Route 3 Spring 2010

P e o p l e A rts H o m e s F o o d c u lt u r e r e c r e at i o n H i s to ry Spring 2010

Life in the West Kootenay/Boundary Region

Paddle Pushers The owners of Kettle River Canoes and Hellman Canoes are passionate about their crafts

On the creative edge

A new gallery in Castlegar celebrates Kootenay art

Green & Gracious

The Kaslo Hotel & Brew Pub features luxury accommodations and energy-efficient technology

Techno-Biz

High-tech businesses in the region bring jobs and economic diversity

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contents Publisher Sandra Barron publisher@ grandforksgazette.ca Account Manager Chris Hammett route3@ grandforksgazette.ca Editor & Art Director Shelley Ackerman sackerman@telus.net

Route 3 is published quarterly by Glacier Media Group Telephone: 250-442-2191 or 1-877-443-2191 Fax: 250-442-3336

Chris Hammett

Courier and Mail: Box 700, 7255 Riverside Drive, Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0 Route 3 is distributed through the following newspapers, and on racks throughout the West Kootenay and Boundary regions.

This 16' pleasure canoe called the "Pal", made famous by the Chestnut Canoe Company and built in the late 60's, is currently being restored by Kettle River Canoe's Mike Elliot. This canoe is held together entirely with brass tacks and screws. See story on page 10.

Artists

On the Creative Edge

The Creative Edge Gallery in Castlegar celebrates distinctive Kootenay art, page 7 Cover story

Paddle Pushers

Bob Hellman of Hellman Canoes in Nelson and Mike Elliott of Kettle River Canoes in Grand Forks are both passionate about their craft, and crafts, page 10 Homes

From Toil to Peaceful Life The Padmoroff property has transformed from a Doukhobor industrial site to a comfortable family home, page 15 Getaways

Green & Gracious

The new Kaslo Hotel & Brew Pub features luxurious accommodations, a warm and friendly gathering place, and energy-efficient technology, page 19

Food & Drink

Going with the Grain

The Kootenay Grain CSA supports local farmers and feeds its members, page 22 Business

Techno-Biz

High-tech businesses in the Kootenays bring jobs, economic diversity, page 24 Q&A with the:

Kootenay Robusters

The dragon boat team celebrates 10 years of paddling and raising breast cancer awareness, page 27 history:

The Fry Creek Bachelors Pact of 1913 Six men with six months to find wives or pay the price, page 28 Special Places

Photo by Chris Hammett, page 30

Printed in Canada on recyclable paper.

Copyright 2009 by Glacier Media Group.

All rights reserved.

Reproduction of any article, photograph, or artwork without written permission of the publisher is strictly forbidden. The publisher can assume no responsibility for unsolicited material.

PLEASE PUT FSC LOGO HERE Cover photo by Chris Hammett: Mike Elliot navigates the Kettle River in the restored Huron Canoe that he gave to his son James for his 21st birthday.

The heart shaped deck and woven rawhide seats are distinctive identifiers of the Huron Canoe, built in the late 60's, early 70's.

Spring 2010 Route 3

Page 3

Tidbits - a taste of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening in the West Kootenay/Boundary region Dummy Downhill/ End of Season Party Red Mountain, Rossland Sun. Apr. 4 Celebrate the end of the ski season with fellow snow enthusiasts, music and great food. Come experience the deck party that everyone talks about.

Festival Nelson Nelson Fri. Apr. 23 - Sat. Apr. 24 The 23rd Annual High School Music Festival hosted by LV Rogers, Trafalgar Jr Secondary Schools and the Nelson United Church.

The two day event includes evening concerts.

Cottonwood Falls Market Cottonwood Falls Park, Nelson Sat. May 1 - Sat. Oct. 16 The market features an array of different vendors and products,

Silver City Days Various Locations In Trail Tues. May 11 - Sun. May 16 Five days and nights of fun, food and entertainment. Festivities conclude on the Sunday with a family day celebration.

and the performances of local musicians, only a short walk from Baker Street and Nelson's downtown.

Winlaw Farmers Market Hwy 6, Spicer Centre, Winlaw Sun. May 30 - Sun. Sept. 19 Come check out all the home made and grown goodies at the Winlaw Farmers' Market.

S.S. Moyie Open House 324 Front St, Kaslo Sun. May 9 Step back in time onboard the S.S. Moyie. Open house is from 11:00 am-4:00 pm; admission is by donation. Meet this year's members of the Moyie crew and enjoy an interpretive tour of the ship and site.

Nelson Farmers Market Baker & Hall St., Nelson Wed. June 2 - Wed. Sept. 22 Up to 40 vendors offer farm products, baking, preserves and crafts; plus import clothing, jewellery and used collectibles.

New Denver Friday Market Corner Of 6th St & Kildare St New Denver Fri. June 4 - Wed. Sept. 1 Featuring locally grown vegetables, flowers, fruit, herbs and perennials. The market features artisans from all over the Kootenays.

Sunfest Castlegar Fri. June 4 - Sun. June 6 This event includes the Miss Castlegar Queen Pageant, slopitch tournament and entertainment garden, parade, talent show, family bbq, vintage car club show and shine and much more. Festivities take place at various locations throughout the city.

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contributors Shella Gardezi moved to B.C. from Ontario in 2008, to immerse herself in Kootenay/Boundary life as the editor of the Grand Forks Gazette. "Meeting people and having the opportunity to tell their stories is one of the highlights of being a journalist," she says.

Nelson-based photographer David R. Gluns has captured moments in many special places in the world, creating images for numerous magazines, books and commercial clients, but “nothing beats the Kootenays as a place to live and photograph. I love the challenge of getting a great image whether it be flying in my plane, making food look great for the latest cookbook, or just hiking in the backcountry!” He can be reached at david@gluns.ca After numerous years as a camera store and photo lab owner/operator at the coast, and 30 years’ experience as a professional photographer, Chris Hammett decided it was time for a change, so she moved to Grand Forks to enjoy the slower paced, rural lifestyle. It was a chance to unwind and be inspired in a region of spectacular scenery. Exploring the backcountry in her Jeep, she still shoots professionally while being true to her own creative vision.

ART HARRISON, a life-long Kootenay resident, is an employment counselor and IT support Tech at the Skills Centre in Trail. He writes short stories, has published poetry, and has ventured into the world of blogging on the web. Although he currently resides in Rossland, he considers the whole West Kootenay region as home and enjoys the diversity of the landscape and culture.

Kyra Hoggan is a Calgary transplant who came to the Kootenays three years ago seeking

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a quieter, more relaxed lifestyle — only to end up busier than ever with the region’s bounty of exciting activities and fascinating people. Owner of Ironquill Freelance, Hoggan spends her off time with her 10-year-old son, as together they explore the wonders of their new mountain home.'

Greg Nesteroff recently moved to Nelson where he is feverishly working on a variety of historical projects, including a biography of Sandon founder John Morgan Harris.

Amy Robillard is freelance writer based out of Nelson. She is a regular contributor to local papers and publications as well as a business writer for Rising Women magazine, based out of Calgary. When not playing in the mountains or writing, Amy can be found in her kitchen mixing up a batch of gelato for the company she founded and manages, Little Miss Gelato, a local ice cream manufacturing company based in Nelson.

Fran Wallis works from her home office in Silverton. She has published articles and photographs in Canadian Gardening, Cottage Magazine, Small Farms Canada, and North West Travel. When not researching stories, Fran teaches ballroom dance or can be found paddling the pristine Slocan Lake or hiking the Goat Range.

A believer that the après is often as good as the event you’re aprèsing, Andrew Zwicker’s passion as a natural storyteller has lead him to a career in the writing world. As co-owner of the Rossland Telegraph, and a freelance writer at large, travelling around and meeting friendly faces in familiar places has taken the place of a 9-5 management job in the ski industry.

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Route 3 Spring 2010

Remember to visit the Gift Shop Gallery Hours: Tuesday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm Saturday 10 am to 3 pm

story by Kyra

Hoggan

ON THE CREATIVE EDGE

Karla Pearce, gallery owner/ artist and art teacher, at the counter where she greets guests and makes them cappuccino.

O

ne usually thinks of water, minerals and trees when contemplating the resources of places like the West Kootenay and Boundary regions... that is, unless one happens to be Karla Pearce.

Pearce has spent years focussing on one of the region’s richest, but less-celebrated resources – its art.

Pearce says Kootenay art is as distinctive as a fingerprint, if you know what you’re looking for.

“There’s something very particular about Kootenay art — it’s in the colours, the lines, the energy,” she says, adding the more recognized resource of the region — its natural beauty — is often muse for the rich, emotive material local artists are inspired to create.

So invested is Pearce in local art, she recently opened the Creative Edge Gallery in downtown Castlegar, a cooperative in which the artists themselves are members.

“I own and operate the gallery as its director, but it functions as an artist collective, with

The Creative Edge Gallery in Castlegar celebrates distinctive Kootenay art Spring 2010 Route 3

Page 7

Chris Hammett

artists

Chris Hammett

Chris Hammett Chris Hammett

Top left: Laurie Merlo gives us a humorous look at social archetypes in her intimate block prints.

Top right: Watercolours are Keith Shelefontiuk’s forté.

Above: Kim Hendricksen displays some of her intricate and unique copper jewellery.

Page 8

Route 3 Spring 2010

85 per cent of the sales going directly to the artists,” Pearce explains. “The artwork is rotated on a regular basis, keeping the gallery fresh and new each time you visit.”

Opening the gallery was a natural evolution for Pearce, an Alberta transplant who came to the Kootenays 17 years ago and fell in love with the area and its abundant, yet usually unpretentious, creativity.

“I graduated high school in Calgary when I was 16 and spent four years at the Alberta College of Art and Design, and another year at the University of Calgary,” said Pearce, adding the big-city art world was not always about the art itself — often politics and power plays took priority over light and lines.

Thus this region was, for Pearce, a revelation.

“I love it here; I love the community,” she says. “I love the way they treat new business.

It’s wide open and there’s room for everyone.

It’s friendly and welcoming.

“There’s also a real core of very professional artists who are superb at their craft — they’ve been working at it for so long, in relative seclusion — they’ve gotten really, really good at it. It (their work) absolutely could show at a national level.”

Pearce has had ample opportunity to explore and evaluate the local art community. When she arrived in Nelson almost two decades ago with her two-year-old daughter in tow, her first

job was as a waitress, but she never stopped creating art, regardless of her day job.

“When everything was dark and bad, the art was always there — it kept me sane,” she says.

Surrounded, she says, by a warm and helpful community, she pursued her vocation and eventually ended up teaching art classes, hosting a Shaw Cable art show and developing a full-colour coffee table book entitled Art of the Kootenays, featuring 56 local artists (copies can be found at the Creative Edge Gallery) ... all the while, painting and producing her own work.

“It’s my goal to evoke an emotional response from the viewer,” she says. “One that heightens their awareness of a local scene they’ve seen a thousand times but have never experienced like (they do through) my canvas.

Through the act of documenting my creative moments in paint, I invite the viewer to share my perception.”

And now, she’s inviting the whole world to share, not just her own experience and perceptions, but those of a wide range of local artists working with a variety of mediums and subject material.

A perfect case-inpoint is the gallery’s upcoming spring/ summer show, called Mixed Palettes, which will run from April to September 2010. This show features the artwork of 14 Kootenay artists including: paintings by Pearce, Sandra Donohue, Joanne Cremer, Greg Reid and Keith Shelefontiuk; printmaking by Laurie Merlo and Mary Kate Woodward; fibre

by Tricia Rasku; fabric art by Veronica Pellerine; ceramics by Raya Kelson; jewellery by Dianne Leiskau and Kim Hendriksen; and glass by Catherine White.

Meanwhile, the gallery will also serve as classroom, as a range of artists share their craft with students young and old. Also available is open, well-lit studio space complete with wireless, easels and tables to work on, available for rent to groups and individuals.

There’s even coffee and tea available for those who wish to leisurely enjoy the displays, perhaps discussing the work or asking ques-

Through the act of documenting my creative moments in paint, I invite the viewer to share my perception.”

Chris Hammett

Fresh Quality

tions of Pearce herself, who is most often found within the gallery’s walls.

Pearce says this holistic approach to running a gallery is consistent with the Kootenay paradigm — the Creative Edge is not just about selling art to the highest bidder; it’s about nurturing, supporting and promoting the area’s art and artistic community.

Stained glass artist Catherine White says she’s been creating art for about 30 years now, but has only been earning her living from it for seven, and she’s enjoying the new dimension added by the gallery.

“There’s a strong community-base, or fellowship, with the other artists,” she says, adding the synergy and feedback add to Castlegar’s creative calibre. “I do (think the art here is a best-kept secret), especially in this part of the Kootenays — people think all Kootenay art comes from Nelson.”

Originally from Toronto, White spent many years perusing the galleries of big-city Ontario, and she says local art is absolutely on par... if not better.

“We have the same calibre here, and this art is not so cookie-cutter,” she says. “The biggest benefit of the gallery is that it’s allowing local artists to show they’re here and that their work is very, very strong.”

Layered on top of that is the opportunity to share their passion with the larger community, getting artists and art lovers excited about what Kootenay art has to offer.

To that end, Pearce extends an invitation to any and all to attend the Mixed Palettes opening reception at the gallery on April 17, from 6 to 9 p.m., at 1249 3rd St. For more information, contact Pearce at 250-365-2032 or visit the gallery website at www.creativeedgegallery.net

Dianne Leiskau sits in front of the display case that houses her remarkable handpainted glass jewellery and fused glass pendants and bracelets.

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outdoor adventures story by

Andrew Zwicker Photos by

David R. Gluns & Chris Hammett

Paddle Pushers Bob Hellman of Hellman Canoes in Nelson and Mike Elliott of Kettle River Canoes in Grand Forks are both passionate about their craft, and crafts

Page 10

Route 3 Spring 2010

F

or centuries the interconnecting waterways running through B.C.’s valleys have acted as liquid highways connecting communities, as recreational opportunities and have been the focal points for the very existence of many. Canoes have long been the preferred mode of travel on these waterways and two individuals at opposite ends of the region in particular have both built and rebuilt their lives around the canoe. While the original First Nations inhabitants of this region

were known appropriately as the “Lake People,” many in this area including Bob Hellman of Hellman Canoes in Nelson and Mike Elliott of Kettle River Canoes in Grand Forks could easily be considered modern day lake people themselves.

Drawn to the Nelson area by its immense beauty, endless outdoor fun and of course the large and enchanting body of water that is Kootenay Lake, it was deep seated passion for canoes that has driven Bob Hellman’s life. Originally from southwest Manitoba, Bob grew up a paddler of the whitewater variety. His love of paddling has since taken him from a hobby boat builder in his garage to living his dream running Hellman Canoes on Nelson’s north shore.

Seeking to learn the craft, he initially began working with a friend in Manitoba who ran a boatbuilding business. Ultimately, the siren song of endless mountains and lakes drew him to Nelson.

“I loved the area, I love B.C. and I wanted some way of supporting myself,” recalled Hellman. “I love being in business on my own, I don’t like working for other people and I love paddling so I saw canoe building as an opportunity to create a business and do something I truly love.”

From humble beginnings operating out of his backyard after making the move west, Hellman was

stone’s throw from Kootenay Lake — came available he jumped on it immediately. Knocking down a few walls here and customising the space there, Hellman Canoes was officially launched in 2003.

Spring 2010 Route 3

David R. gluns

able to produce ten to fifteen canoes a year. In 2003 when his current location on the north shore — a

Page 11

David R. Gluns David R. Gluns

Top: Bob Hellman with some of his fine fibreglass and epoxy canoes.

Above: The Hellman Canoe retail shop carries an excellent selection of paddles and other accessories.

Right: Kettle River Canoes owner Mike Elliot fills holes and gouges made during the restoration process.

Page 12

Route 3 Spring 2010

In speaking to Bob there is a noticeable spark in his eyes when he talks about building boats. Anyone who meets him in his element can clearly see that he is in exactly the business he was meant to be in. For Bob the passion is in the process. It’s about starting from his garage and slowly and steadily honing his skills until he could proudly say that he produces one of the best canoes on the market.

Specializing in fibreglass and epoxy boats, he now has a staff of nine working in the shop where they can create a new canoe in just 20 man hours.

“There were a lot of hours and a lot of trial and error behind getting to this stage. Now we’ve got boats that are really amazing. They’re so tough and so light that there is nothing else on the market that comes close to it,” added Bob proudly. “You’ve got to love it to do it or you would never keep this up.”

When asked what has kept him going and what has driven him to go from hobbyist to successful business man in the canoe-building industry, Bob summed it up beautifully concluding “It’s a passion of mine to show people the love of paddling. It’s so nice to really see people having a good time in my boats. It’s all like play to me. It’s all just so much fun.”

While Bob has built the life of his dreams through building canoes, Mike Elliott has literally repaired the lives of others and refurbished his own life through the art of reconditioning wood and canvas canoes.

Mike is a man who relishes in taking on a challenge, learning as he goes and enjoying the craft of mastering new skills. After 20 years competing in fencing as a master swordsman and coaching several athletes to the Olympics, Mike found a new and rewarding challenge working with troubled youth in the Grand Forks area.

One of his goals in moving to Grand Forks was to rediscover the passions of his childhood. Having canoed with his family even before he was the height of a paddle, he wanted to introduce the troubled youth he worked with to the sport. One day he and his colleague turned to the kids and asked them if they wanted to go on a canoe trip.

“Their eyes just lit up,” recalled Elliott. “So we said to them, OK, but let’s build the canoes first!” Mike and his colleague began construction of a cedar strip and epoxy canoe with the idea of the kids helping out. “At first the kids were like ‘Are they going to float? They are going to look like crap and it’ll never

Chris Hammett

work out.’ These kids had never had anything go right in their lives ever, so that was understandable.”

As the boats took shape and it became clear that they were going to look and work great, the kids slowly got involved in the process. The boats ultimately came together and he followed through on his promise to take them on that trip.

“On the first day some guys came up in their power boats and said ‘Hey those look like great canoes!’” chuckled Elliott. “Before I could respond, the kids piped up and said ‘We made those!’ and right there you could see them for maybe the first time in their life having pride in themselves and in what they had done.”

That project instilled in Mike the idea of fixing up old canoes for fun and over the next six years he restored six canoes. During that time he lost his job when funding for the youth programs came to an end. Having invested much of himself in the kids he worked with and a job he was passionate about, the loss was devastating. Shortly thereafter Mike’s wife provided some sage wisdom that launched a completely new career for him.

“My wife finally said to me: ‘The only thing that is holding you together psychologically right now is working on those canoes. Why don’t you try and set that up as a business?’”

That night Mike called six friends he knew that owned old wood and canvas canoes and asked them if they would support a canoe restoration business if it existed. That night he had his first two orders.

Yet again taking on a new challenge, Mike started from one chapter in a book he had on canoes that talked about how to restore wood and canvas canoes. From there he began discovering the personalities of each boat and figuring out how to bring them back to their former glory.

“Mostly it has been trial and error with more error than trial in the early days. I’m to the point now where I have the sense that I know what I’m doing,” he recalls, laughing with a big smile on his face clearly loving his new art and business.

That first year in business he restored four canoes.

In year two with 12 canoes sitting in his backyard waiting to be fixed up, he made the leap and found a warehouse space four blocks from his house. He now lovingly restores upwards of 25 canoes a year and relishes in the new life he has created for himself and laughs at the thought of ever retiring.

“You know I walk to work every day with a big smile on my face. When people ask me about retiring I tell them that you can’t retire if you don’t consider what you do to be work.”

Although they have come from different backgrounds and taken different paths, both Mike Elliott and Bob Hellman have found happiness and success through canoes and living as lake people.

Spring 2010 Route 3

Page 13

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Page 14

Route 3 Spring 2010

Columbia Basin Trustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Summer Works Program is for employers in the Basin who are interested in hiring a student this summer. Grants are available to businesses who could not otherwise afford to hire. Boost your business while providing an employment opportunity and a unique work experience. Benefits to your business include:

t $7/hour wage subsidy; t Quick turnaround on applications; t Employment of students age 15 and up.

Application forms will be available in March. Grants will be approved based on meeting minimum requirements, on a first-come, first-served basis. Email summerworks@cbt.org to receive more information.

X X X D C U P S H t

homes Story by Shella Photos by

Gardezi

Chris Hammett

From Toil to Peaceful Life The Padmoroff property has transformed from a Doukhobor industrial site to a comfortable family home

T

he Padmoroff family is modest about their two-storey farmhouse in Grand Forks, but a lot of history and hard work went into what exists today.

“It’s just our family home,” says Carolyn who’s well aware that drivers often slow down to take a second look when passing her property just west of Grand Forks city limits.

Stepping into the quiet, rural, west end of the Sunshine Valley, it’s hard to imagine that the area was once the industrial heart of Doukhobor life in Grand Forks.

Alex and Carolyn had their work cut out for them when they decided to turn a former cafeteria and shoemaker’s shop into a family home back in 1979.

Alex inherited the 1918 building from his father, also named Alex, who had made his own, less-extensive renovations when he first purchased it in 1946. Following the bankruptcy of the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood (CCUB) which operated the communal enterprise in Grand Forks, plots of land were sold back by the government, with original Doukhobor residents, such Spring 2010 Route 3

Page 15

Opening page, top: The historic Padmoroff residence is all that remains in what was once know as the industrial heart of Doukhobor life in Grand Forks. The home and outbuildings are indicative of Doukhobor architecture.

Below: Carolyn and Alex Padmoroff pose outside the entranceway of their home.

Clockwise from top left: The open floor plan and vaulted ceilings make this home airy and spacious.

Carolyn Padmoroff in the renovated kitchen that was once a shoemaker's shop.

The fireplace was created using bricks from the original chimney.

Opposite page: This old Ford logging truck used by Alex Padmoroff Sr. for his logging business are displayed by the barn as reminders of their family's history.

Page 16

Route 3 Spring 2010

as Alex Padmoroff Sr. given first priority.

The top floor, now three bedrooms and a den, was the shoemaker shop.

The bottom floor was a cafeteria, which serviced the many workers in the area.

On Padmoroff’s property alone, there was a grainery (1925) and a jam factory, which was demolished by arson in 1935 shortly after construction and the production of the first batch began. The boiler house where water was heated to make the jam remains standing.

Out of the living room window, one can see the remains of the brick factory, including the clay pit. There was also a flour mill, sawmill, and harness and machine shop.

Alex and Carolyn moved onto the property in 1975 to help care for Alex’s father. That’s when the cleanup began.

In addition to the home, there were

several old wooden outbuildings used for chicken coops, outhouses, etc. that had to be removed.

When Alex Jr. inherited the home from his father, it was time for the couple to take a hard look at the building and decide whether it was worth it to remodel, or to tear down and rebuild.

“We thought about it, whether we should demolish it or try to make a good home out of it,” he said.

They consulted an architect for some rough plans and talked to other knowledgeable people. In the end they decided it was worth it.

The biggest challenge for Alex, who estimates that he did 70 to 80 per cent of the work himself, was digging out the basement. “It took me 40 days and 40 nights,” he joked.

Alex followed his father’s footsteps into the logging business, so the majority of his work had to take place on evenings and weekends.

The rest of the building had to be completely gutted and redone with modern utilities and insulation. The building, fortunately, had a lot going for it, including its solid brickwork, high ceilings and the fact that there weren’t any load bearing walls inside to limit the design. The Padmoroffs, however, decided they wanted to maintain as much of the building’s existing character as possible.

“We didn’t change the building itself, but the inside is totally redone,” said Carolyn. This is our home. We wanted to make it livable and comfortable.”

All the window and door openings are in their original position, with a few exceptions. One downstairs window became patio doors, another upstairs window was blocked off for a closet and the kitchen window was raised to accommodate the counters.

In the living room, the Padmoroffs have taken advantage of the 10-foot-high ceilings by sloping down to the 8-foot level to create a vaulted effect.

Another centerpiece of the first floor is the fireplace, designed by Carolyn and created using bricks from the original chimney. The bricklayer created steps on

one side, which are used as shelves for family photos and momentos. Very little polishing was done â&#x20AC;&#x201D; many of the bricks are still blackened with soot â&#x20AC;&#x201D; giving the fireplace an â&#x20AC;&#x153;old worldâ&#x20AC;? effect.

During the period the couple was living on the senior Alex Padmoroffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s property, the family grew from two to four with the addition of Andrea and Jarred.

Carolynâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primary concern was making sure the home was big enough for the family. Alexâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father had partitioned the lower floor into five rooms, but left the top floor empty.

The Padmoroffs continued their renova-

tions in this level creating a new staircase, three bedrooms, a bathroom and a den. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The rooms are small, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re cozy,â&#x20AC;? said Carolyn.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in the spring when the Padmoroffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 9.25 acres really comes alive with historical charm. The couple continues to maintain the fields growing hay and alfalfa. The two other brick buildings are used as a shop and garage (the former boiler house) and a barn (the former grainery).

Little renovation has taken place on these buildings, but Alex has plans for them too. He plans to sandblast the brick to give them the same bright, clean colour the home has. Otherwise minor repairs are needed to keep them serving their current purposes for the next 100 years. Alex proudly displays his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2122;40s and â&#x20AC;&#x2122;50s logging trucks outside the barn, as well as a horse-drawn sleigh for hauling logs.

Carolyn, originally from Fort St. John, has learned the art of gardening and preserving from Alexâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother. Although she used to maintain three gardens, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now down to one.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fitting lifestyle for the area thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still surrounded by the remains of the once thriving orchards, fields and factories of the area.

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Page 17

getaways

Fran Wallis photos by Chris Hammett story by

Green & Gracious

M

eet the prettiest new kid on the block in downtown Kaslo: the Kaslo Hotel & Brew Pub. Formerly the Mariner Inn, in 2006 the structure was gutted to the bones, and with lots of sweat and maybe a few tears, has reinvented itself as a example of what ingenuity and creativity can accomplish.

“I’m proud to have restored a piece of Kaslo’s history… by integrating modern energy-efficient technology… to ensure it is here for decades to come,” says John Eckland, new owner of the Kaslo Hotel.

John and Susan Eckland earned a Kootenay Conservation Award in 2009 for their commitment to energy conservation throughout their two-and-a-half-year renovation. This, while maintaining the hotel’s historical past.

The new Kaslo Hotel & Brew Pub features luxurious accommodations, Page 18

Route 3 Spring 2010

Ground source/geothermal heat pumps provide heating and hot water for the restaurant and hotel — as well as air conditioning and cooling for the refrigeration systems. The hallways are lit with LED fixtures, and compact fluorescents are used throughout.

Additionally, the beautiful fir-framed windows and doors have the charming tiny panes and mullions distinctive of the period, but are energy efficient. Plus they all open!

Working with local residential designer Bob Inwood, a historical specialist, and Chris Temple, a local general contractor, the pair hired local tradespeople – no one from further away than the Okanagan.

The first Kaslo Hotel was built in 1896. It fell derelict with the decline in silver in the 1920s, but many Nikkei (Japanese Canadians) were interned there during World War II. Destroyed by fire in 1950, the Kaslo Inn was rebuilt on the site in 1958 and operated continuously, changing its name to the Mariner Hotel in 1981, then

was acquired by the Eckland family in 2006.

The new owners, as another way of honouring the hotel’s illustrious past, offered any Nikkei interned there two free night’s accommodation. Aya Higashi, the sole remaining local Nikkei, took them up on their offer.

“I’ve traveled… Hawaii, San Francisco, and this place compares with the best”, says Higashi.

While the hotel has an impressive exterior, with brick work and murals along the covered sidewalk, the Western-front-style roofline, and the second- and thirdfloor balconies, it is the stained-glass and oak front door and copper eaves overhead that add glamour to the corner entryway.

The modest lobby and the wrought-iron cage over the front desk is reminiscent of the one-person operation that the early hotel was once.

The interior walls throughout the three-story structure have paneled wainscoting indicative of the period, but painted in light contemporary neutrals. The main

Opposite page, top: The warm ambiance and spectacular lakeside view are just a couple of the reasons that the Kaslo Hotel is a draw for visitors and locals alike.

Below: Co-owner and assistant general manager Peter Gustufson along with Marc Lamoureux , bar manager and Heather Walters, server/bartender, ready to offer friendly and courteous service.

Above: The recently renovated Kaslo Hotel is a beacon on the main street and reflects the majestic history of the area.

a warm and friendly gathering place, and energy-efficient technology Spring 2010 Route 3

Page 19

Public Swim Schedule JANUARY 4 TO JUNE 30, 2010 Mon / Wed / Fri 6:00 am to 1:00 pm 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Tues / Thurs 8:00 am to 1:00 pm 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Sat / Sun 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm

SUMMER SCHEDULE STARTS JULY 5, 2010

LEISURE POOL / FITNESS STUDIO HOT TUB / SAUNA FITNESS PROGRAMS RED CROSS SWIM LESSONS FOR INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER FOR PROGRAMS CALL Aquatic Centre 250-442-3488 Recreation Office 250-442-2202

Above: Just one of the spacious and elegant rooms at the Kaslo Hotel, where every room provides deluxe accommodations.

Right: French doors in a third-floor condo lead you out to an enormous deck overlooking Kootenay Lake.

Below: Marble countertops and ceramic tile floors are standard features throughout the hotel.

Visit us on the web at www.rdkb.com or email us at gfplay@rdkb.com

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Page 20

Route 3 Spring 2010

Nelson 511 Front Street Phone: 250.352.6900 Toll Free: 1.877.354.1700

‘bring it to life with us’

floor restrooms have fir doors and paneling that add warmth that offsets the coolness of the ceramic tile floors and granite counters.

Seven of the eleven rooms on the second floor have a private balcony facing the lake.

The rooms are beautifully appointed with classic solid wood chests and dining furniture. The queen-sized beds, custom-made linens, and rich red brocade coverlets and drapes all lend to the theme, without that ponderous Victorian feel.

Another welcoming, building-codeinspired feature, is the wheelchair accessibility of several of the rooms, along with the elevator. A sit-down shower, wide doorways and the spaciousness of the rooms make this a comfortable choice for these special guests.

The crown molding, high recessed ceilings and rustic leather and wood rocking chairs all add to the quiet luxury of each room — inviting you to just set a spell, and maybe watch the activity on the lake or the flatscreen TV. The third floor of the hotel is entirely new.

It contains two spacious condo-apartments designed for those seeking a lengthier stay.

Each unit sleeps eight, has a full kitchen, two

bathrooms, bamboo floors and the same unsurpassed lake view.

One of the renovating teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ingenious ideas was to house the heat exchanger technology in the crawl space between the upper two floors. This provided an unobtrusive place to hide the equipment without cluttering the roof or sacrificing valuable floor space.

While the restaurant and pub provide visitors with welcome amenities, the darts, table hockey and the expandable dance floor have made the hotel a focal point for locals to meet.

A family-run business, the Ecklandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son Tom is the general manager of the hotel.

His youthful enthusiasm for the hospitality trade has brought about some effective marketing, such as the creation of a monthly event calendar. In addition to town events, the calendar includes pub events, Karaoke nights, live bands and Sunday jams, plus afternoon tea dates along with the nightly $12 dinner menu.

Marc Lamoureux serves up spirits and wines from behind the massive handcrafted oak bar in the pub, such as world-class Skimmerhorn wines from Creston.

European-trained chef Thomas Stadelmann, and sous chef Jason Epp prepare excellent cuisine daily from the extensive menu, which includes a $10 lunch special. Make your way through French doors to the huge stone-lined patio overlooking the lake, where you can enjoy your meal alfresco.

Tom Eckland has also focused on growing the hotel business with shoulder-season getaway packages and special events such as the Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day retreat that includes dinner plus champagne, chocolate and flowers.

Corporate clients who have found their way to the hotel have proven to be the mainstay during the winter months. A recent gathering of the local Woodlot chapter saw 120 people attend.

In 2006, when the Ecklands first purchased the old Mariner, the economy was booming.

By scaling back and completing in stages, however, the project has remained viable without sacrificing quality or commitment to energy-conservation.

On February 28, 2010 the new Kaslo Hotel & Brew Pub celebrated its first anniversary, and by spring the Brew Pub part of the name will be a realityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; adding another expression to the pretty face on Kasloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s front street.

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Spring 2010 Route 3

Page 21

food & drink story by

Amy Robillard

Going with the Grain The Kootenay Grain CSA supports local farmers and feeds its members

Courtesy Matt Lowe

W

Page 22

Route 3 Spring 2010

e know more and more people are scrambling to eat local, organically grown food, but who wants to brave the winter months solely on last season’s root vegetable yield that has grown eyes and taken up permanent residence in the cellar?

Grain, in all its glorious forms, makes life a little more scrumptious. Pasta, bread, muffins, cake and cookies all use grain flour that is so delicious, substitutes often won’t do. Luckily for us locals, the Kootenay Grain CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) has responded to the dilemma of local grain production by setting up a grain co-operative where members buy shares in local food crops that are grown and harvested right here in the Kootenays.

The project grew roots in 2008 when Nelson’s Matt Lowe and Creston’s Brenda Bruns participated in an “Eat Local Challenge”. Soon both CSA co-founders realized that a large portion of their diets consisted of grains that travel an average of 1500 kilometres before hitting Kootenay cereal bowls.

Their brilliant idea was to bring a group of insightful people together to design a CSA model that would provide enough grain for interested people in the area.

“We thought if our region could start producing our own grain, we could make a significant local contribution in resolving global environmental issues”, says Lowe.

The eclectic bunch consisted of farmers, millers, food advocates, bakers and conservationists who initially designed a 200-member grain co-operative — the first of its kind in Canada.

The unique undertaking started in the black nutrient-rich soils of Creston where the Gailius, Huscroft and Lawrence families started growing and harvesting a variety of grains including hard spring wheat, spelt, oats, red fife wheat and khorosan (a.k.a. kamut).

The concept was simple. Each member pays $125 per share and after harvest season receives up to 100

anticipated event for the community.

But while the brightly coloured sails add to the spectacular beauty of the voyage, it is the cargo that lines the bellies of the boats that has the locals buzzing.

Though the idea of 100 pounds of raw grain in brown paper bags might seem a bit daunting, the Kootenay Grain CSA and the many services they offer makes the process easy.

For the love of grain, local millers Jennie Truscott and David Everest offer milling services to Kootenay Grain CSA members. As well, Lorraine Carlstorm, Nutritional Consultant and Chapter Leader for the Weston A. Price Foundation (a non-profit nutritional group), offers cooking classes including the ancient technique of sprouting and the magic of sourdough.

But the Kootenay Grain CSA’s success doesn’t stop in the kitchens of local residences — The Kootenay Grain CSA model has since been replicated elsewhere and is making international headlines.

The popular series “The Local Grain Revolution” heard on the syndicated radio show Deconstructing Dinner has helped put the Kootenay Grain CSA model on the map.

“The project alongside the radio series has inspired like-minded initiatives to be developed in British Columbia and similar models are being considered in other communities throughout North America,” says Deconstructing Dinner host Jon Steinman.

There are a lot of cheerleaders for this type of community co-operative — the loudest being the 600 shareholders who put their money where their mouth is. From the farmer to the miller, the organizers to the baker, it’s a labour of love.

Luckily, the members are in love. As one shareholder and 100-mile-diet enthusiast aptly puts, “I know where my bread comes from.”

Amy Robillard

Amy Robillard

Courtesy Matt Lowe

pounds of locally grown grains depending on the yield.

Unlike mass farm production where farmers get paid based on harvest yield; the Kootenay Grain CSA pays the farmers up front regardless of whether or not nature cooperates. This way, the farmer’s blood, sweat and tears are always rewarded, allowing them to farm their crops year after year into perpetuity. In good years, everyone enjoys the bumper crop. In bad years, everyone shares the burden... and the farmer keeps the farm.

And farm they do. Demand for the local grain has steadily increased since year one and the Kootenay Grain CSA tripled grain production this past year. In 2009, the organizers sold 600 shares and the farmers stepped up to the challenge.

Though the Kootenay Grain CSA faced some unforeseen challenges in the fall, including low yields of certain grains and a fungus called dwarf bunt, 5000 pounds of grain made the voyage along Kootenay Lake to the shores of Nelson — an unconventional but brilliant form of transportation. The Kootenay Sailing Association first contacted the Kootenay Grain CSA in 2008 offering to sail the grain from Creston to Nelson.

“I was thrilled by the prospect,” says Lowe, realizing it provided a carbon-free way of transporting the grain and expounding on the virtues of the organization.

In addition to fossil-fuel-free delivery, the unique form of transportation indirectly gave the organization an angle that no doubt contributed to the co-operative’s popularity. Images of the fleet in full sail on a sunny October day filled the pages of local newspapers and had journalists from as far as California getting in on this novel concept.

On October 18th 2009, 55 people welcomed nine sailboats tacking and jibbing their way from Creston to Nelson’s shore. The full journey from Kootenay Lake’s west arm to Kuskanook Harbour on the south shores of Kootenay Lake, then back to Nelson takes about three days and has become an eagerly

Opposite page: Matt Lowe helps haul grain from one of the sailboats delivering to Nelson.

Clockwise from top left: Roy Lawrence shows his fields to a CSA member.

Fresh bread made from the locally grown wheat.

David Everest is one of the local millers who offer their services to the CSA members.

To find out more information about grain co-operatives, please visit www.kootenaygraincsa.ca.

Spring 2010 Route 3

Page 23

business story & photos by

Art Harrison

Techno-Biz

High-tech businesses in the Kootenays bring jobs, economic diversity

O

ne could be forgiven, given the history of industry in the region, for believing that all is much the same today as it has been. However, many of the jobs provided by the natural resource industries in the past have diminished in recent years. Modernization and mechanization have reduced the need for much of the workforce. The depletion of some resources has led some industries to move elsewhere. But all is not lost for those who wish to live and work in this area. There is another, perhaps somewhat unexpected, industrial base emerging. Throughout our region, a wide variety of high-tech companies are taking hold and perhaps setting the stage for a coming change in the employment sector.

A recent survey on the state of the manufacturing and technology industry in the West Kootenay and Boundary region was conducted for the Kootenay Association for Science and Technology (KAST). In the survey almost 400 different companies in the area were identified

Page 24

Route 3 Spring 2010

as being included in the technology field.

“They aren’t necessarily all what you would consider “high-tech” companies; some are more traditional industries that are using innovative methods or developing their own new technologies to increase their productivity,” said KAST executive director, Kelvin Saldern. “But many are deeply involved in high-tech — software development, digital media, there’s a lot of really interesting stuff going on out there.”

The Pacific Insight facility sits nestled against the mountain side overlooking the Kootenay River just outside of Nelson. One of the longer standing technology companies in the region, it has been in operation since 1985, starting out manufacturing a daytime running light module for Ford and General Motors that was made mandatory in new cars in the 80’s.

Stuart Ross, President of Pacific Insight, started the company in Prince George, practically working out of his garage. As the company grew they searched all around B.C. for permanent spot for their facility, finally settling on Nelson, immediately liking the city and the

Kootenay lifestyle.

“The company started out as an automotive electronics supplier,” said Amanda Laughton, Pacific Insight’s Human Resources manager.

“We’ve since then expanded to include the whole transportation industry; car, truck, and marine electronics and instrumentation.”

Pacific Insight’s production line has grown to include original equipment electronic modules for the automotive industry, gauges and instrumentation, wire harnessing, and more lately has gone into the design and production of LED (Light Emitting Diode) systems.

“We consider ourselves a solution-driven company,” said Laughton. “The customer pro-

Top left: Testing LEDs at Pacific Insight.

Top centre: Finished circuit boards ready for shipping from Pacific Insight.

Top right: Refining Indium at Firebird Technologies.

Left:: A Firebird Technologies production technician with a finished Indium wafer

vides the concepts and we design and build them here. There’s a quick turnaround from concept to product.”

The company now employs approximately 175 people: 75 professional staff including staff in accounting, sales, and mechanical, electrical, and software engineers, as well as 100 production line workers.

Rossland’s Jan Visser was originally a university professor specializing in computational fluid dynamics and computer modeling who saw a gap in the existing software in his field. Upon moving to the West Kootenay he assembled a small team of programmers and engineers and started Qfinsoft, a software development company.

Visser explained that a common problem for computer chip manufacturers is that they can build them faster for new high speed computers, but the chips also heat up faster and have to get rid of the heat.

“The lifespan and effectiveness of the product depends on its ability to dissipate heat effectively,” Visser said. “We created the software that calculates that.”

Visser seems content with basing his company in Rossland, saying the quality of life and low overhead make it preferable to being in a large city.

“The work can be done almost everywhere and there are huge advantages to not being in the city,” Visser said. “We have great skiing, great golf; it’s a nice area to be.”

Visser says that Qfinsoft’s customers are all over the world and the company has grown at somewhere between 20 per cent to 30 per cent per year. But there are no plans to expand dramatically at this point.

“The major thing holding us back at this point is that we don’t want to sell out to a bigger company and have to move to more profitable area,” Visser said. “We’re happy to stay here and just grow at a steady and profitable rate.”

Tarasoft is another entry into the software development field but in an entirely different direction than Qfinsoft. Housed in a funky, turn-of-the-century brick building on Nelson’s Front Street, president Seain Conover and his staff maintain what he refers to as “the backbone of the real estate MLS system.”

Having written different software since he was a child on Vancouver Island, Conover took his cue from his father’s real estate work and designed a system that handles real estate agents’ email, property listings, and data in a way that made their jobs and their customers’ purchasing more efficient.

Conover and his family were living on the Lower Mainland and spending leisure time in various parts of the province. He had customers telling him about vacationing in the Kootenays, in places like Rossland, Kimberley, and Nelson. ”We eventually realized that our weekend getaways were a desire to get more rural,” Conover said. “We were driving through the

What is KAST? The Kootenay Association for Science and Technology (KAST) is a part of a network of regional science councils supported by the BC Innovation Council, funded by the Provincial Government.

Kelvin Saldern, the Executive Director of KAST since 2006, says their current mandate takes a three pillar approach.

“Our main job is to support the development and growth of technology and innovative businesses in the region,” Saldern said. “This can range from working with an individual who has an idea they want to develop to working with larger enterprises. We can help them with product development, obtaining financing, or human resource issues.”

The organization’s second pillar focuses on the future.

“We also work closely with educators to try and inspire a passion for science and technology in kids and youth,” said Saldern, referring to some of KAST’s recent projects and ventures to facilitate science camps and fairs, holding the Community Science Celebration at Selkirk College, and bringing in travelling shows such as the HR Macmillan Space Centre Star Lab. KAST’s third goal is to support economic development in the region with local governments, chambers of commerce, and the various Community Futures Development Corporations.

Spring 2010 Route 3

Page 25

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Kootenays and came into Nelson at night and saw the lights sort of twinkling off the water and knew this was it.”

“There is a huge amount of commerce that depends on this product,” Conover said.

“Probably $250 million a day in sales rides on our software.”

Firebird Technologies, in Trail, was originally part of then Teck Cominco’s Electronic Materials division but was sold off to an American company in the early 1990s. The Trail facility was shut down and most employees were laid off, with a few being sent to other facilities.

Three former employees returned to Trail to try to restart the company on their own terms in 1994. Don Freschi, the last remaining partner, has dedicated himself to trying to make the company grow. In December of last year (2009) that growth took a serious leap Top: Tarasoft President Seain Conover.

Below: Qfinsoft owner Jan Visser with his team when the company sold all its of programmers. outstanding shares to a Montreal metals company, 5N. “5N gave a good price; there was 100 per cent approval from the shareholders,” said Freschi. “They have a commitment to the area, all the staff stays, and they want to build a new facility. We are now officially Firebird Technologies — a Division of 5N Plus.”

Firebird Technologies takes materials that would be considered byproducts from Trail’s Teck Ltd. and purifies them to a crystalline form that can then be used in a variety of high-tech applications such as infra-red cameras, solar panels, and lasers.

Freschi sees a positive future for the company.

“We’re scheduled to break ground for a new 50,000 square foot facility in April, with an option for another 50,000 square feet as we grow,” he said. “We currently employ twenty-two people, could be over forty-five within eight months, and 100 plus in three to five years.”

These examples are but a sampling. It is estimated in the KAST survey that technological companies employ almost 7,000 people in the region and generate $2.5 billion in revenue. While there are still considerable resource-based industries in the area, it is promising that there are new sources of jobs being generated.

Many of those surveyed stated similar challenges to doing business here that were brought up by those interviewed for this article; the difficulty finding new recruits with the necessary training and skills and transportation difficulties in travelling in and out of the region, but they have chosen to do business here and are committed to staying. They come bringing their ideas and their businesses to share in our lifestyle and the rugged beauty of the region and they employ people, both from the area and from away, and feed our region’s economic diversity.

Q&A:

with Joy Andersen, Jan Micklethwaite & Bernice Barrass

by Shella Gardezi

Kootenay Robusters

T

Photos courtesy the Kootenay Robusters

his season, the Kootenay Robusters celebrate 10 years of paddling and raising awareness about breast cancer. With about 50 members, including 25-30 active paddlers, the Robusters has members from 18 to 80 years of age, who practice at Christina Lake during the season and attend two or three festivals each year. Joy Andersen, co-captain, Jan Micklethwaite, president, and Bernice Barrass, past president, sat down with me to tell us about the group’s anniversary plans and how dragon boat racing helps take local women on a voyage of self discovery.

How did the group get started?

Barrass: The very first meeting was held January 2001. It was started by two nurses at the Kootenay Boundary Hospital: Sheri Golley, who had been in Vancouver taking treatment when she saw the dragon boats going out on False Creek, and Laurel Babcock. There was so much interest that they had to move the meeting to Selkirk College, and that was the beginning.

Andersen: We had 13 practices on water, and we went to the Alcan festival in Vancouver, which was the biggest. And of course we didn’t win any of our races, but it was amazing that we could pull it off. A great lot of that success was due to our coach Trish Ostlund, who was in a café in Rossland and heard someone talking about dragon boat racing and said, “Excuse me, I have some experience in dragon boat racing.” And we’re still going. A couple years ago, I feared that we were going to fold.

I really did.

Why did you think that?

We had been very successful. One year, we actually won the women’s competitive festival in Kelowna, which was really something. However, I wondered if people, survivors in particular, weren’t joining because they felt they weren’t going to be good enough. But then there was quite a push to bring in new recruits and to bring in people who hadn’t

Above: The Kootenay Robusters dragon boat team, with coach Trish Ostlund.

Below: Practising on Christina Lake.

paddled, and perhaps weren’t as athletic, and people realized this was something they could do.

Micklethwaite: Then last year we got a number of new survivors. And although we have mixed feelings about getting new survivors, because it means that breast cancer has not been eliminated, it still is something that’s really positive for the individuals that are involved. Once they become part of the team, they really discover so much strength within themselves which they may have begun to doubt when they were being treated for cancer.

Do you think the experience is different for people who have survived cancer?

Andersen: Yes. You really have to be part of the team. That part is the same for all of us. But, when I joined the team I was a 12-year survivor and I really didn’t think I needed any of the camaraderie around breast cancer, but it amazed me how much that strengthened me, how good that was for me, and how much we laughed and cried together.

Barrass: Even if they are not survivors, members grow as women.

Micklethwaite: The team encompasses everything. It really is emotional, mental, physical, spiritual growth all entwined. Many of our members have never done anything athletic in our lives and, then, we discover that there’s this capacity within us, not only to become part of the team and support a good cause, but to actually excel physically and get out there on the race course.

Do you see health benefits to dragon boating?

Micklethwaite: It’s just boundless. As the season progresses, you see people become stronger, their posture gets better, they develop waistlines, often weight drops, and there’s something about their physical bearing that changes as the season progresses. By the time we end up at the end of September going to our last festival, there’s a significant change in people’s physical being.

Do you have any special plans for the anniversary year?

Barrass: We have 185 current and former members and we are contacting them to get together for a special dinner. We’re going to have a special Carnation Ceremony. We have lost members and we, at this time, remember them, and encourage all those who are currently battling breast cancer. We just take a moment to get together and remember why we’re paddling.

Spring 2010 Route 3

Page 27

history by

Greg Nesteroff

The Fry Creek Bachelors Pact of 1913 Six men with six months to find wives or pay the price

I

t sounded like something out of Li’l Abner.

On Sept. 1, 1913, six bachelors at Fry Creek – better known today as Johnsons Landing – agreed to a contest. Their goal: matrimony.

The curious pact between Dan McDonald, William Holmgren, Albert Johnson, Pat Keogan, C.D. Pogson, and Ira Lindsay was the result of a camping trip to Fry Creek that summer by a group of young ladies from Nelson. As Kaslo’s Kootenaian put it, the women “took pity on the poor bachelors ranching at that point and cleaned and polished up things a bit, cooking a good meal occasionally and turning out some batches of doughnuts.”

Consequently, the boys “endorsed the conjugal state, condemned the lone existence,” and the bachelor challenge was born. The rules were simple: each man put up $75 The rules were (more than $1,400 in today’s money), simple: each man fully refundable to any that married put up $75 (more within six months.

Those who married than $1,400 in within one year were eligible for a $50 rebate. Any today’s money), remaining money fully refundable to would go toward the annual bachelors’ ball at Kaslo. any that married When the starting pistol sounded, within six months. one man was rumoured to already be engaged. Four others began planting flower gardens. Charlie Pogson imported a car of lumber to improve his home. And as word of the contest spread, offers started coming in from would-be brides. By the hundreds! From as far north as Edmonton, as far east as Winnipeg, and as far south as California.

Or so Ira Lindsay’s father claimed. He said the Page 28

Route 3 Spring 2010

boys received an avalanche of letters, each “setting forth the writer’s qualifications as to looks, habits of economy, ability to cook, manage a house, cleverness at helping on a Kootenay lake fruit ranch, feeding pigs,” wealth and social position, among other things. Some sent pictures.

One applicant, 48, offered a fortune of $5,000. Another, 16, said she had very little fortune except her face, and if one of the gentlemen would send her a ticket, she would come at once, for she wanted to escape a cruel stepmother. A stenographer from Pendleton, Ore., cinched her argument by stating she was Canadian born; a Nelson girl said she preferred the main lake; a woman from Medicine Hat said she wasn’t much for looks, but could cook like a French chef. But the best reply came from a woman in Salt Lake City who said she had $6,000 in insurance money from the death of her first three husbands, and was prepared to split it with a fourth.

Many of the ladies had seen ads placed by the notorious real estate shark Honeymoon Harris, promoting “the delights of the glorious Kootenay lake country” and thought they could learn to love a man who would take them to that great paradise.

Yet for all of the supposed proposals, the six month mark came and went, and none of the bachelors was married. In fact, it sounded like some were getting desperate: a rumour surfaced that one was considering kidnapping someone else’s wife, but The Kootenaian insisted none would do such a thing.

In May, about 150 people attended the bachelors’ ball in the drill hall, although there was no mention of the promised financial contribution from the Fry Creek six. (There doesn’t appear to have been a ball the following year.)

Then, at last, on June 10, Charlie Pogson became the first bachelor to tie the knot, with Elizabeth Close of Starbuck, Man. (Where the wedding took place is unknown; it wasn’t in B.C. or Manitoba.) His fellow contestants, evidently feeling generous, granted him a complete refund.

On Aug. 29, two days before the one-year deadline, Ira Lindsay followed suit, marrying Mary Pleas, a native of Sandstone, Minn., aboard the yacht Iwyll – whose captain happened to be the Rev. J. Calvert. After overseeing the ceremony, he presented the bride with a new Bible. William Triggs and Emily Hurst of Kaslo acted as groomsman and bridesmaid.

Only one of the other four bachelors is known to have married: William Holmgren wed Nora Sauter in Nelson in 1921, seven years too late to get his deposit back. The remaining three – Keogan, Johnson, and McDonald – vanished. None were still at Fry Creek as of 1918.

Charlie and Beth Pogson remained married for 30 years, and later moved to Port Essington where he served as postmaster until his death in 1944. They had at least one daughter.

Ira and Mary Lindsay, the last to maintain a home at Fry Creek, were married for nearly 50 years. Ira died in Vancouver in 1963, survived by his wife, two daughters, granddaughter, and two great grandchildren. Wonder if they ever asked how the couple met, only to be told “Well, you see, there was this contest ...”

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Spring 2010 Route 3

Page 29

special places photo by

Chris Hammett

W

atching from a distance and seeing where the doe had hidden her newborn, photographer Chris Hammett carefully and quietly approached with her camera and began taking photos. To her amazement, the fawn didn't move and she was able to capture this marvel of nature. Opinions vary on the population and the popularity of deer throughout our region, but there's no denying that the sight of a newborn fawn in the spring is truly wondrous to behold.

Page 30

Route 3 Spring 2010

BOUNDARY MUSEUM :[PY 8Ld

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Warmest tree-lined lake in Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Welcome Home to

Christina Lake 6ISIT s %NJOY s 3TAY

Grace McGregor, Regional District of Kootenay/Boundary welcomes you home to beautiful Christina Lake

CHRISTINA LAKE HOMECOMING â&#x20AC;&#x201C; June 19, 2010 www.facebook.com/christinalakehomecoming #HRISTINA ,AKE #HAMBER OF #OMMERCE s s WWW CHRISTINALAKE COM