Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine December 2019 issue by Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine

Homes: Tammen Mökki's Finnish minimalism p · 34 . Made here: Sauna in situ. p · 40.

DECEMBER/2019

FREE

revelstokemountaineer.com

Regional First Peoples place names. p · 16. Made-in-Revy holiday gift guide. p · 44.

Get into the holiday spirit

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2015

THE GIFT OF

Rejuvenation Pamper someone special with the gift of relaxation and rejuvenation at Halcyon Hot Springs. To purchase a gift certificate please contact our Front Desk Team!

OPEN YEAR-ROUND

#halcyonhotsprings

6 8 K M S OUT H OF R E V E L S TOK E OV E R L OOK IN G A R ROW L A K E

1.888.689.4699 H A L C YO N - H OT S P R I N G S . C O M

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. We are an independent, locally owned publication dedicated to showcasing our amazing mountain town and the great people who create the stoke. Each month we distribute over 3,000 free copies to over 200 public venues across Revelstoke, including hotel rooms, shops, restaurants, cafes, community centres — everywhere people meet. For all enquiries, including details on our surprisingly affordable advertising rates, please contact us at info@revelstokemountaineer.com

COVER PHOTO: While this may look like a beautiful day in the mountains, the reality of this image was that Christina Lustenberger, two filmers and I spent the night camping on the top of Ghost Peak later this evening during a particularly cold snap in Revelstoke. -30C overnight with a cold wind, frozen toes and hands, as well as ski boots that we could all barely put on in the morning. The point where this images was taken was most likely the warmest we all were for the next two days, and it’s nice to think about the warmth of this image instead of the intense (or is it in tents?) cold that was slowly creeping towards us a few hours later. — Bruno Long, photographer

For Revelstoke daily news online, please see our sister publication www.revelstokemountaineer.com · 250 814 8710 info@revelstokemountaineer.com 606 Railway Avenue. Revelstoke, B.C. P.O. BOX 112 · V0E 2S0

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Aaron Orlando aaron@revelstokemountaineer.com

EDITOR Aaron Orlando aaron@revelstokemountaineer.com

STAFF JOURNALIST Melissa Jameson melissa@revelstokemountaineer.com

EDITORIAL DESIGN/ADVERTISING DESIGN Sonia García sonia@revelstokemountaineer.com

WEBSITE Chris Payne chris@revelstokemountaineer.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Vilja Arnsteinsdatter, Emily Beaumont, Bryce Borlick, Alex Cooper, Amaris Bourdeau, Heather Hood, Shannon MacLean, Cara Smith, Louise Stanway, Matt Timmins

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Ryan Creary, Keri Knapp, Jessica Milaney, Robert Sim, Laura Szanto, Matt Timmins

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Benji Lowclass

A new look to celebrate 5 years! Do you like the new look? I'm sure stoked over it. December 2019 marks five years since I decided to swim upriver by launching a new journalism-based publication, at a time when people said local journalism was dying and print was dead. The concept was simple: create something that resonated with Revelstoke. Find our fit. Keep it independent. Keep it local and do it all with a bit of flair. Most importantly, reflect the hopeful, can-do spirit of those striving to build this community everyday. Five years later, this issue is the biggest and best-looking issue we've put on the streets. Our two main formats, Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine and our daily community news website www.revelstokemountaineer.com, are media through which we strive to fulfill a deeper mission. Our mandate is to provide meaningful journalism for our audience in Revelstoke and beyond. Our daily mission is to seek out stories that matter to residents, stories that are essential to the community. We have many improvements and new directions planned for early 2020, particularly in our digital offerings. We are excited to roll them out in our first big push to update our offerings. I've been blown away by the support we've received since we started. I've been publishing in Revelstoke on a daily basis for almost 12 years, but the overwhelming majority of positive feedback from the community has come since

I started the Mountaineer. There's something about it that resonates with our readers; for that I am thankful. I want to thank everyone who has participated with the Mountaineer since our first press date, including readers, writers, photographers, designers, artists, interview subjects, contributors and many more. Finally, a special thanks to all of our advertisers for their support over the years — without you we couldn't do what we do. Thank you for supporting us, allowing us to support our many local creative contributors. I invite those who haven't advertised with us before to see just how low our rates are by checking out our rate card on the "advertise" tab on revelstokemountaineer.com. With your support, here's to five more years of locally owned, independent, by-Revy-forRevy journalism. Here's to keeping stoked about telling stories about the amazing people who make this town an amazing place to work and play. —Aaron Orlando, BA, MJ; Creative Director, Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine, revelstokemountaineer.com

44 21 34

CONTENTS 8

NEWS BRIEFS New cannabis shops, a homeless shelter controversy, a local environment/economy study, and a new chairlift at RMR.

CALENDAR: DECEMBER EVENTS Find out what's happening on the slopes, in the galleries, at the bars, in the community centre and at performance venues in Revelstoke this December.

REVELSTOKE WINTER HOMELESS SHELTER PROPOSAL Proponents of a temporary winter shelter for the homeless have been delayed by an outdated city bylaw, politicizing the bylaw update, which may be used to support other kinds of temporary worker housing.

WHEN PLACE NA MES HONOURED THE LAND Two experts share the stories and meaning behind regional First Peoples place names.

REVELSTOKE ADAPTIVE SKI The successful local adaptive ski program looks forward to new opportunities with the expansion of intermediate terrain at RMR.

REVELSTOKE IS A MULTICULTUR AL MECCA Revelstoke's immigration patterns have always changed with the times. We share stories from newcomers from around the globe.

THE FIRST RULE OF... XXXXXXXXX Sed ut perspiciatis, unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem.

GREEN ADVENT CALENDAR In this North Columbia Environmental Society x Benji Lowclass x Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine collaboration, we provide tips on how to do the holiday season in style without over-consuming.

HOME STYLE: TA MMEN MÖKKI'S FINNISH MINIMALISM A new build on a rural acreage on Airport Way combines Finnish minimalism and the ski chalet aesthetic to transform the property into a stunning skiers' retreat.

MADE HERE: SAUNA IN SITU. You can take the Finn out of the sauna, but you can't take the sauna out of the Finn. Local master carpenter Tomi Supinen’s sauna van creation brings the heat with you.

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE New Naturopathic Medicine practitioner Dr. Lauren Goss encourages you to treat the root cause of the disease, not just the symptoms.

TINY PREFAB BUILDINGS A new Revy company wants to help with your space crunch by adding legal tiny buildings to your backyard.

MADE-IN-REV Y GIFT GUIDE Our guide to great locally made holiday gift ideas, or for souvenirs to take home.

CHRISTMAS EVENTS Get together to get into the holiday spirit. Here are some holiday events happening around Revy.

LUNA FEST Photos from Revelstoke's annual downtown arts and culture extravaganza.

SWIFT RIVER Revelstoke author Laura Stovel's new book explores First Peoples history in the local Columbia River region and beyond.

ARTS & CULTURE Our monthly guide to new local books, movies, albums, artistic creations and more.

SLOPE STYLE Check out the latest winter looks, gear and services available at R Gear and Critical Parts

BONE APPETIT Registered Holistic Nutritionist Shannon MacLean explores the health benefits of bone broth.

CONTRIBUTORS

Laura Stovel

Shelly Boyd

Benji Lowclass

WRITER & HISTORIAN

CULTURAL FACILITATOR

ARTIST & GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Laura Stovel grew up in Revelstoke and always had a close connection with its natural environment. She has a PhD in sociology from Simon Fraser University, specializing in how societies reconcile and find justice after mass violence. After working and researching in this field in Bosnia, Sierra Leone and Nepal, she returned home in 2010. She is the author of four books, including her upcoming book, Swift River. While writing the book, she forged deep friendships with Sinixt descendants of the original people who called Revelstoke home.

Shelly Boyd is a member of the Sn̓ ʕay̓ ckstx (Sinixt/Arrow Lakes) band of the Colville tribe. A founding member of the Inchelium Language and Culture Association and The Inchelium Language House which is committed to the revitalization of language and culture in Lakes traditional territory. She is the Arrow Lakes Cultural Facilitator for the Colville Tribe and her work revolves around the recently reversed declaration of extinction of Sn̓ ʕay̓ckstx people in Canada. Shelly believes there is a sacred responsibility that Indigenous people hold in speaking for that which has no voice including the timxʷ (the animals, land and spirits). Shelly grew up on the Colville Reservation with her six siblings, mother, Grandmother, Papa and Great Grandmother. She holds a Bachelors degree from Eastern Washington University and a Masters in Education from Gonzaga University.

We're can't recall the exact moment Benji Lowclass entered the Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine orbit, but he's been a regular contributing illustrator for the past few years at least. Lowclass is a Revelstoke-based illustrator, artist and graphic designer whose work pops up all over the place — branding for companies, album covers, T-shirts, graphic novels, the LUNA Art Festival, and a recent mural piece in downtown Nelson, B.C. Revelstoke's always had a local arts scene, but hasn't been thought of as an "arts" town until recently, driven by a new wave of young artists who can sell their works and services online, in addition to the local market. This month, the Mountaineer sponsored a collaboration between Lowclass and the North Columbia Environmental Society. Check out their two-page advent calendar that explores mindful giving on pages 32–33.

NEWS BRIEFS

Photo: Stock image

The Revelstoke United Church in downtown Revelstoke. Photo: Aaron Orlando

Four cannabis shops proposed for downtown Revy so far

Temporary use bylaw enlisted to enable winter shelter plans

ONE SHOP ALREADY OPEN; CITY COUNCIL GIVES POSITIVE REFERRALS FOR THREE MORE.

EMERGENCY WINTER SHELTER FOR DOWNTOWN REVELSTOKE IN LIMBO UNTIL BYLAW UPDATES ARE COMPLETE.

Revelstoke could soon be home to four cannabis shops, but it seems not everyone is happy about it. Summit Cannabis Co. is currently the only cannabis shop operating in the city. The retail store, located at 109 Connaught Avenue, opened its doors over the August long weekend. The three other proponents of cannabis shops are: Stoked Cannabis, which would be located at 427 Second Street East; Evergreen Dream Cannabis Co. at 113B Second Street East; and Revelsmoke Cannabis, located at 204 First Street West. Revelstoke city council voted to give all three proponents a positive referral to the B.C. Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch at recent council meetings. It was council’s support of Revelsmoke’s application that had Summit Cannabis Co. owners threatening legal action. At issue is the 10-metre distance between the two buildings. Despite the close proximity between the buildings, they are not visible from each other. In 2018 the city established a 100-metre exclusion zone for cannabis retailers. As part of its positive referral to the LCRB, council approved Revelsmoke’s request for a development variance permit, allowing for a reduction from a 100-metre buffer to eight metres. In a letter submitted to city council in October, Summit Cannabis Co. asked city council to not approve Revelsmoke’s application, stating Summit was reviewing its legal rights in face of the decision. The letter stated that should council approve Revelsmoke’s application, Summit would have no choice but to proceed with legal action to help recoup potential revenue loss. City of Revelstoke interim CAO, Dawn Low, told revelstokemountaineer.com that under the Local Government Act a development variance permit may vary a provision of zoning bylaw and there are no percentage requirements since variances are done on a case-by-case basis. There are still several steps the three proponents must take before receiving final approval from the LCRB to open their doors, and no word of any legal filings yet.

A proposed emergency winter shelter for Revelstoke has acted as the catalyst for a much-needed temporary use permit bylaw update. The proposed update to the city’s outdated temporary use bylaw (TUP) passed third reading during a special public meeting held Nov. 12, 2019. A temporary use permit (TUP) bylaw allows city councils to approve temporary use of buildings for various purposes, including employee housing or the proposed shelter. A TUP can last for a maximum of three years, but council can also issue permits for shorter time frames. It can also be related to non-housing purposes, like events held in public spaces. During the Nov. 12 public meeting, neighbours of the Revelstoke United Church, located at the corner of Mackenzie Avenue and Third Street East, the location of the proposed shelter, expressed concerns over potential non-compliance, among other negative feedback. Only one member of the public who attended the meeting provided positive comments regarding the proposed bylaw updated. The proposed winter shelter, which would be operated by the Revelstoke Women’s Shelter Society and funded by BC Housing, isn’t the only project that could benefit from an updated TUP bylaw. Director of Development Services Marianne Wade told the Mountaineer online there are several other projects at various stages of development. Among them is a concept to build temporary modular worker housing in the city’s industrial area, and possibly a tiny housing village although neither have been confirmed. It is unknown if the proposed emergency winter shelter will open its doors this winter. Wade said none of the three proposed projects came from BC Housing. In an August, 2019 interview RWSS executive director Lynn Leoppky told the Mountaineer that BC Housing wanted approval for the winter shelter site before it would accept an application for funding. The proposed TUP bylaw still needs approval from provincial authorities before council can give final approval.

Workers prepare the new Stellar Chair at RMR this summer. Photo: Aaron Orlando

A new study intersects with the regional environment, economy and the caribou issue. Photo: Mark Bradley/Parks Canada

RMR’s Stellar Chair opens up beginner terrain

Y2Y project focuses on economic future of the region

THE NEW ZONE GIVES ACCESS TO SIX NEW RUNS.

THE $30,00 STUDY WILL EXPLORE THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN REVELSTOKE’S ECONOMY AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

Revelstoke Mountain Resort newest chair lift is creating a new playground perfect for beginner skiers and those working up to skiing the resort’s more challenging terrain. The Stellar Chair, a new fixed grip quad, is opening for the 2019/2020 season. The chair opens up new beginner and intermediate terrain accessible from the top of the Revelation Gondola. Stellar gives access to six new runs, three blue and three green, with a mellow grade and 130 metres of vertical. The chair includes an upload capacity of 1,800 people per hour and a travel time of just over three minutes. Peter Nielsen, RMR vice president of operations, said the Stellar Chair will change the way people ski the resort. “Not only does this lift provide the perfect teaching zone for beginner skiers, but it also provides much easier access to the Ripper Chair. Guests will now have the option of choosing to make their first tracks in the Ripper glades, or heading straight to the alpine off the Stoke Chair,” Nielsen said. Snow School Manger J.M. Atkinson is also thrilled about the new chair, calling the Stellar zone a game changer for the Snow School. He said the terrain is ideal for promoting skier progression, and the upper mountain location means better snow quality and an enhanced teaching environment. In addition to the Stellar chair, RMR’s existing infrastructure will also see significant upgrades. The Revelation Gondola and The Stoke Chair will be running at full capacity with the addition of 21 new chairs and 22 cabins. The Ripper upload capacity has also increased 22 per cent with the addition of 20 new chairs.

BEST PRICE ONLINE

A study commissioned by Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) is aimed at exploring the intersection between the economy and the environment in the Revelstoke area. The $30,000 study, which focuses on the economic future of the Columbia region, including Revelstoke, Nakusp, Golden, Invermere and surrounding areas, is a new area of exploration for the U.S.-Canadian conservation group. Y2Y has commissioned Jeremy Williams, from Ontario-based forestry consulting company Aves Arborvitae, and Gary Bull, a professor in the Department of Forest Resources Management in the Faculty of Forestry at UBC, to complete the study. Other partners involved in the project through a research advisory committee include the provincial government, Environment and Climate Change Canada, the City of Revelstoke, the Golden and Nakusp municipal governments, Heli-Cat Canada, Selkirk College and the Okanagan and Splatsin First Nations. Ingrid Bron, the Revelstoke area Director of Community Economic Development, a joint role between the Columbia Shuswap Regional District and the City of Revelstoke, sits on the Y2Y research advisory committee. She said the project itself is not that in-depth, noting the outcome of the report is a call for recreational land use planning. She said the report will create another tool for the city to draw on during upcoming mountain caribou discussions. Locally, Y2Y is often connected to the mountain caribou issue. In April 2018, the group, along with the North Columbia Environmental Society and other individuals, sent a request to federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Catherine McKenna, requesting an emergency order to stop logging in federal critical habitat in the Revelstoke–Shuswap area in April of 2018. Nadine Reynolds, who manages the Columbia Headwaters program for Y2Y said the organization’s interest is in creating a dialogue, while seeking to gather data.

FIRST TRACKS Be the first to load the lifts and take advantage of untouched powder or perfect corduroy with a personal guide. Extend the time with our First Tracks Breakfast Club. Grab a bite on the mountain and be guided to the best bowls and glades as more terrain opens. LIMITED AVAILABILITY | BOOK ONLINE & SAVE revelstokemtn.com/first-tracks

CALENDAR DECEMBER 2019 WEEKLY EVENTS

DECEMBER EVENTS

WEDNESDAY

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4

WOMEN’S DROP-IN HOCKEY

6TH ANNUAL SUTTON CHRISTMAS TREE PAGEANT

@ Revelstoke Forum · 8 p.m. - 9 p.m. The Kodiaks are a drop-in league for women looking to play a little non-competitive hockey. Drop in $10 and one time $10 insurance fee. All levels welcome. Email revelstokekodiaks@gmail.com for more info.

OPEN STAGE

@ The Last Drop Pub · 9 p.m Open mic with hosts Catnado & The Subaneers. Bring your band, bring your friends and come play a tune!

KARAOKE NIGHT

@ River City Pub · 9 p.m Join host Stacey for some sing-your-heart-out karaoke and a ton of fun with friends!

THURSDAY

@ Sutton Hotel · 8 a.m. Vote for your favourite tree with a minimum donation of $5 in support of Community Connections Revelstoke Society for a chance to win great prizes. Trees are decorated by local organizations. Event runs to Jan. 5, 2020.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 SHRED KELLY

@ Traverse · 10 p.m Shred Kelley bring their electric energy and folky sing-a-longs. Tickets $15, plus service fee available at ticketweb.ca.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 A CHRISTMAS CAROL

@ Revelstoke Community Centre · 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. The Winter Market brings together farm and craft vendors from Revelstoke and beyond. It is held every second Thursday afternoon.

@ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre · 3 p.m Dufflebag Theatre is back with a fun twist on a holiday classic. Tickets $15 adults, $10 kids, $20 family pass (two adults and two kids) available on line at revelstokeartscouncil.com, at the Visitor’s Centre or at the door.

FRIDAY

STOKE HALL REC NIGHTS

REVELSTOKE WINTER MARKET

DROP-IN CURLING

@ Revelstoke Forum · 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. Try the sport of curling in a non-competitive environment. Cost is $5. Bring clean running shoes to wear on the ice.

KARAOKE

@ Revelstoke Legion · 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Come out and support the Revelstoke Legion and enjoy karaoke.

@ Eternal Riders Hall · 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Active games for young adults (18 and over) like dodge-ball, spike ball, ping pong, skateboarding and more on Dec. 7, 14 and 21. The hall is located at 622 Second Street West.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8 LOCALS DAY

@ Revelstoke Mountain Resort · 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Revelstoke residents get $10 lift tickets, $10 lessons,

9 -11:30AM

$4 $5

EYE OPENER SHOTS CAESARS

The CP Holiday Train rolls into Revelstoke Dec. 14. This year’s feature performer is country musician Terri Clark.

3 - 6PM

ADD A SHOT OF JAMESON TO ANY BEER

APRÈS POUTINE

9PM - CLOSE

OLD FASHIONED NEGRONI RUSTY NAILS

VISIT REVELSTOKEMOUNTAINEER.COM/CALENDAR TO SUBMIT YOUR EVENT FOR FREE. WE INCLUDE A SELECTION OF THOSE EVENTS HERE IN OUR MONTHLY PRINT CALENDAR. *Please check the event online on the day of the event as details may change*

and a $10 rental package when they bring proof of residency and a cash or food donation. This year's donations benefit Revelstoke Community Foundation and Community Connections Revelstoke Society Food Bank.

REVELSTOKE COMMUNITY CHOIR

@ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre · 7 p.m. The Revelstoke Community Choir sing a variety of Christmas and winter songs. Tickets $15, available at the Revelstoke Community Centre and at the door. Second performance Monday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m.

INDUSTRY NIGHT W/RAYGUN COWBOYS

@ Traverse · 9 p.m. - 12 a.m. When you work in the industry you need to let your hair down in style! Open to the public as well.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13 ILLVIS FRESHLY & MT. DOYLE

@ Traverse · 10 p.m. The boys are back in Revelstoke for another night of awesome music, stage antics and one hell of a party!

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14 CP HOLIDAY TRAIN W/TERRI CLARK

@ CP Parking Lot on Victoria Road · 2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. This year’s CP Holiday Train features Canadian country favourite Terri Clark. Come out and enjoy the show and help support Community Connections Food Bank. Donations of non-perishable food, or cash, are appreciated.

Catch Dufflebag Theatre’s A Christmas Carol at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre on Dec. 7.

Calendar

Ballet Victoria presents The Nutcracker, Dec. 14 and 15 at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre.

THE NUTCRACKER BY BALLET VICTORIA @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre · 3 p.m. Ballet Victoria and the young dancers of Revelstoke take you to a fantasyland of music, wonder, movement and joy. Tickets $30 adults, $10 children at revelstokeartscouncil.com, at the Visitor’s Centre or at the door. Second show Dec. 15. @ 3 p.m.

REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES

@ Revelstoke Forum · 7 p.m. The Revelstoke Grizzlies take on the 100 Mile House Wranglers in junior B hockey action. Tickets are $12 adults, $9 students & seniors, $6 for children.

ELLIOT BROOD

@ Traverse · 10 p.m. Three-piece folk, rock, alt country band Elliot Brood perform at Traverse. Tickets $15, plus service fee available at ticketweb.ca.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21 CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS - A WILD CHRISTMAS

@ Revelstoke Museum · 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Revelstoke Museum & Archives annual Christmas Traditions event includes crafts, games, music and cookies to decorate. $8 per child, caregivers are free. Children under 4 must be accompanied by an a caregiver.

BUZZ BRASS

@ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre · 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Buzz Brass mix exceptional musical performance and creative theatrical staging, performing everything from classical to traditional. Tickets $20 available on line at revelstokeartscouncil.com, at the Visitor’s Centre or at the door.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26 BOXING DAY DERBY

@ Revelstoke Mountain Resort · 2 p.m. - 4p.m. Enter your hand-decorated box in the Boxing Day Box Derby. Prizes from R Gear

Buzz Brass play the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre on Saturday, Dec. 21.

Emily Beaumont

R E V E L S T O K E

Royal LePage Realtor

Helping you “Home” in Revelstoke, BC

RESID E NTI A L | R E SO RT | D E V E LO P M E NT View Listings www.royallepagerevelstoke.ca

for best looking, fastest, spectacular fail and overall winner. For more details visit revelstokemountainresort.com.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27 NIGHTLY BONFIRE

@ Revelstoke Mountain Resort · 4:30 p.m. Warm up around the bonfire and enjoy a free hot chocolate. Take place daily until Dec. 31.

REVELSTOKE DUELLING PIANOS EXTREME

@ The Last Drop Pub · 9 p.m. Burn 'N' Mahn Duelling Pianos Extreme are bringing their show to The Last Drop in Revelstoke. Tickets are $20 for the show, available at the door until the show is sold out.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31 REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES

@ Revelstoke Forum · 7 p.m. The Revelstoke Grizzlies take on the Columbia Valley Rockies in junior B hockey action. Tickets are $12 adults, $9 students & seniors, $6 for children.

NEW YEARS EVE FIREWORKS

@ Revelstoke Mountain Resort · 7 p.m. & 12 a.m. Join RMR for a fireworks display, viewable from the resort village.

NEW YEARS EVE EXTRAVAGANZA

@ Revelstoke Mountain Resort · 8:30 p.m. - 2 a.m. Three unique parties, hosted at the base of the Revelstoke Mountain Resort, utilizing the Rockford Grill, Mackenzie Common Tavern and an inflatable igloo on the Rockford Plaza. Tickets $45 adults 19 +, $23 for minors, available at RMR guest services.

NEW YEARS 2020

@ Revelstoke Legion · 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. The Revelstoke Rotary Club hosts a New Years celebration. For more information visit the Revelstoke Rotary Club on Facebook.

Calendar

The Winter Permit System Permis d’accès hivernal Planning to ski Rogers Pass?

Vous comptez skier au col Rogers?

The Winter Permit System is in effect between November and March annually. Learn it. Get your permit.

Le Permis d’accès hivernal est en vigueur entre novembre et mars de chaque année. Apprenez-en le fonctionnement. Obtenez votre permis.

In Rogers Pass, artillery is used to fire explosives and trigger avalanches for the highway avalanche control program. Before you go:

Dans le col Rogers, le programme de déclenchement préventif d’avalanches pour la Transcanadienne est axé sur des tirs d’artillerie. Avant de partir :

• Learn how the system works at pc.gc.ca/skirogerspass. • Check daily to know what areas are open or closed before you park, ski or ride. • Get your winter permit and national park pass at the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre. • Look after your own safety. Have the skills and equipment to travel in avalanche terrain.

• Apprenez le fonctionnement du système : pc.gc.ca/skicolrogers. • Chaque jour, tenez-vous au courant d’où vous pouvez vous stationner et faire du ski ou de la planche à neige. • Obtenez votre permis d’accès hivernal et votre laissez-passer de parc national au Centre de la découverte du Col-Rogers. • Possédez les compétences et l’équipement nécessaire pour voyager dans le terrain avalancheux.

Learn more at pc.gc.ca/skirogerspass

Pour en savoir plus, consultez pc.gc.ca/skicolrogers

NEWS

EXPLAINED: REVELSTOKE WINTER HOMELESS SHELTER PROPOSAL AND TEMPORARY USE PERMITS ISSUE WE EXPLAIN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROPOSED DOWNTOWN OVERNIGHT SHELTER FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE AND THE TEMPORARY USE BYLAW UPDATE THAT WILL ENABLE IT, AND EXPLORE OTHER TEMPORARY HOUSING PROJECTS THAT ARE WAITING IN THE WINGS FOR THE TEMPORARY USE BYLAW TO BE IN PLACE. By Aaron Orlando Two separate things — a homeless shelter and a “temporary use permit” bylaw update that will enable the shelter to open this winter — came together at the council table on Nov. 12 in a debate that lasted over 90 minutes. If this was a story about temporary use permits (TUP), you likely wouldn’t be reading this — it's a dry topic. The TUP bylaws are a standard tool in municipalities’ bylaw toolbox — most B.C. municipalities have them. In fact, Revelstoke already has a similar process, it’s just that it’s out of date and therefore out of sync with the provincial rules. (It’s never too often to remind readers the hierarchy here: the provincial government creates the legal framework and municipalities need to comply if they want to play ball.) The other issue at play is plans for an overnight “temporary winter shelter” in the basement of the Revelstoke United Church, the landmark heritage building at the corner of Mackenzie Avenue and Third Street in the downtown Revelstoke core. The winter shelter would offer those without a roof over their heads a place to sleep in facility in the basement. The plan is to open doors in the evening and turn everyone out in the morning. The dilemma is that in order to put the shelter in the church, the city needs to use the temporary use permit bylaw in order to consider the overnight homeless shelter, meaning council needs to update the TUP bylaw first. In effect, the discussion of the TUP bylaw was a proxy discussion for the temporary shelter idea. (Of course, the TUP can and will be used for other things, and there are a few projects waiting in the wings for its approval — more further on in this story.) With the stage set, council deliberated for over an hour and a half about the idea at a special public hearing on Nov. 12. I will spare you the blow-by-blow of discussion at the hearing (verbatim, it would run about 50 pages, I’d guess — you can always watch it in the video). In the end, Councillors Steven Cross and Cody Younker voted against the temporary use permit bylaw, meaning it passed with five others in support. Cross argued that, in practice, the bylaws are often used to steamroll the concerns of adjacent property owners — in their very nature, these bylaws are pressed into service when whatever is being proposed isn’t allowed under the regular zoning bylaw.

“How do we give our citizens faith that if we empower this law, [that it won’t be used inappropriately]?” Cross asked. “I have a lot of concern about the abuse that’s happened in other communities,” he said. “Not listening to the people most affected is my worry here.” Younker cited “too many examples of the bad that can happen” among reasons for rejecting the bylaw. After some Q&A, city staff, the mayor and other councillors expressed support for the bylaw, for reasons including that: it is used for many things, not just the homeless shelter; it’s a standard bylaw that all municipalities have; council has final say on any TUP proposal, so council can reject inappropriate ideas; and that updating the bylaw would allow for other things, such as temporary worker housing projects or other things unrelated to housing, like allowing an art festival to take over public space for a few days. Also relevant is a TUP lasts for a maximum of three years and can be extended for another three years, but would require council approval at both points. Council can also issue permits for fewer than three years — such as a year for a touchy proposal, or a weekend for a special event. The bylaw has now passed third reading and will be forwarded to provincial authorities for approval before coming back to council for final adoption.

Neighbours express concern If you felt for anyone in the room, it was for the owners of adjacent properties, who were in attendance to give submissions during the hearing (advocates for the homeless shelter weren't in attendance; the hearing was for the bylaw itself, not the shelter proposal itself). You can imagine they’d rather be anywhere else, doing anything else. Anyone paying attention has seen this narrative unfold in B.C. many times in recent years: a project designed to help the housing situation runs up against opposition from neighbours who feel they will be negatively affected. In 2019, society’s ability to hold thoughtful, nuanced conversations about complex issues being what it is, the conversation is reduced to a black and white issue: those in favour claim the moral high ground, while those in opposition prepare themselves for a tarring with the NIMBY brush. (A closer inspection of proposed

The Revelstoke United Church in downtown Revelstoke is the proposed location of a winter overnight shelter. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine.

legislation, policies and plans is drowned out by the din.) Andre Cadieux, an owner of the Caribou House vacation rental located kitty corner from the church, put it this way: “I am worried about my business across the road,” Cadieux said. “It puts you in an awkward spot trying to oppose something that helps the needy.” Bob Dale owns the McCarty House vacation rental right across the street from the church. (The McCarty House was built by Frank McCarty, Revelstoke’s first mayor. In addition to other business interests, one of his sources of income was operating temporary worker housing for the itinerant workers needed to keep the bustling town stocked with labour during the industrial and mineral rushes. How times have changed, eh? From behind his impressive waxed mustache, he watches over the council proceedings via his official portrait on the council chamber wall.) Dale argued that the TUP is poor policy that would allow all kinds of end-runs around the current zoning rules, leaving neighbours like him swamped in the wake.

“Non-compliant implementations can pop up anywhere,” Dale said. “It encourages underfunded, half-measure initiatives that can’t be achieved [any other way].” He said that in an attempt to help one group, council was creating uncertainty for others. “Regulatory certainty is about business investment in the community.” Also speaking against the TUP was Jerimiah Sappington, who identified himself as a resident of Third Street. “There is inherent value in knowing … your neighbourhood is not going to change,” Sappington said. Addressing past city planning staff comments that the TUP would help get worker housing on the ground more quickly, he said: “In other jurisdictions these do get abused.” Sappington expressed concern the TUP could lead to residential homes being converted into temporary worker housing. He recommended addressing the housing need in the city bylaws, not through a temporary use bylaw. “If you don’t like [the current process], fix the actual process you have.” One person spoke in favour of the TUP. Adrian Giacca, who has been featured in our sister publication Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine for his drive to get a tiny home community up and running in Revy, spoke about the bylaw’s ability to facilitate innovative housing solutions.

Other projects in the works After the meeting, I spoke with the city Director of Development Services, Marianne Wade, to find

out about other plans that may be waiting for the TUP to be in place before entering the public realm. Wade said that she was aware of three projects that were in some stage of development. When asked for specifics, Wade said the proponents hadn’t made formal applications, so she wasn’t in a position to say. However, she said that one concept was to locate modular worker housing in an industrial area on a temporary basis. What the other two may be is uncertain, but, the proposed tiny home village seems also to be in the mix. Wade said that none of the projects were BC Housing projects.

Analysis If you don’t recall councillors campaigning on a platform of updating the TUP, you remember correctly. The situation is the same story which has been repeated many times in the past decade of Revelstoke municipal politics: the city’s bylaws are out of date and need updating because they do not reflect our new realities: the housing shortage, a growing tourism sector, deteriorating affordability and other significant changes that deeply impact quality of life here. The hot real estate development sector means planning staff is overwhelmed, treading water just to keep up, and has difficulty finding time to work on long-term projects. Then, something realworld comes along that can’t go any further until the city gets its bylaw and policy ducks in a row. In an effort to keep the wheels turning, a workaround is proposed. (And those are just the projects whose proponents persevere past the

initial discouraging feedback from city staff and continue on to council). From there, it descends into a muddied debate: in this case, rather than focusing on a policy update for the entire community, the policy discussion ss overshadowed by one particular application. It's the hard way of doing it; nobody emerges from the process feeling good about it. The problem with updating the bylaws on an ad hoc basis is each individual bylaw is connected with other planning documents and bylaws, and needs to sync up with them under an interconnected legal framework. The right way to go about it is start from the start with the overarching official community plan bylaw, not reverse engineer lesser bylaws on an ad hoc basis. (It's not that they can't be updated like this, but again, there likely wouldn't be the controversy if the discussion was focused on setting ideal policy.) The long-needed official community plan update is underway, so you can’t blame council for not working on the core issue. But the reality is it’ll be a year or two at least before it is done, then the work on the document that is key to addressing housing affordability and greenhouse gas emissions, the vintage, 1981 zoning bylaw, begins. In the interim, the day-to-day pressures remain and the unsavory choices land in council’s lap. Sometimes it’s developers clamoring for their right to stake a claim in our resort-model real estate gold rush, but in this instance it’s the silence of those sleeping rough under bridges and cedar boughs on the fringes of town, pulling their blankets tighter to buffer against the first wet snowstorms of the year.

Feature

FEATURE Both Sinixt and Yaqan Nukiy (Lower Kootenay Indian Band of the Ktunaxa Nation) used the sturgeon-nosed canoe to travel regional rivers and lakes. Kootenay Lake Archives, Kaslo, BC, 988.040.0724.

WHEN PLACE NAMES HONOURED THE LAND By Shelly Boyd and Laura Stovel

Since time immemorial our people lived on this river and amongst these mountains. Two hundred years ago the French and English languages came to this land but for thousands of years our Sn̓ ʕay̓ čkstx (Sinixt) language, N̓ səl̓ xcin, echoed through this valley. The names that we gave places honoured the land and waterways for what they gave, what they did, and how they helped us. Names reflected the food, medicine, animals, dangers, spirits –even the monsters– in the area. Some place names also reflect Coyote stories (captikʷł), showing where Coyote, who brought salmon up the Columbia, left his mark. To us, the rivers, mountains and other parts of the natural world are not just dirt, rocks and trees without life; they breathe, they feel and they speak. These places are living entities and the names we give them reflect the spirit of the land. After the settlers arrived, when it became impossible to stay on this land, we felt a great emptiness, but we also believe the land feels this same emptiness. To us, the land is alive and it misses the rhythm and sound of our language. It gets lonely for the names that it was given long before English was even uttered on its grounds. Can you imagine no one speaking your name any longer?

Most places around Revelstoke are now named after important people. Naming honoured or recognized individuals. In this article, I ask that you look in a different way at the land. Today I ask that you also see there is a difference between honouring a person (no matter how great) in a place name as opposed to honouring the land itself. Today I ask you to see how the world might be different, how climate change might be affected, how land management might be affected if we honoured the earth as much as we honour human life. The Sn̓ ʕay̓ čkstx (Sinixt) and the Secwépemc were the main Indigenous people who regularly lived and spent time in the Revelstoke area. Both have distinct, though sometimes similar, names for important places throughout the region. These names have been passed down through the generations. Some were shared with anthropologists; others are kept within the culture. Undoubtedly, some names have been lost. Because of the traumatic experience of colonialism, during which sharing knowledge backfired on the original peoples, Indigenous peoples are careful when, and with whom, they share information. This article describes Sinixt place names and recognizes that Secwépemc people also named significant places in the area.

1 Sn̓ x̌ ʷn̓ tkʷítkʷ

Columbia River, pronounced sin-when-tu-queet-qu, meaning ‘swift river’. The Sinixt were skillful canoe people, noted for their sturgeon-nosed canoes. Sn̓ x̌ ʷn̓ tkʷítkʷ was their main highway. The Sinixt did not use horses until well after contact with Europeans so the riverways were their main way of getting around.

2 Skxikn̓ tn

Village at the Big Eddy, pronounced sku-hee-kin-tin. Skxikn̓ tn was located near the confluence of Tonkawatla Creek and the Columbia River in what is now the Big Eddy. This northernmost Sinixt village was a trading place with eastern Secwepemc. In the autumn, the village grew in size as Sinixt from further south and Secwepemc met to fish, hunt, gather berries and trade before heading home for the winter. Some Secwepemc may have intermarried with this band and stayed. Knowledgekeeper Nancy Wynecoop said that before the 1830s, the Sinixt began to move south. This was possibly because of smallpox epidemics that greatly reduced the population. When fur trader Gabriel Franchère passed by in May 1814, he met women “spinning the coarse wool of the mountain sheep [mountain goats]: they had blankets or mantles, woven or platted, of the same material, with a heavy fringe all round.”

3 Sl̓ xʷʔitkʷ

Illecillewaet River, pronounced sill-wha-eet-kwe, meaning ‘big water’.

4 Qʷspíc̓ aʔ

Village at Arrowhead, pronounced qus-peetsu, meaning ‘buffalo’ or ‘buffalo hide’. This village, on the east bank where the Columbia River flows into Upper Arrow Lake, was mentioned several times by fur traders. In October 1823, Hudson Bay Company clerk John Work described cedar- and tule-mat-covered lodges at this site, one of which held “considerable quantities of dried salmon… They had a number of small dogs. Some beaver skins were traded from them, also a few dried salmon & a little dried meat, some very good nuts were also got from them.” The head of Upper Arrow Lake was so busy with Sinixt that the Hudson Bay Company planned to build a fur trade post at Qʷspíc̓aʔ and sent a post master and his wife to supervise. However, a terrible accident upriver in 1838, that took the lives of 12 travellers, including five children, may have led the company to abandon plans for the post.

5 Ńk̓ m̓ aplqs

Beaton/Incomappleux, pronounced in-ku-mappel-ucks, meaning ‘head of the lake’. According to Nancy Wynecoop, this was the “earliest settlement” in the oral history of her family.

6 Sn̓ p̓ ƛ̓ mip

North end of Trout Lake, pronounced sin-puckl-meep, meaning ‘end of the pass’.

7 Kwəsxnaqs

Pronounced ka-wuss-ha-knocks and meaning 'long point'.

8 Ńqʷusp

Nakusp, pronounced in-quoosp, meaning ‘cinched,’ ‘gathered in’.

9 Słu̓ ʔqin

Slocan River, pronounced slthoo-cain, meaning ‘speared in the head,’ ‘speared on top’.

Ńmiml̓ tn

Whatshan Lake, pronounced in-meemle-tin, meaning ‘place of white fish’.

"To us, the rivers, mountains and other parts of the natural world are not just dirt, rocks and trees without life; they breathe, they feel and they speak. These places are living entities and the names we give them reflect the spirit of the land."

Essay Feature

What’s in a place name? Revelstoke. Selkirk Mountains. Downie Creek. Pingston Lake. Mounts Begbie, Mackenzie, Macpherson and Sproat. These were all named after men of English or Scottish ancestry who travelled through or spent time in this region in the 1800s or, more often, men who officials wanted to honour. Mount Begbie was named after a prominent frontier judge who likely only visited Revelstoke once, in June 1885. Revelstoke itself was named after British railway financier, Edward Baring, Lord Revelstoke. The Selkirk mountain range is named after Thomas Douglas, the 5th Earl of Selkirk, who famously settled Scottish farmers in the Red River area of Manitoba which led

to conflicts with the nascent Métis nation. A.L. Pingston was a steamboat captain. Mount Mackenzie was named after Canada’s second prime minister, Alexander Mackenzie (1873-78). Mount Macpherson was given the name of David Macpherson, a Minister of the Interior in the Canadian government (188385). Gilbert Malcolm Sproat was a stipendiary magistrate, gold commissioner and government agent in the first years of Revelstoke’s existence. Mounts McCrae and English were named after RCAF Pilot Officer Donald McCrae and Sergeant George Melville English, local men who died fighting in World War II.

Shelly Boyd releases a baby sturgeon at Shelter Bay. Shelly Boyd is the Arrow Lakes (Sinixt) Facilitator for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Laura Stovel is a Revelstoke-based writer and historian. With thanks to Chris Parkin and Graham Wiley-Comacho of the Salish School of Spokane for help with place names and pronunciations.

OUTDOORS

REVELSTOKE ADAPTIVE SKI BUILDS BASE DEPTH

REVELSTOKE ADAPTIVE SKI PROGRAM LOOKS FORWARD TO MORE MOUNTAIN ACCESS FOR THE SNOW SEASON. By Cara Smith

Rider: Ben Thompson. Photo: Brett Coombes

Outdoors

Living in a ski town, you might take your ability to hop from one area of the mountain to another and ski the slopes with relative ease for granted. Jeff Scott does not. After an accident on the hill in 2010 that left him a quadriplegic, he became all too familiar with the barriers that exist for those with disabilities. And nowhere are these barriers more obvious than a town where extreme outdoor sports are king. Scott considers himself fortunate to have been able to return to the backcountry thanks to a group of friends willing to go the extra mile. But not everyone has what Scott had: the connections, resources, manpower and willingness to help that it took to allow someone with his level of injury to access the backcountry. So rather than accepting the barriers, Scott set out to make it easier for people like him to get on the mountain and enjoy the thrill of skiing once again. In 2011, Scott helped Izzy Lynch establish the Live It! Love It! Foundation, an organization that makes outdoor recreation and adventure accessible and affordable for anyone with a disability. In 2014, the foundation united with Revelstoke Adaptive Sports, a local organization that Scott had a hand in founding soon after his accident. Revelstoke Adaptive Sports is now run as a program of the Live It! Love It! Foundation. The challenges faced by disabled skiers can be nearly insurmountable without the help of programming like this. From the cost of the specialized equipment to difficulties manoeuvring around the hill, skiing as a disabled person is simply out of reach for many.

“It’s just not something that the average person with a disability is going to be able to access,” Scott says. “It’s unfortunate because the mountains are a special place and it’s great to be able to share that with everyone.” Volunteer coordinator Sarah Taylor agrees that everyone deserves to get out and enjoy the mountain environment. “In Revelstoke especially, the ski hill has such a big influence on the way people live and the way the town is that I think it’s really important that local people have the right to access it if they want,” she says. “We remove a barrier for some people to be able to do that.” When he was a newcomer to town, Taylor initially got involved with the program to meet like-minded people, but said he also has a personal connection to the work. “I have a niece who uses a wheelchair, and I know there are lots of programs like this in the UK where she lives ... and they enrich her life so much, so having the chance to be involved in that kind of program for someone else was a bit of a no-brainer for me,” she says. Taylor finds being involved with the program very rewarding, a feeling she says is common among the other volunteers as well. “I think a lot of the volunteers would tell you [that] the connection we build with the people who use our program and then watching them develop and learn and enjoy, it’s so hard to describe how awesome that is.” While similar adaptive snow sports programs exist throughout British Columbia, the program in Revelstoke

is unique. With steep its steep terrain and beckoning sidecountry, Revelstoke Mountain Resort is considered a challenging hill, meaning the program here has adapted to focus on intermediate to advanced athletes who are already relatively independent on the ski hill. But the 2019-2020 season will see some change for the program. With the addition of the Stellar Chair, which will open up new beginner and intermediate terrain, the program will be able to accept athletes with skills more diverse than ever. Along with the expansion in available terrain, the program’s participant and volunteer numbers should keep growing this season, as they have each year since the program began. “We’re just looking forward to bigger and better,” Taylor says. “Every year we have more participants and every year they come from a wider variety of backgrounds as well. That’s really sweet for us.” Jeff Scott is also looking beyond the upcoming season and planning for some major developments in infrastructure and programming. He’s currently working towards a designated space for the program at the ski hill and hopes to expand the programming beyond snowsports. “The multi-sport multi-season is definitely in the works,” he says. “Right now it's just [about] trying to make sure we're doing a good job of what we're doing. Slow, sustainable growth has been our approach thus far and it's kind of how we're rolling and it's been going well.”

It’s just not something that the average person with a disability is going to be able to access,” Scott says. “It’s unfortunate because the mountains are a special place and it’s great to be able to share that with everyone.

Riding the full 5620 after a successful weekend.

Outdoors

Rider: Blair Jones. Photos this page by Brett Coombes

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FEATURE

REVELSTOKE IS A MULTICULTURAL MECCA FROM THE CITY’S BEGINNINGS TO CURRENT TIMES, REVELSTOKE HAS LONG ATTRACTED IMMIGRANTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. By Melissa Jameson.

Revelstoke’s history is steeped in the hard work of immigrants from places as varied as Europe, China and India. They came to work fertile farmlands, help build the Canadian Pacific Railway and explore the valleys and mountains previously only known to Indigenous Canadians who called the area home. Today, Revelstoke continues to attract people of different cultural backgrounds from around the globe. For some it’s the promise of year-round outdoor adventures and sunshine powder days. For others it’s a place to create new opportunities for their families. Whatever the reasoning behind individual decisions to set roots here, there seems to be a common agreement that Revelstoke is a welcoming community.

Where are people coming from? Most of the people immigration lawyer Michelle Bowlen and immigration consultant Nadja Luckau connect with are from Europe and Australia, but the two women say this doesn’t necessarily represent who is actually coming to Revelstoke. Bowlen, who works with clients through Selkirk Immigration, said her consultations tend to be with individuals from Australia and England, although she also has some clients from the United States and Germany. She also speaks to newcomers and immigrants taking part in Okanagan College Revelstoke’s English as Second Language Settlement Assistance Program each year and says she has noticed an increase in Chileans coming through the Working Holiday Program. Luckau, a permanent resident herself, recently started offering immigration consultation through her business, Tall Timber Immigration. She said she has mainly worked with people from Europe and Australia under the age of 35, who have come to Canada on a working holiday permit and have maybe spent a year in Fernie or Banff before moving to Revelstoke to stay on a permanent basis. That Luckau and Bowlen tend to work mainly with people from Australia and a number of European countries could have some connection to the International Experience Canada (IEC) work permit program. Luckau explained the IEC has bilateral agreements between Canada and each country, with each country having different requirements. For example, Australians are able to get one two-year open work permit, while Germans can get one one-year open work permit and afterwards can apply for a one-year employer specific permit, where they need the support of an employer and then can only work for that employer. It doesn’t mean, however, there aren’t people coming from other countries. Luckau says she has worked with a few people from China and India. Bowlen said a lot of times Indian nationals are coming to Revelstoke through the Temporary Foreign Worker program and for them, the path to permanent residency is much more difficult. (As a note few people are able to come to

Revelstoke through the TFW, as the region the city is part of has a high rate of unemployment. Bowlen said the TFW program has a policy of not processing applications for entry-level positions where there are high levels of unemployment.) “It can be a lot harder for them to get a permanent residency because of the requirements for English scores,” said Bowlen. Bowlen says misconceptions about who is an immigrant tend to be based on cultural backgrounds and appearance. “I had a conversation with a friend who does immigration law in the U.S. who said, ‘If you’re a white person abroad you’re called an ex-pat. If you’re brown or Asian you’re an immigrant.' There’s definitely a distinction about who’s an immigrant,” she said. I don’t think it’s as strong in Canada, we don’t use ex-pat here as much. Immigration in Revelstoke looks different than the rest of Canada because it’s mostly white kids from Australia or England.”

What does the future of immigration look like for Revelstoke? Bowlen says she doesn’t see much changing when it comes to Canada’s immigration policies and practices. (There are a variety of different federal and provincial programs by which a person is able to come to Canada). She said a federal express entry program started in 2015 is supposed to attract the best candidates with the top talent and education. That program provides people with a score based on their level of English, work experience and other factors. However, once an individual turns 30 the government starts to take away points and by the time a person turns 40, there points are very low. “Personally, I think the […] system is skewed, but I don’t see them changing it,” she said. “In the big picture I don’t think we’re attracting people who are going to put down roots and stay in Canada. There’s not much talk of changing policies.” Luckau said she had heard of changes coming the TFW program last fall, and the previous provincial government had spoke about implementing a pilot project where regions would have more say, but so far nothing has actually happened. “If we as a community had a say in what kind of immigrants or workers we bring to Revelstoke it would just be so much more workable, because we need a very specific workforce to make this town work,” said Luckau. Regardless of current or future government policy surrounding Canadian immigration, it’s clear there are many people looking to call Revelstoke home. While our past history may have been as a city with many cultures living in the same place, today’s Revelstoke is not only multicultural, but intercultural — with people from various backgrounds not only co-existing, but growing together as we share ideas and learn from one another.

ANDRES SUAREZ For Andres Suarez moving to Canada has meant waking up each day in a quiet and clean place. In Mexico, where Suarez is from, he lived on a busy, noisy avenue in a city with 1.5 million people. Suarez moved from Mexico right to Revelstoke in 2016 after finding a company willing to sponsor his work permit. While he misses his family and friends, who he had to leave behind, Suarez said it wasn’t difficult to adjust to his new life in Canada. “I feel much more comfortable here than in Mexico,” he said. “The community is awesome, everybody tries to help, they are friendly. Also the location and the direct contact with the nature, so many places and things to do.”

SYIN LEE Before Syin Lee came to Canada she worried about the racism she thought she would encounter. Yet, when she moved from Malaysia to Revelstoke in 2017 she felt welcomed. “Most people are so friendly here. Despite the language barrier, people are so nice to me,” said Lee, whose first language is Chinese. “Most Canadians are patient and willing to take time trying to understand what I want to say instead of just ignoring me or being rude to me.” Prior to her arrival in Revelstoke, Lee thought of Revelstoke as a city full of bears, as the Chinese translation of Revelstoke is “The Bear Town.” “When I first arrived in Revelstoke, the first impression was the scenery of mountains and rivers are so stunning; the air is so fresh; the environment is so quiet and clean; and people are so friendly,” she said.

JUAN ACOSTA Discovering Revelstoke is a city filled with people from different backgrounds and nationalities came as somewhat of a surprise to Juan Acosta. “Everyone is so welcoming and respectful towards immigrants, there is an environmental awareness and it is such a beautiful country and city,” said Acosta. Acosta, who moved to Canada from Argentina with his wife in the fall of 2019, said his first impression of Revelstoke is that it had the “most polite and cordial people I’ve ever met.” While he has had to make adjustments like understanding cultural differences and learning from scratch how taxes, insurance and banking works in Canada, Acosta says he doesn’t view moving to Canada as a sacrifice. “Even if I don't see it as a sacrifice, being away from my family is something to take into account,” he said.

LUKAS LOMICKY If you’re a Junior B hockey fan, then changes are you’ll recognize Lomicky as head coach of the Revelstoke Grizzlies. Lomicky came to Revelstoke three years ago from the Czech Republic, after taking part in a few summer hockey camps, and deciding he wanted to start coaching full-time in Canada. He says not much has changed for him since his arrival and he is still struck everyday by how scenic Revelstoke is. “Now that I have lived here longer, you notice more and more how small the town really is and everyone knows everyone,” he said. “One of my favourite parts about living in Revelstoke is the tight knit community and getting to know everyone in the town and everyone has been so nice and welcoming. It’s nice to have conversations and be able to get to know the people in the town wherever you go.”

NADJA LUCKAU You’d probably never guess, but when Nadja Luckau first moved to Canada 15 years ago she had to learn how to make small talk. She got her first job working at Sun Peaks in a coffee shop, a place where small talk is the norm. “I learned how to do small talk. It sounds like nothing, but it was quite telling of my journey to turning more Canadian,” she said. Luckau’s move to Canada began as a way to avoid getting a career in Germany, and eventually morphed into her getting her Permanent Resident status prior to her move to Revelstoke seven years ago. She calls her move to Revelstoke a “classic story” of falling in love with the town and the activities after visiting a few times. “Never much into hiking or biking or skiing or any of that, so that all opened up to me when I moved here,” said Luckau.

FOIRE DU LIVRE FRENCH BOOK FAIR

TOURISM TALKS BC’s economy is changing, and a large part of that change is increasing reliance on tourism. In 2017, tourism contributed $9 billion to BC’s GDP—more than any other primary resource industry. The industry’s contribution to GDP GDP has grown over 37% since 2007. For towns like Revelstoke that are moving from a heavy resource reliance into a blended economy, that growth is encouraging. However, we recognize that it’s essential that tourism be managed in a sustainable way that brings maximum benefit to the community.

École des Glaciers 9h00 à 15h00 Revelstoke Community Centre (Boulder room) 17h00 à 19h00 ARGENT COMPTANT SEULEMENT ($)

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glaciers.csf.bc.ca

Tourism is a big driver of BC’s economy - but how do we ensure that the industry benefits Revelstoke as a whole?

Joffre Lakes near Pemberton is BC’s prime example of a place that became a victim of its own popularity. Throughout British Columbia people are saying that they don’t want their favourite spot to turn into another Joffre Lakes, and they don’t want their town to become another Whistler or Banff. We don’t want that either. Managing our growing number of visitors is at the forefront of our minds. Our goal is to manage Revelstoke as a destination. It’s essential that we maintain authenticity, prevent crowding and over-tourism, and work to see that everyone benefits from the effects of tourism in our town. After all, we recognize it’s our locals that co-create the visitor experience. Destination management is an important consideration; we see our role as promoting, yes, but in a way that makes sense for our community. Our marketing strategy considers what kind of visitors we want and our “best guests”. We target people who love the outdoors as much as we do, and respect the environment in which they travel. Our ideal visitor is hungry for adventure, not just a great photo op. In 2020, we’re focusing on expanding our shoulder season offerings and encouraging existing visitors to stay a little longer, seeing Revelstoke as a stand alone destination in all seasons. We believe that inspiring our visitors to hike up at Mount Revelstoke, raft down the Illecillewaet River, or tandem ride on a paraglider will help our visitors get a sense of the wildness and authenticity of Revelstoke. That presents an obvious question: how do we sustainably manage tourism in our community while preserving Revelstoke’s authenticity? The only way we will achieve sustainable success is through collaboration with our community to develop an approach that works for our residents. In November 2019, we hosted a Tourism Stakeholders Open House to share our 2020 strategy with our business community, and we would love to receive further community feedback from you, our residents. Look for our booth in 2020 at the farmer’s markets and for an online community input survey.

PHOTO FEATURE

THE FIRST RULE OF TR TALK ABOUT Photos by Robert Sim

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ROUT LAKE YOU DON'T TROUT LAKE

Minister of Defense, YD - No bindings. United State of Nowhere. Photo: Robert Sim

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Minister of Surveillance Aka Nate. Nowhere, B.C. Photo: Robert Sim

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Nowhere. Munitions Cache. Photo: Robert Sim

Defense Minister X - No bindings, United State of Nowhere. Photo: Robert Sim

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FINNISH INSPIRED TAMMEN MÖKKI (OAK TREE CABIN) IS THE PERFECT SKIERS’ RETREAT

HOME STYLE

A VANCOUVER COUPLE HAS TRANSFORMED A RURAL, DERELICT ACREAGE ON AIRPORT WAY INTO A SKIERS' HAVEN.

The ground floor entrance leads you through a garage area that features a workout space/gym and heated, spacious gear storage room. Photo: Keri Knapp.

By Louise Stanway

When Rochelle Sneddon and her husband spent their honeymoon cat skiing and heli skiing in Revelstoke twenty-five years ago, it didn’t take long for them to be captivated by the town’s charm. They had arrived at the epicentre of powder adventure sports — be it sledding, resort skiing, or backcountry exploration. But it wasn’t simply the snow sports that had won their hearts. To them, the town’s fabric – an authentic, tight-knit community that celebrated every aspect of winter – was even more memorable than the powder. Living in Vancouver for the past six years, Rochelle and her family frequented WhistlerBlackcomb as their go-to ski destination. Over the years, the memory of Revelstoke was beginning to fade, but it was certainly not forgotten. Two years ago, the family decided it was time to escape the transient, bustling crowds of Whistler and reacquaint themselves with the authentic mountain vibes and unique community of Revelstoke. Their solution emerged when a derelict 11-acre parcel of farmland on Airport Way — just over a stone’s throw from Revelstoke Mountain Resort — came on the market. In the spring of 2018, Bruce MacLachlan and the team at BMAC General Contracting set to work on what became an 18-month renovation and newbuild project. Rochelle is the owner and operator of Studio Oak Design and, working closely with MacLachlan, was the driving force behind the design of the house and interior decor. The objective was to revitalize and restore the property to suit the modern skier, being cautious not to lose sight of its agricultural presence.

Home Style

Functionality was a driving force behind the design of the open-plan living area. Storage is built in under the seating and there is plenty of space for large groups to congregate. Photo: Keri Knapp.

The first step was to rebuild the barn. It was important that the barn (named Musta Lato, meaning “Black Barn” in Finnish) retain its iconic shape and heritage. The barn is an intrinsic part of the property, both in its aesthetic (visually, the barn, the house, and their positioning in the valley, play off one another) and its purpose. It acts as a communal space, somewhere to enjoy long-table family dinners or special-occasion congregations, but also could serve as a place for traditional farm functions (should they choose to cultivate the land at a later stage). Approximately 100 metres from the barn, sits the traditional Finnish woodburning sauna. Gentle herbal aromas and soft background music welcome you upon entering. In true mountain town style, the sauna room is large enough that it can double-up as a space to practice hot yoga — ideal for stretching out those quads after a long day of skiing. The adjacent hot tub room (note, I use the word “room” lightly) can be transformed into an outdoor space at the click of a button. Three out of the four walls can retract depending on which view its occupants fancy. Et voila, it becomes an outdoor tub. This 360-degree mountain view theme carries into the main house too. The house is a light-filled, open-plan space with a strong connection to the outdoors. The upper floor living area was designed to highlight Revelstoke’s iconic views: the Columbia River, Mt. Begbie, Mt. Cartier and, of course, Mt. Mackenzie. This is achieved through the installation of custom-built windows on all walls—they are even interwoven with the kitchen cabinetry design. The main living area of the house incorporates the living room, dining room and kitchen into one seamless space, ideal for group gatherings. Another characterizing theme of the house is its Scandinavian inspired design. The house name “Tammen Mökki” is Finnish for Oak Tree Cabin, in reference to the large oak tree adjacent to the barn. Traces of Rochelle’s husband’s Finnish heritage are peppered throughout the property. From the traditional “stûv” (efficient wood burning stove) in the centre of the main living area, to the purposebuilt sauna house, and through to the black metal cladding of the house exterior. The interior, in contrast, is characterized by the simplicity of light plywood that

The wood-burning sauna room. In the same vein that Rochelle wished to grant new life to the land, she wished for the land to also rejuvenate and restore its inhabitants. Photo: Keri Knapp.

Home Style

Daylight pours in over a custom-made family dinner table that can comfortably sit up to twelve people. Photo: Keri Knapp.

runs consistently throughout the house and onto the exterior walls and soffits of the front and rear decks. This style draws from Scandinavian minimalism and promotes quality family time spent within the space. Tammen MĂśki is the picturesque, functional outcome of a property that was built by skiers, for skiers. After years of dreaming, planning and renovating, Tammen MĂśki is now move-in ready for Rochelle and her family. The property has been designed as the perfect post-skiing retreat and is sure to revitalize and restore the mind, body and spirit through its thoughtful, custom design. Rochelle is looking forward to a comfortable, powder-filled winter spent with family and friends in this dream getaway home. The propertyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mountain views, as well as its positioning in the valley, were key selling points. Photo: Keri Knapp.

The barn is an intrinsic part of the property, both in its aesthetic (visually, the barn, the house, and their positioning in the alley, play off one another) and its purpose. It acts as a communal space, somewhere to enjoy long-table family dinners or special-occasion congregations

The couple strived for an iconic shaped barn; the kind you see in story books. Photo: Keri Knapp.

HOT POOLS WATERFALLS SUSPENSION BRIDGE

SUITES | TENT & RV

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Local. Independent. Get in the magazine: info@revelstokemountaineer.com

MADE HERE Photos by Jessica Milaney/Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine

A FULL HEAD OF STEAM LOCAL MASTER CARPENTER TOMI SUPINEN’S SAUNA VAN SHOWS THAT YOU CAN TAKE THE FINN OUT OF THE SAUNA, BUT YOU CAN’T TAKE THE SAUNA OUT OF THE FINN. By Bryce Borlick

On a particularly cold and windy night, I step into a contemporary downtown home, welcomed by a crackling fire and the scent of baking apples and cinnamon. I’m visiting Tomi Supinen and his wife Tiina to experience his one-of-a-kind creation — the sauna van. But as I shake off the cold and adjust to the subtle lighting and serene mood of their home, I realize that the story starts here. Their home is unique to say the least, designed with a distinctly European aesthetic and touches of their Finnish heritage. The creative details and craftsmanship speaks volumes about the Supinens. “Would you like a Bud Light?” Tomi asks. “Then we’ll get the sauna set up.” Tomi and Tiina have been together since 1991, almost as long as Tomi has been a carpenter. It’s a profession that Tomi inherited from his father and one that has accommodated their enthusiasm for skiing. They spent winters in Austria until one fateful day when Greg Stump’s ski film P-Tex, Lies and Duct Tape, which features Revelstoke, convinced them to try Canada. After spending eight winters instructing skiers at Big White and summers working around Europe, they finally settled in Revelstoke with their two daughters, Sara and Sani. Along the way, Tomi became certified as a ski guide and landed a job with Eagle Pass Heliski. But even with such an enviable winter job, working with wood has always been his passion.

“I just like working with wood and doing interesting types of carpentry,” Tomi explains. “Every sauna I build is special.” In Finland, saunas date back to roughly 7,000 BC when rocks heated over a wood fire helped to keep caves and other crude shelters warm over the long winter nights. The tradition continued over the millennia and the sauna wove its way deeply into Finnish culture. In a country of five million people, there are over three million saunas — enough for the entire country to take a sauna at the same time. There are saunas in the Parliament building, saunas in gondola cabins, saunas at Helsinki Burger Kings, and even a sauna Ferris wheel, so putting a sauna in the back of a van seems quite reasonable to Tomi. The van is an intricately built camper complete with cooking facilities to accommodate the family of four, and upon first glance I don‘t see any sauna at all. But when the back doors open and the elements slide and unfold into place, the twoperson shelter takes form almost like a slide out in an RV. The flue pipe is fitted through the roof and is soon blowing smoke from a tiny wood stove. In the time it takes us to strip down to our towels, the temperature in the sauna has reached almost 100 degrees Celsius. We climb in and sit on the wooden bench, closing the doors behind us. It’s hot — quite a bit hotter than a typical sauna session at our aquatic centre

— and when Tomi pours on the first ladle of water, the heat in the tiny space intensifies immediately. My nostrils burn and I slow my breathing. Like typical Finns, we sit in silence for a while, soaking in the heat and sweating profusely. The only thing missing is an ice-cold lake to jump into but the chill of the evening wind is a pleasant substitute when it’s time to emerge for a break. It feels odd to cool off on a downtown street wearing just a towel, but even stranger is feeling warm in the icy wind. We have three sessions in the sauna, each lasting 20 to 30 minutes. Tomi will modestly say that he’s just a carpenter and is happy to take on any jobs that come his way but his resume hints at much deeper mastery of wood. Detailed carpentry for ultra high end homes, furniture for The Explorer's Society hotel and, of course, quite a few saunas —he’s ticked all those boxes. Currently, he’s finishing a sauna facility for the Eagle Pass Heliski lodge before he gets back on the other planks. “I’ve done pretty much everything out of wood, from hand hewn log houses to guitars. And I usually want to do it differently every time, otherwise what‘s going to improve?” Tomi muses. “Where there’s wood, there’s a way.” www.saunahouse.ca

COMING SOON

SEPT 25-27

2020

Above and below: Enjoying a sauna in situ.

CALLING ALL ARTISTS!

NOW OPEN FOR

SUBMISSIONS LUNA is looking for: Outstanding and Creative Ideas Installation-Based works Projects that â&#x20AC;&#x153;think outside the boxâ&#x20AC;? Artworks that are interactive Artworks which incorporate alternative media such as light and sound Site-Specific works Artworks which can be seen at night as well as the day Tomi Supinen warms up his mobile creation.

LUNAFEST.CA

Submission

DEADLINE JAN 15 2020

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10 YEARS LATER: DR. LAUREN GOSS BRINGS YOU NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE Hi, I’m Lauren, a naturopathic doctor. I first moved to Revelstoke in 2010, after completing my Bachelor of Commerce at McGill University. You may know me from the pro shop at the golf course or serving at the Big Eddy Pub; instructing yoga or as a clinical assistant at Selkirk Medical; Girls Do Ski coach or a patroller at RMR. We may have volunteered teaching adult literacy at Okanagan College or as a member of the poverty reduction steering committee. Chances are, we have crossed paths pursuing Revelstoke’s many outdoor activities. My various experiences locally represent my love and commitment to live in this town and reap the soul filling benefits of a simple, adventurous and communal way of life. My journey to medicine stemmed from a desire to learn about the human body and the ways in which we flux between sickness and health. I asked myself the following questions: ·· What is the difference between the absence of sickness and truly being well? ·· Is there something more important than satisfying the normal laboratory reference ranges of our medical standards? ·· If treatments aren’t working, or side effects are overwhelming, are there other options to explore or preventative measures to take? My yoga teacher training is where I first began understanding the complex connection between mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Concurrently, I was completing my pre-medical sciences

Photo: Zoya Lynch

through TRU and UBC Okanagan, when first exposed to the principles of naturopathic medicine. They began to formulate answers to my long-standing curiosities. We are beyond grateful for modern medicine and its ability to save lives, handle emergencies, fight infectious diseases, and manage complex health challenges. Naturopathic medicine’s preventative and holistic approach can be very complimentary to our current health care model. In Vancouver, I completed my four-year degree and clinical studies through the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine. As planned, I have returned to the town I love, to prioritize lifestyle and my passion for helping people thrive, mentally, physical, and emotionally.

Naturopathic medicine is a licensed and regulated profession that focuses on the interconnectedness of the whole person and treating the root cause of disease, rather than symptom management. We focus on lifestyle changes, such as diet, exercise, sleep, stress management and human connection, after correcting any lab indicated physiological imbalances. Using botanical medicine, nutrition and supplementation, acupuncture, counselling, physical medicine, and pharmaceutical interventions, an individualized treatment plan is created. We are committed to evidence-based medicine; incorporating clinical experience, the best available evidence and patient preference. If you struggle

with digestion, hormones, mental and / or emotional health, sport or work-related injuries, auto immune conditions, or chronic pain, you have options. I repeatedly come across patients suffering from digestive disturbances. The physical symptoms can range from diarrhea and constipation, abdominal pain, brain fog, mood or sleep disturbances, to common skin conditions. Rather than focusing on the constipation, for example, the treatment approach would address the parasympathetic nervous system, digestive enzyme and gut motility, immune hypersensitivity from allergens or underlying infections, fiber and water intake, and the health of the gut microbiome. Depending on the cause, a treatment is created based on the best available evidence, using the least invasive options first. I will be opening my naturopathic practice in early 2020 at Revelstoke Osteopathy and Wellness. I am currently offering presentations to educate and create a dialogue around health and vitality. Please contact me if you, or your organization is interested in hosting a free presentation tailored to your interests and needs. I look forward to connecting with you in the community. Ask yourself – is this the best I can do?

With love, Dr. Lauren Goss ND 250 200 0593 info@drlaurengoss.com

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Blake Richards of Earthwright Shelter Company with one of his new tiny building creations. Photo: Earthwright Shelter Company.

Inside the Earthwright Shelter Company's mobile office setup. Photo: Earthwright Shelter Company.

GIMME SHELTER EARTHWRIGHT SHELTER COMPANY OFFERS TINY PREFAB BUILDINGS THAT HAVE SOME BIG ADVANTAGES By Bryce Borlick

Tanja Moritz needed more space. As a busy Lower Mainland real estate agent who works mainly from home, she needed an office and sanctuary away from the distractions of her young family. Early one Monday morning as she sipped coffee on her back deck, a solution descended from above. It was an eight by twelve foot office building dangling from a crane, and it was in place, levelled, and ready for use before her coffee even got cold. Modern prefabricated accessory buildings like this are becoming more commonplace and they may soon be a viable option for Revelstoke home owners. Outside a shop in the Big Eddy sits the Earthwright Shelter Company office. Not surprisingly, it’s an eight by twelve foot structure, built by company owner Blake Richards, that serves as a great example of how functional these small buildings can be. It’s tidy and stylish and as I step inside I’m greeted by high quality finishes and a bright atmosphere that feels bigger than just 96 square feet. An electric heater, powered by a 30-amp panel, heats the space while a well-insulated shell and high performance doors and windows keep the heat in. It’s comfy, and as I kick back on the sofa, Blake mentions one other key feature: “Because of its size, you’re not required to get a building permit,” he explains with a smile. Before getting this start-up off the ground with

help from Community Futures Revelstoke, Blake built homes for over 10 years, so he’s well aware of the delays some builders have faced in getting permits. He’s also aware of the challenges we all face in creating affordable housing Although a building like this office, dubbed the Easy Shelter, isn’t intended to be used as a dwelling, it could free up a bedroom that’s currently being used for another purpose. Blake also hopes that these infill structures will blend into residential neighbourhoods and kick start some positive conversations about non-traditional solutions to Revelstoke’s housing woes. “We see this as an opportunity to demonstrate the viability of small living, to pave the way for the larger Nomad rolling shelters that would provide a real change to the housing situation in town,” explains Blake. The Nomad shelter that Blake refers to is a 26-foot-long ‘tiny house’ design for a proposed tiny house community pilot project that Adrian Giacca is currently working towards. Tiny houses — mobile houses less than 400 square feet in size — have risen in popularity in recent years, but they are still a bit of a square peg trying to squeeze into the round hole of bylaws and building codes. Although they’re generally finished with the same materials and systems that go into a full size residence, tiny

houses are classified as RVs and, as such, many municipalities like Revelstoke prohibit their use as permanent dwellings. This may eventually change but, for now, Blake is concentrating on providing a product that’s compliant with all current regulations. “It’s the last tiny little gap you can squeak through,” says Blake, referring to the legality of placing one of his Easy Shelters on a property. And it is indeed a sweet spot in the market that he’s found for these little backyard structures. For a homeowner looking for a bit more habitable space, the Easy Shelter makes a lot of sense. You can avoid the costs and delays of building permits, dodge the disruption of on-site construction or home renovation, and add value to your home or take it with you when you move. And for a well-finished outbuilding, the price tag around 20 thousand dollars is quite reasonable. Need more than 100 square feet? Bylaws don’t limit you to just one. Small accessory buildings and secondary dwellings are something we will likely see more of in the future. They use materials, energy, and land efficiently and, when built to high standards, they’re complementary to an existing home. So head’s up! One may soon be landing in a backyard near you. www.earthwright.ca

GIFT GUIDE

OUR GUIDE TO MADE-IN-REVY HOLIDAY GIFTS Check out the great local and handmade items we’ve put together, one for each of the 12 days of Christmas.

Hand-knit tuque by Knitt Handmade

Cherry chocolate bar by Revelstoke Chocolate Company

Go Big or Go Gnome by Jones Distilling

Knitt Handmade products come from the hands of two self-proclaimed knittaholics originally from Barcelona. They’ve just partnered with another Revelstoke business, Sick Chick, to offer their new Revelstoke limited edition line. The wooden tags on these cozy tuques are also made right here in town. You can order them by reaching out to handmadeknitt@gmail.com.

Revelstoke Chocolate Company’s beautiful chocolates are carefully made by hand by Roberto Price. This cherry bar is topped with dried cherries collected with the Bear Aware team, and freeze-dried cherries have been powdered and mixed directly into the Venezuelan dark chocolate. Find Roberto and his chocolates at the Revelstoke Winter Market on December 5 and 19.

The latest creation from the mind of Jones Distilling’s head distiller, Go Big or Go Gnome is an award-winning alcoholic botanical cordial. Part of the Revelstoke Collection, this perfect fireside drink is made with local fruit and international botanicals and is best mixed with tonic. Find these stocking stuffer-sized bottles at the distillery in Mountain View School or online at jonesdistilling.com.

$60

$8/bar

$11.44 (200ml)

‘TIS THE SEASON FOR SPIKED EGGNOG BY THE FIREPLACE, JAZZY HOLIDAY TUNES, FESTIVE GET-TOGETHERS AND, OF COURSE, GIFT SHOPPING! BUT BEFORE YOU HOP IN YOUR CAR AND BRAVE THOSE B.C. HIGHWAYS IN DECEMBER TO RUSH TO THE BIG CITY FOR ALL YOUR SHOPPING NEEDS, YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK OUT WHAT OUR VERY OWN REVELSTOKE ARTISANS HAVE TO OFFER. FROM LOCAL SPIRITS TO CHOCOLATE TREATS AND STUNNING JEWELLERY, YOU’RE SURE TO FIND SOMETHING TO PLEASE EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST RIGHT HERE IN OUR LITTLE MOUNTAIN TOWN. By Cara Smith

Bottle openers by Metal Mind Forge

Bowls by Jumping Creek Pottery

Pirate Booty necklace on a 20” chain by Kat Cadegan Jewellery

Kyle Thornley has a passion for giving life to cold, industrial materials, and these quirky bottle openers are a little piece of that, as durable as they are useful. No need to worry about these sturdy forged metal tools failing you in your time of beer need. A selection of Kyle’s pieces can be found at Big Mountain Kitchen, right across from city hall in the downtown core.

Local potter and carpenter Kaitlan Murphy says her pieces are directly influenced by her love of good food, quality craftsmanship and nature. And it shows. These bowls are the perfect aesthetically appealing yet practical gift. A selection of Kaitlan’s work can be found at Love Making Designs and Mountain Goodness. She will also be having a studio sale at 918 Third Street West on Friday, December 13 from 3-7 p.m.

It’s easy to see in her work that Kat Cadegan is inspired by her East Coast roots. Kat has taken her experiences of walking along the coast of the Atlantic collecting shells, sea glass and other treasures and turned them into delicate pieces of jewellery. This necklace especially evokes the beachcombing spirit. Visit katcadegan.com or reach out to her at info@katcadegan.com to buy.

$20 & up

Butter dish: $58 · Soup bowl: $55 Tumbler: $30

$175

Gift Guide

Stoked Winter Ale by Mt. Begbie Brewing Long-time Revelstoke favourite Mt. Begbie Brewing has the perfect winter warmer beer for when the weather turns cold. The Stoked Winter Ale is malty with notes of chocolate and a touch of clove and cinnamon. Visit the brewery to buy and then kick back after a long day on the slopes.

$6.39 (650ml)

Organic herbal blend teas by Hello Little Hippie Blended by hand in small batches, Hello Little Hippie teas support body, beauty and consciousness and are made with environmentally conscious ingredients. Many of the herbs used are local and native species, which can be grown and harvested in BC. Pick up a bag of Annie Heale’s tea in her Etsy shop (etsy. com/ca/shop/hellolittlehippie) or at Le Marché.

$14/bag

Vulcan’s Fire by Monashee Spirits Know someone who could use a little spice in his or her life? This festive liqueur could be for them. A delicious infusion of apples, cinnamon, honey, maple syrup and red Thai chili peppers, this spirit is sure to warm up even the frostiest of hearts. Grab a bottle directly from the distillery or online at monasheespirits.com.

$45 (750ml) $25.50 (375ml)

Ornaments by Sick Chick Designs Handmade with locally sourced wood, these cute little pieces couldn’t get much more Revelstoke. The business primarily makes wooden earrings, brooches and necklaces, but these ornaments make a great gift for the holiday season. Find Sick Chick pieces online a besickchick.com, at the Revelstoke Winter Market on December 5 and 19, at the Revelstoke Trading Post or Feel Good Collective.

10.

Gift Guide

Rumpus

11.

3 for $27

Revelstoke’s favourite new hangout has already gained a loyal following. Why not gift the craft beer fan in your life some of their sick swag? They’ll be sure to impress in a brightly coloured tee emblazoned with the brewery’s mascot: the wolverine. Pair it with a 1.9L or 946ml growler (props if you fill it with Rumpus’s locally made beer) and you’ve got yourself a winning combo.

Rocks glasses by Big Eddy Glassworks Big Eddy Glassworks owner and glassmaker Leah Allison is a true artist making one-of-a-kind pieces. With all these spirits your loved one is going to be drinking, she’ll need something to drink from! These colourful rocks glasses will be something she’ll reach for when they’re in the mood for some hard stuff. Find Leah’s work online at bigeddyglassworks.ca or in her studio shop in the Big Eddy.

$30

12.

$10 (1.9L growler) $7 (946ml growler) $25 (T-shirt)

COMMUNITY

HERE’S A HANDY GUIDE TO HOLIDAY EVENTS IN REVY.

CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAY SEASON

Ginger bread scavenger hunt Revelstoke Library. Pixabay photo.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2 CHRISTMAS SHOP

@ Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre - 12 p.m.–4p.m. Cost: Donation for the Community Connections Food Bank Visit the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre and view original art work and one of a kind gifts created by Revelstoke artists and artisans. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 12 p.m.–4p.m. The Christmas Shop runs until December 20.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4 SUTTON CHRISTMAS TREE PAGEANT

@ Sutton Hotel, Revelstoke Mountain Resort - All Day Cost: Free to view, $5 to vote for your favourite tree The Sixth Annual Sutton Christmas Pageant features tress decorated by local organizations. You can check out the trees and vote for your favourite tree for a chance to win prizes. The event runs until Jan. 5, 2020.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 CATCH THE GINGERBREAD MAN

@ Revelstoke Library - 10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Cost: Free Follow the scavenger hunt clues and catch the gingerbread man that ran away. Once you find him, you can decorate him and eat him all up! This is an all-ages, family-friendly event.

Sutton tree pageant. Pixabay photo.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

@ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre · 3 p.m Cost: $15 adults, $10 kids, $20 family pass. Dufflebag Theatre is back with a fun twist on a holiday classic. Tickets on line at revelstokeartscouncil.com, at the Visitor’s Centre or at the door.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8 REVELSTOKE COMMUNITY CHOIR @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre-· 7 p.m. Cost: $15 The Revelstoke Community Choir sings a variety of Christmas and winter songs, both old and new. There is a second performance on Monday, December 9 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the Revelstoke Community Centre or at the door.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13 HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE

@ Revelstoke Library - 10:30 a.m. -4:30 p.m. Cost: Free Visit the Revelstoke Library for a casual holiday social with tea, treats, special draws and prizes.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14 CP HOLIDAY TRAIN W/TERRI CLARK @ CP Parking Lot on Victoria Road - 2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Cost: Free, donations for the Community Connections Food Bank are welcome Canadian country musician Terri Clark headlines this year’s CP Holiday Train.

THE NUTCRACKER BY BALLET VICTORIA

@ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre - 3 p.m. Cost: $30 adults, $10 children This annual performance by Ballet Victoria, featuring young dancers of Revelstoke, will whisk you to a fantasyland of wonder. Tickets at revelstokeartscouncil.com, at the Visitor’s Centre or at the door. There is a second show Sunday, December 14 at 3 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18 BROWN BAG HISTORY CHRISTMAS PARTY

@ Revelstoke Museum - 12 p.m. -1 p.m. Cost: Free, donations for the Revelstoke Food Bank are welcome Brown Bag History is a noon-hour history presentation. Stop by the museum to join in the annual Christmas party. Lunch is provided, bring a potluck salad or dessert to share if you wish.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25 REVELSTOKE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS DINNER

@ St. Francis Church Hall - 1 p.m. Cost: Free The Revelstoke Community Christmas Dinner is a non charge event for families and anyone alone during the holidays wanting to share their Christmas Spirit and a homecooked meal. For more information contact Melissa at 250-200-0404.

REVELSTOKE VISUAL ARTS CENTRE

Presents

EDUCATION ASSISTANT CERTIFICATE - PAINTINGS - POTTERY - JEWELLERY - PRINTS - CARDS

Made with love by talented artists... $5 REINDEER FUNDRAISER FOR THE FOOD BANK

Bring your food donation for the food bank 320 WILSON STREET | 250 814 0261

Are you looking for a career that challenges and inspires you every day? Graduates help children with diverse learning needs within the elementary and secondary school system and other community organizations. You will gain the skills to prepare specialized teaching materials, understand school curriculum and maintain progress records. This program is eligible for the part-time studies grant and Colombia Basin Trust Bursary. Find out more at: studentaidbc.ca/explore/part-time. studentaidbc.ca/explore/part-time

REVELSTOKE CENTRE Jan. 7 – Dec. 17, 2020 Tue & Thu, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. & most Sat No classes in July and August $4,091 (+ materials and textbooks) For information contact:

Tanya Egli tegli@okanagan.bc.ca 250-837-4235, ext. 6501 okanagan.bc.ca/ea

C O N T I N U I N G

S T U D I E S

Local. Independent. Get in the magazine: info@revelstokemountaineer.com

LUNA FEST NOCTURNAL ART & WONDER

ARTS & CULTURE

Revelstoke's annual fall visual arts extravaganza, LUNA Fest, returned with an expanded third annual offering in late September, this year including live performances at multiple venues, including an outdoor stage and beer garden at the Regent Hotel. On Sunday, artists opened their studio doors, welcoming in the public. The main event, a Saturday evening arts festival that draws thousands of attendees to dozens of exhibits downtown, also expanded this year. 1. A detail from a digital mandala created by Revelstoke artist Pauline Hunt. Pauline, whose mandala works were featured on the cover of Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine this year, draws inspiration from colourful local subject matter, creating unique digital mandalas, like this one featured at the Main Street Cafe & Bake Shop. 2. RAGMOP Theatre’s performance featured artistic presentations in constructed costumes. The main performance featured a wire act from a crane high overhead, the performer suspended only by his hair. 3. Get it? Michelangelo in Jell-O. Michelan-Jell-O! Except I am not sure if I got it — was it sculpture or performance art? I actually ran into Jose Zimyani a day before the show and she invited me in to see the work in progress. It was Michelangelo’s David done up in super-concentrated Jell-O. It was wrapped in plastic film to keep its form. The team who worked on it — Josee Zimyani, Arleigh Garrett, Duane Dukart and Rob Buchanan — was worried it might melt or crash over when they took off the film. So, they decided to leave the film on and take it off near the end of the show. In the end, it turned into a little bit of suspense-laden performance art as the team gingerly sliced pieces of wrap off, hoping it wouldn’t fall over. The crowd varied, but it seemed like about 40 gathered around with other people coming and going in the McKinnon Room of the Explorer’s Society Hotel to watch. Who knew peeling Saran Wrap off of Jell-O could be so suspenseful? I had to leave to go to another event, so I am not sure how it turned out, but it was fun to watch a roomful of people intently looking at each slash of the razor blade. 4. Corina Patrauchuk’s Giant Kaleidoscope. —Words and photos by Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine

Photo: Chris Christie

Know More, Go Farther, Come Home

Game on! Winter is here and if you’re heading into the backcountry, avalanche.ca is your first stop. Are you looking to take your first steps out-ofbounds, your first tour in Rogers Pass, or your first ride up Boulder? Our beautiful backcountry is an incredible playground, but to it enjoy it safely, you need to be prepared. An average of 11 people die in avalanches in Canada every winter—most of them here in BC. Almost all avalanche accidents, fatal and nonfatal, are caused by the victims themselves or someone in their group. Don’t be a statistic! If you and your friends are going into the backcountry, these are your first steps: • Take a course from the Avalanche Canada Training program. Learn how to recognize avalanche terrain, identify signs of instability, how to manage your group, and how to respond to an avalanche incident. • Make sure everyone in your group has the essential equipment—transceiver, probe, and shovel—and knows how to use it. Practice your rescue response with the people you ride with. • Check the avalanche forecast regularly. Our local regions are the North and South Columbias, and Glacier National Park (for Rogers Pass). Pay attention to how the snowpack develops over the winter.

Where to start:

Online Avalanche Tutorial www.avalanche.ca/tutorial Our online tutorial provides an easy introduction to avalanche safety and is an excellent primer for your Avalanche Skills Training Level 1 (AST 1) course.

AST 1 Learn the fundamentals of avalanche formation, travelling in avalanche terrain, and companion rescue. Find a list of courses at www.avalanche.ca/training/courses

How to improve:

Companion Rescue Skills This course is a great refresher or introduction to the latest techniques in avalanche incident response.

Managing Avalanche Terrain

COMING EVENTS IN REVELSTOKE

Enhance your education by focusing on developing more advanced travel skills.

WWW.AVALANCHE.CA/EVENTS

AST 2

January 11 – 12 Canuck Splitfest

Develop your knowledge of terrain choices, route finding, and decision making in avalanche terrain.

Learn more online:

Rescue at Cherry Bowl www.avalanche.ca/cherry-bowl Questioning the need for rescue training and practice? Go through this multimedia site that tells the story of an amazing backcountry rescue and you’ll be convinced.

Land of Thundering Snow www.landofthunderingsnow.ca Revelstoke is more than powder paradise. It’s also the centre of avalanche research and science in Canada. Check out this great site on the history of avalanches and snow science in Canada, brought to you by our friends at the Revelstoke Museum and Archives.

This community content is sponsored by Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine.

canucksplitfest.com/ Not just for split-boarders, this homegrown event has become one of the leading backcountry events in the west. Anyone on skins is welcome to join the day trips and everyone is welcome for the big evening event on Jan 11 at the Community Centre. See you there!

January 18 Avalanche Awareness Day on Boulder Mountain Avalanche Canada will be at the Boulder Cabin, partnering with the Revelstoke Snowmobile Club with some fun events for everyone. Come out and join us!

January 18 – 19 Avalanche Awareness Days at Revelstoke Mountain Resort Come on out to RMR and join the pro patrollers at this annual event. This is a great way to get to know your local avalanche professionals!

BOOKS

SWIFT RIVER COURSES THROUGH REGIONAL HISTORY NEW BOOK BY REVELSTOKE AUTHOR LAURA STOVEL JOURNEYS INTO FIRST PEOPLES' HISTORY ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER. By Vilja Arnsteinsdatter

Laura Stovel et.al. Swift River: Stories of the First People and First Travellers on the Columbia River around Revelstoke. Oregon Grape Press, 2019.

The cover image of Swift River.

Author Laura Stovel. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine.

Author Laura Stovel's new book, Swift River, opens with a declaration that shows much of the work's intent: “This book has been a labour of love: love for this land that nurtures and inspires; love for the First People and Peoples, who thrived on, and cared for this land for millennia; love for my Sinixt friends, who astound me with their generosity when we (settlers) have been so ungenerous; and love for friends up and down the Columbia Valley who have supported this work. Above all, it is an ode to the River that connects us.” Stovel’s dedication to her subject and her connection to nature is conveyed in the heartfelt preface and acknowledgements. “The house I grew up in was surrounded by a cedar and poplar forest at the base of Mount Revelstoke. My earliest memories involve connecting with the plants, insects and other living creatures that surrounded me. If I close my eyes, I can still feel the prickle of dry grass on my neck as I lay in our field on a spring day. The buzz of June bugs and the smell of the earth surround me. I can taste the wild strawberries nearby. In those days, I didn’t separate myself from nature; I was part of it and it was part of me.” Her connection to nature is essential to this book and is a relatable feeling for us mountain dwellers who stroll among these trees. So, who then has the right to the land around us? Who can lay claim and say this is theirs? Who has the authority to reap the land's resources, and who gets to decide which people belong here and which don’t? These questions of identity and heritage are as critical today as they have been for recent centuries, and will remain that way in the years to come. Stovel has an extensive academic background and a history of working with the research fields of war, justice and mass violence. Her initial plan was to write a literature review to serve as a resource for students of the topic, but the more she researched, the more stories she came across from ordinary, regular people with gripping tales of injustice and hardship. She found her thoughts regarding our river valley shifted, and the form shifted to a less scientific, more personal creation. So rather than being a scholarly textbook, Swift River is an homage to the people who lived here, those who still do and those who feel like they belong along the banks of the Columbia River. As readers of Swift River, we are taken on a journey through the land, learning how

people lived off the Columbia River and its bounty. Stovel explores history by intertwining memories of the past with contemporary observations. The book includes a comprehensive list of source material and endnotes, detailed and illuminative photography, maps and drawings, thorough explanations and a useful dictionary for Sinixt names, places, and words used in the book. It tracks the history of the Sinixt people and their traditional ways of life. While rooted in the Revelstoke area, the narrative branches out and follows other streams and places of importance, allowing diverse voices to be heard. Relying on both written and oral narratives, the novel provides a comprehensive overlook of the history and culture of the Sinixt people. The book acts as both a collection of personal stories and an informative book of reference, where it shines – it does not get too scientific for the everyday reader, but it allows those with interest in deeper knowledge of the subject to dive in. It's may not be the kind of book you pick up on a quiet night in front of the fireplace – it’s angled towards an audience with some knowledge and enthusiasm for regional history – it is essential local reading. Stovel seeks out to change people’s mindsets and challenge the way we think about settlers, immigration, Indigenous people, and rights to the land around us. The topic is current and substantial, raising awareness and questions about the treatment of and attitudes towards Indigenous people today. It comes recommended for readers who wish to broaden their mind, brush up on local history, expand their knowledge of Indigenous people, and gain a deeper connection with the river, the forest, and our valley home. Swift River highlights our brief moment on this earth, and how our ancestry and heritage was formed long before us – an important reminder for us all. Stovel writes: “This is a story that begins before you and me, before railways and mines and dams and this town, before strangers arrived from oceans and continents far away, and before a people and its culture were changed utterly. This is the story of our home in a valley, cut deep and rugged by the power of a once-mighty river.”

ARTS & CULTURE

By Cara Smith

Image: Paul Preuss: Lord of the Abyss cover.

Rob Buchanan's new Art Alleries exhibit in downtown Revelstoke. Photo by Aaron Orlando/ Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine.

Paul Preuss: Lord of the Abyss: Life and Death at the Birth of Free-Climbing

Art Alleries

Essentially an early inductee into the 27 Club, Austrian alpinist Paul Preuss made a name for himself as a pioneer of free climbing, solo ascents and for his advocacy of ethical mountaineering. Considered by many climbers in the early 20th century to be the greatest climber who ever lived, Preuss certainly burned bright during his short life. Despite his age, his accomplishments were more than a little impressive. Preuss made a free-solo ascent of the east face of the Campanile Basso in Italy, a feat many considered impossible. Only a few days earlier, he had free-soloed the west face of Totenkirchl in Austria. But his methods were likely the climber’s most compelling feature. Preuss was passionate about climbing in a “pure” style, meaning he didn’t use any artificial aids in his climbs. The climber considered the use of pitons and carabiners, which were becoming increasingly popular at the time, to be cheating. He valued human achievement over technological achievement. In the months before his death, Preuss became a popular lecturer and was one of the first climbers to make a living giving presentations. In 1913, Preuss fell more than 300 metres to his death during an attempt to make the first free solo ascent of the North Ridge of the Mandlkogel. This work, which has been shortlisted for the 2019 Boardman Tasker Award and the 2019 Banff Mountain Book Award for Mountain Literature, is an intriguing dive into the climber’s life and accomplishments. Author David Smart is the founder of Gripped, Canada’s Climbing Magazine, and Triathlon Magazine Canada. He has also written five climbing guidebooks, a memoir, and a climbing novel. As the first biography about the free climber written in English, Paul Preuss: Lord of the Abyss is sure to open up the story of Paul Preuss to a younger generation of mountaineering enthusiasts and serve as a glimpse into the sport of climbing in that era. The book is published by Rocky Mountain Books and is available for purchase on their website.

Local. Independent. Get in the magazine: info@revelstokemountaineer.com

This year’s LUNA Festival may have come and gone, but one particular piece of the popular event remains: the Art Alleries. The works of local artist Rob Buchanan gracing the C3 and Selkirk Medical alleyways are the first iteration of this public art initiative, which aims to transform the alleyways of Revelstoke into open-air galleries. The original inspiration for the project was to give LUNA artists a more permanent display space and to make better use of alleys around the city that are under-utilized. But as the first phase of the project came together, a new benefit came to light. Since the artwork is lit with solar-powered LEDs, the alleyways instantly became safer and more inviting to pedestrians, providing the community not only with great local art to look at but walkways they feel comfortable using. In this way, Art Alleries has been carefully designed to take not only the art and its location into consideration, but the impact on the community as well. As one of the founders of the project and its first artist, Rob Buchanan has a very specific vision for Art Alleries. He values green energy and recycled materials. In fact, the works in the pop art portion of this first exhibit, Marilyn Monroe’s "Begbie Smile" and "The Mona Skisa" by Leonardo da Vinski, were constructed with used skis and snowboards, drawing a clear connection between the art and an activity so beloved by the Revelstoke community. Buchanan says the project has been very well received by businesses and law enforcement, who see the transformation of the alleyways, now brightly lit and well-trafficked, as having improved security. The goal of the project is to continue expanding and featuring more artists as more spaces are included. The works are manufactured in a way that’s durable and resistant to vandalism, meaning they’re essentially permanent exhibits. “I’d say that everyone’s pretty stoked to see alleys transformed and used in a different way,” Buchanan says. “I’m pretty excited to do more.” You can see Rob Buchanan’s work on Instagram at @buchananstudio3.

Revelstoke musician Aza Nabuko has released her first EP. Photo: handout.

The Endless Chain docments Benjamin Jordan's solo paragliding trip along the Canadian Rockies. Photo: Benjamin Jordan.

Aza Nabuko EP

The Endless Chain: Benjamin Jordan

At only 17 years old, pop dynamo Aza Nabuko has been drawing comparisons to the likes of Billie Eilish and Lorde since the July release of her eponymous EP. But as she enters her final year of high school, the Revelstoke local is only beginning to figure out who she is and what her future in music might look like. The EP is a collection of six songs that Aza had been writing since she was 14. She describes it as a portfolio of what she’s done so far, a mix of older and newer writing. The songs are lyrically complex and Aza’s vocals at once raw and mature. In a way, the EP is a segue for Aza as she prepares to jump into the adult world and pursue her music full-time when she moves to Vancouver next fall. And with a debut album and a spot in the top 100 of the CBC Searchlight competition under her belt, she’s well on her way towards a successful career. But Aza seems unconcerned with the traditional measurements of success. She wants to create a legacy by addressing the issues she sees as most pressing in the world today through her songs. She plans to veer away from the trendheavy pop scene and explore the world of alternative rock while writing about issues that many her age are concerned about, particularly mental health and the climate crisis. It’s easy to imagine Aza Nabuko achieving great success, even though she’d be perfectly happy to have just a few people remember her. “I don’t care if it’s one person from a bar or 600,000 people,” she says. “I just want to create an impact in some way or another.” The EP is available to buy on azanabuko.com and to stream on Spotify and Apple Music.

What does it mean to be a man? There were probably easier ways for Benjamin Jordan to figure this out rather than paraglide up the entire length of the Canadian Rockies. But clearly, Jordan isn’t one to do things the easy way. The Endless Chain is a film documenting Jordan’s 52-day unsupported, vol-biv paragliding expedition that made him the first person to have ever flown over both Banff and Jasper National Parks, covering more than 1,200 kilometres from Montana to Prince George, BC in the process. Jordan’s journey truly began 15 years ago when he took a paragliding course in New Zealand, learning the sport while flying across the country’s sand dunes. He had the idea to take what he’d learned and apply it to the mountains of Canada but found the conditions much more challenging than he’d expected when he returned to his home country. Undeterred, Jordan conquered the new conditions and set the lofty goal documented in this film. “It’s a really big deal because it’s the culmination of all the skills I’ve acquired over the last 15 years of practicing paragliding,” he explains. “It’s something that no one here, even the pilots I looked up to, ever really thought would have been possible for a paraglider because of the risk involved and the remoteness of some of the terrain I had to cover.” As the director and the subject simultaneously, Jordan’s goal was to document both the expedition and the personal transformation he experienced in the process. Jordan goes into a deep examination of himself and his motivations. Why has he indulged in increasingly risky behaviours throughout his life? Have societal expectations of masculinity played a part? This film addresses these questions and culminates in a final moment when Jordan must decide whether to stubbornly hold onto his original goal or accept that he’s met his match in the unpredictable wildness of the Rockies. The film premiered at The Roxy Theatre in Revelstoke late November. It’s now available for purchase at theendlesschain.com

• BACK COUNTRY & AVALANCHE EQUIPMENT RENTALS INCLUDING AIR BAG RENTAL OPEN 7AM – 7PM 7 DAYS

• OVERNIGHT SKI TUNING • HIGH PERFORMANCE SKI & SNOWBOARD RENTALS 106 Orton Avenue, Revelstoke, BC info@thewaxbench.com | 250 814 2531