Route 3 Winter 09

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 Winter 2009/10

Life in the West Kootenay/Boundary Region

Our

2010

Connection An amazing number of locals are participating in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

A saucy Tale

Nelson entrepreneurs spice up your life with tasty sauces and dips

History Reborn

Rossland’s Mater Misericordiae Hospital gets a new lease on life as Redmont

Night Lights

Phoenix Mountain and the Salmo Ski Hill offer homey, small-mountain atmosphere

Rush Hour

Rush Hour

PHOTO: DARREN DAVIDSON

Come for the Adventure – Stay for the Lifestyle Nestled between the West Kootenay and the Okanagan Valley, the Boundary region enjoys all the benefits of access to these larger centres while providing a wealth of unmatched local amenities.

Affordability, Opportunity, Approachability — Discover the advantages of doing business in Boundary Country. For more information, call Jennifer Wetmore at 250 442 2722 or email jennifer@boundarycf.com.

RDKB, Area C Director Grace McGregor

www.investkootenay.com | www.boundarycf.com Boundary Economic Development Committee

Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce

editor’s message

W

inter in much of Canada can be a long, cold season — one that many can't wait to see the back end of. I'll never forget my walks to school when I was a kid in Saskatchewan, scarf wrapped around my nose, mouth and forehead, eyelashes sticking together with frost. The only outdoor activities we partook in were skating at the area rink and driving to the Qu'Appelle Valley to tobbagan down the hills there, on nicer days. When we lived on the coast, winter was definitely much warmer and more pleasant, but the long, grey, rainy stretches could get to you, and during my first winter there, I've never been colder. The dampness goes right to your bones if you're not used to it.

Here, I have learned that I love winter. It wasn't difficult. No block heaters to plug in. Thin gloves will do you most days. No umbrellas to carry. I live in Rossland, so there is lots of snow to shovel, but that's a good thing here. In the Kootenay/Boundary, we enjoy mostly mild weather and have plenty of opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities, whether you downhill, cross-country or back-country ski, snowboard, snowshoe, GT race down your street, skate, play pond hockey, or just go for walks through your town. Winter flies by when you get outside and enjoy it.

One activity many of you may not have had a chance to try is night skiing. Writer Andrew Zwicker takes a couple of trips to Salmo and Phoenix Mountain near Grand Forks to check it out, and discovers the joys of small ski hills while he's there.

This will be a particularly memorable winter in B.C., as the 2010

Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are taking place in Vancouver and Whistler. What does that have to do with our region, you ask? Our cover story focuses on twenty-one locals who are involved with the Games — and those are just the ones we know about! We know we've missed some though, and I'd love to find out about any others — drop me an email at sackerman@telus.net if you are competing/working/ volunteering at the 2010 Olympic or Paralympic Games.

One sure-fire way to keep warm this winter is to add more chili peppers to your diet. Three Nelson businesses can help you with this, in the most tasty ways possible. Edmond Segbeaya with his Ebesse Zozo sauces, Troy Swanson with his In Your Face Foods dips, and Mark and Jennifer Arrowsmith with their Arrowsmith Artisan Foods sauces will spice up your life and supply you with delicious solutions to your winter potluck dilemmas.

Our arts story this issue features Salmo metalsmith Andrew Raney.

His impressive inspired-by-nature large pieces and delightful small ones range from birds and bugs to twigs and trees. Raney’s hummingbirds and sparrows with their red berries brighten up my kitchen window, and I'm thinking that his beautiful bird bowl with berries would make an excellent Christmas gift.

There are more great stories in this issue that I haven't mentioned — you'll just have to read on and find out for yourself! Happy winter!

— Shelley Ackerman, editor

Courtesy Jim Holtz

Children's Choir Joins Community Band for Christmas Duo December 15 511 5th St., Nelson For the first time ever, Nelson Community Band will be joined by the Nelson Children's Choir for their annual Christmas Concert.

Selections will include some fabulous concert and swing pieces, as well as a few seasonal favourites.

RAIL TRAIL 200 DOG SLED RACE January 15–17 Grand Forks Up to a dozen mushers are expected to bring their dog teams to

race in the inaugural Rail Trail 200 Dog Sled Race from Grand Forks to Big White and back. The teams will begin the 200-mile race, a qualifier for the classic Yukon Quest race, Friday, Jan. 15, from the Station Pub on the Rail Trail in Grand Forks. For more information check out www.railtrail200.com.

9th ANnual Canadian Open Freeskiing Championship January 15–23 Red Resort, Rossland Red Resort hosts Canada's longest running big mountain freeskiing competition. Junior competition takes place January 15-16; open competition is January 21-23.

Trail Society for the Performing Arts Presents: The Toronto Consort's Da Vinci Codex

Tuesday, Jan. 19 Charles Bailey Theatre, Trail The fully scripted show features dances, fantasias and vocal works from the time of Leonardo Da Vinci. The evening is built around his life, and includes sections inspired by his paintings and his life in Florence and Italy and his last days in France. For information, trail_arts@telus.net.

The Capitol Theatre presents Snowed in Comedy Tour Thursday, Jan. 28th Capitol Theatre, Nelson The Snowed in Comedy tour returns after last year’s huge success. Join Irish star Ed Byrne, Dan Quinn, Glenn Wool and Craig Campbell for one of the best evenings of stand-up comedy this year.

Rossland Winter Carnival January 22–24 Rossland At Rossland's 113th Annual Winter Carnival, enjoy a parade, games and races, a saloon featuring the Boomtown Garter Girls, dancing, Rail Jam, fireworks and torchlights at Red Mountain Resort's Family Fun Night and more. This year the carnival will be one week earlier than normal, to include the Olympic Torch relay into the celebrations.

www.rosslandwintercarnival.com

Tidbits - a taste of what’s happening in the West Kootenay/Boundary region

To include your event in Route 3’s TIDBITS, email sackerman@telus.net Winter 2009/10 Route 3

Page 3

contents Publisher Sandra Barron publisher@grandforksgazette.ca Account Manager Chris Hammett route3@grandforksgazette.ca Editor & Art Director Shelley Ackerman sackerman@telus.net Ad design John Snelgrove jsnelgrove@telus.net Route 3 is published quarterly by Glacier Media Group

David R. Gluns

Telephone: 250-442-2191 or 1-877-443-2191 Fax: 250-442-3336 email: route3@grandforksgazette.ca Courier and Mail: Box 700, 7255 Riverside Drive, Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0

Edmond Segbeaya enjoys a Habanero pepper -- the main ingredient of his Ebesse Zozo hot sauces. See story on page 14.

Artists

A Test of Metal

Salmo artist Andrew Raney fabricates intricate steel creatures inspired by nature, page 7 Cover story

2010 Games: The Kootenay Connection An amazing number of locals are competing, working and volunteering at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, page 10 Food & Drink

A Saucy Tale

Local entrepreneurs will spice up your life with their tasty sauces and dips, page 14 Homes

History Reborn

Rossland’s Mater Misericordiae Hospital gets a new lease on life as Redmont — a modern commercial and residential development, page 18

Page 4

Route 3 Winter 2009/10

Route 3 is distributed through the following newspapers, and on racks throughout the West Kootenay and Boundary regions.

recreation

Night Lights The Salmo Ski Hill and Phoenix Mountain offer affordability, night skiing, and homey, small-town atmosphere, page 23 Celebrations

Winter Revelry

Castlegar heads into the snowy season with an abundance of community events, page 25 History

Brave Pioneers & Forgotten Cultures

History books about the Boundary and West Kootenay regions educate and enlight, page 28

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

Q&A with:

Joe Fuoco

Interview with Trail’s talented maestro, page 30 Special Places

Photo by David R. Gluns, page 31

Cover photo of George Grey by John Evely.

Take the Green Challenge!

Lighten your environmental impact by shopping consciously.

Re-usable bags, pesticide and chemical free products, energy efficient light bulbs and environmentally friendly cleaners are just a few ways Ferraros makes it easy to be Environmentally Friendly!

Go paperless with Ferraros online flyer and print your coupons directly from the web at ferrarofoods.ca

contributors

Our plastic bags are 100% biodegradable and break down within 30 days of disposal.

Darcy Falkenhagen has spent her professional life as a literary book editor and English

Always Fresh, Always Green

teacher. After almost a decade in New York City, last year, she and her husband relocated to Rossland. Enjoying life in the Kootenays, Darcy currently teaches at Selkirk College and online for Johns Hopkins University.

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

ferrarofoods.ca

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.

Kyra Hoggan is a Calgary transplant who came to the Kootenays two years ago seeking 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.'

Jennifer Nielsen grew up on Lulu Island in the Lower Mainland and doesn't miss the rain — for the most part. She moved to Rossland five years ago to live in a storage room and work for

stretch your potential

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free. Today, she enjoys all four seasons in the Kootenays and is a student at Selkirk College.

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.

Trail freelancer Lana Rodlie spent 16 years as a reporter with the Trail Daily Times. She’s also written for The Province, BC Business and a variety of travel magazines. Besides writing, she spends a great deal of time volunteering (Rotary, Community in Bloom, and Japanese Twinning) and also dabbles in genealogy, local history and travel.

Graham Tracey is a constant musician, a frequent writer, and an occasional cook. He and his wife are aspiring Canadians, but their son is the real deal. After a decade of working in New York City as a composer and producer, Graham moved to Rossland to ski and breathe freely.

A believer that the après is often as good as the event you’re apresing 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.

Winter 2009/10 Route 3

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artists story by

Lana Rodlie

A test of Metal

Lana Rodlie

S

Andrew Raney

tepping into artist Andrew Raney’s studio is like walking into a blacksmith shop. A small garage outside his Salmo home is abuzz with activity: industrial tools, welding equipment, chunks of metal, and various inanimate creatures hanging from the walls and ceiling. Some finished pieces sit on a narrow wooden countertop under a small window — the only source of natural light in the place.

But for a cold wintry day, a Fisher-style step stove is stuck in a corner, warming the space up nicely.

Raney doesn’t apologize for the foundry-look.

“I’m amazed that (some artists) can have a neat clean workshop,” he says.

Hailing from southern Ontario, Raney graduated from the Ontario College of Art in 1968 and has spent the last 40 years creating masterpieces of twisted metal into amazing

Salmo artist Andrew Raney fabricates intricate steel creatures inspired by nature Winter 2009/10 Route 3

Page 7

Gail Russell

Previous page: Top: Artist Andrew Raney works in his studio.

Below: Dung Beetle.

This page, top: Ceramic artist Bree Lockhart and Raney with the tree they created for the Grand Forks Art Gallery.

Shelley Ackerman

Right: Snow-covered ravens welcome patrons to the Rossland Library.

Page 8

Route 3 Winter 2009/10

eye-catching sculptures.

He started out making jewellery but soon found he preferred to work with larger scale designs — birds in flight, large lifelike bugs, and more recently, dragons and wizards.

For 10 years, at the Kootenay School of the Arts in Nelson, he taught steel fabrication and other courses in the metal department, “trying to open up the students’ minds to industrial processes — welding, cutting and forming.”

He retired back to his studio three years ago to carry on with the work he loves — turning hard, grey steel into beautiful objects.

Using a variety of mechanisms to weld, stretch or blow up metal, Raney’s creations are detailed and intricate. After the bending and welding process, he applies industrial lacquer to create colour.

“It’s an automotive aerosol for colouring chrome,” he explains. “It’s fairly tough and works well on shiny metal. Steel rusts, so it doesn’t matter what you use. Even after it’s polished and sealed, it will oxidize and become dark. And it will rust. We can only slow the process but can’t stop it.”

Some of his sculptures acquire natural colour from the heating process.

“It’s not permanent but it will last a few years. Painting is probably the only permanent thing you can do. I work more to create the form and space — the surface treatment is more textural than colour.”

He says he’d love to work with copper but it’s quite expensive and not as easy to come by as people may think.

Raney’s artwork should be familiar to art lovers in the region. His ravens loom over the entrance to the Rossland Public Library, his aquatar (half-human, half fish) stands outside the Koo-

tenay Gallery in Castlegar, and a tree graces the entrance to the Grand Forks Art Gallery.

“The storyteller ravens were commissioned by the Rossland District Arts Council and the aquatar was a millennium project, part of a sculpture park.”

The Grand Forks Art Gallery tree has been enhanced by Bree Lockhart, a local ceramic artist who makes leaves and fires into them the names of art patron donors using alphabetsoup-style lettering.

Raney’s popular coffee-table bowls — meshed metal with red “berries” — are sold in gallery shops throughout the Kootenays and Vancouver Island.

The berries are actually glass beads that he imports all the way from India.

“Nature inspires me but I feel my bread and butter are birds, animals, fish — abstract things as well,” he says. “In the Kootenays, people are more practicalminded. They want functional things and I say my (creations) are ‘esthetically-functioning.’”

The region has a strong metalwork community, he notes.

“There are a lot of blacksmiths here — (such as) Kootenay Forge in Crawford Bay. However, the Kootenays are becoming more cosmopolitan. There’s more room for recreation.”

And art.

“I use the medium as a means to an end. The fabrication part is an industrial process. I try to put a bit of warmth into the material.

Steel is generally cold.”

Raney’s creations are so life-like, viewers often do a double take when they come upon one of his super-bugs, his tawny owl or standing stork. And in this area, where ospreys build their nests on the top of telephone poles, Raney’s osprey landing in its nest could fool an ornithologist.

But birds, bugs and bowls aside, Raney has created some

Public Swim Schedule Mon / Wed / Fri 6:00 am to 1:00 pm 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm

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

From top: Raney working on the Grand Forks tree, Berry Bird Bowl, Rusted Owl, Growing Chair, Little Rooster.

This Winter we welcome all visitors to our beautiful West Kootenay/Boundary region

Our lovely tree lined streets, friendly residents and kind climate make for a very welcoming lifestyle. Enjoy hiking and biking on the Trans Canada Trail, golf in Grand Forks or Christina Lake, river rafting on the Kettle or Granby Rivers and swimming and boating at Christina Lake. Bordering the U.S., close to ski hills and two international airports. Opportunity is knocking. Come visit us today.

Andrew Raney

Serving the Boundary area for all your real estate needs!

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Buying or Selling Residential, Rural, Recreation & Commerical

Lana Rodlie

incredible pieces of furniture such as a “growing” chair that looks like branches and twigs intertwined and stretching up.

One of his creations surprised even himself. A lover of whimsical creatures, Raney worked with a leather artist to create a sofa with a dragon back. They displayed it at an art show and it sold for $8,500.

For Raney, whose pieces sell anywhere from $50 and up, it was like hitting a jackpot.

He was pressed by the leather artist to co-create again, and together they made another sofa.

This one looks like a Viking ship but it has yet to attract the right buyer.

Raney has never had trouble finding a market for his eclectic pieces. He was well-established before moving to Salmo 19 years ago and his art has continued to sell, providing a regular income for over 40 years.

"So I wasn't worried about the local market... but local support for the arts really helps" He hasn’t ventured into selling his wares over the Internet yet.

“The volume of people from all over the world — it would be time consuming and then I couldn’t keep it up. I can’t keep up now.”

As such, he’s taken a few stabs at trying to hire a student, but most of his charges find the process far too daunting.

Anyone with a project in mind, can contact Raney at araney@ telus.net or check out some of his artwork at the Craft Connection, 378 Baker Street in Nelson.

Lana Rodlie

Gail Russell

JANUARY 4 TO JUNE 30, 2010

BORDER COUNTRY REALTY 1-800-949-4499 347 Market Avenue, Grand Forks, BC

Winter 2009/10 Route 3

Page 9

2O1O Games:

Cover Story story by

Darcy Falkenhagen

The Kootenay Connection

Photo courtesy Kimberley Joines

An amazing number of locals are competing, working and volunteering at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

E John Evely

ver since the mining boom of the late nineteenth century put the neighbouring cities of Rossland and Trail on the map, these two West Kootenay towns have been known for their rich supply of gold and silver. Come February, all eyes will be on British Columbia and the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, and once again Rossland and Trail find themselves hoping for silver, gold, and bronze.

With at least twenty-one local residents heading west to participate in the Games (and certainly others from the region we haven't found out about), including Nordic skier George Grey and Paralympic alpine skier Kimberley Joines, these towns are bursting at the seams with pride and anticipation, rallying behind two of Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best hopes for medals in the upcoming Olympic Games.

Page 10

Route 3 Winter 2009/10

Vancouver 2010 Torch Relay Schedule Photo courtesy Jacqui Richards

George Grey was born in Sidcup, England and raised in Rossland. He learned to ski with Rossland’s Black Jack Cross Country Ski Club, and he’s currently living in Canmore, Alberta where he trains more than six hours a day with his teammates. George has been on the Canadian National Team for eight years, having competed in four World Championships, ninety-four World Cups, and the 2006 Torino Olympics. We caught up with the busy athlete at a sold-out local fundraiser called, “An Evening of Celebration with George Grey.”

The Red Mountain base lodge was transformed into a gala hall, decked out with Canadian flags and memorabilia, and complete with a silent auction, dinner, slideshow, and a talk from George himself. When thinking back on his greatest moments growing up at Black Jack Ski Club, he recalls members of the National Ski Team who would visit and inspire awe in all of the younger skiers. Little did he know then that one day he’d return to Black Jack as a National Team member and share his own accomplishments and insights with the next ski generation. He credits his father as being the most influential person in his life, and the man who instilled the “I can” attitude that George is taking with him to Whistler this winter. George is the picture of a man hard at work in preparation for one of the most important events of his life. “I’ve never had such a successful season as I did last year,” he recalls, before adding, “It doesn’t get any better than this!”

Rossland’s other hopeful is World Cup champion and dominant Paralympic skier Kimberley Joines, who will be competing in all the alpine events. Joines is a natural athlete and competitor, having joined the Canadian National sit-ski team less than two years after a traumatic snowboarding accident caused her to be paralyzed from the waist down. Within just two years, she won a bronze medal at the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Torino. In addition, Kimberley won gold in all but two races during the 2007-08 World Cup season. When asked about her hopes or goals for the Games, Kimberley responds, “I expect to medal and will be disappointed if I don’t, but the chance to complete in an Olympic Games in Canada is a dream in and of itself. It’s such a source of pride. It will be something I will remember for the rest of my life.”

Kimberley is originally from Edmonton, but relocated to Rossland to focus on her training and to live in a relaxed environment. “I have found my soul-mate town in Rossland,”

Left, top: Paralympian Kimberley Joines.

Left, below: Olympian George Grey.

Above: Future Olympic hopefuls Rebecca Reid and Geoffrey Richards.

DAY 86 - January 23 Elkford, Sparwood, Fernie, Cranbrook, Moyie, Yahk, Kitchener, Erickson, Creston*, Kootenay Pass, Salmo, Ymir, Nelson* DAY 87 - January 24 Nelson, Shoreacres, Tarrys, Robson, Castlegar, Genelle, Fruitvale, Beaver Falls, Montrose, Trail*, Warfield, Rossland, Christina Lake, Grand Forks, Greenwood, Midway, Rock Creek, Osoyoos* *Community celebrations

Kimberley says. “As a professional athlete you spend a lot of time on the road, and there can be a lot of stress. Rossland is a comfortable place to come home to, and in my free time I still want to ski. The free-riding here is better than anywhere else!”

A younger generation of athletes will be heading to the Olympics in February as well. Rebecca Reid and Geoffrey Richards, two 17-year-olds from Rossland, have been chosen to be forerunners during the first week of cross-country ski events. These two enthusiastic Black Jack teammates are among five skiers from B.C. chosen for the position.

“Our job is to make sure the tracks are skied in equally,” explained Rebecca in an interview for the Trail Times. “If there’s snow on the tracks, the first racers will be plowing through the snow. We make it an even field. We also make sure that markers and everything are perfectly set.” These two seniors at Rossland Secondary School are hoping this will be only the first of many Olympic experiences.

Also a member of the Black Jack Cross-Country Ski Club, Rossland’s Dr. Ian SIbbald is the Chief of Competition Control for all Nordic ski events during the Olympics.

Ian has been officiating local events for a number of years, and in the fall of 2007 he was asked to take the head position for the Olympics. Since then, he’s been putting together five teams of four people who will be joining him as skiing officials. They will be responsible for monitoring the events, making sure that all athletes complete their courses in full without interference, obstructions or technical infractions. He’s most excited about watching the relays, “because our Canadian men’s team really has a great chance to do well.”

Athletes Carrying the Torch through our region As the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay continues on its 106-day journey across Canada, more than 300 Canadian Olympians are part of the nationwide celebration.

Jan. 23 Nelson: Dave Irwin, alpine skiing (1980, 1976) Brandon Jung, waterpolo (2008) Jan. 24 Castlegar Sohen Biln, rowing (1960) Trail: Diane Clement, athletics (1956) Doug Kyle, athletics (1960, 1956) Gerry Moro, athletics (1972, 1964) Jackie MacDonald, athletics (1956) Laird Sloan, athletics (1956) Margaret Tosh, athletics (1956) Murray Cockburn, athletics (1956) Stan Levenson, athletics (1956) Terry Tobacco, athletics (1956) Valerie Jerome, athletics (1960) Christopher Ius, boxing (1976, 1972) Stan Levenson, athletics (1956) Grand Forks: Mark Johnston, swimming (2004, 2000) Midway Ben Hindle, bobsleigh (1998) Derek Robbins, alpine skiing (1972) — Canadian Olympic Committee

Winter 2009/10 Route 3

Page 11

www.HockeyCanada.ca

Photo courtesy Kristy Less Shields

Photo courtesy Randy Stevens

Randy Stevens, avalanche-safety consultant, in Iceland doing avalanche work.

Kristy Lees Shields, centre, Chief of Athlete Services for Bobsleigh and Skeleton with members of the Belgian team at the 2009 world championships in Lake Placid.

Mike Mondin, right, Assistant Coach for the Canadian Men’s Sledge Hockey Team draws out a play on the ice to players Greg Westlake (left) and Brad Bowden.

Dr. Jonas Sandstrom will be joining him as the Assistant Chief. Along with Ian and Sandstrom are Mark and JaCqui Richards, Kathy Moore, and Dave Cornelius, all from Rossland, who will be among the 175 officials gathered from all over the country.

Keeping our skiers safe during the Games is Rossland’s Randy Stevens, a well-respected avalanche safety consultant. Randy has been working with a large crew in Whistler over the past year to coordinate all of the avalanche safety issues for the three main Olympic venues.

Randy explains that, “the terrain is accessible and all fairly easy to control. Our job is to minimize interruption as much as we can. . . There is a lot of work to do.” He’ll be working a fairly intensive schedule throughout the Olympics and Paralympics, but he describes it all as an “amazing opportunity.”

Former Canadian Bobsleigh Team-member Kristy Lees Shields, who grew up in Thrums and now lives in Rossland, is the Chief of Athlete Services for Bobsleigh and Skeleton at the Games, and also the Assistant Coach for the Belgian Bobsleigh Team. After some time away from the Kootenays, she moved back to B.C. to be involved with the Olympics. Kristy explains, “I’m excited about the whole thing!

The energy and all the people involved. This is my first time working with Olympics, so I

don’t know what to expect, but we prepared for it by holding a World Cup in February of this year to test the new venue in Whistler. It is the fastest track in the world now!” In the off-season, Kristy trains hockey players in Trail, working with the likes of Logan Proulx and Tyler Hlookoff of the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Mike Mondin, a high school teacher at J.L. Crowe Secondary School in Trail, is the Assistant Coach for the Canadian Men’s Sledge Hockey team. Three years ago, just when Mike had decide to retire from coaching ice hockey in Trail, he received a phone call from the Team Manager asking him to coach the Men’s Sledge Hockey team. To which Mike replied, “What’s sledge hockey?” After learning that it was the Paralympic version of ice hockey, Mike accepted the offer and has since become deeply involved.

For the last year, Mike has been working with the team full-time, and in May of 2009 they took the bronze medal in the World Championships in the Czech Republic. Now they’re gearing up to take on Sweden in game one in March. He describes the experience as “fabulous,” one that he feels honoured to have.

“These players are so inspirational. They have all been through something sad in their lives, and as a result they have a whole different outlook on life. It’s amazing to be around them.

Really, it’s a coach’s dream.”

Along with over 50,000 other willing volunteers, local Trail resident Laurie Pettijohn jumped at the opportunity to participate in the Games as soon as he heard they were coming to B.C. Laurie recently learned that he has been assigned to be a Print Distribution Associate in Canada Place, the ice hockey venue. “Twenty years ago I didn’t have the means to participate, and twenty years from now I might not be able to. I told myself, ‘It’s now or never.’” Although Laurie is not entirely certain whether or not he’ll be able to watch all the hockey games, he’s “making his friends jealous by telling them [he’ll] get to watch them all,” he says with a chuckle. “But I’ll be happy just to be there.”

Erik Kalacis, General Manager, VP Sales and Marketing of Red Mountain Resort in Rossland, will be the Chief of Competition for the ski cross event at Cypress Mountain. The 2010 Winter Games will be the first Olympics to debut ski cross, which pits four skiers against each other as they race down a technically demanding course that features artificial and natural rollers, jumps, banked turns and tabletops. "It’s great to be involved with a discipline that is new to the Games, and one that will blow people away,” Kalacis says. "It’s going to be very exciting.”

Owen WIlliams, who runs Powder Pig Excavating in Rossland in the summer and is a lighting guy and ski bum in the winter, will be doing on-location lighting for NBC. He'll be

Page 12

Route 3 Winter 2009/10

Community Torch Relay Celebrations

© VANOC/COVAN

following cameramen around the mountains, lighting interviewees in remote areas on Whistler, Blackcomb and Cypress Mountains.

Steve Hilts of Rossland will be volunteering in Whistler. With eight years of experience with the Red Mountain Racers and Regional, Provincial, and World Cup racing, he’ll be working with the technology team for Omega, the official timers of the alpine skiing events.

Steve, who was asked to apply for this position, will be supporting the professional crew, responsible for setting up the wires and timing mechanism along the course and operating the equipment during the races. When not working, Steve is excited to catch some powder turns and watch the men’s and women’s downhill. “It’s definitely the crown event of the Winter Olympics,” he adds.

Linda Schulze of Rossland has been covering the Olympic Games for CBC since the Sydney Games in 2000. Things have changed this time around though, as CTV is now the official broadcaster. The 2010 Games will take her to Winnipeg, where she’ll be working for the CTV consortium with APTN, the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. “I’ll be coordinating all the feeds between Olympic Broadcasting Services Vancouver and APTN in Winnipeg, which is my specialty, but I'll also get to produce a three-hour daily show. That’ll be a really exciting challenge,” Linda says.

Vancouver-based Glacier Media Inc., owners of the Trail Daily Times, Nelson Daily News, Grand Forks Gazette and many other newspapers and publications including Route 3, produced the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Official Program for VANOC. Glacier hired Shelley Ackerman (editor and art director of Route 3) and John Snelgrove, both of Rossland, to be the art director and assistant editor of the program, which has just been published in both English and French. It is being sold at Hudson’s Bay Company stores and select retailers across Canada and through vancouver2010.com.

The Boundary area will also have representation at the Games. The RCMP has selected a number of their force to work at the Olympics,

Above: The metal for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic metals was supplied by Teck.

Below: The Vancouver 2010 Official Souvenir Program.

and Staff Sergeant Jim Harrison from the Grand Forks detachment will be heading to the coast with many others from around the province to work during the Games.

Along with all these individuals, some local companies are making their own contributions to this winter’s upcoming Games.

Trail’s Teck operations are the exclusive supplier of the gold, silver and copper for the medals. The smelter has manufactured more than 1,000 medals for the athletes. It is the first time in history that the medals have contained recovered metal from landfill-bound electronic circuit boards.

The company is an Official Supporter of the Vancouver 2010 Games.

South Slocan’s

K o o t e nay Innovative Wood

provided larch flooring for the primary hosting space, B.C. Showcase.

The wood was sustainably harvested by

Kalesnikoff Lumber, which

also provided timber and lumber used in the building of the Richmond Olympic Oval.

On January 23 and 24 the Olympic torch will be travelling from Salmo, to Nelson, to Trail, through Rossland, and on to Grand Forks and Osoyoos, and will arrive in Vancouver for the start of the Olympic Games on February 12.

As the torch, and all these and other lucky participants from the area head to the Games, we at home will be rooting for them.

Good luck to all! You make us proud.

Nelson The Nelson Torch Run Community Day, Saturday, January 23, is being thought of as "A cold Canada day meets Christmas on Baker/Hockey Day in Canada."

Nelson will host the celebration on Baker Street and at the Nelson Recreation Centre. Events planned include a pancake breakfast, indoor skating, outdoor street hockey, paintball biathlon, and a carnival theme/atmosphere throughout the day. Local entertainment and a community stage will be set up on a Baker Street stage, and a snowboarding rail jam will take place on Ward Street. At 6 p.m., the VANOC stage will open for entertainment and the arrival of the torch at corner of Ward and Vernon. The evening will end at 8 p.m. with the departure of the torch, and a "green finale," — an amazing multimedia laser show.

— Patricia Dehnel Trail The torch relay will arrive in Trail on Sunday, January 24th at approximately 11:00 a.m. Sharman Thomas, Trail’s community torchbearer, will carry the Olympic Torch on its final 300 metres to the stage where he will light the 1.3-meter-high celebration cauldron.

The two-hour outdoor Celebration Event located at the Trail Memorial Centre parking lot will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will feature local artists in addition to Vanoc’s Torch Relay entertainers and sponsors. Spectators can expect an exciting show on the 16metre stage accompanied by interactive tents and displays featuring a variety of Olympic-themed activities.

The Champions Café, located at the Memorial Centre Gym, will follow the outdoor Celebration Event and will feature live performances showcasing local talent, displays, activities and an Italian luncheon.

— City of Trail

Winter 2009/10 Route 3

Page 13

food & drink

Amy Robillard Photos by David R. Gluns Story by

A Saucy Tale

N

o one will deny, I’m sure, the complicated kindness a sauce brings to a dish — or a potluck for that matter. The mixing and blending, cooking and stirring of sauces is one of life’s great pleasures — but, in these eat-local, raise kids, work full-time, keep fit and show up to a weekend potluck with a gourmet wonder in your handy-dandy potluck basket times, the help of some local entrepreneurs will no doubt translate your life into an efficient version of its former self.

To start our gastronomic pilgrimage, we visit a 1940’s Canadian Pacific Railway sleeper car turned commercial kitchen that sits smugly on the front lawn of Troy Swanson’s Blewett property — revelling that in its confines some of the world’s best salsa and dips pulsate with local flair.

Troy’s products make up the piquant group of In Your Face Foods, freshly made with raw ingredients, tangy lime juice and organic herbs, including Wicked Chili salsa, Olive tapenade and hummus, and the infamous Antoinette’s Saltspring and Chili dips.

On the exterior, Troy’s laid-back character resembles a toque-topped ripper dreaming of fresh tracks — his rock-climbing and mountain biking obsessions complete this accurate character profile. But this recreation enthusiast is also a savvy businessman with the credentials to prove it. The University of Saskatchewan graduate has taken a small but successful local company and turned it into a household name.

Local entrepreneurs will spice up your life with their tasty sauces and dips Page 14

Route 3 Winter 2009/10

The 35-year-old commerce major purchased In Your Face Foods in 2004. Though the company was locally successful, producing Antoinette’s famous dips, the distribution networks were minimal and the packaging lacking.

Since Troy took the reins, he has expanded In Your Face Foods’ product lines to the Okanagan Valley and Calgary. He has also invested precious time and money into re-branding the delectable dips that now sit pretty in the refrigerator isles of the biggest grocery chains in the area.

“In the last year, all packaging has been re-branded under the Antoinette’s label. The dips are packaged in tamperproof containers allowing for a more durable and safe package,” Troy explains of In Your Face Foods’ new look.

Though filling up on Troy’s fresh dips alongside crispy tortilla chips and a bottle of ale or two is tempting, save some room — a stop in Edmond Segbeaya’s Ebesse Zozo epicurean hot sauce haven is a must.

“My hot sauce makes you happy, makes you dream of Africa and makes you shake your booty.”

Page 16

Route 3 Winter 2009/10

Though Edmond pretty much embodies his company’s philosophy in this one line, his story is inspiring and could easily fill the pages of this entire magazine. But in pursuit of brevity, we start his epic journey in 1991 when Edmond left his two daughters in his native Togo, West Africa to seek refugee status in Germany.

“We were hiding in a church and monastery on the outskirts of Munich after our status claim was denied by the German government”, says Edmond.

For over three years Edmond, his wife Clementine and their German-born baby daughter hid from authorities to avoid deportation back to Togo. Ironically, on one Canadian Thanksgiving, a Torontonian with ties to the Kootenays offered some hope.

“A woman named Susan Brown had turned up with Thanksgiving dinner at the monastery and after hearing our situation put us in touch with a woman from Nelson”, says Edmond.

The kind soul of Nelson’s Barbara Mason rounded up seven local churches and raised enough money to sponsor Edmond and his family to seek refugee status in Canada.

It took a decade, but eventually the entire Segbeaya family was reunited in Nelson and so began chapter one of Ebesse Zozo — literally “hot pepper.”

“It all started at the Kootenay Co-op in Nelson. Every week, I bought a box of habanero peppers — the main ingredient in my sauce.

The produce manager couldn’t possibly imagine what I was doing with them all, so I took him a sample of my family’s ancient hot-sauce recipe,” says Edmond.

That sample not only brought tears to the employee’s eyes, literally, but also was the unofficial launch of Edmond’s successful company.

Since 2002, Ebesse Zozo has won world competitions in the hot sauce industry and Edmond’s products are widely available throughout western Canada. His most recent claim to fame was his appearance on CBC’s Dragon’s Den — the result had the infamous dragons in tears, begging for water.

So be forewarned — oh-so-sweet Edmond is very persuasive and will have you downing some of the potent-yet-tasty hot stuff every chance he gets. My suggestion is to start with the extra-mild and work your way up!

Which brings us to the last stop on our flavour-filled journey.

It might not be on the lips of every sauce aficionado yet, but what Arrowsmith Artisan Foods lacks in name recognition, it makes up in zing!

Owned by Mark and Jennifer Arrowsmith, Arrowsmith Artisan Foods brilliantly took over the production of Runaway Train Coffee Barbecue Sauce — made famous by the Whitewater Cooks Cookbook.

After ceasing production for two years, Mark and Jennifer bought the recipe 18 months ago and started making the delicious, 35 per cent organic barbecue sauce along with Southern Belle Barbecue Sauce and Captain Atomic Curried Apricot Sauce — all available at Culinary Conspiracy in Nelson.

Mark, the child-rearing, entrepreneurial, fit-as-a-fiddle, renowned chef has some sound advice on making life easier and guaranteeing your invite to the next potluck.

“Grab your down jacket and light up that barbeque — Canadians barbeque all winter long!”

So heed this Canuck’s advice. Nothing says charbroiled fave like Southern Belle-marinated barbequed ribs or homemade veggie burgers awaiting their Ebesse Zozo slather. Add a side

of chips and Antoinette’s Wicked Chili Salsa and you’ll be on every potluck VIP list — just don’t forget your handy-dandy basket.

For more information please contact:

Ebesse Zozo www.awassi.net 250-352-9441

Opening page: Troy Swanson, of In Your Face Foods, at his rail-car-turned-commercialkitchen.

Left, from top: Edmond Segbeaya with his hot hot Ebesse Zozo sauces; Arrowsmith Artisan Foods sauces; In Your Face Foods dips; Ebesse Zozo sauces.

Above: Mark Arrowsmith coats ribs with his delicious Southern Belle barbecue sauce.

In Your Face Foods inyourfacefoods@netidea.com

Arrowsmith Artisan Foods arrowsmith@columbiawireless.ca 250-352-6783 Winter 2009/10 Route 3

Page 17

homes

Graham Tracey photos by Chris Hammett story by

Page 18

Route 3 Winter 2009/10

History Reborn Left, top: Bob Chamut is right at home in the kitchen of his secondfloor condo.

Other photos: Shirley Logan and Bob Chamut have decorated their open floorplan condo with vibrant paintings and colourful accents.

R

ossland’s Mater Misericordiae Hospital has always been a place of profound change. With the completion of the original building in 1897, it represented a booming town that was moving toward a stable and mature future. The construction of an enormous new wing in 1938 announced that the future had arrived, offering more space to those in need and creating the solid structure that we all know today. By 2004 the hospital was no longer in service, but the building was still standing proud, having ushered the sick toward healing for many decades. Unbeknownst to the town that grew up around it, however, the Mater Misericordiae’s most radical makeover was still to come.

When Kimberley Pegg and Peter Stuart first came to Rossland in 2002, they quickly fell in love with the town and its residents. Being avid skiers, they immediately saw the unique opportunities available in the Kootenays and relocated from their home in Australia. With a lifetime of experience as a contractor focusing on the restoration of old buildings, Peter was well prepared when he saw the hospital come up for sale.

Rossland’s Mater Misericordiae Hospital gets a new lease on life as Redmont — a modern commercial and residential development Winter 2009/10 Route 3

Page 19

Marketplace To Advertise contact Chris at 1-877-443-2191

Indoor & covered outdoor seating Breakfast & lunch served all day Public access internet Fax & photocopy service Public laundry facility Wheelchair friendly 607 Eighth Ave. at Florence, Midway, B.C. / 250-449-2465 / email: glenburn@shaw.ca

KINNEY CREEK WOOD BLASTING LTD. Log & Timber Frame Homes blast cleaned and refinished Non-toxic, biodegradable and environmentally friendly blasting medium Interior/Exterior/Sanding/ Finishing/Chinking GILBERT CAYER

cell: 250-687-1402 home: 250-365-7212 GREG FROST

home: 250-365-4980 Visit us at www.woodblasting.ca

Grand Forks Monuments and Funeral Supplies Funeral Planner Caskets, Urns, Headstones

250-442-7847 gfmonuments@gmail.com

327A-72nd Avenue, Grand Forks Page 20

Route 3 Winter 2009/10

Top: Jackie O'Reilly, owner of Infinity Physio Centre, pictured above in her clinic, was the first tenant to occupy Redmont after its renovation.

Above: Developers Peter Stuart and Kimberley Pegg in the kitchen of the penthouse unit at the newly renovated Redmont Condos.

“When I first saw the inside of the building, the operating theatres were still intact,” Peter remembers.

“All of the medical equipment was there, and there was no insulation, but when I noticed that the sixteen-inch-thick concrete walls were in pristine shape, I knew this was a quality building that was steeped in history. I had a very good feeling about it.”

With Kimberley’s vast experience in marketing and design to draw upon, the couple decided to buy the building in 2006 with the goal of creating a rejuvenated commercial and residential space.

Renovation commenced in June 2007, and in just twelve months the hospital was reborn as Redmont in June 2008. Peter gives credit to the tradesmen who worked on the renovation for its smooth and timely completion, and he was adamant about using only local labour throughout the process.

In fact, the man in charge of maintenance, Myrel Niblow, had worked at the hospital for twenty five years and continues to bring his intimate knowledge of the building to Redmont.

Upon entering the Redmont building with Peter Stuart, there are two things that are immediately apparent. The first is the sheer mass and strength of the structure, and the second is Peter’s excitement about it. We enter the partially finished south side of the ground floor and he becomes animated, pointing out the thickness of the walls, the custom windows, the formidable doors, and the copious insula-

tion that will pay dividends in heat retention and soundproofing. Across the sunny lobby adorned by old black and white photos of the Redmontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past lives, we walk into the Infinity Physio Centre space.

As Peter and Kimberleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first tenants, Infinity has fit right in to the healing history of the building, with clients and therapists moving busily about in the centreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bright, wood-floored rooms.

Peter and Kimberley hope to keep the Redmontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past alive by attracting medical professionals to the sprawling lower floors, and to the beautiful glass-roofed solarium directly above.

This space is particularly eye-catching, with large windows and continuous peaked skylights interrupted only by bold columns and big views from the wrap-around patio.

The residential apartments in the upper floors range from 1200 to 2600 square feet, with seven out of twelve already occupied, mostly by locals.

As we walk through a smaller-sized, threebedroom condo, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m struck by the quality and )RU 6DOH attention to detail present throughout. Granite countertops, brushed EHGURRP aluminum appliances, low-energy lights and bamboo cabinetry, and EDWK water taps are the standard here, in addition to DSDUWPHQW a reassuring sense of quiet and separation from other occupants due to the concrete walls and ample insulation.

In the next apartment we journey to, slightly larger than the first, I notice the stonework in the showers, the solid doors, and for the finest in modern technology, the soft-close toilet seat. The patios are sturdy and offer a variety of mountain views, and I walk outside as an owner upstairs receives his new hot tub off a forklift, just in time for ski season.

Peter then suggests we move upstairs to â&#x20AC;&#x153;the attic,â&#x20AC;? newly christened as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the penthouse,â&#x20AC;? and

For Sale

EG EDWK IURP

Redmont

Open House Wed & Sat 3.30pm Also Commercial Premises For Sale or Lease

3ULPH &RPPHUFLDO 6SDFH )RU 6DOH RU /HDVH

www.redmont.ca

Photo courtesy redmont

*HRUJLD 6W 5RVVODQG

3 bedroom 2 bath apartment )RU 6DOH +LJK 4XDOLW\ &RQGRÂśV

Peter Stuart Cell: 250 231 4468

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The former Mater Misericordiae Hospital, reborn as Redmont.

Sports Injury Rehab Massage Therapy Acupuncture

250.362.7333

IMS, Custom Bracing Pilates Instruction Scenar Therapy

1961 Georgia St Rossland, BC

www.infinityphysio.ca Winter 2009/10 Route 3

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Page 21 $0

deservedly so. This is a very spacious apartment with an open floor plan, three bedrooms, and 2600 square feet of wood flooring and high, vaulted ceilings. From the unique shapes of the dormers, to the 360-degree views out of the large windows, to the expansive wraparound patio, this top-floor dwelling leaves nothing to be desired.

Having seen the unoccupied spaces, Peter brings me to the home of Shirley Logan and Bob Chamut on the second floor. Upon walking into the long entry hall, I immediately notice the brightly coloured runner contrasting with the dark wood floor. On the walls are three limited-edition prints, deep orange natural

landscapes hanging on the sage green surface of the hallway. Two are by the famous Canadian artist Roy Henry Vickers, and one by his brother Arthur Vickers. As I move into the living area, I can see that this is the norm for Bob and Shirley, a couple who combine comfort and style with a passionate knowledge of Canadian art, both local and more nationally recognized.

Red antique-style lampshades sit next to large black and purple leather couches. The west wall is painted black, and plays host to a large Christ/ Shaman wall hanging by Norval Morrisseau, the First Nations artist who was first to have a solo show at the National Gallery. Colourful rugs echo the numerous other works by local

favourites Jenny Baillie and Louise Drescher, and contrast again with the simple wall colours and red leather dining room chairs. Large, sunny Southern exposure windows illuminate the entire scene while the fireplace flickers in the corner. Most impressive of all is Bobâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enthusiasm not only for his art collection, but for the home he and Shirley have created.

Peter shows me the way out, mentioning again the good feeling he gets from the building he helped rejuvenate. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clear that those feelings have also passed to the people who have chosen to live and work at the Redmont, and as I leave, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help hoping that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll return soon.

TreatYourself â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some places just feel better than othersâ&#x20AC;?

Hot Springs Cave & Pools Springs Dining Room & Lounge Accommodation Gift Shop 40 minutes north of Nelson on Hwy. 31 1-800-668-1171 www.hotnaturally.com

Rest ~ Relax ~ Refresh

Sunflower Inn Bed & Breakfast For an intimate romantic retreat, or small group functions & getaways 159 Alpine Road Christina Lake t TVOnPXFSJOOCC DPN Page 22

Route 3 Winter 2009/10

Alpineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Holistic Healing

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Log fire, hot tub, large kitchen suites.

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recreation story by

Andrew Zwicker

night Lights

T

on the mountain could barely have made double digits.

After a couple of hours making laps down the rolling, bumpy, lit-up white highway and the occasional sneak onto a dark, closed run for some follow-your-nose nighttime powder turns, we called it a night. We waved goodbye to the snowplow bombing kids, breastfeeding mothers in the day lodge, and Jolly Joe cooking up his burgers.

Heading for home, après ski grins were in full effect.

On the drive back, my girlfriend and I couldn’t stop talking about how much fun we’d just had at such a small hill. The mountain wasn’t particularly different than the others in the area or the snow any better for that matter. Heck, by stats alone it’s the smallest ski hill around. What Salmo did have however was that indescribable x-factor that only small town, non-profit, volunteer-run ski hills can provide.

In the region we’re blessed with a plethora of skiing options from resorts, heli, cat and backcountry operations through endless touring lines all nearby. Hiding among the crown jewels of the area’s ski scene are two community-owned and -operated hills that pride themselves in offering up that

Above: The night time is the right time for Phoenix GM Christian Theberge, left, and a happy, smiling local.

Below: Phoenix Mountain by day.

“…we’re now the only mountain insured in North America to do night skiing on un-lit runs.”

Phoenix General Manager Christian Theberge

Brie Hoffman

“

he lights are on, they must be open…”

Pulling into the Salmo ski area’s parking lot just before 6:00 p.m., I questioned for a moment if I had read the schedule correctly. Every Monday to Thursday from 5:30-9:30 p.m. the lights come on and the curtain goes up on Salmo’s own brand of night theatre.

On that particular night we counted eight vehicles in the parking lot, including our own. Two lonely sets of gear sat outside the lodge on the ski racks. Inside the oldschool community lodge, the whitewashed walls were a veritable history lesson of ski memorabilia. My girlfriend and I bought our tickets at the single ticket window from the ticket-seller-slash-babysitter for the pack of children running around the lodge. She had an unbeatable deal: six dollars a ticket for Red Mountain pass holders, which we are.

Heading out on the single, long T-bar to the top of the hill, we discovered another pack of kids making laps on the handle tow.

Playing host to laughing children chasing each other around on skis (having finished their homework for the day in the cafeteria) Ski Salmo takes the place of the playground come winter. The average age of skiers

ANDREW ZWICKER

The Salmo Ski Hill and Phoenix Mountain offer affordability, night skiing, and homey, small-mountain atmosphere

Winter 2009/10 Route 3

Page 23

Andrew Zwicker

Lodge-ical decor in Salmo includes a local history of ski gear and memorabilia

Page 24

x-factor. One might call Ski Salmo and Phoenix Mountain the “family jewels” of the region.

In a world of condos, high-speed lifts and resort villages, Salmo and Phoenix have kept true to what skiing was originally all about as wintery oases of family fun and affordability.

In contrast to Salmo’s single, wide, night-skiing run, Phoenix Mountain near Grand Forks has taken a decidedly different and unique take as the only other night-skiing operation in the region. The Face and Stemwinder running down either side of the steep T-bar are lined with lights and provide a frontrow seat to the rustic half-pipe known locally as the stunt ditch. The rest of the mountain, however, shrouded in darkness, has lured powder seekers into the darkness for stealthy, late-night powder missions for decades.

While night skiing is hardly a novel idea, Phoenix has turned the experience up a notch and offers night skiing on a mountain largely devoid of lights.

“The head-lamp skiing is something that has kind of always existed covertly,” explained Phoenix General Manager Christian Theberge as we rode

Route 3 Winter 2009/10

up the T-bar together. “Four years ago we asked permission from our insurance company to do it legitimately and to control it. They said yes, so we’re now the only mountain insured in North America to do night skiing on un-lit runs. Most of the people that ski here know the mountain so well they could probably ski it with their eyes closed anyway.”

With headlamps flicked on, we followed the glowing blue LED spotlights mere metres in front of our tips into the great and dark unknown.

Cautiously making our first few largely blind turns down the intermediate slopes of Little Annie, our speed threshold quickly faded. With a distorted sense of speed and balance it took a mental letting go to start cranking it up and let the dips and bumps dictate our motions. With each turn our confidence was building as we skied by feel rather than sight.

Several runs in, we were feeling like headlamp-skiing pros and ducked out of sight of patrollers onto the day-old powder of Montezuma’s Run. Still at the top of the mountain but far enough from the open runs that we

were out of sight, we flicked off our headlamps as Mother Nature flicked on her own spectacular light show.

On a moonless night we tilted our heads back and stared in awe at some of the most spectacular stars we’d ever seen. On the south side of the mountain facing away from the lights of the lodge below, the two of us sat and enjoyed a pocket of southern B.C. where dark still means dark, not shades of pink and orange.

Snapping out of our starlit trance we got back to it, arcing supersmooth, ankle-deep powder turns down the cruise-y single-blackdiamond trail. Headlamps still off, we hooted and hollered down through the darkness as much to keep track of each other as anything else.

Five runs into the evening, acting on the advice of an eight-year-old Tbar co-pilot, we headed into the lodge and ordered the local’s secret which didn’t make the public menu. To be honest I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when the über-friendly cafeteria attendant brought over my walrus burger. The towering burger featured two walrus tusk hot dogs sticking out between two hamburger patties, slathered in melted nacho cheese, relish and ketchup. Chuckling at my order, Christian caught up with us again saying hello, personally, to everyone in the lodge on his way over.

Four years into his tenure as GM of Phoenix, Christian beams with an ear-to-ear smile when he talks about the challenges and fun of running a not-for-profit ski area. Asking him if he could put his finger on that x-factor that community-owned ski hills hold as a trump card, he did his best to explain it.

“It’s just a whole different culture.

Our mission here is to have as much fun as possible, not to sell condos.

This hill is ours, the community’s, we all own it. That creates a special bond between the skiers and the mountain.

Everyone takes pride in what we offer.

Some would say we don’t have many employees here. I would say everyone that skis here is like an employee helping out here and there.”

celebrations story by

Kyra Hoggan

Winter Revelry Castlegar heads into the snowy season with an abundance of community events

Photos courtesy CP Rail

D

espite the past year’s economic turmoil, the winter season in Castlegar is shaping up to be an unprecedented bonanza of festive activity.

A global recession coupled with a $3.6-million tax deficit and a related pending court case have made for a lean and trying year in Castlegar, but the riverside city and her residents, with a helping hand from fate, seem determined to make sure the municipality’s new tagline, “Happily ever after,” is more than just wishful thinking.

Seasonal celebrations start Dec. 4, with the city’s decadelong tradition of Winterfest, complete with parade, live entertainment and visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus. Next, an international-calibre event takes place on Dec. 13 as the CP Holiday Train rolls into town, providing free entertainment and raising food and funds for the local food bank.

Even when the Christmas decorations are put away and the leftover turkey consumed, the city’s not done wallowing in winter... the annual toboggan party will be held on the same weekend the Olympic torch fires its way through town, with

all the appropriate pomp and ceremony to mark a once-in-alifetime occasion.

The big kick-off to holiday happenings in Castlegar is unquestionably Winterfest, according to Chamber of Commerce executive director Pam McLeod.

“It’s one of those events where everyone gets on board and there’s just so much going on; you’re not sure where to go first,” McLeod said. “The parade starts at 6 p.m. sharp and does a loop down Third Street and over to Columbia Avenue, so it travels twice around the new city hall and Spirit Square, where most of the fun will be focused around the city’s new 5-metre Winter 2009/10 Route 3

Page 25

community’s all about, and what keeps us strong and healthy and vibrant, no matter what the world throws at us.”

One of the Jewels of the Boundary

Come for the trails, the golf and the lake; stay because it feels like coming home.

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Route 3 Winter 2009/10

Kyra Hoggan

“…it’s what

tree. There were about 17 floats last year, and we’re still accepting applications to enter the parade this year, here at the Chamber office (250-365-6313).

“Santa and Mrs. Claus show up around 6:30 p.m., with elves in tow and goodie bags for the kids. There’ll be live entertainment, like music and fire spinning and Christmas carollers, burning barrels to warm up, and local downtown merchants are jazzing up their windows and storefronts to make sure the ambiance is all Christmas, all the time.”

City councillor Gord Turner will be presiding over storytime for the little ones inside city hall, and hot dogs, hot chocolate, hamburgers and pizza will be sold by local non-profit organizations in the city square. An old-fashioned light-up ceremony will tie in charmingly to city council’s float — a timeless, Clydesdale-drawn sleigh, in which councillors will surely further the dignity of their office once more (last year, they all wore matching antlers and blinking red Rudolph noses).

McLeod said it’s a wonderful — and free — family event, and all they ask in return is that those who can bring a non-perishable food item to ensure local families in need have healthy, happy holidays, too.

The turn-out in previous years has far exceed expectations, with more than 500 folks joining in the revelry last year... and this year is expected to shatter all prior attendance records.

Residents will barely have time to recover from Winterfest before gearing up again for the CP Holiday Train, which will chug down the tracks full of holiday cheer on Dec. 13.

City councillor and food bank manager Deb McIntosh said the Holiday Train is just what’s needed to keep the food bank on track during difficult times, as the train’s only previous visit (in 2007) generated truckloads of food and a whack of cash for the food bank and Salvation Army.

“We’ll have lots of hands contributing, too — I’ve been getting non-stop phone calls from people wanting to volunteer and help out,” McIntosh said. “The Holiday Train is a huge event for a smaller community like ours — we’re privileged to have it here, and the community really responds to that. These kind of events are the lifeblood of a community — they keep us pumped and aware that we’re all in this together.

“And that’s something to celebrate.”

Headline talents on the Holiday Train this year include alternative rock band The Odds and bluesrocker Shaun Verreault, of Wide Mouth Mason fame. . . not to mention the ever-popular holiday icon, Santa Claus, for kids who missed him at Winterfest, who need to revise their lists, or who just want to hang with the big guy during this year’s yuletide.

As December gives way to January, the statutory holidays may come to a close, but the excitement’s just getting started for Castlegar.

The weekend of Jan. 23 gets folks geared up for gathering with the city’s second annual toboggan party at Cone Hill Park, with fireworks, hot chocolate and hot dogs served by the city councillors themselves, and contests ranging from bestdressed toboggan to silliest hat.

Previous page: The CP Rail Holiday Train last stopped in Castlegar in 2007, inspiring the donation of literally truckloads of food and drawing hundreds of spectators. It returns Dec. 13.

Above: Santa and Mrs. Claus delight kids of all ages during their annual Winterfest visit in 2008. How the couple (along with elf entourage) arrives remains cloaked in mystery... countless children over the years have sought signs of a sleigh, but so far, Castlegar Transportation crews have kept the secret safe.

Right: Former Olympian downhill skier Felix Belczyk will deliver an inspirational speech and sign autographs at the city's Bright On Castlegar event, while taking advantage of the opportunity to visit his parents, who live in town.

Courtesy Felix belczyk

Dining out City councillor Kevin Chernoff said last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event, the first of its kind in the city, drew upwards of 350 people and was such a smashing success that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re anticipating hundreds more this year, with ample local business sponsors helping ensure a high-end, low-stress event for families.

He also said that, in his 49 years in the city, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never seen such an abundance of festive happenings â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the day after the toboggan party will bring the Olympic torch into Castlegar on its historic cross-country journey.

To mark the occasion, an $8,500 provincial grant will go toward â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bright On, Castlegarâ&#x20AC;? at the local recreation complex (both inside and out). â&#x20AC;&#x153;From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have so much going on: a snowman-building contest, an international food fair, so you can take a trip around the world with your taste buds without ever leaving town, Aboriginal dancers to kick off the ceremony, local Olympian Felix Belczyk to sign autographs and offer an inspirational message to our youth â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just the start.â&#x20AC;?

He said the youth centre is working to provide teen-specific activities, and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll even be an Inukshuk-carving contest, complete with an entry from the mayor, whose eight-foot masterpiece will be unveiled at Winterfest to help inspire competitors in the intervening two months. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have some terrific prizes for a whole ton of contests, too, like Olympic pin sets and coin sets,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an event being put on with little expense but offering ample reward. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These events are the threads that create the fabric of community,â&#x20AC;? he added.

Castlegar mayor Lawrence Chernoff said he couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t agree more. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m overjoyed to see these things happening,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It says so much about our greatest pride â&#x20AC;&#x201D; our people â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and how they come together in the toughest times to celebrate our true wealth, which is found in each other. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sappy, I knowâ&#x20AC;Ś but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about, and what keeps us strong and healthy and vibrant, no matter what the world throws at us.â&#x20AC;?

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Page 27

history by

Jennifer Nielsen

Brave Pioneers & Forgotten cultures History books about the Boundary and West Kootenay regions educate and enlight

A movement is underway.

A shift is taking place in our social conscience, encouraging people to experiment with renewable energy, to utilize native resources and to support one’s local economy. In the midst of overwhelming change, we must remember that local history provides some knowledge and experience of “living off the land.” Reviewing the past is vital to success and prosperity.

The Kootenay and Boundary regions are teeming with thought-provoking local history books. These books are not the dust-covered, filtered accounts we remember having to read in high school. Each are filled with untold stories, local art and antique photographs of vistas that most of us living in these areas still recognize. The authors are culturally diverse and present a unique lens to stories of forgotten cultures, brave pioneers and the mountains, rivers and valleys that surround us.

T

he Life and Times of Grand Forks: Where the Kettle River Flows is a centennial history that was compiled by locals Jim and Alice Glanville in 1997.

The book explores the aspects of settlement in the Sunshine Valley and guides the reader through 100 years of community trial and tribulation. Each chapter is divided into decades with subtopics such as economy, agriculture, Doukhobors and prohibition. This breakdown of time and theme allows readers to pick and choose particular areas of interest. The authors deliver an authentic and often humorous tone. Amusing stories of town gossip and old-fashioned codes of conduct fill every chapter, and the pioneers who developed the Boundary area are presented as hard working and ingenious individuals.

Alice Glanville was born in Greenwood in the Page 28

Route 3 Winter 2009/10

1920s. She has spent most of her life in Grand Forks and states that many of the details in the book are drawn from personal experience and memory. An abundant amount of research is offered, much of it in regard to local industries.

The Glanvilles wrote another comprehensive history book in the 1980s entitled Boundary History, and to celebrate Grand Forks’ 100th anniversary in 1997, they composed this, more complete, edition. Jim Glanville passed away recently, and the material in this book serves as a testament to the town that he treasured.

The book is easy to read with endless visuals to enhance the text and maps that are provided for reference. There are several black and white photographs: some of women in hoop skirts and men in top hats, while others illustrate pioneer mining techniques, precarious bridges and stately buildings. Colourful local artwork and contemporary photos can be found in the back.

The Life and Times of Grand Forks was written with a lot of heart and is a lovely piece of historical depiction. It is a great book for anyone interested in the development of the area. The dynamic growing conditions of the valley are particularly illuminated and would serve well to those wanting to experiment with gardening or farming. Furthermore, the book encouraged me to enjoy the natural beauty of the valley — to camp along the river shore, float down its gentle rapids, and as always take a moment to enjoy the splendid view.

E

ileen Delehanty Pearkes was born in California and came to Canada in 1985.

Her book, The Geography of Memory: Recovering Stories of a Landscapes First People, is a homage to the predominate aboriginal group who are believed to have inhabited the Columbia basin for more than 10,000 years. The Sinixt (their preferred anglicized name) are also known as the Lakes Indians or the Arrow Lakes Indians. They are often confused with, or falsely considered, a sub-group of other interior tribes

such as the Okanagan, Kutenai and the Tanaha. However, as Pearkes reveals, the Sinixt are a distinct nation with a strong connection to the West Kootenay.

Pearkes’ voice is ethereal and commanding, echoing that of the landscape she writes about. She exhibits a deep respect for the Sinixt while recognizing a variety of perspectives. The effects of hydroelectric dams are of particular interest. Prior to the construction of such dams, the 2000-kilometre Columbia River boasted the longest salmon run in North America. The loss of this abundant food source, also revered as a sacred symbol, contributed greatly to the demise of Sinixt culture.

The book reads like a journal in the author’s quest to discover a culture literally drowned by “development” and “modernization.” The Sinixt are considered extinct by the Canadian government, yet there are several people today with ancestral and cultural allegiance to the tribe. Using the knowledge handed down from their elders, along with internal intuition, contemporary Sinixt helped Pearkes to reveal the techniques and lifestyle of the first people to inhabit the Columbia mountains’ extreme geography. Through traditional storytelling, sketches, charts of wild food plants, and maps revealing burial and pictograph sites, we are exposed to a society that many of us living in the region never knew existed.

Though we cannot undo the mistakes of the past, we must make an effort to learn from them. Contemporary Sinixt continue to fight for the acknowledgment of their existence; the material that Pearkes presents is a step towards understanding the errors of the settlers before us. The Sinixt thrived in this isolated territory long before roads, dams and Eurocentric values

were present; the extent of their knowledge is beyond written record and posses the capacity to enlighten outdated constitutions. This is an inspiring and enthralling book that should not be missed.

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W

hile mining brought men and boomtowns to the region, the fruit farming industry encouraged family settlement to the area and established many of the communities that exist today. In Lost Orchards: Vanishing Fruit Farms of the West Kootenay, Joan Lang presents a charming and informative account of the thriving fruit orchards that once dotted several lakes and river benches.

She educates the reader, step by step, as to what ignited and ultimately burned the West Kootenay fruit industry. Illustrated with beautiful artwork and vivid photographs of trees in full bloom, we are brought back to a time of family frontiers and the trials of adapting to a new land.

HOURS: During the first decade of the 20th century, Kootenay farmers Monday to produced abundant amounts of prize-winning fruit. Lured to the Friday: area with posters promising that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Money grows on apple trees in 10am-5pm Kootenay the beautiful,â&#x20AC;? hopeful settlers were disheartened to find Saturday: their properties scattered with gigantic boulders and themselves ill Experience old-fashioned charm in our 10am-4pm prepared for the particular conditions required in the fickle life of a ~ lovely heritage house surrounded by 325 75th simple piece of fruit. Even after land was cleared and growing techquilts and welcoming smiles.

Avenue, niques were perfected, many growers failed in the end due to unfair In the Heart of Grand Forks!

Grand Forks marketing acts, insects and unpredictable summer freezes. (turn north at Lordco) In 1996, at 74 years, Lang originally submitted this history as her FABRIC ~ BOOKS ~ NOTIONS ~ CLASSES ~ 250-442-0661 masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thesis to the University of Victoria. Adapted into a book in SALES BINS INCLUDING FABRIC 2003, Orchards is an easy read and Langâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prose delights with plenty of imagery. Today, at a spry 87-years young, she continues to possess an admiration for the farmers she researched. Quotes and letters from the See usus for See for all your See us forall allyour your pioneers themselves contribute to the bookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nostalgic spirit.

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Page 29

Q&A:

with Joe Fuoco

by Lana Rodlie

Maestro Joe

Page 30

Route 3 Winter 2009/10

Lana Rodlie

J

oe Fuoco, Trail’s talented maestro, is a valuable asset to the area’s music scene. As leader of the 92-year-old Trail Maple Leaf Band, he’s adept at mixing the band’s elderly members with young musicians, creating a variety of symphonic, marching and full orchestra sounds. Fuoco is also a talented composer and teacher whose orchestral masterpieces have been a highlight at city celebrations as well as for the local theatre company, Rossland Light Opera Players.

Besides bringing musicians of every calibre together, Fuoco also sits in with the SwingSationS, an 18-piece orchestra that features “big band” music from the ‘40s.

Here, he shares his musical past and future with Route 3: How did you get into music?

I got into it in high school in Revelstoke and went on to get a bachelor’s degree in music from UBC. What instrument did you play?

The tuba. And then electric bass and of course, like most musicians, you play “at” other instruments. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. When you got an idea of how music fits together, transferring it to another instrument is fairly easy. A bad analogy would be like knowing how to drive a car, therefore you can drive a forklift.

Where have you played/who have you played with?

I joined the Maple Leaf Band in 1977 — became band leader in 1986.

I also play with the SwingSationS (formerly the Novotones) — a 17- to 18-piece orchestra that plays “big band” music from the 1940s. I also played with a Dixieland combo and with Mills Combo (the late Mills Baldassi). In 1997, I orchestrated and conducted for Rossland Light Opera’s 100th anniversary play written by the late Babs Bouchier and Jack Fischer. Now fast forward to last year’s “Sound of Music” in which we had the full orchestra and full complement of kids.

What about the huge band you put together for Trail’s 100th anniversary in 2001?

I’d been puttering around and came up with a musical piece (in three movements) and it became the “Silver City Suite.” “Trail Creek Landing” was featured in the first movement, indicating how the creek and river merged. “Smelter Hill” was the second movement featuring heavy metal (not rock but) industrial themes — repetitiveness, dissonant sounds; and then “The Gulch” where the Italian population started. It featured an Italian song I wrote.

The next big thing?

In 2005, when the Colombo Lodge (a Trail club for people of Italian heritage with over 800 members) had its 100th anniversary — like in 2001, people came together from out of town. We called it the “Silver

Joe Fuoco leads the 92-year-old Trail Maple Leaf Band.

City Concert Ensemble Featuring the Maple Leaf Band and Friends.” We used the same format . . . played the “Silver City Suite” and I wrote “Journey to a New World” capturing someone coming across a turbulent sea and landing in a new land — a better land.

What was the biggest band you’ve directed?

Six hundred twenty-five kids. School District 20 put on a band clinic at Trail Middle School for beginning band students. We had clinicians made up of various band members and band teachers from around the district. I wrote the pieces for the kids as it would have been cost prohibitive to buy copies of music for that many people. (Music sheets are under the same kind of copyrights as other music.) It was interesting. We had 60 snare drummers and 120 clarinets. (The clinicians) came through and taught about instruments, how to play them and look after them.

Anything else?

In 2008, I helped Rossland Light Opera’s Jamie Santano (Mills’ granddaughter) with her dinner theatre play, “Not Now, Maybe Later.” She used some of Mills’ music and I got tagged because I’d played with him and knew what was there. No live musicians were hurt. All the music was electronic. It was all done with the help of school district computer whiz, Adam Sander. He put the arrangement to the original music (on a computer) and had people sing along. I also wrote one piece and cowrote one with Jamie.

What’s next?

An original show for Rossland Light Opera called “It Happened One Night at the Opera.” It’s based in Rossland, sort of after Babs’ show’s history. It’s all fiction. We didn’t want to ruin any historical reputations but it has real historical figures in it. It’s about two world-famous opera singers who come to Rossland in the early 1900s and the shenanigans that happen. I wrote the whole thing — words, music, script, but I also collaborated with Kathleen LaRocque, an incredibly talented piano player.

The cast has been chosen and rehearsals started in November. The show will run Feb. 15 to 28 at the Charles Bailey Theatre in Trail. The 28th is an afternoon matinee. It will also run March 5 and 6 at Rossland Secondary School. March 6 is a matinee.

special places photo by

David R. Gluns

S

pecial places in the Kootenay winter can be anywhere you can go to play in the snow.

One place enjoyed by Heather Gorder and Andrew Pantel of Nelson is on the trails off the Nancy Greene summit near Rossland, which are known for great snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. Lots of warming huts along the way make for a fun-filled day outing for the whole family.

Winter 2009/10 Route 3

Page 31

Photo: Dutch Creek, Fairmont

The Columbia Basin is many things...

It is valleys, vistas and unique geography.

It is rainforests, grasslands and deserts.

It is home to reptiles, birds, fish and mammals. It irrigates, it hydrates, it recreates, it generates. We boat, swim, skip rocks, bathe and fish in it. We light our cabins, cottages and lodges by the river’s strength. It is geography, it is history, it is people and it is our future.

CBT’s Show Us Your Basin photo contest received hundreds of images showcasing what the Columbia Basin means to Basin residents. Interested in what the Basin means to the people who call it home?

Check out the new “Your Basin” section of CBT’s website showcasing a selection of contest photos and descriptions at www.cbt.org/yourbasin.

Top right: Kootenay West Arm Blue Heron

The Columbia Basin for me is about the environment and our wildlife. Protect and preserve.”

Nanette Smienk from Nelson Right: Hiking to Old Glory on the Seven Summits Trail

“It’s where I live and I love it.”

Troy Colautti from Rossland Left: My daughter enjoying the outdoors

“Beauty and freedom.”

Giselle Pierce from Jaffray

Columbia Basin Trust supports efforts by the people of the Basin to create a legacy of social, economic and environmental well-being and to achieve greater self-sufficiency for present and future generations.

w w w . c b t . o r g