Sun Peaks Independent News - Vol 20 Issue 9

election begins to take shape in Sun Peaks.

of the last summer days on Mt. Tod this year.

by La Boréale Photography.

families settle into Sun Peaks.

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250 578 0276 editor@sunpeaksnews.com 213 - 1130 Sun Peaks Rd. Sun Peaks, B.C.

IN THIS ISSUE 14

4

NEWS BRIEFS

Mobile Library returns and historical society hosts AGM. 6

KAMLOOPS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CHANGES NAME

Change reflects updated regional focus. 8

MUNICIPAL ELECTION BEGINS TO TAKE SHAPE IN SUN PEAKS

Residents announce candidacy and other updates.

10

MUNICIPALITY CONSIDERS ADJUSTMENTS TO SHORT TERM RENTAL POLICY

BRANDI SCHIER

Publisher & Managing Editor brandi@sunpeaksnews.com

TEGWYN HUGHES

Community Editor tegwyn@sunpeaksnews.com

KAYLA EMPEY

Community Journalist kayla@sunpeaksnews.com

JOEL BARDE

Freelance journalist

SONIA GARCÍA

Layout & Graphic Designer sonia@sunpeaksnews.com

UKRAINIAN FAMILIES SETTLE INTO SUN PEAKS

A third family unable to come.

EVENTS AND PUZZLES

Requirements changing for temporary use permits.

12

COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS PREPARE FOR FUTURE WILDFIRES

No landscape-level fire plan is in place.

Teenager demonstrates camera skills.

YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHER ADVANCES CRAFT

MOBILE LIBRARY RETURNS TO MOUNTAIN

Library on wheels to stop in the village every three weeks

By Kayla Empey

The mobile library has resumed operation ahead of the school year, bringing residents across the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) easy access to library materials.

The service, formally known as the bookmobile, makes 30 stops throughout the district, including Sun Peaks, Heffley Lake and Whitecroft. Library cards are free for TNRD residents and can be used at any branch or stop throughout the region.

The custom built vehicle provides a number of materials, such as books, magazines, audiobooks, CDs and DVDs for all ages.

However, the mobile library doesn’t carry its entire collection on board. Anyone who would like a specific book or item should put it on hold ahead of time and pick it up at a specified location.

The mobile library’s next arrival in the area is Friday, Sept. 23. It will then return every three weeks thereafter.

On the scheduled dates, the vehicle will be at Heffley Lake from noon to 12:30 p.m. near the intersection of Heffley Lake Road and Tod Mountain Road. It will then head up to Cahilty Road in Whitecroft from 12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. before making its final stop of the day outside Sun Peaks Guest Services from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

More information and a full schedule can be found on the TNRD website: tnrl.ca/using-the-library/locations/mobile-library

HISTORICAL SOCIETY INVITES LOCALS TO JOIN

The organization’s first AGM will be held Sept. 15

By Kayla Empey

Sun Peaks Historical Society is hosting its first annual general meeting (AGM) and is looking for community members who are interested in getting involved.

The non-profit was formed last summer by locals to preserve and celebrate the history of Sun Peaks and surrounding areas. Nancy Greene Raine, director of the society, said anyone who is interested in learning more about local history or who has stories to share is welcome to attend the AGM and become a member.

“We look at it like a tree that's growing,” Greene Raine said. “There's all kinds of branches — stuff happening up above the surface — but down below the surface is the roots that feed the spirit into the community. And that's what we're trying to preserve.”

The society’s AGM will take place on Sept. 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Sunburst room of the Cahilty Hotel & Suites, followed by an opportunity to mingle afterwards at the Cahilty Creek Kitchen & Taproom.

Greene Raine said at the AGM directors will report on what the society has accomplished in the past year, as well as plans for the future.

So far, Greene Raine said the main points of action have been creating the website, registering as a non-profit and beginning some interviews with long-time locals — but she hopes the society will begin to gain more momentum.

“We are all recognizing that the old timers that have lots of fun stories about the early days of skiing on Tod Mountain are passing on, so we want to get some of their stories down,” Greene Raine said.

“As we move forward, that's where we're going to invite people that are interested to join us and tell their stories, or help us record the stories and start putting the information into a more permanent form.”

Greene Raine added the organization won’t be collecting artifacts, but anyone with old photographs or historical paperwork should hold onto it for when the community eventually forms an archive. Annual memberships in support of the society will be available at the AGM for $20. For more information about the historical society, visit sunpeakshistoricalsociety.ca.

The mobile library parked out the Village Day Lodge.

An undated photo of Mt. Tod.

KAMLOOPS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CHANGES NAME TO REFLECT UPDATED REGIONAL FOCUS

Two Sun Peaks businesses are finalists in the 2022 Business Excellence Awards

By Kayla Empey

Kamloops and District Chamber of Commerce is making an effort to raise awareness that it serves businesses around the region, including in Sun Peaks.

The Chamber began in 1896 to support local businesses and non-profit organizations. It has served Sun Peaks for a number of years, and changed its name from the ‘Kamloops Chamber’ to ‘Kamloops and District Chamber’ earlier this year to reflect it.

Acacia Pangilinan, the Chamber’s executive director, said the name change came after conversations with businesses in Sun Peaks and the surrounding area.

“[Business owners] didn't actually feel that they were recognized as part of our organization because of our name,” Pangilinan said.

“Inclusivity is one of our core values, so for us to walk the walk, we thought it would be important that our name reflected the area that we represent … It's also a commitment to our work with Tk'emlúps te Secwepemc.”

Pangilinan said the Chamber supports businesses in four main ways. The first is by providing money saving benefits through programs such as group insurance plans.

The organization also helps with marketing opportunities. Pangilinan said a lot of the Chamber’s members are small businesses with less than 10 staff members, to which they provide opportunities for exposure to the larger community.

The third area of support is advocacy within all forms of government — whether municipal, regional, provincial, federal or Indigenous governments.

“We work with them so that they can understand how business is doing and how they could potentially support businesses, especially in this part of economic recovery from the pandemic,” Pangilinan said.

She added the final area of support is through events and networking.

“Sometimes we'll do industry-specific events to help industries learn and grow, and then we also do some larger community events,” Pangilinan said. “The Business Excellence Awards Program is probably the biggest one that everybody knows about.”

This year, two businesses in Sun Peaks are finalists for the Business Excellence Awards. Vertical Cafe is a finalist for the People in Motion Service Provider Staff Award for businesses with one to 10 staff, while Sun Peaks Grand Hotel & Conference Centre is a finalist for the Kamloops This Week Service Provider Award for businesses with over 11 staff members. Winners will be announced at the Business Excellence Awards Gala on Oct. 27.

Pangilinan said she hopes moving forward more businesses in Sun Peaks will realize these services are available to them, and that anyone interested in getting involved with the Kamloops and District Chamber of Commerce should reach out.

“I'm happy to connect with businesses that are in the area that want to learn more,” Pangilinan said. “If people are wanting to connect, I'm happy to come and meet them. Or if people are wanting to find out how the Chamber can support their business, we'd love to chat with them about how we can do that.”

To learn more or for contact information, visit kamloopschamber.ca.

Executive director Acacia Pangilinan presenting the finalists for the Business Excellence Awards. Photo from Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce on Facebook.

Raine has been the municipality's mayor since its inception. File photo.

MUNICIPAL ELECTION BEGINS TO TAKE SHAPE IN SUN PEAKS

The October 2022 municipal election is approaching quickly. Throughout the pre-campaign period, the province has made a decision on whether to appoint a councillor and prospective council members have announced their candidacies.

By Kayla Empey

Resort councillor will not be reappointed

After months spent considering options, the province has decided not to reappoint a resort councillor to Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM) council in the upcoming election.

Currently, SPMRM has the only municipal council in B.C. not entirely run by elected officials. Darcy Alexander, general manager of Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR), has sat as an appointed member of council representing the resort corporation since the municipality’s inception in 2010.

However, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs said the position will not continue and a fully elected council will be chosen in the October 2022 election.

“The Minister’s appointment of the Sun Peaks councillor was always anticipated to be a limited duration and provide transitional support to the resort municipality,” said a ministry spokesperson in an email to SPIN.

“The Minister of Municipal Affairs considered the various opinions on this issue, including Sun Peaks council’s perspective.”

During a council meeting in May, SPMRM council passed a motion to request the province reappoint the councillor for one more term. Ultimately, the ministry decided the municipality no longer requires transitional support.

“This reflects the maturing of the municipality into a diverse community,” said the ministry.

The decision marks a major change for the local election, meaning all four council seats will be up for reelection, as well as one mayoral seat.

Residents announce plans to run for council

By date of publication, six residents have announced plans to run for council in October’s upcoming election.

Running for the first time in Sun Peaks, residents Julie Kimmel, Harold Richins, Jody Oetter, Dan Ashton and Len Hrycan said they plan to see their names on the ballot this fall. Rob O’Toole, a council member since 2018, has announced he is seeking reelection for another term.

Some community members encouraged O’Toole to run for mayor, he said.

“I have spent time with [my wife] Tania and the family weighing options so I could do what I feel is best for our family, our business and the community,” O’Toole said in an email to SPIN. “My plan is to seek reelection as a councillor.”

Al Raine runs for mayor

Despite previously announcing plans to retire, Al Raine has decided to run for another term as mayor of Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM).

Raine has been the mayor of SPMRM since its inception. He was elected in 2010 and 2011, and ran uncontested in 2014 and 2018. As of the time of publication he is the only resident to announce a mayoral bid this election year.

Raine said the main reason he decided to run again was “continuity.” In addition to the resort councillor position being removed, O’Toole is the only current council member planning to seek reelection, meaning Sun Peaks could be looking at an entirely new set of councillors for the next term.

“Having four new councillors is probably not the best situation,” Raine said. “I've had a number of people approach me and say, ‘we're concerned it’s too big of a change.’”

Raine said O’Toole’s announcement to run for councillor again instead of mayor is part of what made him put his name in the hat again.

“It's important [for the mayor] to have some background and experience,” Raine said. “I think there's some very good candidates going to run for council, so it’s an opportunity to get some new blood into the council but still maintain the experience from the previous years.”

The regional picture

Also coming up this October is the Thompson-Nicola Regional District election. Mel Rothenburger, the current director of Area P — “Rivers and the Peaks,” which the area surrounding Sun Peaks falls under — has announced he will not be seeking reelection after holding the position for eight years.

So far, one person has announced a bid for Area P director. Lee Morris, who has served under Rothenburger as the alternate director since 2018, plans to seek election.

SPIN will continue to provide online updates at sunpeaksnews. com as the election period progresses. Candidates and the public are invited to attend an all-candidates forum on Sept. 27 at 5 p.m. at the Sun Peaks Centre.

MUNICIPALITY CONSIDERS ADJUSTMENTS TO SHORT TERM RENTAL POLICY

Council looks at increasing limit of temporary use permits per street, requiring property manager to live onsite

By Kayla Empey

Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM) has been holding workshops to adapt its short term rental policy and the requirements to have a temporary use permit (TUP).

Currently, the municipality permits short term nightly rentals if the property is zoned for tourist accommodation (R1-A or RS-1A), or if the owners have a TUP.

Most TUPs are issued for a three-year period and can only be renewed once. Now that some TUPs are expiring, council has held three workshops to discuss options for next steps.

Council determined the best option is to allow TUPs to be renewed with additional conditions to the existing policy. SPMRM’s considerations were presented at an Aug. 16 council meeting, but council decided to continue the discussion before making final decisions.

An important point in the conversation is that the new Official Community Plan (OCP), which is on track to be completed by October, will zone new subdivisions closer to the village as tourist accommodation and other subdivisions further out as strictly residential use. The plan is for new homeowners to buy in certain areas depending on what their intended use of the property is.

For those who need a TUP, council suggested expiring permits would require a full application for a new three-year TUP. SPMRM is also looking to increase the limit of TUPs per residential street or subdivision from 20 per cent to 25 per cent.

Additionally, council is considering amending the policy to require all new applications or renewals to have an owner or year-round tenant living on the property to act as a property manager.

The idea is that the onsite manager would be around to address any issues like noise or parking. This requirement would not apply to properties that have been previously zoned RS-1A or R-1A.

Council is also considering implementing a “use it or lose it” principle, meaning properties would need to be available for nightly rental at least 60 per cent of the year or the TUP could be revoked.

SPMRM continues to have conversations to finalize the amendments and will host a public meeting later in September for community feedback.

Photo by Kyle James.

Landscape-level wildfire risk plan yet to be created

By Joel Barde

Provided together with Engel & Volkers Kamloops

COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS PREPARE FOR FUTURE WILDFIRES

The impact of last year’s Embleton Mountain wildfire is still visible from the Heffley Valley, where charred forests extend close to the valley bottom. It serves as a powerful reminder of the threat wildfires pose to mountain communities like Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM).

Since the wildfire, several groups have increased efforts to mitigate the risk of fire spreading. However, despite the threat to the community, SPMRM has yet to develop a landscape-level forest fire management plan.

A municipal plan would look at actions SPMRM could take, in coordination with the province, to lessen the likelihood of a wildfire sweeping through the community. This could include the construction of strategically placed fire breaks, which are wide clearings designed to stop wildfires from spreading to specific areas.

Garnet Mierau, a registered professional forester hired by the municipality, told SPIN he’s had productive discussions with the SPMRM and Sun Peaks Fire Rescue fire chief

about moving forward with a plan. However, the item has yet to go to council or be allocated funding.

SPMRM does have a community wildfire protection plan in place, which differs from a landscape plan in its focus on resident and business behaviours. It was developed in 2019 and is typically functional for three to five years. The document lays out fuel management projects that can be carried out in or surrounding the community.

“Those plans really focus on a fire from the community outwards,” Mierau said. “So someone is burning their trash in their backyard and a fire gets away and gets into the forest. That is really what those [plans] are designed for.”

Work related to the existing plan is tentatively scheduled for this fall. It involves fuel-management projects to the southeast of holes 11, 12 and 13 of Sun Peaks Golf Course, a few tree islands to the west and south of the elementary school and maintenance on an area north of the fire hall.

According to SPMRM, there is money in place for the work, but no contractor has been hired to carry it out yet.

Mierau said funding for a landscape-level forest fire management plan could come from the government or even private sources, but either way is a necessary step.

SPMRM Mayor Al Raine said funding the creation of the plan is a priority for council.

Raine also suggested the switchback corner on Sun Peaks Rd. for a potential firebreak. He said it could build on previous logging that took place in the area and extend down into the McGillivray Creek Valley and up onto the slopes south of McGillivray.

A three-to-four-hundred-metre-wide break would help guard the community against wildfire threats, he said.

“You could plant deciduous trees, so you would have a different forest there — one that does not catch on fire so easily,” he added.

The municipality was not given the opportunity to provide guidance on the logging near the switchback corner when it

Mt. Tod on a fall day. Photo by Zuzy Rocka.

took place and would have encouraged the creation of the fire break at the time, Raine said.

He added that during the 2003 McGillivray fire, which burnt within three kilometres of the resort and led to a forced evacuation of residents, authorities built a fire break around McGillivray Lake.

“It makes a lot of good sense,” Raine said. “If you have got a good firebreak, with the road access on top, you have a damn good chance of putting out the fire.”

Resort preparation

For its part, Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR) is investing in preparing and training staff to respond to a blaze.

All staff working in SPR’s operations department are required to take the Basic Fire Suppression and Safety training, which provides a basic understanding of wildfire behaviour and best practices for responding to them.

During training days, staff respond to mock fires. “We go through the drills as if they were a real live fire,” explained Barney Mouat, outside operations director for SPR.

During summer operations, SPR also strategically places water sources around the mountain.

This includes massive “water cubes” that hold around 1,000 litres of water at the top of chairlifts, as well as smaller water containers that can be used by staff.

“Those [smaller water containers] get placed at the base of the tower underneath the Sunburst lift, so that if somebody threw a cigarette butt off the lift and it started to smolder, there's water at the base of the towers to [quickly put it out],” Mouat said.

SPR infrastructure can also be used to fight forest fires. In 2003, as the McGillivray blaze got close to the resort, hoses were brought to the village and used to wet the ground, adding moisture to prevent the fire from spreading.

The idea behind SPR’s approach is that staff should be ready to jump into action if a wildfire ever takes off on the mountain and serve as key first responders.

SPR’s commitment to quick responses was evident last month. In July, Mouat and a colleague hiked into an area after a small wildfire was reported on the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) website.

“There was nothing to see when we got there,” he explained. “I was later told by the Sun Peaks Fire Rescue guys that there was a misrepresentation of that place mark on the government website.”

A community effort

Individual homeowners play a key role in guarding against wildfires by ensuring they follow FireSmart principles as laid out in the Homeowner’s manual.

Additionally, Sun Peaks Fire Rescue (SPFR) is supporting fuel mitigation efforts through ignition-zone assessments and chipping days, where crew members haul away the wood and brush that homeowners collect and place in front of their residences to create fuel-free zones.

Clean-ups are also in high gear in the Heffley Valley. Phil Youwe, director of the Heffley Lake Community Association (HLCA) and long-time local resident, said the Embleton Mountain wildfire resulted in some significant grassroots action carried out in coordination with the Thompson Nicola Regional District.

“The wildfire really drove home concern over Crown land, but also for peoples’ properties,” Youwe said.

Youwe organized a FireSmart information session for area residents in June and saw around 55 people attend. They heard from a panel that included a wildfire prevention officer and Thompson Nicola Regional District’s emergency program coordinator.

Youwe said the forum helped motivate the community to clean up yards, put up sprinklers and clear gutters.

Youwe, who is a retired agrologist, said he’d personally like to see changes to wildfire management in British Columbia. Specifically, he said he would like to see BCWS embrace controlled burns to a much greater extent.

“The province has suppressed wildfires for 80-plus years, and as a result our wildfires have become at increased risk,” he said.

The situation has resulted in a build-up of highly combustible fuels in B.C. forests.

“We've done a good job in suppressing and putting out fires, but we have more work to do in the area of managing wildfire [and this includes the] reintroduction of prescribed burning,” Youwe added.

Such fuel-management techniques have a long history of being used by Indigenous communities to manage the landscape for the cultivation of certain plants and to promote healthy ecosystems.

Historic spending

Last year’s significant wildfire season has also led to increased funding and significant changes for the BCWS.

In its 2022 budget, the province announced $359 million in new funding for the service. This includes $145 million to support its transition from a largely seasonal to a year-round employer.

“Traditionally, a lot of B.C. Wildfire staff are hired as auxiliary staff,” explained BCWS fire information officer Jean Strong. She said with the new funding, many of those staff members were able to stay on over the winter.

“There are also more year-round positions coming out in communications, and those are all being posted right now to make the organization something that can more easily respond 12 months of the year.”

UKRAINIAN FAMILIES SETTLE INTO SUN PEAKS

Another family unable to come due to application requirements

By Kayla Empey

Two Ukrainian families who moved to the village in the spring are settling into the community and expressing appreciation for the welcome they’ve received.

Mayor Al Raine and community member Jim Alix led the way to coordinate support for these families through Sun Peaks Community Helps. The organization was initially created to provide pandemic support, but has since been put towards helping Ukrainians find refuge.

Raine said there has also been overwhelming community support — a testament the families seconded.

The Osipov family was the first to arrive, consisting of Alex, Nataliia and daughters Christina and Sandra.

“We are very good. We like it here,” Alex said. With previous casino experience, Alex has been primarily working at a casino in Kamloops. He has also been doing car detailing as a side job for Sun Peaks community members out of the Cahilty Lodge garage.

Anyone who is interested in getting their car cleaned can call Alex at (778) 694-5394.

Next to arrive was the Barbakadze family, made up of Liza, Davit and son Luka. Davit has been working for A&T Project Developments on a construction site on the mountain.

Liza said her family is very happy to be here. “Sun Peaks’ community has really made us feel at home,” she said.

Raine said the community has supported in a number of ways, from donating accommodation to smaller gestures like food baskets.

There were even enough resources gathered for a third family to move to the community, but it now seems they will be unable to come because of the difficult application process.

Members of the third Ukrainian family are cousins of local resident Caroline Thompson. She explained the mother has been staying in Poland with her two children, while her husband and eldest son are stuck in Ukraine because they must fight in the war.

After raising over $5,000 in a fundraiser, Thompson travelled to Poland in April to do humanitarian work and assist her cousin’s family. While there, she helped her fill out the Canadian Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) application.

“Me being born and raised Canadian, I found it to be quite difficult,” Thompson said. “There were so many different ambiguous questions. For someone with [English as a second language] or limited English, I actually don't know how people would have filled it out themselves.”

Thompson said the family submitted the application at the end of April, but there have been a number of hurdles since then.

Since Thompson’s cousin-in-law must stay in Ukraine, the CUAET application requires a signed letter from him authorizing his wife and children to travel to Canada. However, he is the chief of police for northern Ukraine currently fighting on the front lines, so he is unreachable.

“That's where the bureaucracy of these requirements of this application started to really set in, where it was so disconnected with the reality of what these people are facing,” Thompson said. “We're not talking about a refugee coming from political upheaval, we're talking about full blown war.”

The family also had to travel to the other side of Poland to provide biometrics for the application. Following the appointment, the mother was supposed to send her passport back to the embassy for them to hold onto for up to two months.

Thompson said her cousin didn’t feel comfortable sending away her passport because as a refugee, that is currently the only

way she has to identify herself. Due to these factors, the family is still in Poland.

“All the money, all the resources — everything is all in place. But where's the people? How do we get the people here?” Thompson said.

“I’m so heartwarmed by our community and how quickly people mobilized and opened their hearts. And not just their wallets, but their homes even. To see that, and then to experience this bureaucratic delay … Not only are we devastated, her kids are devastated.”

The Osipov and Barbakadze families had unique circumstances that allowed both fathers to travel with their families. Kamloops Immigrant Services told SPIN as of August 13, there have been 83 Ukrainian families that have moved to the region.

“I feel very grateful that these families have been able to utilize the resources that our government has put in place,” Thompson said.

The Barbakadze family. Photo provided.

The Osipov family. Photo provided.

Who said summer has to end?

EVENTS SEPTEMBER 9 TO OCTOBER 20 Weekly

Sundays, until October 9

Sun Peaks Market

Products from local farmers and artisans throughout the village from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

September

September 15

Sun Peaks Historical Society Annual General Meeting

Join the non-profit for their first meeting in the Sunburst room of Cahilty Hotel & Suites at 6:30 p.m.

September 17 to 18

Norco Canadian Enduro Series / E-Bike Championship

Sun Peaks Bike Park hosts a race for expert enduro riders.

September 24 to 25 Fall Festival

Free family-friendly events throughout the weekend featuring face painting, balloon twisting, entertainment and live music.

September 24 to 25 SuperDogs

Dogs will perform theatrical stunts throughout the weekend at the Sun Peaks Community Park.

September 25

Yeah Bru! Grass Dual Slalom Bicycle Café and Sun Peaks Resort are teaming up for the 13th annual bike event.

DEER XING

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By Kayla Empey

TATTOO SHOP OWNER FUNDRAISES FOR RESIDENTIAL “SCHOOL” SURVIVORS

Content warning: This story contains content about Canada’s residential “schools.” Please read with care.

A local tattoo artist is raising money for residential “school” survivors by selling shirts inspired by her family and history.

Amie Easton, owner of JuggerBean Tattoo Parlour, has created two limited edition shirt designs currently for sale in honour of Orange Shirt Day, which takes place Sept. 30. The day is intended to reflect on the effects of residential “schools” and their legacy.

Easton’s family is from the Liard River Band and she herself has experienced the legacy of residential “schools” — her great-grandmother attended one.

“I grew up with my great-grandmother, but not a lot of our family did because our family's very displaced,” Easton said. “As I get older, I can really understand the intergenerational trauma that happens.”

Easton said over the past few years she’s made it her mission to learn more about the culture that was taken from her family. She started by obtaining official Indian Status from the Government of Canada.

She’s also been learning more about her family through a book written about Easton’s greatgrandmother, Aggie, and great-aunt, Mudgy, and their journey being taken to a residential “school” 1,600 kilometres away from their home.

“It's written from the perspective of a grandmother telling her kids and sharing the story for the next generation, so I really appreciate that,” Easton said. “I find that a lot of the mental health [issues] in my family came from not having a community and trying to put the community back together now.”

Easton’s shirt designs are inspired by this story, depicting Aggie and Mudgy as children. All proceeds will go towards the Residential

School Survivors Society and Indigenous family services.

The Orange Shirt Day fundraiser is in collaboration with Kamloops Pulp Mill and Sotheby’s International Realty Canada. Easton said she wants this to be an ongoing project, with new designs by other Indigenous artists each year.

“I don't want it to just be me, I want people to want to be a collective on this and start coming

out of the woodwork with their art,” Easton said. “We just really want to encourage more of that culture up here, especially in the shop too.”

This year’s shirts will be available until mid-2023 and can be purchased through the JuggerBean Tattoo Parlour website. To see more of Easton’s art and tattoo designs, check out her Instagram at @amieeastontattoos

One of Amie Easton's designs. Photo from JuggerBean Tattoo Parlour.

Local artist finds inspiration in her great-grandmother’s history and tries to rekindle her culture

ALPINE CLUB SKIERS TRAIN IN SWITZERLAND

Four racers attend a preseason camp abroad

By Kayla Empey

With the ski season only a few months away, Sun Peaks Alpine Club (SPAC) racers have travelled all the way to Europe and are currently getting in some early training on the glaciers.

On August 17, Sun Peaks’ International Ski Federation (FIS) team left for Saas-Fee, Switzerland for a preseason camp. Duncan Currie, SPAC president, said they are training for 19 days alongside Banff’s FIS team.

“They’ll mostly ski slalom and giant slalom, just really to start the season off,” Currie said. “It's setting good habits and really getting some time on snow.”

Sun Peaks’ FIS team is for higher level skiers over 16 years old, made up of Cameron and Euan Currie, Micah Schwirtlich

and Jameson Jensen. The racers are travelling with SPAC program director Wade Rettie.

“Once they come back from there, they'll start their dryland training and then early November they'll be skiing here and getting ready for the season,” Currie said.

He added other students will be joining the FIS team this winter season, but aren’t on the trip because they are moving to the area from out of province.

To keep up with SPAC, follow them on Facebook or Instagram.

Sun Peaks’ FIS team alongside other skiers in Saas-Fee, Switzerland.

YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHER ADVANCES CRAFT

Teenager demonstrates camera skills, learns from experienced photographers and filmmakers

By Kayla Empey

There’s no doubt Sun Peaks has a lot of young talent. The outdoor lifestyle turns many youth into athletes but it can also be a great space to explore creativity.

This is the case for Noah Lara, a 16-year-old photographer and filmmaker who loves to capture skiers and bikers in action.

Lara said his love for camera work came from watching YouTube videos growing up.

“There's this one channel called Linus Tech Tips and they did a lot of behind-the-scenes work,” Lara said. “They always featured these high quality cinema cameras and I just genuinely thought they were really awesome. I kind of researched more about them and I thought to myself, ‘wow, that's something I want to do.’”

He said this was also around the same time he discovered his passion for mountain biking and skiing, making it the perfect subject.

As he works on developing his camera skills, Lara has had a few opportunities to learn from more experienced locals. Recently, he shadowed Kamloops-based photographer Dylan Sherrard, as well as Sun Peaks photographer and filmmaker Kyle James.

“[James] has actually been mentoring me and guiding me quite a bit,” Lara said. “It's been really awesome to be able to work with him on small projects and just get advice from him, dealing with business sides of things or with just certain ideas for shots.”

Lara also recently did an internship with Boombox, a group that does all the broadcasting for Crankworx mountain bike events. He spent a week in Whistler at Crankworx Joyride and worked on a mid-show project. Lara said this was a great experience because he was able to try out several different brands and styles of cameras.

Otherwise, Lara said learning the skills has involved a lot of trial and error. He often films his friends biking or skiing on the mountain as practice.

“We'll think of a feature on the chairlift,” Lara said. “I'll tell my rider, ‘give me one minute exactly to get ready and then you can go’ … Then they just go whether I’m ready or not because we don't have radios or anything, so I've gotten good at getting set up really fast.”

Moving forward, Lara said he isn’t entirely sure what his plans are for his camera work. He said a realistic goal for him right now is being chosen for a program like the Crankworx Dirt Diaries video competition, designed to give filmmakers a chance to showcase their work.

When he’s not out taking photos or videos, Lara likes to do a range of activities with friends including disc golf or soccer. He also works at Sun Peaks Golf Course, but overall said he’s most passionate about being out on the mountain with a camera.

“I just enjoy filmmaking and photography so much, and same with mountain biking and skiing, that I couldn't think of myself really doing anything else as my main thing,” Lara said. “I'm getting into [first person view] drones more, but that's still going to be another way for me to film mountain biking and skiing.”

Lara came to Sun Peaks with his family in 2019. In his life he’s moved eight times to communities throughout Western Canada and Mexico, but said Sun Peaks has been the best move for his family.

“There's so much opportunity. The people here are really nice,” he said. “It's just awesome. I couldn't ask for a better place to grow up.”

To check out more of Lara’s work, follow him on Instagram at

Photos by Noah Lara.

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