BED: 3 BATH: 2.5 FURNISHED 1,509 SQ.FT. ZONED TA-2 | BUILT IN 2020
PROPERTY OVERVIEW
This furnished townhome features an extra-large, tandem 2-car private garage offering ample storage space and fantastic entertainment options in the main living areas. After a day enjoying your mountain retreat, relax in your private hot tub and take in the open valley views of Morrisey from the living room.
The home boasts upgraded heated tile floors in the entry and all bathrooms, and provides direct downhill ski access to all 3 mountains. It’s also an easy walk to village shopping, restaurants, schools, the skating rink, and the new community center.
Tourist Accommodation zoning offers maximum flexibility for short-term rentals, long-term rentals, or residential use. Experience mountain living at its finest at Echo Landing!
BED: 3 BATH: 2.5 UNFURNISHED 1,627 SQ.FT. ZONED RC-1 | +GST Only 1 brand new townhouse remains available in the popular and vibrant Peaks West! $877,500
Peaks, BC
5342
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IN THIS ISSUE
06
THIS MONTH AT COUNCIL
This month at council is a monthly version of This Week At Council, our bi-weekly newsletter where we recap recent Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality Council meetings. Sign up for the newsletter at sunpeaksnews.com.
09
STEPS RESPONDS TO COMMUNITY CONCERNS ABOUT THE HEALTH CENTRE
The CEO of the non-profit that operates Sun Peaks Health Centre spoke to SPIN about transferral processes.
13
DR. CATHERINE NOWIERSKI IS SUN PEAKS’ NEWEST PHYSICIAN
BRANDI SCHIER
Publisher brandi@sunpeaksnews.com
ANAM RAHMAN
Partnerships Specialist anam@sunpeaksnews.com
HOLLIE FERGUSON
Community Editor editor@sunpeaksnews.com
NICOLE PERRY
Community Journalist nicole@sunpeaksnews.com
DIONNE PHILLIPS
Contributing Reporter
CHRIS PAYNE
Layout & Graphic Designer
‘I'm looking forward to being part of the community,’: Dr. Catherine Nowierski’s plans to care for Sun Peaks.
15
SUN PEAKS WELCOMES CHEF KARTIK KUMAR
Kumar comes to Sun Peaks after years of cooking globally, eager to pass on his knowledge to others.
16
THE FUTURE OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE IN SUN PEAKS
'When you're allowing someone to be authentic and to tell their story, you rarely go wrong,': How the chefs of Sun Peaks are sharing their culinary talents, personal experiences and heritage.
19
SUMMER IS HERE FOR ADAPTIVE SPORTS AT SUN PEAKS
Adaptive mountain biking, stand up paddleboarding, canoeing and a farm experience day are all a part of ASSP’s summer activities.
20
DOCUMENTARY SPARKS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT INDIGENOUS-LED WILDFIRE RESILIENCE
Generational knowledge supports community collaboration which broadens boundaries of wildfire readiness.
22 PUZZLES
Can you tackle this month’s crossword? Plus, a new Sudoku and the answers to last month’s puzzles.
23 EVENTS
Check out local and regional events happening soon. Become
Dedicated Readership. Targeted Audience.
Reaching both Kamloops and Sun Peaks. Reserve your space before August 29th.
The Arts Issue will be distributed September 13th
Contact anam@sunpeaksnews.com for more details!
THIS MONTH AT COUNCIL
This month at council is a monthly version of This Week At Council, our bi-weekly newsletter where we recap recent Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality Council meetings. Sign up for the newsletter at sunpeaksnews.com.
By Nicole Perry
Administrative updates
Chief administrative officer Deanna Campbell reported updates on the Sun Peaks Centre and Sun Peaks Centre Stage regarding their transition over to Tourism Sun Peaks (TSP). From May 1 to Oct. 31 annually, beginning next year, SPCS will be managed by TSP, but the Sun Peaks Centre will be taken over year-round starting Spring 2025.
Organized tennis lessons for kids on Fridays will occur again this year at the tennis and pickleball courts. Council discussed putting out a schedule of when lessons are and information on how to sign up.
The municipal website has been updated to include pages on emergency management and preparedness and short-term nightly rental information, as well as improvements to their bylaw page.
Part of the bylaw updates include a hotline to report infractions. Two new bylaws on zoning and signage are in development, coming hopefully in the fall.
Significant bylaw infractions included four trespassers at the rink and loose dogs. An owner of one dog has been spoken to and complaints regarding another are being followed up on. Also in the works is collecting unpaid fines regarding shortterm rentals.
This time of year in 2022 and 2023 saw fewer fire runs than 2024, with the number now reaching 84. Public education initiatives with fire preparedness are in full swing, with attendance at a farmers’ market and a visit to the daycare to teach kids about smoke alarms.
Fire chief Dean Schiavon and council wished Mike Billheimer the best as he ended his 13-year tenure
as volunteer and assistant training officer at the fire department for a full-time position in Creston.
Water supply is good, with the surface reservoir being full. Wastewater treatment to the effluent lagoon is being deferred until 2025 due to higherthan-expected costs for berm expansion.
Bylaw updates
Council adopted the Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw 0203-004, with amendments from the last meeting that aligned the definition of a short-term rental with the provincial legislation, among some others.
Council gave third readings to the Development Procedures Bylaw 0035-003 with new provisions to delegate decision making on minor development variance permit applications to administration. They discussed changing the timeline on which a delegated official’s denial of an application is to be reconsidered by council, to shorten the time they have to discuss it from 10 weeks to six.
Third readings were then done on the Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw 0008-13, noting updating daycare rates to comply with what the province has set, adding a fee for minor development variance permit applications and amending the fee for tax certificates to match the fee charged through the Land Title & Survey Authority (LTSA) online system.
Authorizations
Council authorized the mayor and corporate officer to sign the Canada Community-Building Fund agreement.
Council authorized the issuance of development permit No. DP-2024-001 for 5441 Lookout Ridge Pl., after discussing flooding concerns and assurances it will be filled up to make sure there’s no depression in the area.
They discussed the Resort Advisory Committee Terms of Reference, the building of which is still in early stages.
Council appointed a voting delegate and two alternates to the Municipal Insurance Association of BC (MIABC), the municipality’s liability and property insurer. Raine appointed Coun. Julie Kimmel as voting delegate, Coun. Rob O'Toole as alternate and himself as second alternate.
Rental and building permits
Discussion circled back to a temporary use permit at 2504 Eagle Ct., with staff recommending the issuance of a permit on the basis that the application falls within guidelines. Raine stated resident complaints shouldn’t be ignored, though the two complainants are not direct neighbours of the property. Council issued the TUP, with the stipulation that they will respond to the complainants.
Building on past business from May 21, when council tabled a motion to issue a development variance permit (DVP) for 4131 Douglas Ct., lot four, to convert a non-habitable space above the garage into a long term rental secondary suite, council carried a motion to distribute a notice of intent to consider issuance of the DVP.
Sign up for SPIN's municipal newslettter at sunpeaksnews.com. Photo by Kyle James
SPIN SPOTLIGHT
Sun Peaks Independent News shines a spotlight on community events, wins and more!
The new Valley Trail Banners were unveiled, featuring artwork by two local artists, Zuzy Rocka and Dennis Staginnus.
Members of the Sun Peaks Skate Park Foundation installed a sign near the site of the future skate park.
Mike Billheimer ended his 13-year tenure as volunteer and assistant training officer at the fire department for a full-time position in Creston.
The Valley Trail banners feature new artwork by Zuzy Rocka (L) and Dennis Stagginus (R). Photos by Cat Bosse/Tourism Sun Peaks
Kennith Dale, Jack-River Wilson and Peter Wilson in front of the new sign.
Photo via SPSF Facebook
Chief Dean Schiavon awards Mike Billheimer for attending the most calls at a gala in 2022. SPIN file photo
STEPS RESPONDS TO COMMUNITY CONCERNS ABOUT THE HEALTH CENTRE
The CEO of the non-profit that operates Sun Peaks Health Centre spoke to SPIN about transferral processes.
By Nicole Perry
In a facebook post in June, a large discussion was sparked surrounding healthcare operations in Sun Peaks. It was written to gather information from the community on how to access health care as a new member of the Sun Peaks population.
Many comments were various iterations of the same concerns: not having a doctor or not being transferred over to the new doctor following Dr. Shane Barclay’s departure from Sun Peaks Health Centre (SPHC).
Christine Matuschewski, chief executive officer of Supporting Team Excellence with Patients Society (STEPS), the non-profit that manages Sun Peaks Health Centre (SPHC), sat down with SPIN to address community concerns about local health care given the recent staffing change.
The STEPS team is very interested in hearing everyone’s concerns, she said, adding that they can address them in the contact form on their website which goes directly to her email.
Patient transfers
Since Barclay’s retirement, most local patients have been transferred over to the clinic’s new doctor, Dr. Catherine Nowierski.
New residents seeking to register as a patient at SPHC will have to apply with a government-issued piece of ID showing their local address and will then be placed on a waitlist, Matuschewski said. As capacity opens up with Nowierski or Dr. Signy Frank, more patients on this list will be brought in.
There were some challenges in moving people over, considering the transient nature of many people in Sun Peaks, and Matuschewski said those with a local address listed on their electronic medical record were prioritized in the transition.
If any locals were unable to be moved over, she said it was likely because their current address listed in the online system wasn’t local.
“[Patients] can look to see if their information is correct or not,” she said of those patients. “When they come in, remind the medical laboratory assistants to just catch up on their demographics, making sure their email is correct, their address is correct and their phone number is correct.”
Though Nowierski and SPHC prioritized attaching permanent residents of Sun Peaks to a doctor, Matuschewski said decisions about who is taken on as registered patients at STEPS clinics, including SPHC, include more than just geography.
“A good example is specific populations we know need more care in different ways, complex diseases, chronic diseases,” she explained.
By now, Nowierski has taken on a large number of patients, and if you are currently unattached to a doctor, there is no guarantee you will get one. However, she is still determining her capacity and considering taking on more people. Frank sees Kamloops patients as well as locals, Matuschewski said. Additionally, they’re having a new nurse practitioner start who will likely have a mix of both as well.
Urgent care service updates
On top of the existing urgent care offered by the health centre on weekends, there will now be an after-hours clinic open on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
In a post on facebook, Matuschewski clarified the services offered at this clinic, which are the same as their weekend operations.
Weekend hours are on Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. this summer. Urgent care is for addressing acute medical conditions such as cold and flu symptoms, infections and physical injuries. For weekend appointments, you can call 778-765-5398 and for Wednesdays, call 778-644-0635. Walk-ins are helped as well, or you can use Pomelo to book online.
Patients who are attached to a SPHC doctor can also access urgent care at STEPS in Kamloops on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. All urgent care in Sun Peaks is accessible to anyone, registered patient or not.
“Dr. Nowierski also does longitudinal family practice during the week and if there's an urgent concern that medical attention is needed on the patrol side, as she has capacity, she'll go over and see people,” Matuschewski said.
CEO of STEPS, Christine Matuschewski, with SPHC new resident, Jacques Laniece. Photo by Nicole Perry
DR. CATHERINE NOWIERSKI IS SUN PEAKS’ NEWEST PHYSICIAN
‘I'm looking forward to being part of the community,’: Dr. Catherine Nowierski’s plans to care for Sun Peaks.
By Nicole Perry
Dr. Catherine Nowierski moved from Ontario to Sun Peaks to fill Dr. Shane Barclay’s absence and experience a new lifestyle with her family.
As Barclay prepared for his retirement, part-time physician Dr. Signy Frank contacted Nowierski, who she’d known for a number of years, about the possibility of moving up to Sun Peaks.
“I wasn't ready to move,” Nowierski said. “We were thinking maybe in a three-tofive year plan.”
In April, she ended up making the move anyway, and has enjoyed it so far.
“The area's beautiful and I think it has a lot to offer,” she said, adding she thought it would be a nice change of pace.
“I'm looking forward to being part of the community. I've met a lot of wonderful people already and I'm just really excited,” she said.
Settling in
Nowierski spent most of her life in Ontario, completing her undergraduate education and master’s degree in chemistry at Western University. She did her residency in Kingston at Queen’s University, finishing about three years ago, and continued to work in Ontario after that.
For medical school, however, she attended the Trinity School of Medicine in the Caribbean.
B.C. is new to her, not just in an environmental sense but in clinical operations. Though still learning some provincial differences, she’s felt very supported in her transition.
“The group that we have at the clinic is really welcoming and team-oriented, so that's been really great.”
Frank especially has been very helpful, she said.
“I love working with her. That was one of the reasons why I wanted to come.”
She’s also glad to be settling in during the summer rather than the winter when it gets busier on the hill.
“By the winter, I'll be a little bit more oriented with everything,” she said. “I think it'll be an easier transition.”
Goals and responsibilities
Nowierski places importance on ensuring locals get priority from the Sun Peaks Health Centre.
She requested to take on permanent residents of Sun Peaks down to Whitecroft first and adapt to the workflow from there.
“I do have a limit to what I can do,” she said, explaining that they have a full clinic, but she’ll always try to fit as many people who need help into her schedule.
Even after hours, she’s been called in by patrol to help out with biking injuries.
“Ideally, what the clinic would want is to have a physician just doing the family medicine, and then a physician on patrols,” she said. “Unfortunately, the reality is we don't have enough physicians.”
Nowierski wants to accommodate as many people in the area as she can and has come up with an idea on how to make healthcare more accessible outside of regular hours.
“We're going to be starting an after-hours clinic as well on Wednesdays,” she said.
With work and school during the day affecting availability for parents and working adults, she feels this could bring in some more people.
Her goal is that anyone in Sun Peaks, registered or not, will be able to access services for acute health problems at this clinic.
“I'm here and if someone really needs care, we'll figure it out.”
Sun Peaks Community Health Centre brings in a new full-time doctor.
Photo provided by Catherine Nowierski
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SUN PEAKS WELCOMES CHEF KARTIK KUMAR
Kumar comes to Sun Peaks after years of cooking globally, eager to pass on his knowledge to others.
By Nicole Perry
Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR) has found a new executive chef in Kartik Kumar, a chef with years of experience in kitchens around the world. In Sun Peaks, his focus is on guiding new chefs to do their best work.
In his position with SPR, he oversees food preparation for resort-owned restaurants, including Mantles Restaurant and Lounge, Morissey’s Public House, Cafe Soliel, Masa’s Bar and Grill, Annex Food and Drink, The Umbrella Cafe and Sunburst Bar and Eatery.
Having cooked for the Dalai Lama and Prince Charles and having met Mother Theresa and Sir Edmund Hillary, Kumar said he’s happy to take a step back and teach.
“Now, the satisfaction is in growing young people into developing their skills, their true potential,” he told SPIN.
He arrived in Sun Peaks at the beginning of the summer, motivated by his admiration and respect for the chief of accommodation and hospitality for SPR, Sandra Gregory.
“Even though I'm much older than her age wise, I've got a lot to learn from her,” he said. “Patience, wisdom, empathy, kindness, tolerance.”
Currently in what he calls “the Autumn” of his career, Kumar plans on finishing his career in Sun Peaks before retiring in Panama to a small acreage where he can rescue donkeys.
Born and raised in Southern India, Kumar’s home was a place where everybody cooked, igniting his passion from a young
age. At age four, he was sent to live in a monastery 600 miles away due to his mother’s fight with cancer, after which he only saw his parents once a year.
“It made me the person I am, with mental strength.”
There he was taught to be self-reliant and to believe in himself.
Guiding young chefs
He described the skill level of many chefs he’s worked with in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia as 10-out-of-10, and each culinary team has brought something new to the table.
Kumar’s team in Sun Peaks pose a new slate of challenges and lessons for him.
One lesson he’s taking in is “understanding other people's perspective…putting yourself in that person's shoes as to why they do what they do,” he said.
He enjoys the challenge of passing on his knowledge to new groups of people, but has found it challenging in Canada to find motivated talent in the industry.
“They have this wrong conception that joining the hospitality business is all of our days, seven days a week,” he said, adding this misunderstanding of the industry can be hard, but he finds satisfaction in building community through shared meals and promoting worklife balance.
“That's what I tell all my own team, you get an opportunity to create an experience that lasts a lifetime.”
Still, the variety of cultures in Canada – which he dubs a “mosaic” – has made it one of the best countries he’s lived in. This diversity was on display in Sun Peaks during the street fair July 5 when two of his team cooked food from their respective backgrounds, Jamaica and Argentina.
Part of the street food celebrations on First Fridays included a selection of Moroccan food from another resort chef.
Evolving his teaching
Kumar underwent his apprenticeship in France where he was trained in “old-school discipline.”
Now in his 60s, he said he’s adopted a gentler approach when overseeing other chefs.
“When I was younger, I was very hard, not just on myself, but on people who worked with me,” he said, explaining he’d expect nothing less than nine-out-of-10 of their dishes.
Having worked in many different countries with people of various backgrounds, he’s become more flexible in letting people find their own way of doing things.
One of his favourite pieces of advice to provide is to ask questions.
“There are no stupid questions, there are only stupid answers,” he said.
In the leadership position he holds, he allows chefs to come up with their own ideas, then works with them to discover their viability.
“The more you give people the power to do what they need to do, what happens then is that the food is just as good when you're here as when you're not here.”
To Kumar, that is a mark of success.
Chef Kartik Kumar at Sun Peaks.
Photo provided by Sun Peaks Grand Hotel
THE FUTURE OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE IN SUN PEAKS
'When you're allowing someone to be authentic and to tell their story, you rarely go wrong,': How the chefs of Sun Peaks are sharing their culinary talents, personal experiences and heritage.
By Nicole Perry
The food and beverage industry was battered during the COVID-19 pandemic, and innovation has been more important than ever in the last couple years. Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR) is now focusing on building a foundation for a new future in food and beverage, Sandra Gregory, chief of accommodations and hospitality at SPR and Sun Peaks Grand Hotel (SPG) shared, adding that it starts with identifying the right talent.
Gregory pointed to the many different cultural backgrounds in the culinary staff at SPR and SPG, and spoke to SPIN about how they’re cultivating each chef’s individual gifts.
SPR and SPG have been focused heavily on hiring foreign culinary workers for two years at a time through the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Now they want to see the diverse cultures represented in the food offered in town.
“We had several different countries represented, but our menus weren't reflective of the culture and the talent that they're bringing with them,” Gregory explained.
Identifying and building on talent
“I want us to empower and to mentor and to grow our people,” Gregory said.
Part of accomplishing this is giving chefs creative license over what they make.
“When you're allowing someone to be authentic and to tell their story, you rarely go wrong because there's passion and their sincerity to whatever they do,” she said.
Besides highlighting individual talents, she also wants to showcase the way
chefs can elevate the uniqueness of each restaurant.
“When you're picking a menu, a lot of people go, oh, we need something for everyone,” she said, explaining there’s value in a smaller menu with more of a focus.
“As a destination, to be able to offer Moroccan and Mexican and Mauritian and all these different cuisines, that gives you opportunity and diversity.”
Dinesh Toofaneeram, executive sous chef for SPG, was able to work with many chefs from abroad during his time cooking in his home country of Mauritius. Many cultures were represented in the menu of his previous workplace, which would be built on what they learned from each visiting chef.
This structure is similar to what he wants to do in Sun Peaks, bringing menu items in from some of the cultures represented in the culinary team’s background and guiding the guest’s experience away from typical Canadian cuisines.
A taste of Sun Peaks
SPIN was invited to experience some culinary creations from three Sun Peaks chefs, all representing their experiences.
Beef Tacos by Chef Astrid
Paola Astrid Villanueva Gomez presented first a dish from her home country of Mexico. At 28 years old, she has been working in Sun Peaks for eight months, preparing food as chef de partie for Morissey’s Public House.
“I started my career six years ago, in Playa Del Carmen, then I traveled to the United States in West Virginia, then to Los Cabos in Mexico, and then I came here,” Gomez shared.
She chose to display a beef taco, as the most representative dish you can find in the streets of Mexico.
The tacos were flavourful with just the right amount of spice. Most important to achieve this, she said, is the marination of the meat before it's cooked.
With the strong spices cooked into the beef, melted cheese and pickled onions helped balance out each bite.
Chef Paola Astrid Villanueva Gomez and Chef Aziz (Abdelaziz Boulasnane).
Photo by Sun Peaks Resort LLP
Butter Chicken by Chef Dinesh (Dinesh Toofaneeram), Executive Sous Chef for Sun Peaks Grand Hotel and Residences.
Lamb Tagine by Chef Aziz
Brought to the table by Abdelaziz Boulasnane, chef de partie for Masa’s Bar and Grill was Lamb Tagine, slow cooked with just a bit of water and spices, made with onion, honey, dried fruit and cinnamon.
It was the perfect texture, with an unexpected but welcome mix of sweet and savoury flavours. Each bite had just enough sauce and was even better when paired with the walnuts, dried fruit and apple on the side.
Boulasnane is from Morocco where this dish originated, and said it is made traditionally for special guests.
“This is how to say to others, you are most welcome, the home is yours,” he said. He worked in Casablanca for 14 years and the Maldives for five before coming to Sun Peaks.
“My main concern, at the end of the day, is that all the guests will be happy,” he said.
Butter Chicken by Chef Dinesh
Dinesh Toofaneeram began cooking in Mauritian resorts before moving to France and working there for 18 years.
For his final culinary job in France, Toofaneeram worked at a one star Michelan restaurant for six years, a very big honour in the industry.
He presented a Chicken Makhani (Butter Chicken), a dish he learned to prepare when working as a line cook in Mauritius in 1997.
The business class hotel he worked at hosted chefs from abroad each month for 15 days to share their creations as a promotion. He was taught Butter Chicken along with many other Indian dishes from a Taj Mahal chef.
He’s been making this dish the same way he learned it then, and it proved to be a successful recipe.
Not too spicy but still with a full flavour profile and sufficiently creamy, this dish is a must-try even for the pickiest eaters. Each piece of chicken was cooked perfectly and when paired with the delectable sauce, even the taste of the side naan bread is more than worth noting.
Further culinary initiatives
A taste of some new culinary initiatives are being rolled out as part of the resort’s summer events.
As part of the First Fridays festivities on July 5, Sebastian Greer, food and beverage director for SPR, said there was delicious Jamaican and Argentinian street food featured.
“He was beaming, he was so proud to highlight his food, his heritage,” Greer said of the Jamaican chef, Chef Oshane Thomas.
Additionally, Masa’s showcased Moroccan skewers from Chef Aziz, Greer said, with a write-up of him and his history next to the food menu, as well as what the food means to him.
Food was a big part of the most recent Locals Day as well. Based on the grouse named El Diablo by locals after being spotted recurrently over the years, Greer said they served spicy El Diablo wings at Masa’s as a nod to the local avian celebrity.
They’re working on defining restaurant features for different days of the week.
“Sebastian’s [Greer] new, Kartik’s [Kumar] new, a lot of our team members are new,” Gregory explained. “We'll start to define what those specials are in the week.”
One thing they’ve been experimenting with at Mantle’s is a selection of non-alcoholic cocktails, to contribute to an inclusive experience for all. Three mocktails were presented to SPIN as part of the tasting experience, and each one was refreshing and delicious in their own way.
This inclusivity is further being built on as they acquire gluten-free items from a bakery team in Kamloops that specializes in gluten-free bread, cookies, muffins and more.
Many of their ingredients and products will be sourced from farms and businesses surrounding Sun Peaks, including Kamloops.
This contributes to their larger picture of, as Toofaneeram said, “[using] Sun Peaks Resort and the Grand Hotel as platforms to help our local small business farmers.”
EVERY SUNDAY! SUN PEAKS SCHOOL (Near P5): 10:30am - 1:30pm WHITECROFT VILLAGE: 2:30pm - 3:15pm New!
Photo by Sun Peaks Resort LLP
Chicken Tacos by Chef Astrid, Chef de Partie, Morrisey’s Public House.
Photo by Sun Peaks Resort LLP
SUMMER IS HERE FOR ADAPTIVE SPORTS AT SUN PEAKS
Adaptive mountain biking, stand up paddleboarding, canoeing and a farm experience day are all a part of ASSP’s summer activities.
By Nicole Perry
Since 2008, Adaptive Sports at Sun Peaks (ASSP) has been providing outdoor experiences for individuals living with physical, visual and/or neurodivergent challenges and the organization is now developing a new roster of summer adventures.
ASSP is a charitable organization that has been teaching accessible skiing and snowboarding at Sun Peaks for years.
“We’re really just getting our feet wet into summer programming,” said Katherine Campbell, executive director for ASSP. The organization started with ski and snowboard lessons that have improved over the years, now with a roster of 60 volunteer instructors and about 450 lessons available during the winter.
Since growing enough to hire Campbell as their first full time employee in 2020, summer programming launched last year.
Building on last year’s introduction
Last year's summer activities took place once a week, Campbell explained. The programs were geared toward able-bodied individuals with neurodivergent challenges, immersing them in paddleboarding, canoeing, hiking and adaptive mountain biking.
In a similar format to last year, they reached out to their current local community for input and decided on activities each weekend with mostly the same events as summer 2023.
95 per cent of ASSP students are neurodivergent, she explained, though there are some with physical and visual impairments. Planning the pogramming was based on surveys from this database.
With hiking and paddleboarding, she said there’s the potential for the visually impaired to join in, and those with physical disabilities may be able to take a ride on adaptive mountain bikes.
“People can always just reach out and let me know what their needs are,” Campbell said. Each program’s outline has some things listed that are important to note.
With stand up paddleboarding, “we clearly state that in order to get down to the dock where the stand
up paddleboarding business is, it's a rugged, difficult terrain,” she explained.
On Aug. 24, they’re hoping to lead a hike up the chair in the alpine, but Campbell said they’re happy to adapt and do a hike at McGillivray Lake or the valley trail if riding the chairlift is too nerve wracking for some people.
“That’s one of the reasons we thought of adding in the farm experience,” she said, which is a new and inclusive activity for this year.
“One of our adaptive instructors owns a farm down in Whitecroft,” she explained, adding the experience will include visiting horses and other animals and planting a plant.
ASSP is also introducing disc golf this year as part of the alpine hiking experience up the Sunburst Express chairlift.
Adaptive mountain biking
“We want to get the feelers out to see which programs are the most popular,” she said. “I think adaptive mountain biking has a lot of potential.”
Kootenay Adaptive Sport Association (KASA) partnered with ASSP, bringing specialized mountain bikes to Sun Peaks. Nine community members enjoyed this biking experience last year and KASA is back this year for an event on Sept. 7.
Part of the purpose of KASA’s visit to do a needs assessment of the bike park, Campbell explained. After each event, KASA rides the trails with resort leaders to assess what upgrades could assist with adaptive riding.
“That's what we'd really like to do is just understand the terrain better for adaptive mountain biking use and be able to put signage up,” she said.
Mike Reidieger from KASA certifies adaptive mountain biking instructors at mountain biking locations all over North America, Campbell said.
“He said that Sun Peaks, our setup here, is probably one of the best setups for adaptive mountain biking in North America.”
Structuring and expanding summer programming
“The approach that we're taking is to have experts like Bodie Shandro or Kamloops Canoe and Kayak Club teach the programs and we just organize the logistics,'' Campbell said.
ASSP will have their adaptive volunteers at the activities for support, but the experts of that sport will be leading the lesson.
There’s lots of potential for expansion in summer programming.
“There's a paddling group [CRIS Adaptive Adventures] that has stand up paddleboards that are wheelchair accessible,” Campbell said. She’s reached out to them about the possibility of organizing an excursion to Heffley Lake or somewhere where they could bring their equipment in a similar structure to what they’ve done with KASA.
She’s been working really closely with Whistler Adaptive Sports Program and Rocky Mountain Adaptive who have already established summer programs to collect tips and expertise.
“If we can get some established accessible summer outdoor opportunities happening, people from around the world can come visit,” she said.
Adaptive Sports at Sun Peaks brings back their summer programming for the second year. Photo provided by Katherine Campbell
Adaptive Sports at Sun Peaks brings back their summer programming for the second year. Photo provided by Katherine Campbell
DOCUMENTARY SPARKS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT INDIGENOUS-LED WILDFIRE RESILIENCE
Generational knowledge supports community collaboration which broadens boundaries of wildfire readiness.
By Dionne Phillips
A new documentary film, The Test, explores how the community of Logan Lake’s wildfire preparations were tested in 2021. A recent screening and panel discussion hosted in Williams Lake sparked more conversations about community-led wildfire resilience.
Logan Lake began its fire mitigation decades ago, becoming the first official FireSmart community in Canada in 2013 by setting in motion a series of measures to help protect infrastructure and homes from wildfire damage.
The Test shows how community leaders assessed forested areas for wildfire risk and employed youth to thin it out, piling twigs and dead branches on the forest floor to burn in the fall. Homeowners also mitigated wildfire risks by cleaning gutters and keeping firewood away from their homes.
Just weeks after wildfire burned through Lytton, the Tremont Creek wildfire triggered the evacuation of Logan Lake residents.
As the fire moved closer to Logan Lake, teams began hooking up hoses to previously installed sprinklers on top of houses and removing everything from the areas immediately surrounding houses, including propane tanks and quads.
While a change of winds worked in the community’s favour, the FireSmart efforts in the
forest ensured a slow progression of the fire and allowed people to have homes to return to.
With the underbrush and ladder fuels removed from the forest surrounding the community, fires were not as destructive and only caused an underburn — leaving the tops of trees and patches of grass untouched.
With Williams Lake and surrounding communities experiencing an evacuation due to wildfire in 2017, The Test tells a familiar story.
Since 2017, Williams Lake and close-by Indigenous communities have been working to increase fire mitigation knowledge to prepare for each wildfire season.
After its inaugural screening in Kamloops, The Test came to Williams Lake on May 14, followed by a panel discussion with people in various wildfire sectors.
Six panelists including Francis Johnson of Alkali Resource Management (ARM), a forestry company managed by Esk’etemc First Nation, and John Walker, Williams Lake First Nation stewardship forester, discussed the efforts showcased in the film.
While Williams Lake is not a recognized FireSmart community, steps are still being taken to educate the public about equipping homes and surrounding
areas.
Williams Lake and neighbouring Indigenous communities, such as the Secwépemc communities of Esk’etemc and Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN), also work together to conduct prescribed burns in forested and grassland areas to lessen the destruction if a wildfire were to occur, as shown in the documentary.
For instance, the Williams Lake Community Forest lands are managed through a partnership between the Williams Lake First Nation and the City of Williams Lake.
“We work very close with BC Wildfire (Service) to try to put fire, good fire, back on the landscape,” Walker said.
This collaboration allows for the Indigenous communities to have input on the use of the land while utilizing generational knowledge about wildfires.
In interviews with Johnson and Walker, they delved deeper into the processes set in place within the two Secwépemc communities of Esk’etemc First Nation and WLFN.
The raw emotion of the community of Logan Lake in the film struck a chord with Johnson who is a Hereditary Chief of the Esk’etemc Nation.
He recalled the emotional moments families had
Alkali Resource Management (ARM), a forestry company owned by Esk’etemc First Nation, works with BC Wildfire and other organizations like Cariboo Aboriginal Forestry Enterprises to conduct controlled burns, shown here in August 2023. Photo provided by ARM
while evacuating in previous years and the gratitude for the ones who stayed to fight the fires and ensure the safety of the communities.
Johnson discussed wildfire mitigation efforts that have been led by ARM since 2001, and have been prominent since the Central Cariboo wildfires of 2017.
Located southwest of Williams Lake, Esk’etemc First Nation works collaboratively with ARM to conduct cultural and prescribed burns.
Burning supports the growth of native vegetation and improves habitats for wildlife. Along the Fraser River, for example, burns are planned in the fall to bring sagebrush back into the bunchgrass ecosystem which supports bighorn sheep.
For WLFN, prescribed burns this spring aimed to improve the habitat for an endangered badger species who rely on the grasslands.
Prescribed burns can be utilized for training opportunities and garners a sense of community.
Walker also emphasized the social aspect around fires, especially as Elders have shared their stories. They have both heard accounts of Elders’ use of fire as a social practice and to bring the community together.
Each year, Walker said they bring the Elders on the land to see the sites where prescribed burns were completed, leading to regrowth of the understory vegetation. He said they often remark about the growing sxúsem (soapberry) and Saskatoon bushes.
“The first question isn't how much timber was taken, it's what plants are coming back,” Walker said.
Cultural burns have been seen as a right for Indigenous people, Johnson added, allowing them to act in their roles as stewards of the land.
“Cultural burns usually have cultural objectives, [including] when you're burning to enhance certain foods and medicines, or you're burning around sweat lodges or community to reduce [wild]fire risk, or you're burning meadows for hay production,” Johnson said.
Walker also emphasized how prescribed burns are bringing back a tradition that Indigenous people have been conducting for many years, referencing Kelsey Copes-Gerbitz’s research on tree ring data which found the trees to show constant burn marks over the years, both near communities and hunting grounds.
Traditional roles that were in place to manage the land are still enacted, Johnson said.
Along with the cultural burns, the Esk’etemc First Nation has a Firekeeper who was appointed by the Elders.
The community's traditional governance continues
with the Hereditary Chiefs, grandmother’s groups and over 20 families which have a representative who helps make decisions on behalf of their family. Johnson highlighted the importance of partnerships between traditional governance and elected Chief and Council.
‘Working together’ supports wildfire
resilience
ARM and WLFN have plans to collaborate with other communities to conduct cultural burns later this year for ecosystem restoration.
“That requires a lot of planning and collaboration with BC Wildfire and the band as well,” Johnson said.
Walker discussed the WLFN Community Wildfire Protection Plan and how they are complimenting the work already being done and widening Williams Lake’s boundaries, creating broader areas that will increase the level of wildfire mitigation.
In one of WLFN’s reserves, IR1, the biggest risk is the grassland covering the reserve and nearby areas, and Walker notes that they would like to conduct burns every year, if not every two years.
“There's so much area — that's why we have to start looking at fall burns as well,” Walker said.
When they recently burned 80 hectares of grassland around the WLFN reserve including areas
which had suffered wildfire in 2017, Walker recalled members of nearby communities thanking them for their preparedness.
While conducting both on and off-reserve burns, notifying the residents is important. WLFN delivered notices to residents and utilized social media and local newspapers to ensure the public was aware of the burns since smoke would be visible.
In conjunction with BC Wildfire Service and ARM crews, these burns were successful.
“We've been working together trying to promote cultural burning and good fire,” said Walker.
These efforts are costly, running up to $250,000 for a single operation, and collaboration is also helpful for fundraising. Organizations like the Cariboo Chilcotin Aboriginal Training Employment Centre, First Nations Emergency Services Society (FNESS), Indigenous Services Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada have all provided funds towards wildfire mitigation and fire stewardship.
Both Johnson and Walker discussed the partnership between WLFN and Esk’etemc First Nation where they apply for funding proposals and complete burns and studies together.
FNESS has helped with preparation for fire season including training and demonstration projects for the Esk’etemc community members to get involved.
“We had a FireSmart coordinator funded last year and they helped us with getting Elders’ homes treated,” Johnson said.
FireSmart in the Esk’etemc First Nation community included moving wood and propane tanks away from homes and getting old vehicles moved out of people's yards. They also helped cut the grass and looked after old shrubs around the houses.
WLFN received funding for a FireSmart coordinator in 2021 in conjunction with the city where they worked around Elders’ homes and around critical infrastructure such as community water sources.
Like Williams Lake, ARM relies on a Wildfire Protection Plan and a Wildfire Risk Management plan which identifies evacuation routes and helps guide where to apply for funding.
The company employs and educates people yearround to ensure all jobs are completed — from tree faller to chainsaw operator to fuel treatment. In 2023 Johnson said they had a team who worked fighting fires for six months.
With partnerships already built between WLFN and ARM, Johnson hopes to build capacity with other communities that don’t have fire crews or the training to conduct burns but notes that it’s a long process.
“It definitely takes time because we've got to get our own stuff figured out before we can really help other people.”
ARM crew members work in Tolko Southern Interior Woodlands to retain forage areas after harvesting.
Photo provided by ARM
In March, the BC Wildfire Service, the City of Williams Lake and Williams Lake First Nation collaborated to conduct two prescribed burns within city limits to reduce wildfire risk. Photo via BC Wildfire
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EVENTS
AUG. 9 - SEPT. 7
August
AUG. 9 - AUG. 11
Finishing off the Dunbar Summer Series, Sun Peaks is hosting the 2024 National DH Championships for mountain biking. Go to cyclingbc.net and search Canadian Downhill MTB Championships for a run down of the weekend.
AUG. 11, AUG. 25
Join an interdenominational prayer service from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Sun Peaks chapel where the service is held is at the top of the Sunburst Express chairlift behind the Sunburst Restaurant. All are welcome! Expect readings, a homily and prayer.
AUG. 15
Locals are welcome to enjoy some great deals from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., including tickets for twilight biking at $25. Proof of primary residence via driver’s license will be required at the time of ticket pickup. Other specials include 50 per cent off mountain biking lessons with the sports school and big savings on bike rentals at Elevation Bike Ski and Board.
AUG. 17
Presented by Adventure Immersion Lab, Sun Peaks is hosting an adventure race series including trekking, paddling and mountain biking. The courses are for individuals or teams of two and you’ll only have access to maps and compassess for navigation. Register online at adventureimmersionlab. com.
AUG. 20
Never Ever Day is back for August! This package is $50 and includes a two hour downhill mountain biking lesson, a standard bike rental including protection package and a Progression Park ticket. Register to secure your spot by emailing sportschool@ sunpeaksresort.com.
AUG. 23 - AUG. 25
Tourism Sun Peaks presents a panel of musicians playing live at the Slopeside Main Stage.
On Friday, the Yellow Brick Road Experience featuring Andrew Johns has the stage from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Saturday’s lineup from 12 p.m. through to 10 p.m. includes Joan Jett performed by Blackheart, Fleetwood Mac performed by Fleetwood Magic, The Rolling Stones performed by Chick Jagger and the Rolling Tones and KISS performed by IKONS.
Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen and John Fogerty / CCR performed by American Rock Legends playing from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m on Sunday.
AUG. 26
Sun Peaks Golf Course continues the new Junior Monthly Medal Program! Ages 10 to 18 are invited to tear up the course from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. with a $10 cash entry. Call the Pro Shop at 250.578.5431 or email golf@ sunpeaksresort.com to register.
AUG. 30
Session two of the Summer Stoke Series is here with a $5 to $10 donation entry fee and the chance to win prizes. Racers go headto-head on the progression park pump track from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Check in is at the base of the progression park from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
AUG. 30 - AUG. 31
Junior mountain bike riders ages eight to 12 can practice racing in a competition setting, with the chance to win a 2025 Season Pass! The competition day is Aug. 31 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and you must attend at least one of the practice sessions if you’re taking part in the race. More information and registration is online at sunpeaksresort.com under events.
AUG. 30- SEPT. 2
The party like it’s ‘99 patio series is back again this month, featuring dining specials and live music at restaurant patios around the village all weekend long!
AUG. 31- SEPT. 1
Join the Peaks Pedal Fest scavenger hunt. Dispersed around the Alpine, Mt. Morrisey and Valley trails will be QR codes for participants to scan with their phones, for a chance to win a grand prize.
September
SEPT. 1
Continuing the Pedal Fest adventures, the 15th annual Yeah Bru! Grass Dual Slalom presented by The Bicycle Cafe and Sun Peaks Resort from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Register at 2 p.m. at the base area for a $5 entry fee, cash only, supporting SPRTA and Sun Peaks Skate Park Foundation.
SEPT. 6
Celebrate First Fridays this September with free live music, patio specials and more! Sun Peaks Grand will be presenting Korean street food ft. Ryan Ryul and a sweet table ft. pastry chef Tetiana. Events are active at 4 p.m. capping it off with live music by Sister Speak at the clock tower stage at 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Prior to that, other entertainment will include a circus show and a mini show by Kinshira Entertainment from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
SEPT. 6 - SEPT. 8
The CREATE! Arts and Craft Festival hosted by ArtZone Sun Peaks is back. Be sure to register for a variety of workshops at artzonesunpeaks.com under upcoming events, and get tickets for the Saturday night headliner, Jill Barber.
SEPT. 7
September’s Saturday Sunburst Series Dance Party will have a variety of music from DJ Whitness as well as some sweet treats and mocktails for everyone to enjoy. Dance away with scenic views at the Sunburst Bar and Eatery from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
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417 Sundance Lodge, Sun Peaks, BC
$119,900 +GST
Studio | 1 Bath, 455 sq.ft., Zoned CC-1
Ski-in/out condo-hotel with desirable village location. Outdoor hot tub, exercise room, laundry, underground parking & in-house management. 180 days owner use.
47 Settler's Crossing, Sun Peaks, BC
$749,500 +GST
2 Bed | 2 Bath, 897 sq.ft., Zoned TA-1
Ski-in, ski-out with private hot tub, cozy gas fireplace, hardwood upgrade, owner's ski locker & large storage cage. Furnished. Zoned for nightly rentals.
70 Crystal Forest, Sun Peaks, BC
$929,000 +GST
4 Bed | 3 Bath, 1350 sq.ft., Zoned TA-1
Ski-in/out corner unit with a great location. Refurbished kitchen counters, appliances & flooring. Zoned for shortterm rentals. Offered furnished with hot tub.
2556 Golden Horn Road, Heffley, BC
$1,559,000 GST N/A
5 Bed | 3 Bath, 1712 sq.ft., Zoned AF-1
Cottage on Heffley Lake with detached garage, workshop & studio suite. Private dock, large mulit-level sundeck with hot tub & outdoor shower.
1330/1332 Burfield Dr., Sun Peaks, BC
$2,290,000
5 Bed | 6 Bath, 3360 sq.ft., Zoned R-1
Full duplex with 2 seperate titles backing onto McGillivray Creek. Rustic meets modern w/ extensive upgrades. Site-specific amendment permits office-based business.
Alder Estates
Discover the perfect blend of mountain living and outdoor adventures at Alder Estates! Adjacent to Sun Peaks Golf Course, these 16 lots offer prime skiing and biking access. With gentle topography, southern/ westerly exposure, underground utilities, and stunning mountain views, this unique subdivision is zoned for short-term rentals. Ideal for investors or dream-home builders, don't miss out on this exceptional mountain retreat!
Lots starting at $549,000 +GST Visit alder-estates.ca for more information.
