By Tara Sutherland
As February begins many of us are fully emerged in our New Year’s resolutions. Some of us have managed to snag a few extra days on the ski hill, while others have toned shoulders and sore backs from shoveling snow. Historically, the local real estate market sees a surge of new listings and sales during the month of February as everyone is back to business and settled in after the holiday season. A few developers have already started to market pre-sale information about new properties coming to market in 2023. The BC Government implemented the Foreign Buyers Ban, a Prohibition on Rental and Age Restrictions in Strata Buildings and the Real Estate Council has implemented a “Home Buyer Recession Period”.
The information for each month cannot be fully analyzed until the start of the following month, meaning statistics for January 2023 were not available prior to this issue of the Mountaineer going to print. So instead let’s take a look at how 2022 wrapped up:
• 99 single family homes sold with only four of those sales during the month of December
• The average sale price was approximately $855,535
• Listings spent an average of 61 days on market before a sale
• In 2022 there were a total of 160 transactions including strata properties, vacant residential lots, manufactured homes on leasehold land, and single-family homes.
Comparatively, 2021 reported 117 home sales with an average sale price of $878,504 and 87 days on market. Transactions include info on the MLS only and does not include private sales.
As of the mid-January 2023 there are only 31 single family homes listed, ranging in price from $549,000 to $3,995,000
While the BC Real Estate market receives much speculation, locally Revelstoke continues to chug along evidenced by five sales (three single family homes and two strata properties) by mid-January. Different from information reported by The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) which describes 2022 having a declining “shift”. Perhaps evidence that Revelstoke is a unique and niche market insulated from some of the outside effects making an impact seen in other locations around the province.
** info taken from the MLS for the only the Revelstoke Area on January 19, 2023**
** BCREA info taken from an article posted on Jan 12/23 called “Home Sales Decline in 2022 After a Record 2021”
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 issue we distribute 2,000 copies to public venues across Revelstoke, including hotel rooms, shops, restaurants, cafes, community centres — everywhere people meet.
For all inquiries, please contact us at info@revelstokemountaineer.com
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 JOURNALISTS
Nora Hughes nora@revelstokemountaineer.com
EDITORIAL DESIGN/ADVERTISING DESIGN
Chris Payne chris@revelstokemountaineer.com
WEBSITE Chris Payne chris@revelstokemountaineer.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jill Macdonald, Bryce Borlick
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS
Nora Hughes, Izzy Lynch
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
Benji Lowclass
This month’s issue features stories of fresh starts and new beginnings, including several new entrepreneurial enterprises, including the growing retail and artistic commercial scene in the Big Eddy.
Mountain biking has exploded in the past few years, and alongside it the bikpacking/gravel bike trend, as people seek to explore the backcountry. Jackalope Bikes, a creation of Jack Sutter, seeks to capitalize on the trend, making custom chromoly bikes in its new Big Eddy Workshop. Check out our feature.
In her Bean Business feature, Nora Hughes explores two new coffee roasteries opening doors in the Big Eddy. Dose Coffee, which has a downtown retail location operated by Lauren Webster and John Pierce, will be opening a new roastery in the Big Eddy. They’ll be joined by new competition in the neighbourhood, as Holm Coffee Company, operated by Isabelle Lamoureux and Simon Harper opens its doors. Meanwhile, in downtown Revelstoke, sisters Iris, Emily, and Eunice Kim are the driving force behind the new Seoul Street pub, located on First Street west in the location of the former Grizzly sports pub. The sisters plan to bring Korean bar culture to Revelstoke through
cocktails and drinking games. They emphasize communal experiences, including a menu focused on dishes designed to be shared. Try their pajeon, "a pan-fried savory Korean pancake filled with green onions, white onions, carrots and corn, with a side of sesame-soy vinaigrette." Their cocktails feature a Korean twist, such as the Gangnam cocktail —" a cocktail with soju, triple sec, grenadine and grapefruit juice."
Another new storefront opened downtown in January. The Revelstoke Women’s Centre, operated by Community Connections, opened its Orton Avenue space and will offer several services, including counselling for women, therapeutic groups, legal help, and childcare and income services. The centre opened on Jan. 9 and will host and invites women to attend an opening ceremony on Feb. 2. Details inside.
If you have Revelstoke business news, please reach out to Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine to let us know: info@revelstokemountaineer.com
—Aaron Orlando, BA, MJ; Creative
Director,Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine, revelstokemountaineer.com
COVER PHOTO: Sisters Iris, Emily, and Eunice Kim are the managers of new downtown pub, Seoul Street. The pub imports Korean drinks culture to Revelstoke, including special drinking games and foods designed for sharing. To learn more, see our feature this issue. Photo: Nora Hughes/Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine6
ME IN 2073
An initiative in Revelstoke schools is seeking to teach students a sense of place to help guide growth of the community now and into the future.
8
FEBRUARY EVENTS CALENDAR
Revelstoke Mountaineer’s monthly calendar is created using submissions made online at our website, revelstokemountaineer.com. To have your community event added here, make sure to upload your event by the 15th of the month.
10
NEWS BRIEFS
Our news briefs section covers events and happenings from January. This month: Property assessments are up, but not as much as last year. Plans are underway for a new park in the Industrial Park area. Revelstoke has adopted a newly revised dark skies policy designed to reduce light bleeding. Finally, Community Connections has opened a new women’s centre downtown.
11
ANIMAL FIRST AID
The toque, the dog and the first aid kit: What would you do if your dog was injured in the backcountry? A new local company shows you how you can be ready for canine injuries while adventuring.
13
INCOMAPPLEUX CONSERVATION
The B.C. government has announced conservation status for the Incomappleux Valley near Revelstoke. We followed up with the government to find out more details about what’s next.
16
SEOUL STREET PUB
Revelstoke’s newest pub brings Korean drinking culture to downtown Revelstoke. Find out more about the sister trio behind the new First Street West pub.
20
BEAN BUSINESS
Revelstoke is now home to two new coffee roasteries, both in the Big Eddy. We checked in with the owners of the new businesses to find out about the grind.
22
ARTS & OUTDOORS BRIEFS
Check out news from the past month and previews of upcoming arts events in our briefs section.
24
BIG EDDY BUSINESS
The Big Eddy is one of the fastest growing neighbourhoods in Revelstoke, both with new residential construction and a growing roster of artisanal shops and studios. We checked in with new businesses building bikes from scratch and pottery by hand.
PAM MAIR, PRINCIPAL OF ARROW HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, INTEGRATES SENSE-OF-PLACE INTO THE CIRRICULUM AND TAKES ON A PROJECT THAT HELPS GIVE STUDENTS OWNERSHIP OVER REVELSTOKE’S FUTURE.
By Nora Hughes.“Does anyone recognize this street?” asks Cathy English, Revelstoke Museum and Archives Curator. She references four photographs projected onto a screen in the gymnasium at Arrow Heights Elementary School. Tiny hands shoot up across the audience. Finally, English relieves the eager tension by telling them to shout it aloud. “Mackenzie Avenue!” echo the students simultaneously.
They’re right. The first photo was taken in 1898, over 120 years ago. The street’s likeness to the present is noticeable but not obvious. Mount Revelstoke in the background is perhaps the most telling feature, but there are hardly any trees on its slopes due to a fire.
The following photo was taken about 14 years later and has changed dramatically. The trees have started to grow back, and some present-day buildings populate the picture. “It’s starting to become the Revelstoke that we know,” says English.
The next photo from the 1960s shows a bustling city centre. English points out that the street is still far from the Revelstoke we know now. There are no grizzly bear statues, no gazebo where REVY.Live concerts are performed; it’s missing a lot of signature features that make the town the destination it is today.
English points to a photo of Mackenzie Avenue in 2022 and asks, “Do you see how much it changed over time?” And it has.
Cathy’s lesson is part of a broader project called Me in 2073. It was first brought to Arrow Heights Elementary School Principal Pam Mair by two parents, Rodney and Lindsay Payne.
A sense of place
Mrs. Mair says kids don’t notice the big impacts of tourism quite like adults do. For a lot of her students, Revelstoke has always been busy, and the ski hill has always been there.
“I think a lot of things become commonplace to them because they're used to it. They all go to the ski hill. They've been doing that since they were little, and they just are used to a busy place,” she says. “Whereas somebody like me, I was here when it was not a busy place. So I noticed the changes more.”
Disposables, & All included New 2023!
New for 2023!
New for 2023!
New for 2023! taxes
for & All taxes included for 2023! for Pods
New 2023! E-Liquid. taxes
All taxes included for Disposables, Pods & E-Liquid.
All taxes included for Disposables, Pods & E-Liquid. taxes E-Liquid.
for included Pods
for for & for Pods
Disposables, & All taxes included for Disposables, Pods & E-Liquid. All included New 2023! New for 2023! All Disposables, taxes Disposables, Pods & E-Liquid.
New for 2023! E-Liquid.
for included Pods
New E-Liquid. taxes
Disposables, All All taxes included for included Disposables, Pods & E-Liquid.
for Pods
for &
New for 2023! for 2023! for Disposables, Pods & E-Liquid.
New E-Liquid.
Disposables, & All taxes included for All New included 2023! Disposables, All taxes E-Liquid.
for included Pods
for for & Pods
2023! All taxes included for New Disposables, Pods & E-Liquid. taxes Disposables, &
New for 2023! All Disposables, Pods & E-Liquid.
New included New for 2023! All Disposables, taxes All taxes included for E-Liquid.
for included Pods
for for & for Pods
2023! New E-Liquid. taxes & Disposables, All taxes included for New Disposables, Pods & E-Liquid.
2023! All Disposables, taxes New for 2023! E-Liquid.
for included Disposables, Pods & E-Liquid.
for New 2023! for & for taxes
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2
BEGINNERS PAINTING & COLOUR
Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre 320 Wilson Street, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
This four-week course explores the basics of colour theory through experimenting with versatile water-based paint. Students will learn about monochromatic, complementary, and non-local colours while using opaque and transparent techniques.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3
REVELSTOKE WINTER MARKET
Revelstoke Community Centre, 600 Campbell Avenue, 11 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Shop for local food, produces, arts, crafts and more and Revelstoke’s indoor winter market.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4
REVY.LIVE WINTER SERIES FEATURING KARIMA ESSA
Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre, 1007 Vernon Avenue
A three-time Canadian National Dance champion, Karima Essa is Vancouver’s very own Bollywood star. An incredibly charismatic and passionate performer, choreographer and instructor, Karima brings her Bollywood talent to Revelstoke.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5
FULL MOON SNOWSHOE TOUR
Revelstoke Campground, 2411 KOA Road. 7–9 p.m.
Come and experience the full moon with a guided snowshoe tour by Flexpeditions through the magical forest. $30
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6
MONASHEE TRAVERSE TALES
Fable Book Parlour, 311 First Street West, 7:30–9 p.m.
Join adventurers/photographers
Isobel Phoebus and Douglas Noblet as they share their experiences, and photos, from a 37-day ski traverse through the Monashee Range, from Grand Forks to Valemount.
LOCAL FOOD
INITIATIVE’S BINGO NIGHT
River City Pub, 112 First Street East, 8 p.m.–10 p.m. The Local Food Initiative is hosting BINGO Nights at the Regent for the rest of the winter and you won't want to miss them!
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7
LIFE DRAWING CLASSES
Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre, 320 Wilson Street, 6–8 p.m. These self-directed sessions will be the perfect chance to practice your figurative drawing.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9
FOUR FIFTHS A GRIZZLY BOOK TOUR
Okanagan Regional Library, 605 Campbell Avenue
In his latest book, Four Fifths a Grizzly, author Douglas Chadwick explores humans’ place in the natural world, beginning with the close relationship between humans and grizzly bears, and expanding to look at our DNA in comparison to salmon, insects, even a wine grape. He challenges the preconception that we are separate from nature.
SATURDAY, FEB. 11
BRADLEY SOMER BOOK LAUNCH
Fable Book Parlour, 311 First Street West
Join Canadian author Bradley Somer for a launch and signing of his new book, Extinction Bradley Somer holds degrees in Archaeology and Anthropology, where his studies focused on paleoenvironments and human prehistory in North America.
YOUTH LINOCUT WORKSHOP
Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre, 320 Wilson Street. 6–8:30 p.m.
Learn about linocut, a type of relief, or block print, and bears a lot of similarities to woodblock printing. $45
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17
REVELSTOKE WINTER MARKET
Revelstoke Community Centre, 600 Campbell Avenue, 11 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Shop for local food, produces, arts, crafts and more and Revelstoke’s indoor winter market.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18
FAMILY DAY AT REVELSTOKE SNOWMOBILE CLUB
Snowmobile Welcome Centre; Boulder Cabin, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Ride up to the Boulder Cabin for a day of family events including tobogganing, groomer rides, a bonfire, pizza and prizes.
PARLOUR SESSIONS WITH CHARLES AND AMY STENNER
Fable Book Parlour, 311 First Street West, 7–9 p.m.
Join this brother and sister duo for an evening of acoustic music across genres. Expect soulful harmonies and original music. Featuring special guests for added harmonic spice. $20
MONDAY, FEB. 20
LOCAL FOOD INITIATIVE’S BINGO NIGHT
River City Pub, 112 First Street East, 8 p.m.–10 p.m.
The Local Food Initiative is hosting BINGO Nights at the Regent for the rest of the winter and you won't want to miss them!
FRIDAY, FEB. 24
SNOWSHOE AND FONDUE TOUR
Revelstoke Campground, 2411 KOA Road. 7–9 p.m. Come and experience the full moon with a guided snowshoe tour by Flexpeditions through the magical forest. $30
REVY.LIVE WINTER SERIES FEATURING OKTOPUS
Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre, 1007 Vernon Avenue, 7:30–9 p.m. Oktopus is a major presence on the Canadian world music scene, primarily devoted to
Klezmer and distinguished by a novel approach that incorporates various components of the classical and Quebecois repertoire, with some jazz and Balkan accents.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27
DEATH CAFÉ
Dose Revelstoke, 101 Second Street
At a Death Cafe people drink tea, eat cake and discuss death. Our aim is to increase awareness of death to help people make the most of their (finite) lives.
3. A three-time Canadian National Dance champion, Karima Essa is Vancouver’s very own Bollywood star. An incredibly charismatic and passionate performer, choreographer and instructor, Karima brings her Bollywood talent to Revelstoke. Photo: handout
REVELSTOKE SEES 12 PER CENT INCREASE IN THE TYPICAL ASSESSED VALUE OF A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME THIS YEAR.
By Nora HughesIn early January, Revelstoke property owners received their 2023 assessment notices, which reflect market values as of July 1, 2022.
“Most homeowners throughout the Kootenay–Columbia region can expect an increase in assessed value between 5% and 20% with a handful of communities higher than that range,” says Kootenay Columbia Deputy Assessor Sharlynn Hill. “Property owners need to consider that 2023 assessments are based on the market value as of July 1, 2022, meaning what your home could have sold for last summer and not necessarily what it would sell for in today’s shifting market.”
Overall, Kootenay–Columbia’s total assessments increased from $60.6 billion in 2022 to over $69.7 billion this year, says BC Assessments. They report that almost $883 million of the region’s updated assessments are from new construction, subdivisions and the rezoning of properties.
The City of Revelstoke saw a 12 per cent increase in the typical assessed value of a single-family home this year, jumping from $718,000 in July of 2021 to $801,000 in 2022. This year’s increase is significantly lower than last year’s 32 per cent increase from 2020 to 2021.
The regional communities with the largest market trend change in 2023 are the Village of Slocan, with a 29% increase and the District of Sparwood, with a 28% increase.
Changes in property assessments reflect movement in the local real estate market and can vary greatly from property to property, says BC Assessment. When estimating a property’s market value, BC Assessment appraisers analyze current sales in the area and other characteristics such as size, age, quality, condition, view and location.
“It is important to understand that increases in property assessments do not automatically translate into a corresponding increase in property taxes,” explains Hill. “As noted on your Assessment Notice, how your assessment changes relative to the average change in your community is what may affect your property taxes.”
The City of Revelstoke has begun work on a concept plan for a park on Powerhouse Road.
The 2.3-acre site located in the Southside neighbourhood was identified as a priority by the community in the city’s new Parks and Recreation Master Plan (PRMP) adopted in June 2022 and the Official Community Plan (OCP).
Right now, city staff are in the process of developing a park concept plan. The plan provides visual ideas of how amenities could be placed in the park area. Amenities being considered for the project include food production gardens, a fenced dog park, a renovated disc golf course, boxing clubhouse upgrades and a potential water access point, depending on land ownership. A concept plan shows where open or natural areas are, where things like pathways, benches, play structures, buildings and playing fields are located, and how much space each item might take up.
Laurie Donato, Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture, says the concept plan, “will identify potential amenities in the park; it will not get into the specifics design of each amenity.”
Donato says the Powerhouse Park Project team is working with the Revelstoke Disc Golf Course Society, Macpherson Dog Park Society, Revelstoke Paddlesport Association, the Revelstoke Local Food Initiative and the Revelstoke Boxing Club on the plan.
The project team initially planned to release the concept plan to the public for feedback in December of 2022, but Donato says there have been delays.
“Due to some scheduling issues, we are still having conversations with some of the user groups,” she said in an email. “Might be early February before we get the plan out to the public. The public will be able to see and provide feedback on TalkRevelstoke.”
The plan is required before construction designs, and actual construction can begin.
By Nora Hughes
Revelstoke’s city council updated a city development bylaw with the new ‘dark sky’ amendment in January, 2023. The amendment will change the lighting standards, reducing the maximum illumination levels allowed for all new developments and updates.
Steve Black, Director of Infrastructure and Planning for the city, writes, "Currently, many of the street lights in the community are not compliant with the [d]ark [s]ky objectives due to age, style, and the outdated illumination requirements in the Subdivision, Development and Servicing Bylaw," in a report to council.
The new plan will provide the minimum lighting necessary, minimize light pollution, and reduce light trespass (when light reflects up into houses rather than down on the street).
The bylaw was last updated in 2007. Black says the outdated bylaw has created an overlighting situation in the community because the illumination intensity is based on roads and not community uses. The amendment will achieve the goal of a 'dark sky' by developing lighting zones for the community.
The new lighting zones designate lighting levels based on the needs of the area. For example, Lighting Zone one (LZ1) is low ambient light meant for areas with single-family homes. LZ2 comprises moderate ambient light for multifamily residential, institutional, churches, hospitals, hotels and schools. LZ3 is the maximum light an area in Revelstoke can have and is designated as moderately high ambient light for town centres, commercial corridors, high-use recreational areas and playing fields and commercial mixed-use.
New developments will have to comply with the new dark sky bylaw and install lights that point down, shining only where needed. Additionally, new updates the city makes will also need to comply with the bylaw amendment, including the globe lights downtown near Grizzly Plaza when they need to be replaced, said Black in a presentation to council.
In January, Community Connections Revelstoke Society opened a new women's centre on Orton Avenue. The centre provides several services, including counselling for women, therapeutic groups and help navigating different legal, childcare and income services.
The Revelstoke Women's Centre is a space for women, by women, and something the centre's staff say has been in the works for around ten years.
"The biggest thing is having a centre where women can just come and be," says Lindsay Oberg, Clinical Counsellor at Community Connections. "Aside from the services that we're offering, it's a place for women, by women. Where they can come and talk about what it means to be a woman or a mother and have counterculture conversations that challenge societal norms. Because oftentimes, those just don't fit."
The women's centre is staffed by Nicole Rock, a women's support and outreach worker for Community Connections, and by a rotating staff of clinical counsellors like Oberg.
"A women's centre is a place where women can gather to address their experience of oppression which they can share in ways which are meaningful to them," said Revelstoke Women's Centre staff in an interview. "It is a beacon to the issue of gendered oppression and gender inequality for the community. The statistics continue to show that gender-based violence in Canada is an increasing problem. This is why we feel a women's centre is necessary."
The centre aims to connect with women and all who identify as such. The recent photography project hosted by the centre called 'Come as You Are' invited women to book a photo session and capture expressions of what it means to be a woman and resist societal beauty standards.
The centre opened on January 9, 2023. It will host a community opening event for women to check out the centre on Thursday, February 2, from 3–6 p.m.
REVELSTOKE IS A COMMUNITY FULL OF SEASONED ADVENTURERS EQUIPPED WITH CERTIFICATIONS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS STRATEGIES TO FACILITATE SAFE BACKCOUNTRY EXPLORATION. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ADVENTURE DOGS? CELINE RYTZ, FOUNDER OF BACKCOUNTRY AID + RESCUE
The remote tree-planting camp in the East Kootenays woke to sharp yelps of an animal in pain. A work vehicle had started up and lurched forward quickly, unaware of the sleeping dog beneath the tire. The dog, severely injured by the incident, writhed and howled in pain. “We didn’t know what to do,” says Celine Rytz.
This summer was Celine’s 10th season of tree planting and her dog Fella’s third season. In that time, she’s seen dogs suffer minor and major injuries on the job. She says every year, there are vehicle incidents involving dogs in tree-planting camps. In a city, a dog owner wouldn’t think twice about what to do — get the dog to a veterinary hospital ASAP — but in the backcountry, that’s not an option.
As hard as it is to relive these moments, Celine says tragic situations like this one have motivated her to continue to educate and support owners in the bush.
Celine founded Backcountry Aid + Rescue Kit (BARK), in 2021 with
a vision to offer pet-specific first aid kits and training for owners — specifically owners who adventure into the backcountry with their dogs. She provides in-person courses through certifying body, Walks N Wags Pet First Aid, in Revelstoke and throughout western Canada. The curriculum is extensive and adapts many essential emergency medicine topics to scenarios involving pets.
If you asked her as a child, what she wanted to be when she grew up, the answer would’ve been dog veterinarian — emphasis on the dog part.
Celine moved to Revelstoke in 2016, enticed by powder-filled winters. With an education in pre-veterinary animal sciences from the University of Vermont and a love for dogs, she’s worked as a veterinary assistant at Veterinary clinics in Revelstoke and Fernie and volunteers as a foster coordinator for HEART Dog Rescue.
While her vet dream still lingers, years of working in the bush as a tree planter have pivoted her attention towards education and outreach, empowering owners to make better decisions on behalf of their pets.
She also makes and sells curated pet first aid kits for owners to take on
their outings. She believes it’s essential for pet owners to be prepared for emergencies when exploring the backcountry with their dogs.
“This business was really created to support tree planting dogs, working dogs and dogs that go hiking, biking and skiing in the backcountry with their owners,” Celine says. “By extension, any dog or cat can benefit from having an owner that takes responsibility and initiative to educate themselves (and prepare accordingly) for potential injuries and illnesses throughout a pet’s lifetime.”
Ask any outdoor industry professional or enthusiast, and they’ll tell you first aid training and preparedness are essential heading into the backcountry. It’s standard practice for adventurers to be equipped with the skills to rescue themselves or their partners in emergency scenarios.
Revelstoke is a town full of backcountry enthusiasts, prepared and certified for the rugged terrain they explore. It’s also a town full of dogs.
“Revelstoke is such a cool community in the sense that so many individuals seek out all sorts of training to help them facilitate enjoying the outdoors safely,” Celine says. “[Human] first aid training, avalanche safety, a variety of backcountry safety training, and occupational health and safety. So why not pet safety? Our pets are so deserving of proper first aid care when they are injured.”
Where there are explorers, there are adventure dogs at their heels living extraordinary lives. However, owners become first responders when their dog gets injured in the backcountry.
The unexpected happens outdoors, and the scope of an emergency is magnified when you are far from home, and even further from veterinary care, Celine says.
Celine says that one of the many reasons to take a pet first aid course is so owners can be prepared to handle, restrain, and transport an injured animal.
“It can be very challenging and risky for someone who has not practiced it before,” she says and notes that animals can lose their bite inhibitions when injured. “Dealing with an injured animal can be a very scary experience, and if it is something you are not prepared to deal with, can be very traumatic. Mistakes can be costly, and it is so important to handle these situations calmly, cautiously, and quickly.”
Celine describes the training as an emergency response plan, something many outdoor enthusiasts are hardwired to adhere to in the case of an accident. “If an owner wants to take their pet along on an adventure with them in the backcountry, they should be prepared to safely and appropriately respond in the event their animal gets injured.”
In addition to her own business, Celine is working towards a larger industry shift. Celine will be a featured speaker at the Western Forestry Contractors Association annual conference in February. Her speech aims to equip forestry companies with work practices for keeping dogs safe in the bush.
Reflecting on years of experience working in the veterinary and outdoor industry, Celine believes it’s essential to involve a veterinarian in decisionmaking for a pet’s health and safety. Her first aid courses are not to replace a vet’s expertise but rather to empower owners to take their pet’s emergency preparedness and safety as seriously as other aspects of adventuring.
BARK first aid’s upcoming courses in Revelstoke are on April 22 and 29, 2023, held at the Sutton Place Hotel. Dogs are welcome. Visit barkfirstaid.ca for classes and pet first aid resources.
This story first appeared online at www.revelstokemountaineer.com.
The B.C. government has announced a new conservancy status for the Incommappleux Valley, a remote valley east of Revelstoke that connects to Glacier National Park at its north end. The valley, which was heavily logged prior to a landslide that damaged the access road into the area in 2005, has been the subject of calls for conservation efforts for years.
The B.C. government unveiled the new conservation status on Jan. 26, announcing that about 58,654 hectares will be protected in the new conservancy. In 2020, the B.C. government restricted logging activity in the area by adding it to its old growth deferral program.
“The rich and unique biodiversity of the Incomappleux Valley makes this one of the most-significant protected areas established in the province in a decade,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. The government cited old growth trees, diverse lichen species, grizzly habitat and endangered fungal and plant species as some of the conservation values in the valley.
The deal to secure the conservancy will see several groups pay logging tenure holder Interfor for its rights. The Nature Conservancy of Canada is facilitating and funding the conservancy and protections, with support from the Government of Canada, Teck Resources, Wyss Foundation, Wilburforce Foundation and individual donors.
"When we work together with Indigenous communities, governments, industry and private citizens, we can achieve great results for nature," said Nancy Newhouse, the B.C. Regional Vice President for the Nature Conservancy of Canada. "Incomappleux is an exciting example of this strategy in action."
In its announcement, the B.C. government emphasized partnership with First Nations groups in future plans for the area.
“Conserving the Incomappleux Valley is another example of how we are taking a comprehensive ecosystem approach to managing our forests,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests. “By partnering with First Nations and protecting our oldest and rarest forests, we are creating a healthier environment supporting sustainable forest management.”
In a statement, the Shuswap Band Chief and Council said it appreciates that other important considerations are emerging in the forest sector other than fibre. “We feel that stewardship of the lands and resources is long overdue and that this transfer is a step in the right direction as are recent policy shifts in the sector such as landscape level planning,” they wrote. “The Incomappleux licence transfer and commitments by government to work collaboratively on managing these areas presents an opportunity for Shuswap to demonstrate stewardship is needed and at the forefront. We look forward to having our place in the forest sector to benefit all and future generations.”
Although the government announcement and social media blitz focused on old-growth trees, and some resulting news media stories characterized the valley as a pristine area, the Incomappleux has been heavily logged over the years. When asked, a B.C. environment ministry spokesperson how much old growth remains in the valley, the spokesperson said the total was 3,181 hectares within the 58,654-hectare conservancy.
When asked how much the parties paid for Interfor’s harvesting rights, the B.C. government spokesperson didn’t provide a figure, deferring the question to the Nature Conservancy.
When asked for a technical definition of the level of
A view of the Incomappleux Valley. Photo: B.C. government handout/Paul Zizkaconservation provided, a B.C. environment ministry spokesperson said, “[c]onservancies are Crown lands set aside for the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, the preservation and maintenance for First Nations social, ceremonial and cultural use, and protection and maintenance of recreation values. Conservancies provide for a wider range of low impact, compatible economic opportunities than Class A parks, with commercial logging and mining prohibited.”
A conservancy designation provides for a wider range of recreational activities in the area than a provincial park designation, but it does prohibit mining and logging. When asked if motorized activities like heli-skiing would be permitted in the new conservancy, an environment ministry spokesperson said, “Commercial recreation activities that are compatible with the conservancy designation, such as heli-skiing, for example, would be able to continue, subject to approval of a park use permit.”
The forest service road (FSR) leading into the valley was badly damaged when a steep section collapsed in 2005. At the time, the B.C. government said it was up to tenure holders to fund a replacement road, and access has been limited since then. In response to questions, a government spokesperson said Ministry of Forests plans to deactivate the FSR. “The level and scope of the deactivation will be determined through engagement with First Nations. Landowners or tenure holders in the valley who have used portions of the road also be contacted for their input,” they said. They added that the majority of the valley “has seen no logging for more than 15 years and a socio-economic analysis indicates its protection will have minimal impact to the forest sector so today’s announcement will have little impact on fibre supply.”
A B.C. environment ministry spokesperson said that funding for any future conversation projects would follow engagement with First Nations on plans for the valley and then normal budget processes.
A spokesperson said the government had “secured funding for potential compensation for mineral tenure holders impacted by the creation of the conservancy.” It said the payment for the logging tenure “was negotiated between the Nature Conservancy of Canada and Interfor, but declined to disclose the amounts when asked. “This funding was provided by the Government of Canada through Canada’s Nature Fund, Teck Resources, the Wyss Foundation, the Wilburforce Foundation and several individual donors. The funding was applied to various aspects of the project, including but not limited to the buy out of the forest tenure,” the ministry said in response to questions from the Mountaineer.
There are 158 conservancies in B.C., ranging in size from 11 to 322,020 hectares.
IRIS, EMILY AND EUNICE ARE THREE SISTERS INTRODUCING A NEW NIGHTLIFE ATMOSPHERE TO REVELSTOKE. SEOUL STREET PUB SERVES AUTHENTIC KOREAN FOOD, DRINK AND GOOD TIMES.
New restaurants in Revelstoke garner a lot of attention. When a restaurant like the Grizzly Sports bar closes its doors forever, everyone wants to know what’s up and what’s next.
I got used to walking by the empty pub, and I certainly didn’t expect to see the place lit up with neon signs one December evening. The building’s massive windows leave nothing to the imagination — something new is coming to Revelstoke.
Iris, Eunice, and Emily Kim are three sisters working to bring their dad’s dream of opening a Korean pub in Revelstoke to life. They didn’t want to be known as the pub on First Street or the old Grizzly Sports Bar, so they did something different and made it stand out. A giant neon sign that shines pink and purple, illuminating the restaurant with a colourful glow, spells it out for visitors: Seoul Street.
Before Seoul Street’s grand opening, there were whispers of Revelstoke’s Frisby Ridge Sushi opening a second or maybe moving locations, among many other vague rumours. Those were partially true; Iris, Eunice and Emily’s parents, Janet and El, own and operate Frisby Ridge. Seoul Street is their second location, completely separate and different from the sushi restaurant, and run by their daughters.
Iris is the oldest and the manager at Seoul Street Pub. Eunice is the middle sister, and Emily is the youngest. They’re no strangers to the restaurant scene, having cameoed as servers at Frisby Ridge during summer stints between schooling in Vancouver for years.
The girls’ goals for the restaurant were ambitious. They removed the carpeted floor, painted the entire place from top to bottom, installed handmade bench booths around the restaurant’s perimeter, decked the place with neon signage, and hired staff that radiate good energy. Their vision for Seoul Street is clear — it’s a pub, not a restaurant, where large groups come to have fun, and the girls’ culture can create a community.
“My dad's been wanting to do a pub in town. I think it's really special that all three of us can be here together and do that for him,” says Emily. “We really like Revelstoke, and we just want to be able to offer new food and a different environment for locals and tourists to come and hang out at so they feel comfortable and eat good food and have good drinks.”
The girls say their dad’s dream is to have a place where people can try something new, have fun, laugh and meet new people.
Seoul Street is inspired by Korean pubs where people go to share food and drinks and enjoy a lively atmosphere. The bar’s TV flickers with a Korean channel, and a neon sign with an iconic green Soju bottle hangs symbolically on the wall.
The sisters teach their tables Korean drinking games with Korean liquor like “Titanic,” a game where a soju shot floats in a pint of beer. Patrons go around the table, adding a splash of soju to the floating shot until one person sinks it and has to drink the whole thing — a Soju bomb.
Since the pub’s opening, the place has been packed. Iris emphasizes how special it is that the community has welcomed Seoul Street in a way that celebrates Korean tradition. For example, she recalls telling a table that in
Story and photos by Nora Hughes. From left to right: Emily, Iris and Eunice want Seoul Street to have an atmosphere that can’t be found anywhere else in Revelstoke’s restaurant scene.The restaurant has been busy since its opening in late December 2022. The space can seat large groups and the staff say it's a great place to grab drinks and share Korean cuisine
Korean culture, it’s bad luck to pour yourself a drink, so you always have someone pour it for you, starting with the youngest. She remarks how fun it was to see customers embrace and enjoy the tradition.
“People will come in, play Korean games and drink Korean liquor. It’s amazing to see that response from people because some of them have never tried it before, but they're so willing to, and they'll try it and love it so much,” says Emily. “And it's cool to see how our culture is being immersed into Revelstoke because there's not a whole bunch of Asian people in town; there is a community, but it's not as big as the Caucasian community. So seeing people come and try it out. It's pretty cool.”
The sisters have even created their own twist on Revelstoke’s culture with a Soju Shaft Shot.
What’s next
“We’re trying to create a different vibe from what you would find at other places in Revelstoke,” says Eunice.
Over the next few months, Revelstokians can expect to see Seoul Street roll out new specialty cocktails, menu items and entertainment. You can see what they’re up to on their Instagram, @seoulstreetrevelstoke.
As we write this column, California is suffering from severe flooding in the wake of wild winter storms, another extreme weather pattern for a state that has been hit with droughts and wildfires over the last few years.
The Think Revelstoke podcast recently had an opportunity to speak with Dr. Mike Flannigan, British Columbia Research Chair in Predictive Services, Emergency Management and Fire Science at Thompson Rivers University.
According to Dr. Flannigan, wildfire is a risk for almost everywhere in British Columbia. “I was expecting to see a lot of fire, but I wasn’t expecting to see it this quickly.” The patterns of wildfire and extreme heat we have seen over the last few years are not isolated. We can expect more weather of that nature going forward.
“No one has a completely accurate crystal ball; we have guesses of what may be happening, but it’s changing more rapidly than we first thought.”
Dr. Flannigan was pragmatic in his advice and insight, and these are a few of our key takeaways from the conversation:
• A robust emergency management plan and risk assessment is necessary for our community. This plan should look at disaster risk reduction as well as ensuring that new developments and infrastructure are properly adapted for climate change.
• We need to ensure travelers are aware of risks and that our emergency communications are accessible to visitors. According to Dr. Flannigan, “Informing the traveler of what to do in the case of emergency is critical.” It’s important to consider communication systems that don’t rely on technology or power, like community sirens. As Dr. Flannigan says, “A lot of things we rely on fail [in the event of emergency], power, water pressure, cell towers can be overloaded or burn down. You need to have a plan that’s somewhat resilient to the potential emergency.”
• The increased risk from wildfires is inevitable, but there are things that we as a community can do to mitigate the risk of losing our homes and community infrastructure. If we pursue the Fire Smart guidelines and undertake some key steps to deal with fuel surrounding our community, our wildfire outcomes will be better.
• In terms of our tourism economy, it would be prudent to focus on our winter and shoulder seasons. Smoke and heat may limit our ability to enjoy and share the things we love in the summer: stunning mountain views and the opportunity for outdoor activity.
To this end, Tourism Revelstoke plans to direct more of our resources towards emergency communications and planning to alleviate some of the visitor pressure on our city in times of crisis.
While the City of Revelstoke has a plan in place and a number of resources for dealing with emergency management, we intend to work with the City and other partners to develop more robust plans that account for our residents, our visitors, and our uncertain future.
BIG THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN THE BIG EDDY. DOSE COFFEE AND HOLM COFFEE COMPANY ARE EXPANDING THE COFFEE CONNOISSEUR SCENE IN REVELSTOKE WITH TWO NEW SPECIALTY COFFEE BEAN ROASTERIES.
By Nora Hughes.Not every day, a small city expands by two new coffee roasteries in the same week, but like so many other unique things, it happened in Revelstoke. Holm Coffee Company and Dose Coffee are the latest editions to Revelstoke’s specialty coffee roasting scene. The businesses join the existing roaster, Stoke Roasted Coffee Company, in the expanding market. Both new companies nod to Stoke Roasted for paving the way in the industry. Despite both being in the Big Eddy and both starting the same, rather niche adventure of coffee roasting, neither Dose nor Holm feel the market is over-saturated. Both businesses have unique plans for the future.
HOLM Coffee Company
Simon Harper and Isabelle Lamoureux are the owner, operators and roasters at Holm Coffee Company. Their quiet, cozy corner of the Big Eddy is carefully curated. It feels like you’ve walked into your best friend’s living room. Sitting in the thrifted chairs and being handed a steaming cup of Holm coffee, it’s hard not to throw your feet up on the coffee table and kick back. While you probably shouldn’t get that comfortable, Izzy and Simon want the place to feel like home.
Holm is a mash-up of the word home in Simon and Izzy’s countries. He’s English, and she’s French: Home is La Maison. The space is decorated with art, velvety blue thrifted furniture and quirky mugs from marketplace. Almost everything is secondhand, aside from the roaster and the espresso machine. Holm is also a piece of land that floods and drains, a very fitting nod to Revelstoke locals and their love for the flats on Airport Way.
The couple has worked in the bar industry for the last ten years. Like cocktails, the coffee industry can be intimidating, snobby or posh. As good bartenders do, Izzy and Simon want to talk their customers through the process and flatten the pretentiousness of coffee.
Holm Coffee Co. is a roastery and a tasting bar. Simon says their not ready to give up on being bartenders, but they would rather share an 11 a.m.
coffee than a midnight beer.
“The tasting house is really important for us because we're bartenders,” explains Izzy. “Being bartenders is something we don’t want to give up. We just want it to be a little different than serving drinks at 11 p.m. But the interaction with people is something I don't think we could live without. We love it.”
Simon and Izzy are passionate about running a sustainable business. Once they’ve perfected their roasting recipe, they will have a bulk bean filling station and reusable branded bags. The couple has plans to supply locally in Revelstoke but isn’t ready to share where you’ll be able to find their delicious coffee just yet.
Regarding their neighbouring roasters down the street at Dose Coffee, Simon says that despite competing in the same business, they strive to help each other.
“We feel like there is plenty of room for us both. Our ambition is to do us, and their ambition is to do them.”
Holm Coffee Company will be open in midFebruary. Customers can stop by their tasting room at unit 101, 722 Big Eddy road or follow them @ holmcoffeecompany on Instagram.
John and Lauren opened their roastery to create career avenues for their dedicated staff, provide coffee for their popular downtown cafe and add to the ever-expanding, vibrant coffee community.
Dose Coffee needs no introduction. John Pierce and Lauren Webster, owners of the downtown cafe, Dose Coffee, are celebrating the opening of their roastery this month. The idea has been growing since the cafe opened six years ago. Their goal is to supply the cafe with their beans, but they also want the roastery to create avenues of growth for their staff members.
“We've definitely hit a glass ceiling with some of our staff in the past, and we wanted to be able to provide career path job security,” says John. “We realize Revelstoke is a desirable place to live. So if we can offer something sustainable that is meaningful work for our team members, that's a huge reason we want to push in this direction.”
They’ve already invested in one of their staff member’s roasting education. John and Lauren found that their staff members stepped up and flourished into leadership roles during COVID. As a result, they say as owners, their role in the business has changed. “We’re only as strong as our team,” says John. “If we can foster a positive work environment that can provide growth, we will.”
Their space in the Big Eddy is home to Rosa, a 15 kilogram Loring Roaster that travelled here from Santa Rosa. Rosa is high-tech in the coffee industry. She’s energy efficient and reduces emissions in every roast. If you’re wondering how Rosa got her name, there’s a story there. Ask John the next time you see him.
When it comes to bag design, you might be surprised to learn Dose Coffee bags are white with black writing or the inverse for premium coffees. It seemed a little off-brand until Lauren explained, “The reason it's so clean is so that we can work with different artists and have a canvas that represents that consistency of our brand over time.”
Dose is known for collaborating with local artists and didn’t want to lose the ability to do that by creating one logo. Dose will have three staple roasts: Dose Dino Espresso, Daily Dose and a decaf blend.
“I think it’s always the more, the merrier in business,” says John regarding their neighbour, Holm Coffee Co. “Everyone has space to coexist and be successful.” John and Lauren see the coffee roasting scene’s growth as a huge help and expansion in Revelstoke’s food and drink tourism. John and Lauren have big plans for their locally
branded bags to travel around the Interior, provincially, nationally and maybe one day, internationally. In addition, Dose Coffee plans to start cold-brew canning at its location to keep up with trends in the coffee industry and make it local. They also have big plans for a second cafe location. Visit Dose Coffee Revelstoke on Second Street East or @DoseCoffeeRevelstoke on Instagram.
By Nora Hughes
Arts Revelstoke hit the road this month on an ambitious new project. Kootenay Sounds is an initiative supported by grant funding from Canada Council for the Arts, striving to highlight diverse and emerging artists throughout the Kootenays.
The project will highlight 24 emerging local artists from six Kootenay communities.
Four bands from each region — Revelstoke, Golden, Rossland, Nelson, Cranbrook and Fernie — will perform an original song live at an iconic local venue. The Arts Revelstoke production team will capture the action with the help of Revelstoke’s Francois Desrosiers of FD Productions.
The videos will showcase both the artists and their communities and be available for public view on Arts Revelstoke’s YouTube channel following the project’s completion in February.
Some of the tour’s iconic venues include Fort Steele Heritage Town near Cranbrook, the Trail Beer Refinery and Nelson’s Innovation Centre. Emerging bands and artists include Revelstoke’s alt-rock group Lucas MacKenzie featuring Rainbow Calculus, DJ duo SiFi Beats and Willoway, Americana artist May Davis and singer-songwriter Al Lee. Other featured Kootenay bands include Truck Van Car, Heather Gennel, Red Girl, Chungus and Buddy Wackett and the Floorwalkers.
The project is a big undertaking for Arts Revelstoke. Executive and Artistic Director, Daniel Bhattacharya, says it means a lot that the team can travel to these communities, participate in the project and grow relationships with neighbouring artists.
Arts Revelstoke says they hope this project will help generate opportunities for the bands and connect and showcase these unique communities through sound.
HeliCat Canada is the primary trade association behind the helicopter and snowcat skiing industry. During a special announcement in January, HeliCat Canada announced its new vision for the industry’s future — Sightline 2030.
The critical goal of Sightline 2030 is to have all members of the association transition to carbon neutral by 2030.
HeliCat Canada is an association that promotes the growth of the helicopter and snowcat skiing sector. They say their goal is to do that in a way that is economically, environmentally and socially responsible through research, education and advocacy. The association consists of 38 members — 16 snowcat skiing operators and 22 heliskiing operators — who operate in 49 different areas in B.C.
“Based on the values that have guided the helicopter and snowcat skiing industry for decades, HeliCat Canada has re-imagined the future of our industry with Sightline 2030,” said Rob Rohn, President of HeliCat Canada.
The vision for the industry maps out a journey based on values of public safety, environmental stewardship and excellent service, says Rohn.
“Both the short- and long-term goals of Sightline 2030 will guide us as we continue to apply best practices in the areas of sustainability, safety and service,” said Ross Cloutier, Executive Director of HeliCat Canada. “Our vision will also guide HeliCat’s trade accreditation program, promote our sector’s relationships with First Nations and further the growth of the helicat sector in a way that is economically, environmentally and socially responsible for years to come.”
The key objectives of Sightline 2030 include achieving 100 per cent net carbon neutrality by 2030, continuing the commitment to fund avalanche research to support the safety of HeliCat members, guests and the general public and issuing a 2025 and 2028 Social Impact and Responsibility Report to measure their inclusiveness and social contributions to society.
By Nora Hughes
By Nora Hughes
A guide and two guests were caught in an avalanche while heliskiing in the early afternoon on January 23 near Revelstoke, resulting in the death of two people and injuries to one.
The avalanche was at Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH) Nomads near the Alkolkolex tenure southeast of Revelstoke. In a statement, CMH said the two guests involved in the incident did not survive.
In an email to Mountaineer staff, CMH Communications Staff said that at approximately 2:46 p.m. on January 23, there was an avalanche at CMH Nomads near Mount McCrae outside of Revelstoke.
Three individuals were caught in the slide, two fully buried and one partially buried. The individuals were located by their avalanche transceivers and extracted from the snow.
Brothers Jonathan and Timothy Kinsley, 59 and 57, were identified as the victims killed in the avalanche south of Revelstoke on January 23. The Kinsley brothers were from York, Pennsylvania and owners of prominent construction and real estate development companies.
In a statement, the Kinsley family asked for privacy while they grieve the loss of Jon and Tim.
CMH said, “guides attended to two guests who were unresponsive. The two guests were flown to Kelowna airport and transported to Kelowna General Hospital, where both guests were pronounced deceased. The third person, a CMH guide, is in stable condition and has been transferred by ground to Kelowna General Hospital from Revelstoke.”
In a statement, the Revelstoke RCMP said they were advised of the avalanche incident near an area known as “Chocolate Bunnies.”
Revelstoke RCMP said that once they were made aware, all three skiers caught in the avalanche had been located and were already being transported via helicopter for emergency medical assistance to local hospitals.
“Immediate action was taken on scene by all involved to locate the victims, provide first aid and transport by helicopter to hospital. Ultimately, the efforts to save the lives of the two skiers were unsuccessful,” said Revelstoke RCMP Detachment Commander Sergeant Chris Dodds. “The third skier involved remains at hospital in serious condition.”
CMH posted a statement on its website addressing the incident: “The thousands of guests who ski with us each winter are our family. It is impossible to put into words the sorrow that we feel and the sadness that is shared by our guests, their families and all of our staff,” Rob Rohn, President & COO. “For 58 years and over 10 million guided runs, our primary focus remains on the safety of our guests and staff. At this time, our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the deceased.”
An investigation of the event is being coordinated by the BC Coroner’s Office and the RCMP.
The incident adds to the list of fatal avalanche incidents in Western B.C. since the start of 2023.
Previously this winter, avalanches have claimed the lives of two individuals near Kaslo, and most recently, a snowmobiler was caught and killed in an avalanche near Valemount.
Avalanche Canada has warned that this year’s snowpack is different from previous years, creating problems in the snowpack that make avalanches especially unpredictable. Avalanche Canada says that some professionals suggest a weak snowpack, like the one occurring this season, is only seen every ten to twenty years.
By Revelstoke Mountaineer Staff
February’s business beat is a happy accident. This month’s featured businesses are Jackalope Bikes, Purpose Built Studios and the Clay Collective, all Big Eddy businesses. During my first interview, I joked that the Big Eddy seemed busy despite the overwhelmingly industrial atmosphere. I didn’t plan to focus on the area, but it’s no joke — the Big Eddy is a happening place. Everywhere I looked, and everyone I talked to recommended a budding new Big Eddy Business. Unfortunately, we couldn’t fit them all. Those are stories for a future issue.
Long term, jack has plans to apply for grant money to do research and development for a full-suspension bike and become a legitimate bicycle manufacturer. This notion of onshore manufacturing drives him.
“These big brands, they brand themselves as ‘based in North America or Canada.’ But then, when it comes time to build their product, they send a bunch of money overseas to Taiwan or wherever. And then they get a big shipment of stuff they’ve ordered,” says Jack. “That disconnect has always bothered me as someone who builds stuff.”
He’s determined to make a competitively priced product that’s profitable. With many innovative new products, the hive-minded local manufacturing movement is on the rise. Jack wants to be part of that movement. Check out @Jackalopebikes on Instagram for more info on Jack’s custom builds.
Jack Sutter is the owner and builder behind Jackalope Bikes, a business that builds custom steel gravel bikes and hardtail mountain bikes. Jack’s love for metal fabrication started in high school in Reno, Nevada.
“That kind of sparked my curiosity. I just kind of fell in love with metal right away. And then, I worked for a blacksmith for about four years. That was my first real job,” he says.
After going through trade school, an associate’s degree in architectural design and welding and machine classes at night, Jack started working for the largest ski manufacturer in North America: Moment Skis.
“Being in that setting where we're designing, building, testing, and manufacturing batches of skis, and all under the same roof, that was super inspiring.”
Moment skis is an onshore manufacturing company, meaning they make their product in North America instead of looking globally.
Jack moved to Whistler in 2018, where he immersed himself in the mountain biking industry. This year, Jack used his welding skills to help execute the build of an iconic bike feature at the Crankworx Bike Festival in Whistler. Jeff Polster did the computer-aided design for the feature. As a cyclist enthusiast all his life, it was easy to transition into the mountain bike industry. He found a love of frame building.
Supply chain issues stemming from the pandemic opened people’s eyes to self-sustainability and local purchasing benefits. With this market in mind, Jack decided to leap and start a bike company.
His goal is to build eight custom bikes this year in his shop in the Big Eddy. Inspired by the challenge of building a brand and developing his company, Jack has set his sights even higher.
In a big commercial space tucked at the back of 770 Lundell Road is Tyler Carroll’s chapel of creativity. Tyler’s business, Purpose Built Studios, was born out of a desire for creative freedom. He attended the Selkirk College Fine Woodworking programme and honed his creative and hands-on skills. He continued his woodworking career in Fernie before deciding he needed more creative independence.
“I just got to a point where I was like, I love this job, but it’s just not quite enough for me,” he said. “I decided to take the step, take the plunge into business ownership and try and do it myself.”
Purpose Built Studios offers custom woodworking services with a purpose. Tyler says designing and building with a purpose can mean a few things. For example, designing the interior of a tiny home can feature multifunctional furniture for small spaces that make living frictionless. Purposeful building can also mean building to eliminate wood waste or bringing a custom dream to life.
“I want to help people bring their dreams to life,” Tyler says. “If you have an idea of what you want to build, but you're just not quite sure how to get there. Come talk to me. I love that problem-solving side of things. I think that's a really unique part of the creative side of woodworking.”
You can see more of Tyler’s work at @Purposebuiltrevy on Instagram or purposebuiltstudios.ca.
The Clay collective is a shared ceramic studio space in the Big Eddy. The collective offers pottery classes and purchases. The space is home to three separate artists and their ceramic businesses — Kaisa Lindfors, Gabrielle Labbé and Andrea Sweetnam.
Kaisa is the artist behind Sisaret Ceramics. All of her pieces are built by hand and use the technique of pinching. This leaves the pieces with the marks of her fingers, which she uses as a surface to paint designs and drawings on by hand. She aims to create pieces that are hopeful, whimsical and intimate.
Gabrielle Labbé is the artist behind Monashee Pottery. Gabrielle makes colourful, hand-thrown pottery focusing on colour palette and form. She creates simple, functional and joyful pieces inspired by nature and her travels.
Andrea Sweetnam is the artist behind Jetfire Ceramics. Andrea draws on her long-time experience as a pastry chef to create simple, functional pieces that elevate the experience of eating and plating beautiful food. She uses a neutral colour palette that works well all together.
“The clay collective started as a dream of just having my own studio spaceto work. We’re lucky in Revelstoke to have access to the pottery guild
and some studio spaces out of the RVAC, but I was looking for something bigger with more natural light and room to grow,” says Kaisa. “The space we found is perfect, and now all 3 of us have a great space to make work and to have kilns of our own. We started working in this space in the fall of 2021 and have only just opened our doors to the public this January.”
The artists offer a six-week workshop where participants can learn the potting process from start to finish and one-night pottery workshops.
“We started as and remain primarily a working studio,” says Kaisa. “Ceramics is often a very solo journey, and while we still have plenty of quiet studio moments, sharing the space with each other has been a really nice way to form community, have conversations and for it to be less of a lonely pursuit.”
She says that opening their doors for workshops has been a great way to build this community and share their love of the medium.
You can find the Clay Collective on their website, clay collective. ca or on Instagram, @claycollectiverevelstoke. To buy some of the artist’s ceramic work or check out the collective space, book a drop-in appointment.
