Revelstoke
Museum & Archives 12:15p.m.–1 p.m. Every other Wednesday listen to museum curator Cathy English talk about Revelstoke history.
Open Mic @ Last Drop Pub 10 p.m. All jammers and singers welcome. Come out and join in with a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.
THURSDAY Pedal ‘n’ Pint @ Revelstoke Community Centre Parking Lot 6p.m.–9p.m. Revelstoke’s longstanding Pedal ‘n’ Pint series is the weekly gathering of riders for a Thursday evening ride. Meet up at the Revelstoke Community Centre parking lot and embark on a unique ride each week. After, riders meet up at the River City Pub for pints.
FRIDAY Drop-in Squash @ Revelstoke Racquet Den 5 p.m. Head down to the Revelstoke Racquet Den and give squash a try! The squash club is located at 207 Mackenzie Ave (below Mica Heliskiing).
8 a.m.–1p.m. The Farmers Markets are the biggest social gathering of the week during summer months. Shop for veggies, fruits, meats, crafts, art, garden supplies and much more.
JUNE EVENTS FRIDAY, JUNE 1 Exhibition Opening @ Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre 6 p.m.–9p.m. Revelstoke Secondary School art students showcase their work in this annual event. Maria Medina presents in the main gallery.
SATURDAY, JUNE 2 100 In 1 Day @ City of Revelstoke All Day Residents in 13 cities across the country will transform their city through hundreds of interventions, actions, events or installations that inspire action and connection in their neighbourhoods. For more information visit www.northcolumbia.org.
Revelstoke Mountain Paradise Show & Shine @ Downtown Revelstoke 9a.m.4p.m. Annual vintage car show in beautiful downtown Revelstoke features dozens of classic cars and unique entertainment.
Andrew Phelan & Ponytails @ Last Drop Pub 1p.m.–4p.m. Australian born, Vancouver-based singer Andrew Phelan plays folk music at the Last Drop Pub.
Roller Derby Bout – Derailers vs Farmers Slaughters @ Revelstoke Forum 7p.m.–9p.m. Come see the Revelstoke Derailers take on the Farmers Slaughters from Armstrong in their first bout of the season. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the game starts at 7 p.m. Tickets $10.
TUESDAY, JUNE 5 Innovation Night: Sports, Rec & Adventure Tech @ Revelstoke United Church 6 p.m.–9p.m. Start up a new outdoor activity, sport or recreational business in Revelstoke. Fuse technology to make it powerful in the digital age. Connect with other entrepreneurs and form a partnership.
CALENDAR
JUNE 2018 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13
Tim Hortons Camp Day @ Tim Hortons
Revelstoke Cycling Association Enduro Fiver Series @ TBA
All Day On Tim Hortons Camp Day, 100 per cent of proceeds of hot coffee sales in Revelstoke are donated to the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation.
6 p.m.–8p.m. Race Number Three in the Enduro Fiver Series. Visit bike revelstoke.org for more information.
Revelstoke Cycling Association X-C Fiver Series @ TBA 6 p.m.–8p.m. Race Number Three in the X-C Fiver Series. Visit bikerevelstoke.org for more information.
THURSDAY, JUNE 7 Ecila in Revelstoke @ Last Drop Pub 9 p.m. Ecila takes you on a mind-bending experience with their powerhouse vocals and heavy psychedelic sound
FRIDAY, JUNE 8 Guest appreciation @ Feather & Stone Day Spa @ RMR 4-7 p.m. 20% off, gift with purchase, door prizes, 50% off some services, complimentary refreshments and more.
Emo Night @ The Last Drop Pub 9 p.m. Come catch Alone I Walk and Tanner Cyr on their Canadian Tour. Emo Night to follow bands. Bringing together people who love emo rock music from the ‘90s, 2000s, and today.
FRIDAY, JUNE 15 Paddling Film Festival @ Revelstoke Community Centre 8p.m.–11p.m. The Paddling Film Festival world tour showcases the very best paddling films. For more information and ticket prices visit paddlerevelstoke.com. Summer Fashion Show @ Explorers Society Hotel 7p.m.–10p.m. The Summer Fashion show is back! Featuring men’s and women’s clothing brands alongside fresh hair and beauty looks for summer. Tickets available at Style Trend Clothiers.
Wicked Grin Trio @ Last Drop Pub 9p.m. Wicked Grin Trio rock the blues at the Last Drop Pub.
SATURDAY, JUNE 16 Demo Day at Martha Creek 10a.m.–4 p.m. Get on the water with free canoe, kayak, and SUP sessions. For more information visit paddlerevelstoke.ca. Free shuttle between the Revelstoke Farmers Market and Martha Creek beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Wicked Grin Trio @ Last Drop Pub 9 p.m. Wicked Grin Trio rock the blues at the Last Drop Pub.
SUNDAY, JUNE 17 Father’s Day Brunch @ Revelation Lodge 8 a.m.–2p.m. Enjoy the lower gondola at RMR and a brunch at Revelation Lodge with the whole family. $24 adults, $12 kids, tots are free!
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20 Revelstoke Cycling Association X-C Fiver Series @ TBA 6 p.m.–8p.m. Race Number Four in the X-C Fiver Series. Visit bike revelstoke.org for more information.
FRIDAY, JUNE 22 Daring Greatly @ River City Pub 10 p.m. Calgary-based hippie rock band Daring Greatly play ‘blood harmonies.’
SATURDAY, JUNE 23 Upper Gondola opens @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort 8:30 a.m. Enjoy breathtaking alpine views on the Revelation Gondola. Explore 5 kilometres of gentle new hiking trails that wind through the subalpine rainforest. Visit revelstokemountainresort.com for ticket prices.
Revelstoke Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30p.m.–9:30p.m. The Revelstoke Highlanders Pipe band and Flint and Feather open the Revelstoke Arts Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening throughout the summer in Grizzly Plaza.
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CALENDAR
JUNE 2018 Run Kill the Banker @ RMR
MONDAY, JUNE 25
THURSDAY, JUNE 28
Revelstoke Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza
Revelstoke Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza
6:30p.m.–9:30p.m. Lofi Uppercut perform at the Revelstoke Arts Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening throughout the summer in Grizzly Plaza.
6:30p.m.—9:30p.m. Coldwater Road performs at the Revelstoke Arts Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening throughout the summer in Grizzly Plaza.
The Hillties @ Last Drop Pub
TUESDAY, JUNE 26
Daring Greatly @ River City Pub 10 p.m. Daring Greatly returns to the River City Pub to play original songs and covers by the likes of the Eagles, The Beatles, Steppenwolf and more.
SUNDAY, JUNE 24 Revelstoke Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30p.m.–9:30p.m. The Revelstoke Community Band plays at the Revelstoke Arts Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening throughout the summer in Grizzly Plaza.
Revelstoke Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30p.m.–9:30p.m. Chicken-Like Birds perform at the Revelstoke Arts Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening throughout the summer in Grizzly Plaza.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27 Revelstoke Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Tri-continental perform at the Revelstoke Arts Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening throughout the summer in Grizzly Plaza.
10p.m. The Hillties blend ska/reggae and funk into original music to keep the dance floor bumping all night.
Rogers: Natural Interpretation; Kristi Lind, Jo Willems, Peter Blackmore, Karen Millard, Pat Wells: A Carvers Legacy, and; Golden Girls: Annual Show.
Revelstoke Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30p.m.–9:30p.m. Lindsay Beaver & the 24th St. Wailers perform at the Revelstoke Arts Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening throughout the summer in Grizzly Plaza.
SATURDAY, JUNE 30 Bank Heist Time Trial Run @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort
FRIDAY, JUNE 29 Kids Swim, Pizza & Movie Night @ Revelstoke Community Centre 5p.m.—8:30p.m. Kids ages 7–12 can celebrate summer and school being done with a swim, pizza and movie night at the Revelstoke Community Centre. $20 per child. Limited spots available. Call 250-837-9351 for more information.
Exhibition Opening @ Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre 6 p.m.–9p.m. The Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre presents four exhibitions: Four by Four; Jennifer
9a.m.–2p.m. The second annual Bank Heist time trial takes runners on a 3.7 km climb along Revelstoke’s most iconic ski run, Kill the Banker. Visit revelstokemountainresort.com for more information.
Revelstoke Summer Street Fest @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30p.m.–9:30p.m. Class Action performs at the Revelstoke Arts Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening throughout the summer in Grizzly Plaza.
Check out Revelstoke Mountain Paradise Show & Shine on June 2. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer
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ENTERTAINMENT
Get your Dose of Art Local visual artists are teaming up to showcase Revelstoke’s emerging talent By Amaris Bourdeau
what a coffee shop can be. Working here, I see young, driven people everyday and it’s really inspiring. It’s more than just a café, it’s a venue, it brings people together, and it shows some cool art. John and Lauren encouraged me to pull together an art event, so here goes.
Art by Nicolas Houle
What can we expect to see at the show? I think we can expect to see a more alternative style than what we’re maybe used to in the town normally. It’s for locals by locals, and we’re not afraid to show something different. For example, Bambi, with her wild and colourful illustrations and paintings. I want it to be a fun atmosphere. Music, food, and visuals… In what way is Revelstoke a good place to host an art show?
Revelstoke is the epicentre for mountain lovers. It is makes it an obvious choice for artists with a penchant for nature paintings. The Revelstoke Art Gallery, for instance, features much of this mountain art. From retro gondolas to elusive flowers to perfect snow-covered hills, the gallery has it all, and we see no sign of its popularity declining. But that’s just the thing… it can be hard to find your place in a town where the art scene’s focus remains so clear already. On June 15 from 6–11 p.m., Revelstoke’s ever-supportive Dose Coffee will be hosting an art night, appropriately titled Dose of Art, with the goal of displaying street and urban-style art. The talent is out there. And it’s about time someone gives it a podium. In other words, Dose and its beloved quirky owners are stoked to present another side of the Revelstoke art scene, which comes as no surprise given the café’s alternative, graffiti-style, dinosaur-prominent décor. Artists will include (with more to come!): * Nicolas Houle, chef at Dose and emerging artist inspired by skateboard-
ing; * Claudia Bambi of Turbo Bambi Graphic Design * Hayley Stewart, admired for her atypical, colourful representations of mountains * Kate Shea, whose distinct pop-art illustrations of the brilliant female aura, lionesses, and nature-gone-eerie are as refreshing as they captivating.
It’s good to do events here because the town is so engaged and supportive. Revelstoke is a wonderful place. We’re lucky to have all these talented people. My DJ friend Felix, Bambi who’s been a big part of this planning, and Josh who won’t let you down with some tasty ass food.
What are you most looking forward to at this event? I’m looking forward to seeing everyone come by, have a good time, enjoy a cocktail, engage in some conversation – even better if that conversation is about the art! Hopefully we’ll see enough people there that we can host this event again throughout the summer. I encourage everyone to come by, maybe bring some art home, or at least leave inspired. We won’t let you down with the wild factor! …
Dose invites other artists to apply by sending a photo of a few pieces and a short biography to bambi@turbobambi.com. Deadline for application is June 6 at midnight.
DJing the event will be Felix Dallaire and Laurie Gauvin, whose radio show “Le 5 à 7 DJ Set” plays on Stoke FM the last Tuesday of every month. Dose of Art is meant to be more than a gathering of art. Rather, it aims to be a fun, creative event for artsy people in Revelstoke. On that note, and given the show’s street theme, Dose’s new chef Josh White will be cooking up some street-style food using local suppliers. We’re talking fun and tasty, as always. Houle sat down to answer a few cool questions about this event, namely regarding why this art show is important for him and the town. What made you want to do this event? John and Lauren, the owners of Dose, are always pushing the boundaries of
Skateboard art by Nicolas Houle C AL L ING AL L A RTISTS
- Send your submission to
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HISTORY
We’d all be wearing lederhosen now How Revelstoke got swept up by the smell of Edelweiss and nearly went Bavarian By Imogen Whale The plaza is ringed with German restaurants and shops selling kitschy tourist fair. On the hour, a massive cuckoo clock opens and a giant statue, complete with lederhosen and a pint of frothy lager, yodels enthusiastically while my friends and I cackle on a patio. It isn’t Revelstoke, but it could have been. Instead, it’s Kimberley, B.C. from the late 1990s, decades after it was given a Euro alpine-themed facelift.* Back in the early 1969, Dr. Geoff Battersby, a former Mayor of Revelstoke, local doctor and co-founder of the Selkirk Medical Clinic, was travelling through the United States with his wife when he happened upon Leavenworth, Washington. A pretty mountain town that, years earlier, had been revitalized with a Bavarian theme in an effort to boost a flagging economy. The change was intended to fit in with the geographical location, enhance the charm of the community, and boost tourism. Inspired by the community, Dr. Battersby brought up the idea to the Revelstoke Chamber of Commerce. There was so much enthusiasm that several local business owners and chamber employees headed down to Leavenworth on a reconnaissance mission the following year. They returned energized, and some of them doffed Bavarian hats complete with feathers. The majority of local businesses embraced the alpine idea. There was a small contingency of people opposed to the Bavarianization of Revelstoke’s downtown, but they were quiet and kept their opinions mostly to themselves. Some business owners were so enthused they renovated to the Bavarian style at their own expense. This included Dr. Battersby and his fellow doctors, their renovation netting a front-page image in the local paper. At the time, Revelstoke already had existing businesses thriving on German fare, including a small deli market and the Alpenhaus, a German restaurant run by the Gauer family in what is now Woosley Creek’s location. The theme seemed to fit. Though the alpine concept generated a lot of interest, it ultimately fizzled out. “It’s the saying ‘necessity is the mother of invention,’” Dr. Battersby explains. “In the early ‘70s, there wasn’t much necessity to change or revitalize the downtown core. The dams were being built, and the economy was doing well.” It wasn’t until 1986 that the downtown 12
Cuckoo clockwise from above: The central-Washington state town of Leavenworth converted to a Bavarian theme in the mid1960s to boost tourism. (Photo: Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce) Right: A full-page ad from the Revelstoke Herald in 1973 touts the renovation of what is now the Selkirk Medical Building to the new Bavarian-accented theme. Below: A delegation of Revelstoke business owners travelled as a delegation to check out Leavenworth, including Yuke Wakita (in glasses) mayor Geoff Battersby (in the feathered cap), and Hugh Mulholland (at right). Photos two and three: Revelstoke Museum & Archives
of Revelstoke underwent a major revitalization. “By then, times had changed,” Dr. Battersby says. “We needed to encourage visitors and tourism in Revelstoke, the economy wasn’t as strong and the dam work had been finished.” In 1984, Dr. Battersby and several other Revelstokians met with the cabinet in Victoria, B.C. to petition the government to fund a study to see how Revelstoke could be revitalized. They were successful, and from there, a multi-pronged strategy was created. “Our strategy included expanding education, recreation, tourism, and the ski hill,” Dr. Battersby explains. It helped that in the mid 1980s the provincial government offered town revitalization funding. Local businesses shared the cost of fixing and rejuvenating buildings. A federal program to
help offset costs for renovating heritage buildings and homes came into effect. Dr. Battersby was among those Revelstokians inspired by Nelson, B.C. in the West Kootenays. There the downtown had been restored and the buildings and embraced the community’s historical aesthetic. Dr. Battersby hired Robert Inwood, who advised Nelson in its successful revamp, to also advise Revelstoke. The result of their work is the Revelstoke we know today, which includes a beautiful plaza and historical vibrant downtown. Streets were narrowed, sidewalks were widened. Old store canopies that gave the streets a tunnel like feel were replaced with more modern fabric versions. Facades and cladding were stripped from buildings as they were restored. “When it came to revitalizing the
downtown core, ultimately we knew we had a community in an area even more stunning and unique than Leavenworth with its own vibrant past,” Dr. Battersby explains. And while it’s humorous to think that Revelstoke could have been one of the several mountain towns in North America who jumped on the Bavarian alphorn bandwagon, Dr. Battersby was correct. Revelstoke looks best revelling in its own history and the uniquely Canadian environmental beauty surrounding it. *The author has lived, worked and played in Kimberley, B.C. and thinks it’s a fantastic place where the alpine theme is done just right.
OUTDOORS
Hot dates and fun with mates
Enduro racing retuns this summer. Photo: Aaron Orlando/RMM
By Bryce Borlick
Spring is in the air and we’re off to a late start this season, so let’s skip the foreplay and get this quickie on! On the back of a busy 2017 race season that brought two major mountain bike enduro events to Revelstoke — the Trans BC Enduro and the Revelstoke 3-Day — the 2018 summer promises more race action in this growing category. Rumours are unconfirmed but one of those two events may return and take another run at the sunny side of the valley. Not ones to be outdone, our local ladies will be shredding up Macpherson and Boulder trails on September 15 for the Revelstoke Women’s Enduro, the first and only women’s enduro race in the B.C. interior. Is it appropriate to mention how much I love fast women? Probably not. Moving on!
On August 26 the rope will be cut and the Mount Revelstoke Steamer road bike race will once again coil itself to a height of 1,450 vertical metres on the Meadows in the Sky Parkway. In the heat of summer, it’ll truly test racers’ spunk! Our local cyclocrossers will have to wait until October 21 for the Cedar Shaker at Revelstoke Mountain Resort. With a course that‘s sure to be muddy by then, they’ll likely be logging the first Brown Shorts descents of the season. In addition to all this, will we see 2017 Downhill champs Oshi Hampson and Nathan Jecks go down the quickest in the Revelstoke Cycling Association’s 2018 Fiver series? Can anyone outlast Simon Gagnon or Chantal Mathieu in the Enduro events? Tune in to the RCA webpage for dates and details on registering, volunteering, or just drinking beer and rooting for your favourites. Of course, if you want to drink beer AND ride your bike, Brent Strand’s weekly Pedal ’n’ Pint ride is right up your alley. It departs from the community centre Thursday at 6 p.m. sharpish, finishes at the River City Pub, and caters to riders and drinkers of all abilities. Last spring I was castigated by Revy’s female riders (don’t worry, that’s not what it sounds like) for failing to include their weekly ride in my summary, so here it is! The Bikes, Beers, and Babes ride meets at the same place on Tuesdays at 6 p.m., and finishes up sharing food and bevies with the Tuesday night trail maintenance vollies at the infamous Big Eddy Pub. On a slightly more formal note, this year’s Revelstoke Bikefest will run Sept 14–16. If it’s anything like last year, there will be guided rides and movies and shuttles and scavenger hunts and yoga and symposiums and racing and heli-drops and parties and everything else you need for the rest of your life. Just go get some! Or if you want to focus on skill development, Sweet Skills is offering two women’s camps on Aug. 2–4 and Aug. 4–6 on the stunning alpine trail network that weaves around the Sol Mountain Lodge. As many of you may have heard, the Beaver area has seen some love lately. Dusty Beaver has nearly doubled in length with a new extension aptly named Beaver Tail, and a short connector called Leap Frog will enhance short green-rated loop options in the area. Further to the north, the RCA has also completed a three-kilometre Frisby Ridge trail extension and the Ultimate Frisby Connector trail. This extends the already impressive Ultimate Frisby ride (a full ‘out and back’ from town) to truly black-rated proportions. To keep this pace up, support the RCA by purchasing a membership or by lending a hand with trail maintenance every Tuesday evening. And I’m finished! May happy trails lead you to exciting places this summer.
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OUTDOORS
The e-mountain bike cometh They’re already big in Europe, and all major manufacturers are honing their offerings, but is Revelstoke ready for e-mountain bikes? By Alex Cooper It was the easiest mountain bike climb ever. I was cruising up Yew R Here on Mt. Macpherson, pedaling casually while a motor assisted me upward. A few days earlier I had ridden this trail as part of a race, but today I was on an e-bike and I roared upwards at a faster pace while pedalling in a harder gear on a bike that weighs eight kilograms more than my regular steed. And then I hit full throttle. The bike lurched forward and I rocketed past another mountain biker, who stood aside and shot me a bit of a look. “I’m on an e-bike,” I cried out, somewhat apologetically. E-bikes – electric bicycles – are the next big thing in mountain biking and probably the biggest change to the sport since, well, forever. E-bikes come in two forms – ones with throttles, which act like small dirt bikes or off-road scooters, and pedal-assisted bikes, where a battery-powered motor speeds up your pedalling. They’ve already taken off in Europe and are slowly catching on in North America, allowing people to ride faster and further than they could before. “It’s for anyone from just a regular mountain biker who wants to ride more to, there was a guy here this morning who was disabled, so he can actually get on the trails again,” Keith Stark, the B.C. sales rep for Rocky Mountain Bicycles, told me during a demo day at Mt. Macpherson in May. “And you see older guys who can’t do what they used Rocky Mountain Bicycles’ Keith Stark with their to do, so they hop on these bikes and they’re doing the rides they e-bike offering used to do.” Rocky Mountain joins most of the major mountain bike companies who are spending big on e-mountain bike development, a sign they believe they’re part of the future mountain bike mix. Of course, they’re not without controversy. Opponents consider them an antithesis to mountain biking, where the point is to travel by your own power and using a motor is effectively cheating and against the spirit of the sport. They also express concerns about safety and the impact to the trails. Possibly the biggest thing holding e-bikes back is the fact they’re not allowed on Government-designated non-motorized trails in B.C. Recreation Sites & Trails (RST), which regulates trails on Crown Land, considers e-bikes to be motorized vehicles, a definition that was upheld in a policy that was released in May. That means they’re illegal to ride on most mountain bike trails around Revelstoke, except for the unsanctioned ones. “By classifying them, it gives us the ability to regulate e-bikes on non-motorized trails,” explained John Hawkings, a director with RST in Squamish, who helped craft the policy. Hawkings said there were concerns about safety and impact to the trails with e-bikes. E-bikers can go much faster uphill than a regular mountain biker, and on two-way trails, that could lead to more collisions between downhill and uphill riders. E-bikers can also go much further in a day than your average mountain biker, so their widespread use could lead to more wear on the trails. “E-bikes extend the reach for people. It can bring more people into areas where the distance was a natural filter,” said Hawkings, using the remote trails of the Chilcotins as an example. The policy doesn’t mean e-bikes will be forbidden forever. Instead, local recreation officers will be able to work with trail stewards to designate e-bike trails. That discussion is only just beginning for the Revelstoke Cycling Association (RCA). Henning Schipper, the president of the RCA, said the association’s board realizes e-bikers will be coming here in greater numbers and the club should be ready with routes for them. He doesn’t have an issue with e-bikes on downhill only trails, but at Macpherson, where most trails are two-way, there are special challenges. 14
Revelstoke resident Brady Beruschi sat out on the MTB sidelines after a snowboarding accident led to paralysis below his knees. Improvements in electric mountain bikes has him back out and charging with his buds.
“If uphill traffic is that much faster, it’s not going to work. That’s what I’m concerned about, and I think other people in the industry are concerned about that issue,” he said. “We need to come up with a plan with RST on what trails they’re allowed to be on.” As an example, the RCA could designate an uphill route along logging roads to access the top of TNT, and then e-bikers would be able to rip down. There is little doubt that e-bikes are part of the future of mountain biking. Stark said he noticed a significant jump in interest at demo days between this year and last. Local bike shops have e-bikes available as demos, and can order one for you if you want one. Selim Bedoya, the co-owner of local bike show Tantrum Ride Co., owns an e-bike for commuting around Revelstoke and said he sees himself buying one for the trails in a few years. “It’s part of the future and it’s coming,” he said. “I don’t think it’s wrong. If you still like it the old fashioned way, just pedal.” One local who wants to be allowed on Macpherson is Brady Beruschi. He was an avid mountain biker until 2000, when a snowboarding injury left him partially paralyzed from the waist down, and completely paralyzed below the knees. He can ride on flat trails, up roads, and go downhill, but when it comes to navigating the technical trails at Macpherson, all bets were off. That is, until he bought a pedal-assisted e-bike last year. “On a personal level, it has been a game changer and has re-invigorated my passion for mountain biking,” he said. “The purchase of my pedal-assist bike has enabled me to venture throughout our vast trail network and re-exposed me to the mountains that I have missed for 18 years. I was tired of being on the sidelines while my friends would go on a full day epic
OUTDOORS
Caption rides. With pedal assisted bikes, I am able keep up and ride with friends again.” Beruschi, the manager of the Regent Hotel, is a big supporter of the local mountain bike community, and he hopes an exception is made to the rules to allow people with disabilities or mobility issues to ride the trails on pedal assisted e-bikes. “This group of people are not going fast, are not riding aggressively, they are strictly enjoying physical activity
and being in the mountains,” he said. “I have not seen trail damage whatsoever from my e-bike and I am always conscious of this as I know people may be judging me and the bike.”
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FEATURE
Katrina Van Wijk running Spirit Falls, Little White Salmon Race, Washington state. Photo: Charlie Munsey
KEEPING YOUR HEAD ABOVE WATER WHEN DROWNING IN GRIEF Local professionals Katrina Van Wijk and Adrian Kiernan discuss love, loss and trauma in whitewater kayaking By Louise Stanway “I felt like I had capped off my adrenaline capacity — I just couldn’t handle it anymore,” admitted Katrina Van Wijk, a Revelstoke-based professional kayaker, as she reflected on the death of her best friend. “It sucks when you get caught up in that negative headspace. Life is so much easier when you’re carefree. But that’s not real.” Back in March, 2015, the international kayaking community was blindsided by the sudden and untimely loss of 26-yearold professional kayaker and all-around rad female, Louise Jull. Jull’s life was mercilessly claimed by the Kaituna River, her home river in New Zealand, while she was paddling alongside her 27-year-old partner Ryan Lucas, also a highly-experienced paddler. The casual afternoon lap on their local run turned to tragedy when Jull’s life jacket was ripped off underwater and her spray-skirt (a piece of lipped equipment worn under the paddler’s life jacket) became entangled in a submerged log. “There was nothing we could do,” con16
fessed Lucas through choked sobs at Jull’s memorial service. Staring into the distance through tear-filled eyes, he continued, “We did everything we could to try and save you. I just wish that I got stuck on that log and you could’ve bounced past ... I’d rather you be here today, than me.” Jull’s tragic loss forces an uneasy awareness upon us. It highlights the inherent risks involved in the sport. Although injury rates within whitewater kayaking are relatively low (when compared to other extreme sports), the death toll is uncomfortably high. The American Canoe Association reported that 167 people died from paddling related accidents in 2016. As this statistic suggests, water can be unforgiving, and small miscalculations can often have grave consequences. So, why do people do it? Whitewater kayaking would not be the same without the danger of navigating untamed, raw natural environments. Fear – albeit justified – is the birthplace for the adrenaline that characterises the sport. Many athletes accept the risks, even in the wake of recent
or recurring trauma, because it’s this instinctual fear and fight for survival that keeps them feeling alive. Yet regular, close proximity to death can have a lasting effect. In the aftermath of tragedy, people are exposed to varying levels of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Normal responses to trauma such as flashbacks, nightmares or anxiety can naturally escalate into something darker and more invasive. This is especially true in the case of extreme sports athletes with an unrelenting exposure to traumatic events. This has been Van Wijk’s experience as she recovers from the grief of losing her best friend Louise ‘Lulu’ Jull as well as the lives of others close to her that have been taken by the river. Van Wijk has been kayaking since she could walk. Her parents own a kayak school that operates on the Ottawa and Madawaska rivers in Ontario. With access to this natural whitewater playground on her doorstep, Van Wijk describes her introduction into the sport as “pretty ideal.”
Katrina Van Wijk tempts fate on the Upper North Falls of Silver Creek, Oregon. Photo: Charlie Munsey Van Wijk’s journey led her to become the first ever woman to compete in Jacob’s Ladder race at The Northfork Championships on the Payette River, Idaho. Each year crowds of nervous spectators congregate on the sunny riverbanks to watch as house-sized wave trains and ‘holes’ (an obstruction to the flow of the river that turns the flow back on itself, creating a sticky situation) threaten to consume the colourful kayaks that fight to remain in control and on line. The Jacob’s Ladder portion is an expert race that takes place on a pushy Class V rapid, with a proven potential for fatalities. “I had put a lot of pressure on myself and wanted to do well for all the women out there, to keep fuelling the stoke of girls on the water,” she explained. Yet
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there was an unbearable weight on her shoulders. It was the same river that had a claimed the life of another close friend of hers a few years earlier. “Returning to the river for the event was my first trip back since the trauma. I was burdened with a combination of pressures from the thought of this big rapid, the unease of paddling a river where a good friend has passed, on top of the expectation to deliver.” She had a mental breakdown during the event. Tears flowed uncontrollably from the overwhelming pressure and returning memories of her friend succumbing to the deadly power of the rapids. “It was too much.” Her strong support network allowed her to wear a brave face and plunge into the rapids regardless. The anxiety that had taken
residence in her head could not be washed away as easily as the tears. After the race, her next big mission was an expedition to Norway with a crew of elite female paddlers, who wished to push the boundaries of the sport. The picturesque, Scandinavian country is a mecca for stout lines, gnarly waterfalls and possible first descents. Van Wijk, who would normally be leading the charge, reflected on how the trauma had built up new-found barriers in her mind. “That trip, I ended up just setting safety. I would run a few drops here and there, but I definitely took a back seat. I decided to take it easy for a while.” The following summer Van Wijk was confronted with the gut-wrenching
news that Louise Jull had passed away. Van Wijk felt a strong inclination to retreat from the sport and its associations. “I denounced my sponsors and I couldn’t even stare at my kayak. I didn’t want to paddle, it wasn’t worth it anymore.” “I don’t suffer from PTSD,” she admits, “but I definitely lost the drive for a while.” Three years on, after paddling some mellower whitewater in between, Van Wijk is back paddling Class V rapids, but “the same Class V that lots of people paddle.” The aftermath of repetitive trauma in whitewater kayaking meant she has seen a shift in perspective and in her role within the sport. Now she’s motivated by new challenges, such as teaching her boyfriend
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KATRINA VAN WIJK
how to paddle, and planning exciting Class III overnight missions. “The rowdiness can come from the fact you have to walk for two days to get to the put in. It can still be ‘extreme,’ but a totally different level of risk.” Van Wijk insists that the thrill of the exploratory side of the sport not be underestimated. Alongside anxiety, dissociation – the ‘tuning out’ of memories too painful to confront – is also a common response to trauma, according to Dr. Fabiano Franco, a specialist in Dissociation and C-PTSD. Some people can remember the incident clearly, but they feel detached from it, as if it happened to someone else. When the news breaks that yet another athlete has passed, sometimes we switch off our feelings to shield ourselves from the pain. The incident can soon become just a series of facts, distant and void of any emotional baggage.
Revelstoke professional kayaker Adrian Kiernan, like Van Wijk, is no stranger to loss. The Tasmanian native grew up on southern rivers before relocating here in 2006. His life has revolved around challenging whitewater for the past twelve years. Within that time, he has seen a number of good friends pass away. “I feel comfortable talking about it now,” said Kiernan as he recounted the story of losing someone that he had grown up with. Eight years ago a friend was taken by the river. With just two of them on the water, Kiernan was alone as he struggled to rescue his friend from the strainer (a felled tree that lays semi-submerged under the water’s surface), that he had narrowly avoided himself. The water was unforgiving and his efforts were fruitless; Kiernan watched his friend pass away before his eyes. It took rescue teams three days to recover the body of the young father of two from the water. “I don’t feel any personal guilt or responsibility for what happened, but it will always stay with me,” he reflected.
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Following the incident, Kiernan was in a dark place. “I took some down-time for six months to a year. I had lost the joy.” He felt disconnected from his passion and couldn’t regain the drive. He bounced around raft guiding jobs. Instead, his efforts were channelled into providing emotional support for the family of his friend. When looking at both Kiernan’s and Van Wijk’s experiences collectively, it can’t help but pose the question: how much space for joy can be left, when there is so much pain? “To quit kayaking, is like quitting a community,” is Kiernan’s answer. “When I first started paddling after the incident, it was more of a mission to prove to myself that I could and would keep going.” There are ways to take a more mellow approach to the sport, while staying part of that community – he explained – it doesn’t have to be the end of the road. Kiernan’s not-so-mellow approach, on the other hand, is one that takes a lot of courage and calculation. “When I plan my descent of a technical river, I see it as a goal to achieve. You don’t have to be paddling Class V to be exposed to danger. Danger is subjective and is relative to a specific person and their own experiences, skill-set and knowledge in that field.” Why do these athletes carry on in the face of trauma? The question leads us back to the paradoxical nature of the sport itself. It seems the key ingredient to the satisfaction comes from the successful navigation of risk. As long as this mindset is maintained, so is the exposure to trauma. Not all risk can be controlled. It’s natural for people to develop symptoms of PTSD after experiencing trauma, but the challenge is finding ways to move on. Sometimes taking a step back, can mean a step towards fulfilment and reward.
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Everything Revelstoke offers up the ultimate tourist experience
Growing local success expands into the Revelstoke summer experience market By Melissa Jameson Everything Revelstoke owner Brydon Roe at their First Street East centre. From a humble beginning in 2009 with only a single bus and an idea, Everything Revelstoke has built itself into major player in Revelstoke’s growing tourism industry with a storefront and multiple partnership contracts including Revelstoke’s winter flight shuttle service to Revelstoke. The idea? To elevate the experience for Revelstoke visitors by providing a onestop shop where Everything Revelstoke literally takes care of everything from booking hotel rooms and activities to arranging transportation at no extra charge to the customer. They even go the extra mile, working with customers and local hotels when Revelstoke’s infamous nickname “Revelstuck” becomes reality. When the highways are closed during the snowy winter months, arranging alternate transportation or finding guests a bed for the night. “The concept is to have people visit Revelstoke and see the community from almost a local’s perspective,” said Brydon Roe. Brydon, who owns Everything Revelstoke along with his brother and business partner Jason Roe, said the concept is inspired by their experience working for a ski company in New Zealand. There the brothers were responsible for looking after a guest’s entire experience. It was a way of providing a seamless customer experience. Lara Davis, general manager of Everything Revelstoke said the goal is to promote and partner with various local tourist-based businesses to provide that fluid customer experience. Everything Revelstoke strives to lead creating an online hub where activity and accommodation providers are interconnected. “So you can go to any company and it looks like we all work together and the
guest doesn’t know what’s happening on the back end,” she said. So far, Everything Revelstoke has created various levels of partnership, and in many cases provides a storefront location, with a number of Revelstoke businesses including Eagle Pass Heliskiing, Snowshoe Pete, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Natural Escapes Kayaking, Apex Rafting and many more. Admittedly, Brydon said there was some confusion within the tourism and business community about just how Everything Revelstoke fits in. “It’s not a new model to have a central reservation set up where you’re representing those companies that don’t have the ability to have a storefront or don’t want to. It took a while to get understood,” said Brydon. He emphasized it’s not about creating competition but rather working together to build each others business up.
Everything Revelstoke revving up to promote community’s amazing summer tourism opportunities It’s safe to say at this point Everything Revelstoke has the winter tourist season dialed in. They’ve looked after the contract for Revelstoke’s shuttle flight service from Vancouver for the past two
seasons, act as a downtown location selling Revelstoke Mountain Resort merchandise and lift tickets, and work closely with various other winter-focused activity companies to provide all around tourism packages while helping to promote local business. Now, Everything Revelstoke wants to take what they’ve learned about creating a collaborative winter-tourism experience and shift that towards the community’s growing summer tourism market. Lara said they’ve begun working on developing various packages for summer including a water adventure package that includes kayaking, whitewater rafting and fishing. They’ve also got their eye on working with adventure companies to offer ATV tours, and creating adventure-based stag and stagette packages. Similar to the winter months Everything Revelstoke plans to offer both pre-packaged and a la carte adventures,
although Lara points out all of their packages are truly a la carte as customers are able to make changes to suit individual needs. “We can do your transportation from Kelowna or anywhere you want. So if you’re a budget traveler we have options that will suit those needs, if you want to have private transportation we can provide that. Then we put them in the accommodation that suits their needs the best.” Perhaps the best part? All of this is done at no extra charge to the customer. It’s something Brydon says is important to him as a self-described discerning buyer. “I think OK, how am I going to have to pay for this,” he said. “It’s important it doesn’t cost you anything extra because of the relationships we’ve created.” To find out more about Everything Revelstoke or to book your summer getaway visit everythingrevelstoke.com.
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FEATURE
Getting everyone to the table on land tenure issues In Revelstoke, and land tenure issues pop into the public sphere from time to time, leading to a series of skirmishes that only scratch the surface of a complex issue, writes Ian Tomm, as he argues that what’s needed is engagement, with an equal place at the table for all.
By Ian Tomm Public opinions about land use in and around our community are always interesting and sometimes frustrating. Recently, the discussions surrounding mountain biking on Mt. Cartier, including the proposed valley bottom trail expansion by the Revelstoke Cycling Association and the tenure application for commercial helicopter assisted biking from the summit, have been spirited and, at times misinformed. Land use in British Columbia is a lesser-known, complicated topic and, because of this, assumptions often get in the way of fact. The history and policy that govern land use are complex enough that understanding the challenges is daunting to any who dare to wade in on the issues. It’s no wonder that our discussions get stuck on understanding these challenges instead of looking down the path to progress and resolution. B.C.’s economic and cultural foundations are built upon its land and water resources. The colonial attitudes that have largely guided resource extraction in the province since early European contact with Indigenous cultures have seen shifts over the past few decades. These attitudes have shifted more profoundly in the last 10 years and most recently in the election campaigns and governing mandates of provincial and federal political parties across the country. The increasing density and diversity of human activity on B.C.’s landbase and the maturation of First Nations’ roles in land use decisions have combined to surface a number questions. These are intellectually challenging and potentially significant public policy questions that are helping to modernize how we think about our province’s land and water – now, and well into the future. B.C. is home to the most Crown land 20
of any province in the country at around 96% of its total land area. By contrast, Alberta enjoys only roughly 60% of their province as public land. Social values and attitudes in B.C. have, over time, developed many norms surrounding how and who can use and access crown land. Some of these norms have evolved into legislation, regulation, policy and procedure while others continue to exist as part of the broader, ill-defined and somewhat nebulous social contract that is so much of public debate and opinion today. Today there are 27 different land tenure and licensing programs in use in the province today, all with varying degrees of legal strength, cost and security. Underlying this hierarchical permitting and licensing structure lay vitally important environmental variables like ecosystems, watersheds, habitat, diverse flora and fauna and species at risk, to name but a few. To add to this complex matrix of public policy and considerations, the rights of First Nations’ interests in land and resource management has significantly changed. The 2014 Tsilhqot’in Decision of the Supreme Court of British Columbia was the driving force behind this shift. There have been a surge of provincial and federal government efforts around the policy implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and various truth and reconciliation efforts that cross programs, departments and ministries at all levels of government. Land use in B.C. has never been more complex. Revelstoke, with its rich history of rail and resource extraction, is now established as an international epicentre of adventure tourism. The continued growth and vitality in this community
is proof of that success. It’s clear that the unique attributes of our historic city — the terrain, ecosystems, weather (summer and winter) and people — have the foundations of a unique, globally competitive all season destination well positioned to support the community into the foreseeable future. The historical land uses of forestry, hydro and mining are increasingly being augmented by and, in some cases, overshadowed by other forms of land use including tourism and recreation in all its forms and flavours. It’s unlikely this growth will slow anytime soon. Revelstoke continues to develop as a tourism destination and is maturing into an international destination resort community. There have never been more travellers wanting to come to western Canada to experience rural mountain communities like Revelstoke. Locally, access to our community is increasing: incremental improvements and twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway, gradual improvements to Kelowna International Airport capacity, and our government’s continued success in marketing B.C. to the world are all opening doors. There are so many positive socio-economic attributes that attract people to the area to both live and play. It’s clear that the future is very bright for this not-so-little-anymore mountain town. Over the past couple of years I have been genuinely excited and inspired by many of the tourism focused entrepreneurial initiatives that have been launched in and around our community. Not to mention the health, growth and vitality of the many long established operators in the area. Jeff Bellis’s summer mountain biking hut proposal in the Monashees around Mt. Thor, Mike Bromberg and Revelstoke Backcountry
Guides with their hut proposal in the West Twin Creek and Twin Butte area and more recently Matt Yaki’s tenure application for Wandering Wheels on Mt. Cartier. In each of these cases we have long time, valued residents, taking the initiative to enhance our community by offering value added programs and services to locals and visitors alike. But each of these cases has also demonstrated the misconceptions in the public space surrounding the value of tourism and recreation in the local community and the unique characteristics differentiating public use from managed, licensed and monitored tenured use. Tenured land users in B.C. are under legal, contractual obligations to the province to run their commercial operations on crown land according to approved and monitored plans. The plans take various shapes and forms. For tenured tourism operations they take the form of a management plan. Management plans are expensive, expansive and detailed documents, often very legal in nature, and are carefully developed in partnership with proponents, professional consultants, government and stakeholders. Annual declarations contained in Diligent Use Reports, Responsible Use Reports and other reporting requirements are submitted to various levels and departments of government to monitor the tenured operator. These allow for a regular discussion around use, plan enhancement and evolution, regulatory compliance and the mitigation and management of various risks, environmental and otherwise, relevant to the tenure and the activities permitted under agreement with the province. All tenured management plans see significant scrutiny through the referral process, which includes thorough
FEATURE
Caption Caption Caption Hiking in Glacier National Park. Contributed by Ian Tomm
consultation with First Nations and stakeholders. Tourism-based tenures are processed through the same operational structure at the district and regional level, known as FrontCounterBC that other tenured users are. There are no dedicated or specialized staff for tourism based tenures, although some regions have greater expertise in files due to unique conditions or circumstances found regionally. For the most part tourism tenures have very little security associated with them, even in circumstances where significant capital investment is involved. As an example, Licenses of Occupation, which are typically granted for adventure tourism tenures, are subservient to all other forms of tenure and can be cancelled without cause with only 90 days notice. This is a very challenging and uncertain environment for business owners, their staff, service providers and guests. Many families and citizens depend on adventure tourism in this town for their livelihood and wellbeing. Public recreation users are subject to very different terms and conditions when it comes to land use. Policy guidance is found in government frameworks empowered by the Land Act, Wildlife Act and the Forestry and Range Practices Act (FRPA) including the Permission Policy and FRPA Part 5 (Protection of Resources), Division 3 (Recreation), Sections 56, 57 and 58. The parts of public use that are organized are managed and are becoming more so over time. The many, largely volunteer, non-profit groups across the province are stewards of local public use efforts and they work with a specific and focused branch of government for public recreation, Recreation Sites and Trails BC (RSTBC). In Revelstoke, these
groups include the Revelstoke Cycling Association, Revelstoke Snowmobile Club, Revelstoke ATV Club and Revy Riders. These groups are required to submit Annual Operating Plans, follow the governing Acts and undergo referral processes for stakeholders when proposing developments, they are largely responsible for building and maintaining trails and public infrastructure in the specific areas of Crown Land that they manage under a Partnership Agreement with RSTBC. In a perfect world all forms of land use in the province would be managed and coordinated under a comprehensive and robust provincial land management framework with goals and performance measures to monitor and track progress over time at various levels from the province down to districts, regions and local communities. Unfortunately, the current situation is less than ideal as resource-strapped government is challenged to respond to perpetually increasing demands. Governments of the past have attempted land planning with varying degrees of success, with the last focused provincial effort dating back to the 1990s. Our world has changed a lot in the past three decades and there is no shortage of discussion today on the need and importance of getting back to the land planning table, as is evidenced by recent motions made by organizations like the Southern Interior Local Governments Association (SILGA), regional districts and some municipalities, including Revelstoke. Unfortunately, many of the people involved in these motions, and land use discussions more broadly, don’t have a lot of confidence for progress on a meaningful timescale to local issues, acute or chronic. Letters are being written and political and bureau-
cratic lobbying by all parties commercial, public and ENGO alike is occurring yet the path to meaningful progress for maximum community benefit remains elusive. Understanding the complexity of land use provincially is daunting, but there are good, smart folks in government working on the issue and while slow, progress will occur over time. Locally we have the benefit of understanding the needs, issues and players better and if history is any judge, local efforts need to be the catalyst to meaningful and long lasting change when it comes to land use. We can write letters to government requesting specific, local, collaborative land use plans but what do we really mean by that? As a community what are we looking for? There are some who would like to see the reversal of human progress and the complete removal of human activity of any form from the land. There are others who see our access to the land as a primary value of life in Canada. It can be argued that it is this access to the land that creates such a strong concern for its well-being in the first place. Regardless of the views, positions, stances or moral high ground, informed or otherwise, it is likely that progress will only occur when the various parties who have an interest in land and resource use and conservation locally sit down at the same table. Without prejudice, we each must acknowledge the important role we all play in fostering a vibrant, successful community that honours our area’s indigenous heritage and diverse ecological, social and economic values. We shouldn’t wait for government at any level to take leadership, because if we do we may be waiting for a long time.
Land use in B.C. is a highly complex topic, and this article is only a small, imperfect window into that complexity. The relationship between the various forms of land use from public recreation and commercial tourism to logging, mining and everything in between boggles the minds of most who dare to engage in the discussion. Informed public discourse is the antidote to the complexity and a path towards progress. If we, as a community, want to see change that supports the needs of new and existing businesses of all types (tourism, logging and others) in an environment sensitive to ecological health and sustainability it is going to come down to us, as a community, taking the initiative in a way that respects and acknowledges all parties at the table equally, and without prejudice. Special thanks to the many people who supported this article and, in particular, Miranda Murphy for her attention to detail and expertise in these matters. Ian Tomm, a ski guide by trade, has been working in winter tourism in and around the Revelstoke region and around the world for over 20 years including holding various positions as Executive Director of Avalanche Canada, the Canadian Avalanche Association and most recently HeliCat Canada. Currently he is a freelance consultant working in government relations and tourism sectors. He and his wife Tammy have called Revelstoke home for the past 12 years; both of their children were born at Queen Victoria Hospital.
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Jones Distilling anchors Mountain View building revitalization Passion, science and locally inspired natural ingredients blend into behind kick-ass vodka
Jones Distilling
By Imogen Whale The Head Distiller: Gareth Jones was on the hunt for a head distiller. “I was looking for a unicorn,” explains Jones. “And I found one.”
not everything was a success, a lot of them were really popular.” Multiple recipes of Moore’s were on tap for six months at a time.
That unicorn is Megan Moore. Discovered in a bar where she was overheard talking about distilling by Meghan Porath, the marketing manager of Jones Distilling, Moore was introduced to Jones soon after.
When the company she was working for gave her the opportunity to try her hand at distilling, Moore found herself wanting to focus on distilling over brewing. “The craft beer scene had really exploded,” she explains. “I wanted to be on the leading edge of something new distilling was it.” Shortly after she headed to Kelowna to take the master distiller certification.
“It quickly became apparent I wasn’t interviewing her; she was interviewing me,” Jones says.
Moore has been in the industry since she was nineteen and got a job on the ground floor of a craft brewery in the process of opening. She was in the midst of completing a tourism diploma and realized she had no passion for office hotel work. Brewing though, called to her.
The Distillery and the Creation of Vodka: Jones Distilling is located on the first floor in the historic Revelstoke building that was once Mountain View School, the historic brick structure completed in 1914 for a sum of $40,000. (It was strategically located next to the Presbyterian Manse, and boasted the highest pass rate in the province in its first year — 83.33%). High ceilings and large windows keep the space open and bright. There are comfortable couches for lounging and tasting with the distilling equipment just feet away, roped off but visible. From nearly any angle the views of Mt. Macpherson and Begbie beckon from the windows. “It’s really easy to be inspired to write recipes here,” Moore explains. “I look out at the mountains and think, ‘Oh, the raspberries will be ripe in a month,’ and then I figure out how I could incorporate raspberries or any other seasonal ingredients that are grown in right in our backyard.”
Over the next four years, Moore learned the science of brewing beer and was given a large amount of creative freedom to master her own recipes. “Every Friday we would release a cask, about 40 litres. Here, I could try all sorts of ideas, and while
The distillery uses local products wherever possible. Moore believes the highest quality ingredients translate into the flavour, consistency and quality of the vodka produced. As she explains the distilling process, it becomes apparent that, while
“Then it just ended up being a conversation between two people with the same passion,” Moore explains. “We were asking each other about our goals and what we saw for our dream distillery, and they were the same.” Twenty-four-year-old Moore is a master distiller, though she modestly shrugs off the title. “I have so much left to learn, I can’t use that name yet,” she laughs.
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Distilling photos by Katie Langmuir
the views and mountain air offer inspiration, the creation of vodka lies in an exact science. Moore explains it as a combination of biology and chemistry where precision is vital. Moore believes success is measured by consistency. “The basic recipe is the same, every time, and really similar to brewing.” Moore says. “For vodka, there are three base ingredients; malt, water and yeast. We control fermentation to within a tenth of a degree for consistency; it has to be perfect.” There are three pieces of equipment integral to the creation of vodka at Jones Distilling. The first is the masher. Here, cracked grains and hot water steep. The process is faster than one might anticipate – the masher is used for less than half a day.
Distilling, the still is able to distil 500 litres of wash at a time. It’s here where the liquid is evaporated precisely and condensed repeatedly through the copper rings, which provide a greater surface area of copper than traditional stills. At a point decided by the distiller, the vapours move up the column and condense to be collected and filtered. The still produces 96%-proof alcohol. Moore will proof it down it with distilled water until it is 40% alcohol. It will be tasted against a master bottle, the bottle that every other batch must match perfectly before it is deemed worthy.
Moore then takes that mash and transfers it into the next bit of equipment, the fermentor, a large cylindrical affair where the yeast eats the sugars at a consistent temperature. Fermentation takes four days before a wash is produced and transferred to the final and smallest machine, the still.
It’s clear that the science is real, not just in the recipe, but in the equipment. “Everything in here is cutting edge and ahead of its time as far as technology,” Moore says.
Here, new technology is the equivalent of a traditional 48-plate still. In the Jones
“I’ve met master distillers who fall into the habit of doing the same thing; if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. But creating and growing and striving to keep getting better is so
For Moore, Jones Distilling fits with her distilling ideology.
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RONA – Glacier Building Supplies wishes to congratulate Gareth Jones on the opening of the Jones Distilling here in Revelstoke. We wish Jones Distilling all the very best in their new venture and thank them for allowing us to be a part of the project.
Jones Distilling Master Distiller Megan Moore. Photo: Katie Langmuir
250-837-6144 96 Cartier Street Revelstoke
important to me,” she says. “Here, I have creative freedom to make the best product I can.” Jones Distilling’s Mr. Jones Vodka is available in town at Kawakubo, The Regent Hotel, Bierhaus and Cheers Liquor Store. The distillery itself is open for tastings and purchases throughout the summer Tuesday-Sunday 11–5 p.m., though there is currently no cocktail bar or individual drink purchase available. “We aren’t in a rush,” Moore explains. “We’re doing it right, taking our time and building our brand before we add more products.” The brand lends itself to the notion of what Jones was looking for when he found Moore, the distilling unicorn, something unique and fresh but steeped in quality. Jones Distilling is worth checking out.
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Taste Mother Nature in recent Okanagan Blends TRUE TRIPLE GLAZING DOESN’ T STOP AT THREE
By Heather Hood After an extra month off from the column, I was eager to get writing about wine again. I was pleased to see that some of the wine releases from the recent 2017 harvest have become available to purchase. This is always an exciting time to sample the fruits of passionate labour. Each vintage has its unique qualities, which are dictated heavily by Mother Nature. Last year in the Okanagan, there was a lot of heat, very little precipitation and heavy crop loads. These factors encountered during growing season can be blessings as much as they can be curses. In the end the magic happens and we get to enjoy fantastic wines. As usual, I am really excited for the wines this month. Each of the wines is from a different vintage and all the wines are blends. This month the Monte Creek and Therapy Wines are on sale at Cheers. Hillside Winery Rosé Naramata, BC 2017 $20.57 The Hillside Rosé is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah, which has just been released from the 2017 vintage. I found this wine was most enjoyable when taken out of the fridge and left to sit in the bottle on the counter for 20-30 minutes. By doing this, the fruit characteristics where brighter and the flavour profile had more depth. The wine is full and fruity on the palate with juicy flavours of strawberries and raspberries. There is a nice lingering finish similar to the flavours on the palate. Monte Creek Winery Hands Up Red Monte Creek, BC 2015 $17.96 Last year I had the opportunity to taste the Hands Up White, which really wowed me and has become one of my favourite go-to wines. The Hands Up Red follows suit and certainly does not disappoint. The Red is a blend of Merlot, Marquette, Cabernet Sauvignon, Frontenac Noir and Cabernet Franc. Marquette and Frontenac Noir grapes are both relatively new varieties that have come out in the last 20 years. They are both red hybrids that were developed as very cold hardy varietals at the University of Minnesota. The Hands Up Red has a nice nose of currents, ripe cherries, black plum and oak. The palate is juicy with nice full flavours on the palate of red fruit, oak and medium balanced tannins. The finish is fantastic and rich with lingering flavours of red fruit and caramel.
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Powder dreams wake to separate reality in RMR’s first master plan update
of Operations Peter Nielsen to Revelstoke council, fleshes out a number of initiatives. On the mountain, Nothland says it is looking at three new chairlifts – lifts 1, 11, and 18 as they’re numbered on the master plan. Lift 11, which RMR plans to install next year, would create some badly needed beginner skiing at the top of the gondola and a quick route to the Ripper. Lift 1 would serve the estate lots on the lower mountain and would provide an alternative route out the base, though it wouldn’t provide access to the upper mountain. Lift 18 would be located beyond south bowl and would lead to a major expansion. Other winter plans include cross-country ski trails, snowmobile tours, hut-tohut ski touring, a skating rink, ice climbing and dog sledding. The resort seems to be most optimistic about growing its summer operations and tapping into the millions of people who drive past Revelstoke on the Trans-Canada Highway every year. “RMR is in a unique position to develop an ambitious summer activities program to appeal to this market,” the plan states. We know of the success of the Pipe, which saw about 80,000 riders in its first year and continues to be a hit. Last summer, RMR opened the upper gondola for sightseeing, and this year it is opening up 13 kilometres of new hiking trails. The
Revelstoke Mountain Resort updates its key master planning document for the first time since 2003. The document tempers the resort’s initial sky-high goals with the realities learned over a decade of operation. By Alex Cooper When the original developers of Revelstoke Mountain Resort crafted their Master Plan back in 2003, they dreamed big. They envisioned a rapid development that would lead to the largest ski resort in North America, with more terrain than Whistler/Blackcomb, some 16,600 beds and much, much more. For a brief period, when the initial real estate offering went like hot cakes and the Revelation Gondola and Stoke Chair opened in 2007, it might have felt like those dreams would come true. As we know, a year later the global economy went into a prolonged recession and RMR nearly collapsed. Real estate sales fell through and Northland Properties, who were initially a minor investor in the resort, stepped in to save RMR from bankruptcy. They took on significant debt and followed through on the first phase of the development, installing the Ripper Chair, finishing the Sutton Place Hotel, making incremental improvements to the skiing experience, and adding a summer product centred on the Pipe mountain coaster and new hiking trails – a total investment of more than $200 million over 10 years, according to Northland. Eleven years into the resort’s life, and the master plan has been given an update that tempers expectations while teasing developments to come. It provides an inventory of what’s been built and what may happen in the future. The initial plan still remains the goal, but the update reflects what has been built and “realistic growth expectations” for the future. Notably, the original developers forecast 645,000 skier visits in year 10 (2016-17), but the resort barely achieved a third of that by 2015-16. While ticket sales have increased by an average of seven per cent per year, they don’t come close to matching what was predicted. As well, real estate sales are essentially non-existent – the resort only sold one condo in 2016. The update describes RMR as a “boutique world class skiing destination” and compares it to Jackson Hole and Telluride, two world-renowned resorts in remote locations, and it sees the resort developing in that direction. What’s in store? The document, combined with a May presentation by RMR VP
Revelstoke Mountain Resort is adding alpine hiking this year, and plans to open an alpine mountain biking offering in 2019. Photo: Aaron Orlando/ Revelstoke Mountaineer plan calls for the development of alpine cross-country trails and an egress downhill mountain bike trail opening in the summer of 2019, while other summer operations being considered include zip lines, horseback rides, a via ferrata, and, yes, a golf course (but not until more real estate is developed.) On the real estate front, the master plan update outlines the goal for the next phase of development, which would first include a new hotel in 2018, followed by townhomes, an RV resort, and staff housing, all around the existing village. Phases four and five will involve developing land between the resort and the city, while phases six and seven would see development southward. Other than the hotel, the development of more real estate is contingent on RMR selling the existing backlog of 120 condo units and 17 estate lots, along with a general improvement in the resort real estate market. Northland also says new real estate is being hampered by so-called “predatory development” within the city that is built without the associated infrastructure costs RMR is faced with. The resort is “reluctant to proceed with any real estate development within the Base Lands due to the market erosion from widespread local residential and commercial development projects that are able to compete with RAVI’s program at an unfair advantage,” the plan states.
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Mountain caribou issue heats up after federal order Local forest resource, backcountry recreation industries face increased restrictions as government grapples with new federal pressure to recover the threatened mountain caribou By Aaron Orlando After a decade on the backburner, the issue of threatened mountain caribou populations in B.C. is heating up and headed for a rolling boil in the coming months. In early May, federal Minister of Environment Catherine McKenna declared mountain caribou were facing “imminent threat” and issued an order to government to take action on the issue. The declaration could have very serious implications for the forestry sector, the backcountry recreation industry, and private backcountry recreation in the Revelstoke area, all of which are essential sectors to Revelstoke’s economy. The order, under federal Species at Risk Act legislation, puts pressure on the B.C. provincial government to take immediate action to protect the threatened species, under threat that the federal government will step in and take over the portfolio. That outcome is perceived by local industries to be a worst-case scenario. The tools available to the federal government are less nuanced than provincial legislation because they focus on critical habitat protection, and place less emphasis on socio-economic repercussions, and on conservation tools such as predator and prey management, unused forest service road remediation, maternal penning, silviculture improvements and other conservation strategies. In addition, the federal government is perceived to be less connected to the economic ramifications of their legislation. The backdrop to the situation is an undeniable decline in mountain caribou herds, especially in their southern ranges in B.C. and Alberta. The well-studied ungulate has seen serious declines almost across the board, and most notably two herds in the far southeast of B.C. have declined to only a few remaining females each, making their extirpation a near surety. Their declines are driven by multiple factors, including decades of industrial activity such as forestry, and oil and gas activity, and climate change, which has impacted the species, which migrates seasonally from the valley bottoms to the alpine. The federal order highlighted 10 geographic areas of particular concern, and although the Revelstoke-area ‘Revelstoke Shuswap’ population unit was not included on the list of 10 critical areas of concern, areas to the south and northwest were, including the Kinbasket, South Monashee and Central Kootenay units. Revelstoke-based forestry and heliskiing operations, for example, are active in these areas. The federal move has set off a flurry of backroom activity, as industry lobbyists and provincial authorities scramble to represent their interests in the issue, and come up with a response and plan to deal with the federal pressure. The federal move has intensified focus
on the provincial government’s Draft Caribou Recovery Program, which is in draft form and open to public feedback until June 15. The document is a roadmap for mountain caribou recovery, and its success or failure will be critical. The crux of the debate is about what measures should be taken to aid in mountain caribou recovery, and where the money will come from to do it. Environmental groups such as Wildsight and Wilderness Committee place their focus on habitat protection, arguing that more mountain caribou critical habitat needs to be protected, meaning further restrictions on forest harvesting and recreation activities like snowmobiling and heliskiing. In early April, Revelstoke-based North Columbia Environmental Society sent a ‘section 80’ request under the Species at Risk Act to Minster McKenna requesting an emergency order to stop logging in federally identified critical habitat in the Revelstoke Shuswap Local Planning Unit. If successful, the
habitat conservation, an established body of science says forest activity curtailment and conservation alone won’t stave off the species’ extirpation in the region, and point to the neccesity of using other management techniques to reverse population decline in the short term, and for many decades to come because forests require that time to recover to be suitable caribou habitat. There are several different tools available to aid conservation. A key focus is predator and prey management, namely killing wolves, cougar, moose and deer to remove the cycle of predation of the mountain caribou. Other measures include maternal penning, such as the Revelstoke Caribou Rearing in the Wild facility on the west shore of Lake Revelstoke, where pregnant caribou cows are rounded up into a pen while they give birth and rear their young for the first several months when the calves are most vulnerable to predation. Habitat restoration, such as ripping up unused
Forester Kevin Bollefor transports a caribou to a maternal pen operated by Revelstoke Caribou Rearing in the Wild, part of an effort to preserve the species. Photo: Rob Buchanan/Revelstoke Caribou Rearing in the Wild/file halt to logging would severely curtail available harvestable timber, threatening the local forest industry. In addition to climate change, the impact of over a century of industrial forest activity in the area has been identified as the key driver of mountain caribou declines. The caribou thrive in old growth forests, where they feed on lichen that grows on the trees. Clearcut logging removes their habitat and creates new, growing forests that attract other ungulates like deer and moose. In turn, these species attract wolves, cougars and other predators. The increase in the predator population leads to more pressure on caribou as they become bycatch prey to the increased predator population levels. Logging roads, both active and historic, and snowmobile tracks also allow predators like wolves to more easily access mountain caribou alpine and forest refuges. While environmental groups focus on
forestry roads and resloping them, or more intensive silviculture techniques are also seen as tools. Relocation of caribou from dwindling herds to more viable ones is also an option, but is not viewed as effective if underlying predation issues haven’t been dealt with in the herds receiving them. Predator management and prey management are perceived to be the most politically controversial; shooting wolves doesn’t play well to an urban and environmental audience, who argue it’s an unnatural human intervention on natural cycles. They favour habitat protection. In B.C., and the Revelstoke area, a wolf cull program began in 2017, and is schedule to continue for the coming years, but the number of the predators killed pales in comparison to our neighbours in Alberta, who have focused more intensely on predator management. Revelstoke-based biologist Robert Serrouya earned his PhD studying mountain
carbou in the mountain valleys north of Revelstoke, and currently works at the University of Alberta and the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute on a caribou monitoring project. He is also a science advisor to the Revelstoke Caribou Rearing in the Wild group. When asked what advice he had for the provincial government as it revises its recovery program, he said a multi-pronged approach was necessary. “I would address this very complicated problem by hitting it with multiple levers simultaneously. Continuing on trying to reduce predation rates, by managing the predator/prey system and creating safe havens with fencing projects if they are needed and if they work,” he said. “I would accelerate the pace of habitat restoration, and look for habitat protection to try and meet the federal guidelines.” Serrouya disagrees with environmentalists who feel habitat protection alone will suffice and say predator control isn’t the solution. “If the policy was to only do predator control, [those opposing predator culls] absolutely right. It’s short-sighted and it’s short term, so it’s a Band-Aid,” he said. “So they’re right, but if it’s done with other longer term measures like habitat protection and restoration, then it is what will be needed to save the species.” He underscored his view that habitat conservation alone won’t suffice without additional management measures: “The animals will go extinct. Every scientific paper shows that. Every caribou population dynamic paper shows that. You can protect all of the habitat and the rate of decline will continue to extinction because of the legacy of habitat disturbance.” In an interview with the Mountaineer, Kootenay-Columbia MP Wayne Stetski said he had been active in Ottawa on the issue, calling for increased conservation funding. Prior to his federal political career, Stetski worked as Regional Manager for the BC Ministry of Environment, where he was involved in caribou recovery initiatives in the Revelstoke area. “Whatever happens has to be science based,” Stetski told the Mountaineer. “You need to have people based on research that truly understand what’s happening on the land first and foremost, and what the impact is then on caribou herds.” He also pointed to the limited success of caribou penning. “This is a very complicated issue. [Federal authorities] know that. This is not a single fix issue,” Stetski said. “It has to be a holistic approach. So they will be looking at science-based ... looking at habitat leads, what to do with predator populations and whether current interaction between backcountry recreation and caribou is sustainable in the long run.” “The impetus right now is on the province,” Stetski said. 27
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Your summer hydration guide
How to stay hydrated while working, playing, and training in the heat
Water is the essence of life, and proper hydration is essential for summer recreation activities. Here, Shannon MacLean takes a paddle. Photo: Robert Sim
By Shannon MacLean, RHN, CHNC, BA-IR Whether you are grunting under the relentless heat of a barren cut block, paddling along an exposed lake, barreling through the humidity on your bike, lifting at CrossFit, or kicking up dust for summit sunrise, Revelstoke Summers get hot and sweaty. That heat makes the briskness of glacial-fed water sweet solace, and that sweat helps our inner body temperature stay within safe limits. But during strenuous exercise in hot or humid conditions, your body could be losing up to two litres of fluid per hour. If this fluid is not replaced quickly, blood volume decreases and body temperature rises, placing extra strain on the heart, lungs, and circulatory system. This equates to a drop in performance and earlier onset of fatigue. Prevention is the best cure; it’s ideal to start exercise well-hydrated, so read on to boost your H2O IQ. Water, the most abundant, vital substance on our planet and in our bodies, is a solvent carrying minerals and others substances along our lakes, rivers, and bloodstreams. As the mainstay of digestive juices, urine, tears, blood, lymph, and sweat, water is involved in almost every bodily function. Water requirements vary greatly according to age, gender, size, health status, temperature, humidity, activity level, and diet. Because of this, the eight glasses of water/day suggestion is a gross oversimplification; instead, thirst should generally be used as the most reliable guide. Aside from ingesting high doses of B vitamins or beets (which turn urine bright yellow and pink), urine color is another indicator of hydration level. Urine which appears pale yellow indicates you are within 1% of optimal hydration. Caffeinated beverages, sugary drinks, alcohol, and some herbal teas are diuretics that increase urine flow and flush water from the body, eventually leading to water and electrolyte loss and subsequent dehydration. Processed, overly salted foods (hello potato chips!) can lead to a loss of fluids as extra water is corralled to the gut to dilute all that sodium. This is called net secretion and can be avoided by abstaining from processed foods and salting homemade food to taste with Himalayan or Celtic sea salt, which are rich in trace minerals and electrolytes. Breakfast (breaking the fast) should start with a tall glass of water to hydrate cells and get the body ready for another day of digestion and activity. Throughout the day, it is best to drink water in between meals to avoid diluting digestive juices (which reduces food digestion and nutrient assimilation). Eating seasonally helps us stay hydrated throughout the summer. Nature made no mistakes in providing us with juicy, hydrating fruits and vegetables during these hot months. Fruits like watermelon, strawberries, and peaches contain over 90 percent water, as do vegetables like zucchini, radish, celery, tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, cabbage, cucumber, and lettuce. Shopping at our local farmers market takes much of the guesswork out of nutrition! Try using these local treasures by doubling your morning smoothie and freezing half in a popsicle mould for a fun way to hydrate throughout the day or adding fresh
fruits and herbs to a pitcher of water to infuse with tempting flavors and colors. Quite possibly the most important and simple change for many is to purchase a good quality, stainless steel or glass water bottle. Fill it up and bring it with you before leaving the house, and you will never be without water again! This is a surprisingly life-changing habit. Sweat causes a loss of electrolytes, which are mineral salts dissolved in the body’s fluid that help convey electrical currents in the body and regulate the fluid balance between different body compartments and the bloodstream. Water movement is controlled by the concentration of electrolytes on either side of the cell membrane. Thanks to strategic marketing, many of us think of electrolytes, which include sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, as elusive gems that can only be attained by purchasing electrolyte tablets, powders, or artificial color, flavor, and sugar-laden ‘sports drinks.’ In fact, there are many simple ways to boost electrolytes naturally. Bone broth is a great choice for athletes, as it is naturally full of minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which help with muscle contraction and relaxation, as well as amino acids to assist muscle and joint repair. Coconut water has a good mix of electrolytes and simple sugars to aid in sports performance, although an extra pinch of salt is required. A shot of juice from fermented sauerkraut or pickles can increase hydration while also providing probiotics which boost gut health. Snacking on seaweed provides electrolytes including calcium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, and sodium. Nori can be brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt, and lightly toasted for a satisfying snack.
Sports Drink
There have been many changes to Revelstoke Cable over the last few years
This drink is meant to be consumed during extended strenuous exercise (especially in hot weather), when rapid fluid replacement is the main priority. This is considered a hypotonic drink; it has a relatively low osmolality, which means it contains fewer particles (carbohydrate and electrolytes) per 100 ml than the body’s own fluids. As it is more dilute, it is absorbed faster than plain water. During exertion, sodium loss is far greater than any other electrolyte; the sea salt here increases thirst, helps ensure proper muscle and nerve function, and prevents water intoxication, or hyponatremia, which can occur from heavy sweating for long periods (which depletes sodium) combined with high water consumption (which can further deplete sodium).
— from adding internet services to upgrading to digital TV to rebranding to YourLink Revelstoke. Through it all, much of the core local team have steadily supported our community. We are very proud to have served Revelstoke and appreciate all the support we have received in return along the way. As you may know, Revelstoke Cable was purchased and rebranded to YourLink many years ago. In October 2016, YourLink was purchased by TELUS. The YourLink Revelstoke Cable network will be turned down on October 3rd, 2018. We encourage our YourLink Revelstoke customers to make the switch to TELUS PureFibre.
1L warm water 1-2 TBSP honey A pinch to ¼ tsp sea salt Juice of ½ lemon, lime, or orange (optional but does increase electrolytes)
We’re confident that you’ll be happy with TELUS PureFibre internet and Optik TV service with Video on Demand.
Mix in jar or water bottle and store in fridge for up to three days.
Please call 1-855-502-2332, or email pfconnect@telus.com or visit Tom Harris Cellular 103 1 St. E. as soon as possible to avoid any disruptions of service.
Thank you all for your support. Sincerely, Tracey, Sheldon, Tyler, Shawn, Linda, Kathy, Sophie (and of course Cheryl)
Shannon MacLean is a Revelstoke-based Registered Holistic Nutritionist. She practices out of Jade Wellness in Revelstoke. 29
Eva Lake, Revelstoke National Park - S Cross - September, 2013
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Revy Outdoors . 201 Mackenzie Ave., Revelstoke . 250.814.2575 . open 7 days a week
GARDENING
The beauty of the edible landscape By Lindsay Bourque
While homegrown food production is not a new topic, the perspective of the home gardener toward growing food is starting to shift. As is often the case, it is our belief about how things ‘should be’ that holds us back – in this case, the belief that vegetables ought to be grown separately from ornamental plants, in a straight line, in raised beds that require maintenance, in some remote corner of your property. This approach, borrowed from intensive farming practices, can require a lot of space that isn’t always available in the average yard and is also a relatively new approach to home food production. In growing meccas like France and Italy, edible plants traditionally grow alongside ornamental plants in home kitchen gardens. The French, for example, mix herbs, edible and non-edible flowers with their fruits and vegetables in what is called a ‘potager,’
ornamental landscape almost guarantees you’ll notice when plants are stressed or ready to be harvested because they are more visible; we’ve all had that vegetable bed at the back of our yard where the only thing cultivated is a willful ignorance as the season wears on. I also get clients worried about attracting bears with edible plants and while this is a real concern in Revelstoke, this active engagement encourages people to harvest their produce as it ripens and clean up any windfall, thereby reducing bear attractants. Where should I plant? Brie Arthur, author of “The Foodscape Revolution”, suggests incorporating edibles along the edges of foundation plantings or borders. This area typically requires a lot of maintenance because it is open ground, which encourages grass
structure to the garden and the same principle applies to perennial edibles, so I have focused on a few of those plants here. Since the plants will be in the same spot for years, you need to find a place that meets all their growing requirements. Perennial herbs Herbs are the go-to plants for novice gardeners and with good reason; they are beautiful plants, easy to grow and will work in almost any garden. Lavender has been embraced for its ornamental qualities, however, sage and thyme also do very well here and are useful garden plants — sage is lovely in a sunny mixed border and thyme makes a great edging plant. Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) Sorrel is an underused and unusual plant — technically classified as an herb, this leafy perennial has a tart flavour and the young, tender leaves are great in salad and you can sauté the more mature leaves just like you would spinach. Pair with perennial flowers to create a long-lasting show. Sorrel will readily self seed, so best to plant it with that in mind. Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) A fixture in any cold-climate garden,
rhubarb has few pests and diseases and, if properly placed, a plant will last a lifetime. The large, dramatic leaves look almost tropical when placed in a mixed border and you can harvest from spring well into summer. Rhubarb grows well with other acid loving plants such as coniferous evergreens and rhododendrons. If you are introducing rhubarb into your garden do not harvest any stalks the first year to allow the plant to establish. Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) Pretty much the coolest perennial food plant you can grow. Although asparagus plants take three years to establish before harvesting can begin, it’s worth the wait. Asparagus is one of the first vegetables ready to harvest in the spring and then matures into an airy, fern-like cloud which changes to a golden color in the fall — if space is a concern, many people use asparagus as a border or hedge plant. The options are endless when it comes to incorporating food plants into your ornamental garden and it is also a great opportunity to highlight the beauty, not just the function, of edible plants. Lindsay Bourque is a Revelstoke-based landscape designer and gardener. Find out more at liminaldesign.ca
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Integrate edibles like chives with ornamentals for an edible landscape. which translates to ‘for the soup pot.’ This approach to home food production is more of a creative exercise that requires active engagement and change. This shift in approach also has practical benefits — incorporating food plants into your
and/or weeds to move in. It is also a good place to start because you will not be disturbing existing plants and offers easy access. What should I plant? Perennial plants give consistency and
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STYLE
Slow Style
S AV O U R I N G
Step off the hyper trend carousel and slow down your style
CLAIRE PEACOCK & GUS Pants: Prana Kimono: Smoking Lily Hat: Maloja Gus’ pants: Brok Boys Gus’ hoodie: Smoking Lily Basket: Mountain Goodness
Slow style a conscious choice to select better-quality items and buy less often. It’s being ethically conscious and elevating the environment in your clothing decisions. It’s saying no thanks to another round on the dizzying disposable trend cycle. Slow style is finding your grandma’s waxed-cotton Barbour jacket in the back of a closet and rubbing it with a fresh offering from the honeybees for a classic look rejuvenated for seasons to come. Revelstoke retailers are increasing their offerings of ethically sourced and environmentally friendlier selections that will last. Valhalla Pure offers Prana, which has partnered with enviromental non-profit Canopy to eliminate endangered or ancient wood fibres from its produces. They also offer Maloja, a Bluesign signatory that regulates the fabric production cycle to maximize environmental and worker protection. Garnish offers Green Bean Reloved, a 100% upcycled manufacturer, and Smoking Lily, a near-zero fabric waste manufacturer that focuses on bamboo and eucaluptus fabrics and utilizes dead stock leftover from other companies. Kids on Main features Brok Boys an Okanagan-based handmade bamboo clothing boutique manufacturer. Revy Outdoors’ Sherpa line focuses on economic and social stability in its Nepal-based manufacturing, focusing on working conditions and education opportunities for future generations. Universal Footwear offers vegan canvas Blundstones, and vegan Birkenstocks, produced with mostly renewable resources like cork and cork-oak bark, fused with water-soluble and solvent-free adhesives. Beyond Gifts offers Blue Sky Clothing, a fair trade, organic and natural materials clothier. Style Trend Clothiers offers Mat & Nat, which blends recycled nylons, cardboard, rubber and cork in their creations. Their linings are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. Mountain Goodness offers natural fibre baskets to get your goods home from market.
MODELS Naomi Ford, little Maisie, Claire Peacock, baby Gus, Sam Aidan and Julie Matteau. MAKEUP ARTIST Jade Elias of Birch & Lace HAIR ARTISTS Serenity Morgan and Sara Sansom of Birch & Lace. WARDROBE STYLIST Sara Sansom
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NAOMI FORD & MAISIE Cowl cardigan: Sherpa Tank: Blue Sky Clothing Shorts: Sherpa Maisie dress: Blue Sky Clothing
JULIE MATTEAU Pants & top: Prana Boots: Blundstones
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SAM AIDEN Pants: Prana Shirt: Maloja Boots: Blundstones
CLAIRE & NAOMI Claire’s pants: Prana Claire’s kimono: Smoking Lily Naomi’s tank: Blue Sky Naomi’s shorts: Sherpa Naomi’s cowl cardigan: Sherpa Naomi’s sandals: Birkenstock Maisie’s dress: Blue Sky Clothing Gus’ pants: Brok Boys Gus’ hoodie: Smoking Lily
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ESSAY
Front porches build neighbourliness By Fraser Blyth
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For decades, the front porch was an integral part of many houses in Revelstoke. It has become a part of our community’s cultural identity. Neighbourhood and house design has changed over the last 60-70 years with more emphasis now on private backyard and garage space. And while practical for many reasons, this design shift has meant the loss of these effective neighbourliness-building features. They don’t work everywhere, but they can improve the overall character of a neighbourhood. This image of neighbourhoods people love isn’t just held by me and other urban designers. It’s pretty engrained in our culture. Scan through any children’s book and you’ll notice mostly two-storey houses with front porches on tree-lined streets. Paintings and photos of Revelstoke feature those same house designs. These are indications of what people love about their neighbourhoods. Ironically though, these are not often the kinds of places that we build. If we want Revelstoke to continue to have places people love, planning a front porch can go a long way. Porches and decks are great features for any house. They provide outdoor living space that can be used through most of the year when they’re covered. Cheaper to build than fully insulated walled rooms, covered backyard decks and front porches can dramatically increase your three-season outdoor time. They may also allow you to build smaller homes, lowering your overall build cost. Both a back deck and front porch serve similar purposes, but are different. The back deck is, obviously more private, and meant to accommodate your more personal activities, like dining and socializing. The front porch is a more public space, that provides more opportunities to get to know your neighbours while doing relatively boring things like reading the paper or watching the rain fall. As humans, we love to people watch. It’s why we sit on patios and benches downtown. While not often on people’s “must have” list, front porches provide a community-building dynamic that few other components of a house can offer. And the best part is, you don’t have to put in much effort to build your neighbourhood relationships. Just by sitting out there, you increase your potential ‘social collisions’ and have more opportunities to meet your neighbours. It’s these opportunities for more chance encounters with neighbours that can help build comfort, facilitate conversations, and help you get to know your neighbours. I wrote about the importance of knowing your neighbours in a previous article, but as a recap, they include: better social and emergency networks, less isolation, more neighbourhood parties (and free babysitting), and reduced crime. Front porch neighbourhoods are typically more walkable, and you will see more people walking/biking in them then you will see in typical big city suburban neighbourhoods, where the design aesthetic is more geared towards large
Heritage home porches on Sixth Street East. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer
5. Corner lot? Wrap that right around 7. Wide lot, but no alley? Build a wider garages along the streetfront. the corner. house with room for a garage and a The front porch is more than just a 6. Want a bit more privacy? Raise the porch. place to spark up a conversation with height of the floor and/or build a solid someone in your neighbourhood. It also provides a valuable aesthetic function on railing. Check out Revelstoke’s heritage district for some great examples. a house. On a two-storey house it helps to break up the height of the building, A back deck on Fifth Street East. Photo: Aaron making it not feel so tall. Psychologically, Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer it creates an inviting frontage to your house, by providing a covered space to escape the elements when approaching your front door. Perhaps most interesting thing about them is the flexible space they create. They’re essentially a blank canvas for creative endeavours. In several cities and towns throughout North America, front porches have been reclaimed by artists, and community groups to host a variety of neighbourhood-scale community events. My favourite is the front porch concert series that have been held in many neighbourhoods in the US. In it, the front porch becomes a stage for local musicians. The musicians put on a short concert in a neighbourhood front yard. You’d be hard to find a better neighbourhood-building event than that. So if you’re sold on porches, here are a few key considerations: 1. Make them big enough to spend time on - Generally Third Street East porches. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer an eight-foot minimum depth. 2. Cover them — you’ll get way more use out of them in the shoulder seasons and some protection from the rain while fumbling with your door keys if they’re covered. 3. Worried about bugs? Screen them in to keep those pesky pests out. 4. Make the colour, materials, and detailing match your houses style.
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Summer Street Fest hosts talented performers every night in Grizzly Plaza Summer 2018 is going to be a hot one and we have a hot Revelstoke Summer Street Fest line-up to match Revelstoke Arts Council This year for Summer Street Fest there is a diverse line-up with more musicians on stage than ever including 10-piece ska bands, back-up singers, brass sections, marimbas and line dancing! Some audience favourites are back such as rising stars Sister Speak in their regular late summer spot, but there are also a ton of new bands to check out. Don’t worry though, there is plenty of local fare – don’t miss Partial to Pie playing with a full band, and our Revy-Made Music night, a selection of some of Revelstoke’s finest independent musicians. Last year the Gabriel Palatchi Trio and the OM Sound were runaway favourites with their high-octane, incredibly catchy original jazz improvisations. Audience members were heard to whisper to friends, ‘I can’t believe this is a free show,’ and we can’t quite believe we managed to get both bands back for a second year! We’re also very excited to present an international and diverse line up. We are proud to present Iskwe, an amazing
indigenous pop diva, with local rising star Aza as opening act, and Sister Says, a unique indigenous pop duo. We are also very proud to present Les Poules à Colin, a female francophone group with a deliciously complex delicate sound. We also have some awesome world music offerings like Tri-continental, a trio that fuses blues, world, Celtic, Latin, folk and African rhythms into one. Our World music selection also includes Son De Madera, an incredible band from Mexico with an authentic Latin sound, and This Way North, all the way from Australia. Kumbana Marimba, our first-ever marimba band, Barefoot Caravan and Rio Samaya round out our world music offering. For some seriously good roots, blues and good old rock ‘n’ roll, check out Matt Blais, WIL, El Niven & The Alibi, Lindsay Beaver & the 24th St. Wailers, Baker St. Blues, Devon Coyote, Sam Spades and the Kaslo blues duo Holly Hyatt and Jon Burden. Another new addition is Amelie Patterson, whose
music traverses territories from blues to folk rock and who doubles as Banff ’s poet laureate! If you’re into taking off your shoes off and jumping around, check out Malagrupa, a high-octane brass band with a Balkan flavor, and the swinging ska bands The Staggers & Jaggs and Class Action, back by popular demand. We are also proud to present The Paperboys, a huge band with a full brass section. Another big band to check out is The Honey Tongues with a rocking sax, full band and no less than three back-up singers. For the folk lovers out there, we have a great selection. CBC Searchlight winners The Long War are back again; we also have the authentic Tiger Moon, some sweet harmonies from the Danny Bell Trio, a six-piece alternative folk roots group, Marble Canyon, enchanting duo Flint and Feather (our season opener on June 23), Coldwater Road, VISSIA, Zonnis Music, Frankie and the Band, plus The Wooden Horsemen are
back again after an awesome show last year. We have a couple of acts that feature unforgettable vocals, don’t miss Bella Cat from Ottawa, whose voice rivals the late, great Amy Winehouse. On the other end of the spectrum, the deep resonate tones of prairie balladeer Scott Cook, whose his unique blend of storytelling folk and catchy tunes are reminiscent of the one and only Johnny Cash. The biggest voice award of our festival is sure to go to Derina Harvey — her band delivers high energy, old fashioned, East Coast fun. For more of this genre check out long-time favourites Nova Scotiables and Revelstoke’s own Maritime Kitchen Party. For some toe tapping country we have the wonderful Jackson Hollow, and for Canada Day, The Heels, an up-andcoming female country band who performed their original Canada 150 song at the Calgary Stampede last summer. In this genre Sarah Beatty combines multiple sound territories as she weaves
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Echo Nebraska Blues, Rock, Jazz, Soul, and Country into her Roots music. If you like to kick your heels up and line dance then don’t miss Paul Silveria on August 3 for some line-dancing fun. In bluegrass we have the rocking five-piece band Under The Rocks from Kelowna, alongside the Red Hot Hayseeds and sweet honeyed vocals from Sarah Jane Scouten. Local groups Chicken-Like Birds and Revelstoke’s own Tappalachian String Band are back by popular demand. Brother Octopus, the Conscientious Objectors and The Cut Losses offer up some indie pop, Arcade Fire-esque grooves with some quirky lyrics. In a similar vein, Vancouver’s folk-rock outfit Echo Nebraska combine their sound with melodic pop sensibilities and should be an awesome show. Jesse and the Dandelions also have an original sparkling pop-rock sound. For more high quality musicianship, don’t miss the Aerialists, who feature both a harp and a fiddle player, Andrew and Zachari Smith for some finger picking guitar licks, and of course Revelstoke’s own Bob Rogers Jazz Quartet. It’s going to be an amazing year! See you at Grizzly Plaza in downtown Revelstoke from 6:30–9:30 pm … every single night from June 23 and August 26!
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