NEW FREESTYLE CLUB PAGE 17
ANDREW CHRISTOPHER RELEASES NEW SINGLE PAGE 10
DECEMBER 18—24
Snow showers; turning mild
DECEMBER 25—31 Flurries, turning cold
JANUARY 1—4 Snow showers
JANUARY 5—9
Snow showers, very cold
JANUARY 10—14 Flurries, mild
JANUARY 15—17 Snowstorm
JANUARY 17—21
Snow showers, mild
VOLUME 13 ISSUE 13
@sunpeaksnews
DECEMBER 18 — JANUARY 21
/sunpeaksnews
FREE
CELEBRATING “IT’S PHENOMENAL. HE KNOWS EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY OF THIS PLACE”
two decades OF SERVICE
VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER RECEIVES NATIONAL AWARD
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
F
or the longest serving firefighter in Sun Peaks, two decades of work passed by quickly.
Arne Fevang was awarded with the Governor General of Canada’s Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal for 20 years of service as a volunteer firefighter in Sun Peaks. Fevang received the award at the annual Sun Peaks Firefighters’ Gala this past November. “It didn’t take long to do 20 years to tell you the truth,” Fevang said.
Fevang joined Sun Peaks Fire Rescue (SPFR) approximately six weeks into its inception in 1995 and has been a key member ever since, serving as chief from 1997 to 2000. He originally moved to Sun Peaks to work as a chef at Masa’s Bar + Grill and volunteered as a firefighter because “it was something to do on a Wednesday night.” He was a part of the construction of the fire hall and has brought his knowledge and experience from working many different jobs around the resort to SPFR. “In the early years he did a
lot of the laying out of the roads and the sewers. That’s information that you’ll find in books and he’s ‘I know where that pipe is, it’s over here’ and that’s because he put the pipe in,” said Fire Chief Colin Cannon. “It’s phenomenal. He knows every nook and cranny of this place.” The 56-year-old has been on the response team for many of the major emergencies throughout the years. Although he wasn’t amongst the first responders, he was part of the crew that fought the infamous Delta Hotel fire in 2001. “I showed up late because I
was not on the mountain at the time but it was pretty intense. It was overwhelming,” Fevang recalled. “It was amazing that a small fire department with one fire truck could hold that thing.” The most memorable moment with his tenure with SPFR came last winter when the emergency crews were credited with saving the life of a patient who had gone into cardiac arrest. “That heart attack last winter, that was probably the craziest one I’ve been on,” Fevang said. “I’ve been on a lot of car accidents where people are dead, but that was the only time we’ve
ever brought somebody back from the dead. Back at the fire hall after everybody was looking at each other like, ‘did that really happen?’” “As a group you can handle that sort of thing and it’s kind of overwhelming but amazing at the same time. You have the other end of that too because we’ll do CPR and they’ll die on you too. You get the whole range of emotions.” His experience is also valuable for the new members of SPFR. “Arne loves this fire department. His presence definitely builds a lot of comradery,” said Captain Luke ....Continued on Page 7
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
sunpeaksnews.com
1
Toonie Day breaks the bank PHOTO: SUN PEAKS RESORT
SHATTERED RECORDS: Skiers and riders donated around 3,500 pounds of food and helped raise over $8,500.
by CARMEN RUIZ
T
his year’s Toonie Day was one for the record books. With over $8,500 raised, approximately 3,500 pounds of donated food and a visitor turnout of over 4,600 skiers, it was the most successful Toonie Day in the event’s history, which
began in 1999. “This was our biggest (Toonie Day) ever,” said Aidan Kelly, director of sales and marketing for Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR). “The mountain was very pleased to see the turnout this year for Toonie Day—the fantastic early season snow conditions definitely helped bring
many folks up for a fun day on the trails,” said Kelly. The mountain was so busy that parking was a bit of a challenge. “With the focus being on our local market for Toonie Day, parking was a bit of an adventure throughout the resort. We had a much higher percentage of day skier traffic than we would normally see,” he said. Traditionally held the first Monday in December, guests were able to purchase a lift ticket for only two dollars and a non-perishable food item with all proceeds and food items donated to the Kamloops Food Bank. “It‘s an event that supports a critical charity within the community yet encourages people to come up to Sun Peaks and experience our winter playground,” said Christopher Nic-
CRIME
olson, president of Tourism Sun Peaks. Wes Graham, operations manager for the Kamloops Food Bank, said he was overwhelmed with the amount food and money raised. “It was the most amount of food and the most amount of money that they donated for the winter Toonie Day. It was amazing unloading the trailer that (SPR) brought. We were concerned about the weight. They had to put some of the food in the back of the truck. It was fantastic!” he said. “We would like to thank everyone that supported Toonie Day and thank you to all the organizers,” he said. Sun Peaks also hosts a Toonie Day in the summer in support of the local food bank. To make an online donation visit www.kamloopsfoodbank.org.
New criteria prompts fewer applicants 2016 GRANT APPLICATIONS WERE ACCEPTED UNTIL NOV. 30 by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
O
nly one community grant was awarded for 2016 by the Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality on Monday, Dec. 7. The Sun Peaks Recreational Trail Association received $1,560 for the purchase of additional tools. “They go and put a lot of work in, so we can help them buy some tools and things like that so they aren’t buying those out of their own personal buckets,” said Mayor Al Raine. The tools will be used for the construction and maintenance of multi-use recreational trails
throughout Sun Peaks. The Trail Association was the lone application received for a grant this year, which may be in part due to a change in the structure. Charities can apply for funding for two years in a row, but the third year they will not be eligible to receive a grant. “In this intake there were probably some of these that ran into the two year thing. I think we kind of expected it would be a smaller number this year and then it will change once everybody starts to get back into it and it’ll start to move again through the system and we’ll start
to get that average number where we can actually make some half decent donations to these groups that need the money,” said Rob Bremner, chief administrative officer for the municipality. “Our money is so small that all of a sudden we were getting down to not making any half decent awards, hence the two years in a row and then you have to move on.” The same organizations have typically been the same ones receiving the funding year after year, which is believed to be the reason for only having one applicant this year. The municipality has general-
ly received between three and five applications in previous years, according to Bremner. “We don’t have a lot of money to help out the various community groups, but we’re just trying to encourage them a little bit,” Raine said. As the community grows, as will the demand for community grants which prompted the shift in the structure this year. A community grant gets awarded by the municipality to a non-profit organization’s project as long as the project has ties to Sun Peaks. “We have more volunteers in this community than we have residents, according to the census,” Raine said. “Without volunteers this community
WINTER POLICING IN FULL SWING Winter policing patrols have begun in Sun Peaks. Three road checks were conducted in November, which stopped 100 drivers. Six speeding tickets were issued, with several warnings also given for various violations. There were also five foot patrols and 10 dedicated bar checks. Police responded to 12 calls in Sun Peaks in the month of November. The owner of $6,000 in stolen construction tools from a lot on Lookout Ridge Place was able to locate and recover the items in Kamloops. Police are continuing to look into the matter. Police and Search and Rescue responded to call involving five snowmobilers stranded on McGillivray Lake Forest Road on Nov. 17. All were dressed for the weather and managed to hike back to their vehicles by the time help arrived. All declined to be examined by ambulance. On Nov. 23, police received a complaint of a snowmobile travelling on the Valley Trail and the golf course, causing damage to the greens underneath. Police are investigating the matter and remind the public anyone caught damaging the golf course could face criminal charges or civil action.
would be hard pressed to do the things we’re doing.” The amount of the grant can’t exceed 50 per cent of the total cost of the project. Past grants have ranged from $500 up to $2,500 with an annual budget between $5,000 and $6,000. This year, the remaining dollars will be counted as a surplus and will be carried forward to the balance of grant funds budgeted to 2017.
NEW YEAR MEANS NEW LICENCE As the calendar winds down on 2015, it is once again time for Sun Peaks businesses to renew their business licence. Last year’s expire on Dec. 31 and must be renewed by January, but there has already been a steady flow of businesses handing them into the municipality, according to chief administrative officer Rob Bremner. “We’ve had really good response and people have been really good with getting in and getting them,” Bremner said. “When you get your notice just drop by the (municipality) office.” 2
sunpeaksnews.com
There are approximately 190 licenced businesses in Sun Peaks. Any business within the municipal boundaries requires a licence available from the Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality. “The small businesses, especially the small village businesses, are crucial to guest experience. Without guest experience, we don’t have repeat customers,” said Mayor Al Raine. The fees collected from business licences will be spent annually to benefit the business community, according to the municipality bylaw.
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
“There’s no question a lot of the businesses are directly involved in providing tourism services, and then there’s a whole bunch of businesses that are indirectly involved,” Raine said. “They might not meet the tourists themselves but they’re providing the plumbing, cleaning or some service that’s behind the front desk that the average guest doesn’t see, but it’s all a critical part of delivering the product.” More information on the requirements for business licences is available online at sunpeaksmunicipality.ca/ business.
STEAKHOUSE AT SUN PEAKS LODGE E
“Enjoy your evening with great steaks and daily specials in a casual family atmosphere.”
Ph: 250 578 7878
E
Reservations Recommended
Visitevening SunPeaksLodge.com “Enjoy your with great steaks to view our menu and daily specials in a casual family atmosphere.”
Ph: 250 578 7878
Reservations Recommended Visit SunPeaksLodge.com to view our menu
Settler’s Crossing, Sun Peaks, BC
t 250.578.7773
tf 1.877.578.5774
$2,399,000
$999,000
4253 Bella Vista Drive, Sun Peaks, BC Spectacular log post and beam chalet with views, sunshine and luxurious living spaces. Heated driveway, media/games room, sauna, hot tub, fully furnished, plus self-contained suite. INTRODUCING
OPEN DAILY 9 TO 6 IN THE VILLAGE STROLL AT SUN PEAKS
4159 Sundance Drive, Sun Peaks, BC Ski to your backyard hot tub from the main ski trails. Open living with wall of windows, 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, media room, gourmet kitchen, fully furnished, double garage and revenue suite.
$849,000 2218 Sunburst Drive, Sun Peaks, BC 6 bedroom chalet steps from main ski lifts. Bright & spacious, flexible floor plan, granite counter tops & soaring windows. Self-contained 2 bedroom suite. Furnished, garage. New appliances & hot tub.
INTRODUCING
$545,000
$548,000
gst applicable
$249,000
gst applicable
302 Kookaburra Lodge, Sun Peaks, BC
7 Trail’s Edge, Sun Peaks, BC
11 Settler’s Crossing, Sun Peaks, BC
Central ski-in/out, 3 bedroom, 3 bath, fully furnished end unit. Spacious open living area & lock off studio suite. Large, creekside deck, hot tub, gourmet kitchen, hardwood floors & granite countertops.
Ski-in/out, 3 level, spacious end unit. 3 bedrooms, open living area & family room + sleeping area. Fully furnished, 2 river rock gas fireplaces, walkout patio, hot tub, 2 sundecks, granite eating bar, garage
Bright, ski-in/out, 2 bedroom, 2 bath upper unit. Featuring spacious galley kitchen with breakfast bar, open living area, vaulted ceiling and cozy gas fireplace. Heated parking. Furnished.
NEW PRICE
INTRODUCING
$225,000
$224,900
$230,000
5419 Lookout Ridge Place, Sun Peaks, BC
7331 Cahilty Crescent, Whitecroft, BC
37 Timberline Village, Sun Peaks, BC
Level entry, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, newer half duplex on 1/2 an acre in Whitecroft. Bright kitchen, family room, sun deck & expansive patio with views. Storage, workshop, fully landscaped.
Ski-in/out, upper 2 bedroom, 2 bath home. Private master suite in loft, fireplace, heated tile floors. Covered deck overlooking green space with creek. Recent upgrades, furnished. Royce Sihlis
Ski-in/out residential site with views to Mt Tod & approved house plans. Level entry home with walkout, daylight basement & revenue suite, Pavement, curbs & underground utility services to lot line. INTRODUCING
$199,950 Tod Mountain Café, Sun Peaks, BC Turnkey business opportunity in prime location. Includes outdoor seating areas with take out window & owner parking in underground garage. Extensive upgrades. Income growth in summer & winter.
$69,000
gst applicable
232 Nancy Greene’s Cahilty Lodge, Sun Peaks, BC Bright, spacious ski-in/out, fully furnished studio suite in the heart of the Village that comfortably sleeps 4. Ski storage, heated underground parking.
SHOWCASE YOUR PROPERTY TO THE WORLD Our agents offer exemplary service and marketing for homes in every neighbourhood at:
sothebysrealty.com sothebysrealty.ca wallstreetjournal.com newyorktimes.com hongkongtatler.com ft.com jamesedition.com mansionglobal.com dwell.com
+
dozens of exclusive websites and publications. Request a complimentary marketing consultation for your home at sunpeaks@sothebysrealty.ca
From $48,000 The Residences at Sun Peaks Grand 1 & 2 Bedroom Units • ¼ or Whole Ownership • Professional Management • Gourmet Kitchens • Heated Parking • Pools, Hot Tubs, Gym • Ski & Bike Storage • Fully Furnished
RECENTLY SOLD 2203 Sunburst Drive...................................List Price: $509,000 39 Snow Creek Village ...............................List Price: $379,000 121/123 Nancy Greene’s Cahilty Lodge List Price: $69,000
sunpeakscollection.com Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, Independently Owned and Operated. E.&O.E.: This information is from sources which we deem reliable, but must be verified by prospective purchasers and may be subject to change or withdrawal.
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
sunpeaksnews.com
3
E-savings for skiers SUN PEAKS INDEPENDENT NEWS INC. PO Box 1043 Sun Peaks BC V0E 5N0
DISCOUNTS FOR PRE-PURCHASED ONLINE TICKETS
Phone: 250•578•0276 SUNPEAKSRESORT.COM
For comments, questions, concerns email: editor@sunpeaksnews.com Email your classifieds or ads to: editor@sunpeaksnews.com
www.sunpeaksnews.com @sunpeaksnews /sunpeaksnews sunpeaksnews @sunpeaksnews
#sunpeaksnews
OUR TEAM EDITOR & PUBLISHER Brandi Schier brandi@sunpeaksnews.com
GRAPHIC ARTIST Jen Schier
SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS: Screenshot from Sun Peaks’ new online ticketing system.
jen@sunpeaksnews.com
REPORTER Jamie Shinkewski jamie@sunpeaksnews.com
WRITERS Tracy Gilchrist Jean Strong Carmen Ruiz
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
I
n an aim to attract more guests during low traffic times, Sun Peaks Resort has launched a new dynamic online pricing program for day tickets. The new system, introduced on Nov. 26, rewards guests
with lower prices for booking tickets in advance. The discounts are based on supply and demand, so tickets for quieter days will likely be cheaper than busy days. “A Wednesday in early December, for example, will have a much lower price than a Saturday over Christmas holi-
days,” said Aidan Kelly, director of sales and marketing for Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR). “The goal there is to try and push some additional skiers and visitation during our slower periods, get more people up here to enjoy the mountain during quieter times.” The tickets will be offered in a tiered system with a certain amount available to purchase at each price. When one ticket price sells out, it will be bumped up to the next price tier. So, the further in advance tickets are purchased, the greater the savings. The ticket price will max out at the full day price, currently $86. The dynamic pricing is only available for alpine tickets, but Kelly said he is already working to expand the program to include Nordic tickets. “It works well for us here at the resort from the standpoint of we’re getting committed skiers that are coming up to Sun Peaks, and it also works for the guests because they’re getting a good deal on a good price by purchasing in advance,”
“THE GOAL THERE IS TO TRY AND PUSH SOME ADDITIONAL SKIERS AND VISITATION DURING OUR SLOWER PERIODS, GET MORE PEOPLE UP HERE TO ENJOY THE MOUNTAIN DURING QUIETER TIMES.” Kelly said. Sun Peaks partnered with Liftopia for the program, which is similar to what some other resorts have implemented to increase their e-commerce traffic, although Kelly did not know of any other resorts in Western Canada that have adopted the practice. “There’s a number of other resorts in North America that are following a similar model, we’re not pioneers in this by any stretch, but it’s definitely something new for our customer base,” Kelly said. Kelly also stated in a press release the new program is an effort to manage the rising costs in the ski industry while still providing value to guests.
CONTRIBUTORS Mel Rothenburger
Preparing for an emergency
Gerald Allgaier Each issue reaches thousands of readers and one copy is available FREE to residents and visitors. Anyone taking papers in bulk will be prosecuted. The opinions expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, owners or writers. This publication may not be reproduced in any form without prior written consent from the publisher.
VOLUNTEER NUMBERS TRIPLE FOR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTRE PHOTO JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
ON THE
COVER
PRACTISING THEIR RESPONSE: The new volunteers went through 14 hours of training learning how to run an Emergency Operations Centre.
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
T Images submitted
wenty newly trained volunteers are ready to assist emergency crews in case of a large scale emergency in
Sun Peaks. The new volunteers more than triple the amount of help available for the local Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), which is invoked when an incident
response team needs off-site support. Training took place on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. It was the first time an Emergency Operation Centre Essentials Course, conducted by the Justice Institute of B.C., was hosted in Sun Peaks. The $5,000 course was funded by Emergency Management B.C. “We will probably have 28 people that have taken the course over the past couple of years and have agreed to volunteer for their community if something really bad goes down and we need their
help,” said Colin Cannon, chief of Sun Peaks Fire Rescue. “It’s absolutely huge. It’s essential. There’s a span of control that any member of emergency (personnel) has and once you get past seven (people) you really need outside help, which is the Emergency Operations Centre.” The volunteers received 14 hours of training on how to run an EOC in case of a major emergency, including running through simulations of disasters. The centre is called into place when the emergency crews on
“IT’S ABSOLUTELY HUGE. IT’S ESSENTIAL”
the site of the incident are overwhelmed and need more support than is available on the ground. The EOC volunteers will be called to help in a major emergency such as a forest fire, propane accident or flooding. A large part of their responsibility to liaison with other actors, such as BC Wildfire or BC Hydro. “It’s fantastic that the members of the community are stepping up,” Cannon said.
YOUR OPINIONS, COMMENTS OR COMMENDATIONS ARE WELCOME Send your letters & opinions by mail to: Sun Peaks Independent News | Box 1043 Sun Peaks, B.C. V0E 5N0 or by e-mail: editor@sunpeaksnews.com All correspondence must contain a last name & a contact number for verification—phone numbers won’t be published. Writers are encouraged to keep letters to 250 or fewer words. Letters submitted without the writer’s name won’t be published. Sun Peaks Indpendent News reserves the right to edit letters for length, style, legality & taste. Letters not published in Sun Peaks Indpendent News may be published online at www.sunpeaksnews.com 4
sunpeaksnews.com
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
opinion PAGE Time to step up
FROM
sunpeaksnews.com
NEW FREESTYLE SKI TEAM A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BRANDI SCHIER PUBLISHER’S NOTE brandi@sunpeaksnews.com
W
hat makes a world class ski resort? Is it the number of runs and lifts? The level of amenities or the amount of accommodation? To many vacationers, these stats say a lot. But to another type of guest, reputation within the ski and snowboard industry is really what sets a destination apart. This stat is obviously more elusive to quantify, but when it’s there, you know it. Think about Park City, Whistler, or Jackson Hole. You know it’s good because that’s where the pros are. And while Sun Peaks is becoming a top training facility in the Canadian world of alpine skiing, there are other important disciplines which don’t yet have the same status here. Boardercross and ski cross
have been Olympic sports since 2006 and with the inclusion of the slopestyle events in the Sochi games, you can no longer argue it’s a rouge hobby. These athletes are just as dedicated as the rest, with a powerful fan base and industry behind them. In Canada, it’s almost a given that once an athlete reaches a certain level they must move to Whistler for a chance at a career. It’s where you’ll network, train, compete and film, and it holds an important and esteemed place within our industry. But wouldn’t it be great if we could hold onto our talented locals for a little while longer? Sun Peaks has made an important step forward by establishing a new freestyle ski team. In the past, these Kamloops athletes wishing to compete had to join clubs at other nearby Interior mountains. You can read more about this on page 17, but we still have progress to make in terms of freestyle
snowboarding, skier and boardercross, or even super pipe. While it’s expensive to build and maintain facilities, employ coaches and fundraise for clubs, it should be considered an investment as opposed to an expense. There are numerous longterm economic spin-offs, most recently evidenced in the record breaking ski race training pre-season we just had. First in terms of lift tickets and training space, but also revenue in the tens of thousands to our hotels and village businesses. Some may argue against it, but I believe having a strong reputation in this regard is also a motivation for travel. Kids want to ride where the pros train, even if they’re not hitting the 100’ booter. They want to ski where the photos in magazines are from. Adults want a trusted name for they can rely on for the experience they want. And one only has to glance at the Whistler Win-
ter Athlete Team to see the marketing value of successful homegrown athletes. Our terrain park continues to improve and gain credibility every winter. Sun Peaks has proven it can hold large scale comps, such as the recent Dew Tour Am Series. There’s no reason to stop this trajectory. Why not a permanent ski and bordercross training run or even a future dry land trampoline centre for athletes who want to live here yearround? The opportunities are truly endless. I’m stoked to see how this fledgling team fairs this season and excited they will be representing Sun Peaks at competitions around the area. With the right support from us I’m sure they’ll kill it. Hopefully, along with the new skier cross races, it will be a catalyst for more positive changes on the way to becoming world class resort with a matching industry reputation.
POLITICAL Point of View gerald@sunpeaksnews.com
“Say it in broken English.” - Marianne Faithfull
W
hile our new Prime Minister is wowing international media with his good looks, adorable family and sunny disposition, his speaking ability in interviews and sound bites is a national embarrassment. His pronouncements at the recent Paris climate change conference were peppered with “ums,” “uhs,” and a couple of “you knows.” On such a supposedly important issue, one would think he could knock off a couple of sentences without sounding like a semiliterate grade nine student. The real bad news is that his inarticulateness is astoundingly common. I recently listened
to Rand Paul, a Republican presidential contender, who is an eye doctor by training and a sitting US Senator, explain his position on weighty world and domestic issues. It was torture and pretty well in line with Trudeau’s dismal ability in front of a mike. Both men can speak well enough given a prepared script and time to practice but on the spot proper English seems to be a chore for them. Tuning to CBC’s excellent science program Quirks and Quarks, I was again assaulted by dithering words that felt like the speaker was stuck and spinning his wheels until he or she could think straight. Toss in the all too common “you know?” add a couple of “rights?” and then finish off a sentence with “you know what I mean?” Hearing people with PhDs speak like this about their field of expertise scares me more than whatever comments they had about climate
change (again!) or the fate of snakes with a new and deadly fungal disease. I’m starting to like Donald Trump more and more, not because he gets attention on issues he thinks are important, but because he speaks in a straightforward and easily understandable format that any listener can either comprehend or get outraged by. His diction is even and his message (love it or hate it) is clear. One can laugh at hockey and football coaches for their use of timeworn clichés, but I‘m finding these jocks speak better English in interviews than politicians and scientists. They seem to be able to answer a question clearly and elucidate their response concisely. Probably the most egregious examples of Pidgin English are by newscasters and policemen. In Europe, the opposition parties are always called “far right” but the governing So-
“Has been a good start to the season. It’s been a great week of skiing. As usual Sun Peaks does a great job in hiring front line staff. Small dumps every few days in the forecast with no pineapple express in sight.” - Foglifter
WESTSYDE YDE VICE SERVICE Auto Repairs Diesel Repairs
The slow death of speech GERALD ALLGAIER
RE: SNOW CONDITIONS PROMPT EARLY OPENING
Air Conditioning Repairs Gov. Certified Inspection Facility “YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, RIGHT!?”
cialists are never identified as “far left.” Cops drive me around the bend when they say “alleged suspect” and “at this point in time.” I hope they don’t speak like this at home. Weather forecasters talk about highs and lows and then babble on about what the “normal” temperature should be when they can really say average temperature for this date in time (deliberate oops)! Maybe people are getting so overwhelmed with the constant flow of information and their addiction to being connected that their speaking and writing abilities are regressing as a defense mechanism? You know what I mean, right!?
BILL & MIKE LINDSAY Ph: 250-579-5532 Fax: 250-579-5852 3475 Westsyde Rd., Kamloops, BC V2B 8C5
• groceries
• produce
Meat & Produce • Baked Goods Oso Negro Coffee • Pharmacy/Personal Items
WE’RE OPEN DAILY For all your grocery needs See you at the Bluebird Market
Open 8 am to 9 pm daily Located on the Ground Floor of the Residences at Sun Peaks Grand
Phone: 250-578-2414
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
sunpeaksnews.com
5
HOUSING SALES SEE 36.5 PERCENT INCREASE IN 2015 FILE PHOTO
SOARING SALES: : 2015 was a year of rebounding sales for local real estate.
Real estate bouncing back by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
N
ew permanent Sun Peaks residents are leading the charge for an increase in real estate sales in 2015. The resort’s housing market is seeing a recovery from a downfall that has been occurring since 2008. “We’re definitely seeing more enthusiasm in the market with more retirees and first time homebuyers that have moved to Sun Peaks to be full time residents. It’s not just seasonal recreational people,” said Lark Frolek-Dale, owner of Remax Alpine Resort Realty Corp.,
who are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. There were 86 total sales in Sun Peaks between Jan. 1 and Dec. 8 in 2015, compared to 63 sales in the same period in 2014, a 36.5 per cent increase. The largest increase was in single family home sales, which increased 62.5 per cent with 13 sales in 2015 compared to eight in 2014. Townhouses also significantly increased with 22 sales in 2015, up from 15 sales in 2014. Condos accounted for nearly half of total sales with 42 units being sold, up 20 per cent from a year ago. “If you look around Sun Peaks
you really see a cross section of ages. It’s not any one group that’s highly represented more than another,” said Liz Forster, managing broker for Sotheby’s International Realty in Sun Peaks. “I’d say by far the biggest trend I see is that more people want to be here longer term.” The average sale price also increased by 19 per cent in 2015. The average price of a home was $672,599 compared to $564,575 in 2014. New homes under construction have also increased. In 2015, 19 building permits were issued compared to 15 in 2014, according to the municipality’s
chief administrative officer Rob Bremner. Local real estate agents attribute the growth of the Sun Peaks community in helping to attract new home buyers, such as the recent expansion of the ski terrain as well as many signature events. The development of the elementary school and secondary academy have also been a key attractant for bringing young families to Sun Peaks. “It’s turned into a four season destination where everybody wants to be a part of it,” FrolekDale said. “Typically when tourism numbers increase we see an improvement in sales.”
Tax increase proposed for visitors ONE PER CENT INCREASE FOR OVERNIGHT STAYS by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
V
isitors could face an increased price on accommodation by next summer with a proposed tax increase on overnight stays. Tourism Sun Peaks (TSP) is in the process of increasing the Municipal Regional District Tax (MRDT) from two to three per cent. The MRDT is an additional tax levied on guests when paying for an overnight room and has been at two per cent in Sun Peaks since 2004. “You’re paying for the room, the provincial and federal taxes, and you’re paying an additional two per cent. That MRDT is widespread across the province, I don’t know any destination that doesn’t have it,” said Christopher Nicolson, president of TSP. The optional increase to a three per cent MRDT was legislated by the B.C. Government in September 2015. The tax increase is optional and each municipality has the choice whether or not to raise the rate for their visitors. Over 50 municipalities across the province have implemented a two per cent MRDT tax. So far only the City of Vancouver has increased the MRDT to the new maximum of three per cent, according to the Ministry of Finance. The increase in the MRDT in Sun Peaks will offset costs that are being lost from a change in another tax on overnight accommodations known as the RMI. The Resort Municipality Initiative fund (RMI), which is a part of the provincial sales tax, has new stipulations and will 6
sunpeaksnews.com
need to be specifically used for infrastructure funding going forward. The RMI dollars have been imperative to funding big name musicians and other high profile events to Sun Peaks. “I would say we are the destination across the province that has been able to demonstrate beyond any shadow of a doubt a massive increase on return of investment on the RMI dollars, however it’s gone into events it hasn’t necessarily gone into infrastructure,” Nicolson said. The intent of implementing the increased percentage on the MRDT tax is to offset the lost RMI dollars to continue growing important events around the community. If a resort municipality is to increase the MRDT to three per cent, two tenths of those funds will be collected by the provincial government to be used as an event marketing fund. It is still unclear how that fund will work, but TSP plans to apply to use that money to continue growing events in Sun Peaks. “The intent is we have a lot of events, everything from the Spartan Race to the wine festival, those are events that we would expect because they successfully drive visitation,” Nicolson said. “We would apply with those kinds of events to try and increase the profile.” The MRDT is currently used for destination advertising. Essentially, the guests are paying a tax that in turn is used to attract more guests to Sun Peaks. Ads on television and in international markets, such as Australia, are funded through this tax. The process to increase the
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
MRDT is expected to take between six and nine months, which means it won’t be implemented in Sun Peaks until next summer at the earliest. The process includes getting support from the Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality, Destination BC, as well as going through a very thorough application process. Over 50
per cent of accommodators representing over 50 per cent of the rooms will also have to approve the tax raise. The tax raise has been approved by the TSP board of directors. The municipality has expressed support and over 50 per cent of accommodators have agreed to the raise, although Nicolson said they are
still reaching out to some of the hotels. “We’re going through that. We want to talk to all the operators and go through to make sure everyone is fully aware,” Nicolson said. “It doesn’t affect the residents and it doesn’t affect the individual businesses. It’s a flow through from the guests.”
TOURISM SUN PEAKS
Member Update TSP Central Reservations reports that Sun Peaks’ overall resort occupancy for January through March is pacing ahead of this same time last year. November posted a 32% increase over last season due to the great early conditions for ski teams visiting the training centre. A ski advertising campaign on CTV BC is running through March 2016, alongside radio advertising on five lower mainland stations and an online digital presence. This complements an out-of-home campaign that SPR LLP is leading on Sky Train transit. TSP recently attended the Canadian Inbound Tourism Assoc. - Asia Pacific (CITAP) annual Winter Function. This is part of a strategy to continue attracting both inbound Asia (China, Japan etc.) guests and the lower mainland based Asian population. The ‘visiting friends and relatives’ overseas segment is growing in importance and the local community hosting these guests is critical in influencing where they travel in BC. TSP will be in Australia in January/February as part of Destination Canada’s Corroboree travel trade event. Upwards of 1000 retail travel agents in four major catchment areas will be trained on Sun Peaks. This is a key time to be in-market when other resorts are not, allowing more face time with important operators. For winter operators, it is the prime Australia travel period so we can discuss issues, trends and begin plans for next season while the information is top of mind. TSP is hosting a Destination BC led media fam in January, with a focus on key ski media from China. These guests represent Shanghai Morning Post, Outdoor Exploration Magazine, Outside Magazine, and Outdoor Gears magazine along with a variety of skiing and snowboarding websites. TSP is also hosting two additional media fams in January over the weekends of the Sun Peaks Winter Okanagan Wine Festival. The first is a Destination BC ski focused fam and the other is in partnership with Okanagan Wine Festivals. The two groups will represent a variety of TV, print and online channels from ski media, lifestyle and culinary outlets such as LAX Magazine, Air Chicago, Vancouver Sun/ Province and high-end freelance writers. Santa’s Alpine Visit was yet again a huge success with guests coming from near and far to have photos with Santa and participate in the village festivities; Isbjørn the Polar Bear was a favourite!
Call 250.578.5380 or visit www.SunPeaksResort.com/Tourism
Green Art Festival Association Debuts Film Series SHOWINGS CONCENTRATE ON NATURE PHOTO: ITUNES
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
T
SKIING IN ALASKA: The Dream Factory is one of three films that will be screened at the Christmas on the Mountain Film Series.
he Green Art Festival is introducing a new event to bring family entertainment to the mountain during the Holidays. The Christmas on the Mountain Film Series will feature one movie per night from Dec. 26 to 28 in the Alpine Room at the Sun Peaks Grand Hotel. “I thought it would be nice to introduce some family stuff that you can do when you get off the hill,” said Dasha Novak, president of the Green Art Festival Association. The first year of the Christmas film festival will open with All the Time in the World, which was an audience favourite at the 2015 Midnight Sun Festival this past summer. “We showed this film outdoors last summer and so many people said ‘we weren’t here we would love to see it,’” she said. The documentary film by Suzanne Crocker features a fam-
ily of five who live remotely in the Yukon wilderness through the challenge of a long northern winter. Filmed over the course of the nine months, the film has received numerous awards at film festivals across Canada. “It’s got beautiful cinematography and it’s a really good story, so I thought this would be a perfect film to show during Christmastime,” Novak said. The Dream Factory will follow on Dec. 27. The film focuses on Alaska as a place of dreams, from the gold rush to fishing to the rapid expansion of freeride skiing and snowboarding, with Teton Gravity Research Athletes. “I think it will really hit a high note with the existing audience here, with people who are adrenaline junkies who just love these sort of films,” Novak said. The festival will wrap up with Keiko: The Untold Story of the Star of Free Willy on Dec. 28. The multiple-award winning documentary tells the story of
“I THINK IT WILL REALLY HIT A HIGH NOTE WITH THE EXISTING AUDIENCE HERE, WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE ADRENALINE JUNKIES WHO JUST LOVE THESE SORT OF FILMS”
the orca, who spent 14 years in captivity before starring in the 1993 blockbuster movie Free Willy. The decision was ultimately made to return the killer whale to waters near Iceland, making Keiko the first orca returned to the wild from captivity in 1998. “It’s a beautifully told story about orcas in general, about the filmmaking business and the return to the natural habitat,” Novak said. “What they all have in common is this love for nature,” Novak said of the three featured films. “This is something that we really need here on the hill and (I’ve had) lots of support from the community.” Tickets will range from $10 to $15 and are available at greenartfestival.org or at the door.
....Continued from cover
Harrison, training officer for SPFR. “Everything is very personal to him. It’s not just a ski season. He brings everybody in even if they are only going to be here for six months.” “Arne’s just great. If you need something he’s a very good guy to go to. Any questions, help with anything, it’s not a problem to go to Arne,” said volunteer firefighter Alanna Vignale. Vignale and Captain Dean Schiavon were also recognized at November’s gala. Vignale was recognized for five years of service and Schiavon was recognized for becoming the local assistant to the fire chief. “It’s fantastic. It’s an honour to be able to acknowledge to this community the effort that is being put in by volunteers here in Sun Peaks for the betterment of this community,” Cannon said. Member retention has always been a challenge for SPFR. Vignale became the seventh active member to reach five years with the department. There are currently 27 active volunteers and three paid firefighters. “It’s a huge commitment. There’s a lot of time spent
here,” said Schiavon, who has been a member for eight years. “It shows great commitment to this community to have them here.” Fevang has also been leaving his legacy in the fire hall. He has created a history of SPFR by hanging photos of members throughout the years, as well as photos and articles from some of the major emergencies the department attended. If you ask him about it, his humility shines through. The wall is a work in progress. “Somebody has to do it,” he said. “I still have boxes of stuff to put up there yet, I’m trying to grow it.” Looking at the current state of SPFR, Fevang said it’s the best it has even been. “Right now is probably as good as it’s going to get,” he said. “We’ve got good people, we’ve got good synergy going between the guys at patrol, the corporation, the fire department, and it’s all coming together.” SPFR will be looking for new recruits in 2016. Any residents of Sun Peaks or Whitecroft are welcome to join the 10 week training program beginning on Jan. 7. Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
sunpeaksnews.com
7
8
sunpeaksnews.com
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
Minimal municipal tax increase expected in 2016 by JEAN STRONG
D
espite two large upcoming projects, minimal municipal tax increases are expected for residents of Sun Peaks. The Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality created a draft 2016 budget for the end of December. Mayor Al Raine said he predicts taxes will stay about the same as in previous years. “In the last couple of years, and I think that will continue to be the case this year, regional district taxes have been coming down by more than 1.5 per cent. So we have actually been able to keep the total tax package pretty much the same for the past three or four years.” There is an average increase of 1.5 per cent annually, which Raine said is in line with inflation. Some of the new buildings within the community may see an additional increase of one per cent. The two costly additions, the
Health Centre and anticipated ice rink, are not expected to create a strain on the budget or result in increased taxes. “We’re not taking money from somewhere else to create the health centre,” Raine said, adding the centre’s budget of $1.5 million has already been raised. While the budget will not be finalized until the spring, council chose to complete a draft before the end of the year. “Council said we want to have a draft of next year’s budget before the end of this year. So we have always met in December and done a tentative budget,” said Raine. “This council said we’re not waiting until April or May to have a look at the budget, we want to see the budget for November or December so we’re sure we’ve got the right projects lined up.” An official draft will be presented at the council meeting on Dec. 21, and input will be welcomed from the public. Another public meeting will be held in the spring after more
“OF THE TAXES THAT PEOPLE PAY IN SUN PEAKS, ONLY ABOUT 34 PER CENT OF THOSE FUNDS STAY WITH THE MUNICIPALITY” information on provincial taxes is available. Raine said getting that information can take some time, and the municipal budget cannot be finalized without it. “If it wasn’t for that whole process I am sure we would be approving final budget in December the year before,” Raine said. He also mentioned that most of the taxes collected don’t stay in the community. “Of the taxes that people pay in Sun Peaks, only about 34 per cent of those funds stay with the municipality, 66 per cent of the funds are going off to pay for school, policing, hospital, regional district, etc. So there is more money leaving the community, going out to other levels of government, than actually staying here.”
Businesses respond to survey findings GUESTS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ASKED FOR FEEDBACK by TRACY GILCHRIST
B
usinesses in Sun Peaks are already adapting how they serve customers based on initial results from a multi-year guest survey involving Tourism Sun Peaks, Thompson Rivers University and a university in Norway. Lone Wolf Gallery was one of two businesses that agreed to share its individualized results with peers at a November meeting. Gallery owner George Terwiel said the information visitors provided last February and March inspired him to bolster staff training in order to ensure customers leave with a positive impression and enjoy a “unique experience.” “You need outside feedback to see how you really are and how you deal with issues,” he said. There was consensus from the dozen business representatives attending the meeting that the survey information pro-
vided an opportunity to “discover our weaknesses, and adapt and change,” Terwiel said. Calvin Doyle, the assistant general manager of Nancy Greene’s Cahilty Lodge, also spoke at the meeting about their results. “We talked about all the training we do to get our staff to where they are. There is always room for improvement, but we do a lot of courses.” Tourism Sun Peaks is approaching village businesses to encourage participation in this season’s survey, said president Christopher Nicolson. “We would love to see maybe 20 businesses as a working objective for this year.” Guests interested in doing the survey leave their email address via a signup sheet in participating businesses. This raw data is analyzed by TRU and the Buskerud and Vestfold University College in Norway, and sent to businesses with the goal of monitoring and improving guest experience. One of the changes the busi-
ness community would like to see is how the data is collected, Nicolson said, and hopes are eventually guests will enter their email addresses directly through tablets as opposed to physically writing them out. Another point discussed at the November meeting was areas the research does not touch on, Nicolson added, like feedback by market. “For example, how Australian guests rate the different experiences, from shopping to their time on the mountain. How does that compare with local or Vancouver guests?” Knowing this kind of information could allow better tailored messages or the option of catering events being staged in the village to a specific visitor group, he said. January is a busy month with Australian tourists, for instance, while Vancouver guests tend to visit during Christmas or around B.C. Family Day in February. Businesses will receive their individualized survey results twice per month. Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
sunpeaksnews.com
9
&
ARTS ENTERTAINMENT Debut single strikes sweet chord PHOTO SUBMITTED
SINGING WITH SOUL: Christopher performs on Voyageur Bistro’s patio this summer.
by BRANDI SCHIER
A
new single, Sweetheart, by Andrew Christopher, a well-known performer in Sun Peaks, launched on Dec. 5. It was the first song he wrote after his daughter, Lilee-Jean,
passed away due to pediatric cancer. The debut date would have been her fifth birthday. “The song came really easily, it probably only took an hour to get all of the music and lyrics down that I wanted,” he said. “It was just kind of me wanting to somehow talk to Lilee-Jean even though she was gone and just really trying to portray those feelings of loss, heartache, and telling her that I miss her, and letting her know that I want to still live my life for her.” Despite the sad subject, Christopher said the song “has quite an uplifting, beautiful feeling to it.” Christopher’s musical career began with the band known as Pardon My Striptease, who
he played with for around five years. When his daughter became sick, the band raised over $100,000 with their single Pray for LJ. The recent transition to a solo career has led to the new single. “I’ve been focused on building up a sustainable career in that sense. Now, starting in the last few months, I’ve wanted to write more and record more and so this song is my debut back into more original music and hopefully getting more of that out there.” Sun Peaks has been a part of that transition. He estimates he’s played 15 to 20 shows in the village. “Everyone I met up there was just so kind and welcoming and
everyone seemed to have a good time,” he said. “It’s been a good escape for me. It’s almost like a little vacation getting to up there and getting away from the busy city life. It’s definitely one of my favourite places to go play. Most of the locals I have met, some have come and gone and some are still there, a lot of them have become pretty good friends of mine and I love getting up there to see everybody.” Christopher said he is currently planning a Sun Peaks show for Feb. 7. In addition to spreading the good times through musical performances, Christopher said he feels it’s his life’s responsibility to spread awareness and raise funds when possible for
pediatric cancer. “Just to make sure people know it’s a lot more prevalent than people think. There’s endless funds that are needed for new machines and for research, trying to find a cure,” he said. Sweetheart can be purchased though iTunes, Amazon and other online music sources. B100 and Country 103 in Kamloops are also playing the track. Christopher said he frequently posts donation and event opportunities for BC Children’s Hospital and pediatric cancer research on facebook.com/ andrewchristophermusic and encourages people to also check out the hospital’s website and social media channels for other ways to support.
Nothing “Common” about artist Kevin Schmidt WHITECROFT VALLEY HOUSE POPULAR AT ART EXHIBITION PHOTO SUBMITTED
EDM HOUSE: Artist Kevin Schmidt illuminated the Whitecroft Valley with electronic music synchronized to a light show on his ranch home.
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
A
n artistic display on a nearby house is receiving many positive reviews at a current exhibition at the Kamloops Art Gallery. The Commons, which runs until Jan. 2, combines all of Vancouver artist Kevin
10
sunpeaksnews.com
Schmidt’s major works which examines “the intrinsic interconnection of nature and culture.” “Those kind of things that we might take for granted, that we would think are inherently common to us all, like the air we breathe, the water we drink,
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
land, but these also have capitalist forces that impact them,” said Charo Neville, curator for the Kamloops Art Gallery. One of the more popular displays at the exhibition is the EDM House, which was filmed near Louis Creek Road. Schmidt converted his rural property in the Whitecroft Valley into a visual and audio display with lights interacting with electronic dance music, similar to popular Christmas light shows found in urban settings. He composed his own music, synched the soundtrack to the lights and used techniques typically found in horror films to create the 17 minute video that is being shown as part of the exhibition. The project contrasts the rural setting of the ranch house, built by settlers in
1905, with visuals common in urban nightlife. “The original inspiration was thinking about old economies and new economies,” Neville said. “Farming and ranching is not as viable for people to do anymore and people are moving to cities. Being on this ranch he was thinking about that and the original settlers and what it took for them to basically create a life where they cleared the land, farmed the land and it was all about being self-sufficient.” The EDM house is the only project on display created locally, which Neville said has resonated with visitors to the gallery. “For people to know the EDM House was made in the Whitecroft Valley, there’s recognition there for sure,” she said. “I think people are total-
ly moved by it. It draws you in but it also makes you question things.” The house follows the theme of the event, which juxtaposes the natural world with typical aspects of human innovation. “There is no place on the planet that we haven’t touched ultimately. Even if it’s not directly on the land it’s through the air, through the atmosphere, so that’s part of what he wants to get across,” Neville said. The Commons is one of the most ambitious exhibitions the Kamloops Art Gallery has ever hosted. Four soundproofed video booths are being used to display Schmidt’s work, which took three weeks to set up. “I think it would be sad for people to miss the show. I think it’s eye opening,” Neville said.
&
ARTS ENTERTAINMENT
Tight & Bright lights up the night with legendary U.K. DJ Featurecast PHOTO: ADAM BULLER
EVENT LISTINGS SATURDAY
LOCAL CHRISTMAS MARKET
Don’t miss the Christmas Art and Fine Craft Market on Saturday Dec. 19 from 1 to 6 p.m. in the Sun Peaks Grand Hotel. Here you will find unique gifts for everyone on your holiday giving list and more. Fourteen vendors will be selling local handmade goods.
GETTING THE PARTY STARTED: : Featurecast is one of many DJs to visit The Club this season.
by SEAN HILL
T
he Club matched the heavy early-season snowfall with a heavy early-season party where they welcomed international touring UK funk legend Featurecast to the stage for his debut showcase in Sun Peaks on Saturday, Dec. 5. He’s a globe-trotting institution in dance music who’s been spinning since the 90’s. I had an opportunity to chat with Featurecast about his first time here on the mountain and this is what he had to say: SPIN- Thanks for taking some to chat with me today and to ask you a few questions about your first Sun Peaks experience. So what did you think? FC- Really enjoyed it out here. It was my first time but the party was great, the people were great and it was an awesome venue! SPIN- You’re on a pretty hefty Canadian mountain town tour at the moment. We’re sincerely happy we got to have you play for us here on the mountain. Do you enjoy touring the mountain towns in winter? FC- Yes, I love it... although I’m probably one of the only DJs that doesn’t snowboard or ski (laughs), but I love being in
the snow. We are lucky to get a few weeks of snowfall where I live in Southampton (U.K.) so it’s a bit of a treat for me. I love the serenity of being up in the mountains, it’s a good time to chill. I’ve had a few days off here so it’s been great to relax before I hit the road again and finish off the last run of shows. SPIN- Where are some of your favourite mountain towns to play on this run or are they all pretty unique? FC- I’d say Whistler is my favourite. As I said, I don’t ski or board and there’s so much to do up there. I’ve pretty much played there every time I’ve toured Western Canada (except for this tour). I also enjoyed Big White which I toured last year. SPIN- Should we expect to see you back in Sun Peaks in the future? FC- Sun Peaks has also been on my radar and walking around the last couple of days and taking it all in has been fantastic. Hopefully I’ll get to come back next year. The Club has some serious talent booked in the basement for this winter. Stay up to speed on what’s happening this winter at www.facebook.com/theclubatsunpeaks.
A GRAND NEW YEAR’S EVE
THURSDAY
DECEMBER 19
DECEMBER 24
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHRISTMAS MASS
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Sun Peaks Grand Hotel & Conference Centre. Join us for your Christmas Mass Celebration offered on the mountain! Come early as parking is challenging and Father starts on time!
Come celebrate New Year’s Eve at the Grand! This is an all ages event, with a Black & White theme. Dinner will be a buffet style between 6 and 8 p.m., leaving time to head down to the fireworks. Xtreme Radio will take the stage at 9:30 p.m. and keep you dancing into 2016. 250-578-5474
1-844-774-7263
1-844-774-7263
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
SATURDAY
SATURDAY
GLENN BON NORDIC SKI CAMP
ROMAN CATHOLIC MASS
ROMAN CATHOLIC MASS
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Sun Peaks Grand Hotel & Conference Centre.
1-844-774-7263
Your choice of classic or skating lessons. Coaches will teach both styles and all ability levels on both days. Video analysis, trail passes, lunch and a souvenir are all included.
1-844-774-7263
glenn_bond@me.com
SUNDAY
SATURDAY – MONDAY
FRIDAY – SUNDAY
DESERT SOUNDS HARMONY CHORUS
CHRISTMAS ON THE MOUNTAIN FILM SERIES
TECK OPEN SERIES
DECEMBER 19
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Sun Peaks Grand Hotel & Conference Centre.
DECEMBER 20
Enjoy the holiday sounds of Desert Sounds Harmony Chorus from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Sun Peaks Grand Hotel. The concert is free to the public. 250-578-6000
JANUARY 2 & 3
DECEMBER 26
DECEMBER 26 – 28
The Green Art Festival presents three independent family-friendly films. The screening will begin each night at 8 p.m. in the Alpine Room at the Sun Peaks Grand Hotel. www.greenartfestival.org
MONDAY
DECEMBER 21
7 p.m. at the Sun Peaks Municipal office located in the Kookaburra Lodge.
COMPLIMENTARY TASTINGS
www.sunpeaksmunicipality.ca
TUESDAY – THURSDAY
DECEMBER 22 – 24
SKATING, SKIING & BREAKFAST WITH SANTA Ho Ho Ho! Santa will be going for a skate, hitting the slopes and joining families for a Christmas Eve breakfast. More information is available through Guest Services. www.sunpeaksresort.com
WEDNESDAY
DECEMBER 23 BELLS OF NOTE
The Kamloops hand bell choir will put on a free Holiday concert in the Sun Peaks Grand Hotel’s lower lobby. 250-578-6000
DECEMBER 28 – 30
Mantle’s Lounge will host free wine and beer tastings from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Selections will be available from Harper’s Trail, Hester Creek and Red Collar Brewing. 250-578-6060
DECEMBER 23 & 24 CAROLING WITH NANCY GREENE
Join Nancy Greene in a Christmas tradition at Sun Peaks – carol singing in the village! Song sheets are provided. Meet at the Village Day Lodge at 6:30 p.m. or the Clocktower at 7:00 p.m.
SATURDAY
SUN PEAKS FAMILY CUP ALPINE RACE
The Sun Peaks Family Cup ‘All-Nations Celebration’ is celebrating its 10th year at Sun Peaks resort. We will be hitting the slopes once again for the family friendly Dual Slalom race for the whole family to enjoy. Registration is $10 per person. 250-578-5542
JANUARY 10
DECEMBER 31
NEW YEAR’S EVE SNOWSHOE MARSHMALLOW ROAST
Come join us for an exciting New Year’s Eve event which starts off with an easy 1 km snowshoe tour. Our guides will take you through the forest following beautiful snow covered trails to our winter camp. At the camp enjoy hot apple cider whilst sitting around the roaring campfire and roasting marshmallows. 250-578-5542
SUN PEAKS KOOKABURRA NORDIC LOPPET The Nordic ski event is back for its 7th year. Participants can enter as a skater or classic skier with 15km and 30km distances and a 2km course for beginners. sunpeaksresort.com
THURSDAY – SUNDAY
JANUARY 14 – 24
18TH ANNUAL SUN PEAKS WINTER OKANAGAN WINE FESTIVAL
DECEMBER 31
NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATIONS
6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. First Flight Big Air Invitational. 7:45 p.m. Kids Glow Stick Parade. 8:00 p.m. Torchlight Parade. 8:30 p.m. Fireworks. All times are approximate. 250-578-5542
Two of British Columbia’s finest assets – winter recreation and wine – make for an inspired pairing at the Sun Peaks Winter Okanagan Wine Festival. With 20 memorable events, it is a delectable experience of wine, skiing, food and riding. www.sunpeaksresort.com
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
JANUARY 16 & 17
TECK OKANAGAN ZONE RACE
www.sunpeaksresort.com
THURSDAY
admin@sunpeaksracers.com
SUNDAY
THURSDAY
THURSDAY
WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY
BC Alpine race featuring the best U16, U18 & U21 racers from across the province.
JANUARY 9
MONDAY – WEDNESDAY
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
JANUARY 8 – 10
DECEMBER 31
The Sun Peaks Alpine Club is hosting the best U12, U14, U16, U18, U21 and Masters racers in the Okanagan for the first zone race of the season. admin@sunpeaksracers.com
@sunpeaksnews
/sunpeaksnews
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
sunpeaksnews.com
11
CONNECTIONS TELUS FUNDS SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
We Are Silent PHOTO SUBMITTED
SOUND OF SILENCE : Students at the Sun Peaks Secondary Academy were silent for 30 hours to raise funds and awareness for children in the world without access to education.
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
S
tudents at Sun Peaks Secondary Academy gave up their ability to talk for 30 hours in support of children around the world who don’t have access to education. Twelve students from grade seven through 12 took part in the We Are Silent initiative on Nov. 25 and 26. We Are Silent is a part of the We Day campaign, which encourages students to take action on the issues they care about at home and around the world.
Students from the Academy collected pledges around the campaign which went to Free The Children’s Adopt a Village fundraiser, which works to help children around the world to get an education. “It was hard, but it was for a good cause. When I was doing schoolwork it was hard to ask questions,” said grade eight student Darby O’Toole. The students remained at the school overnight, taking the vow of silence together and coming up with alternate ways to communicate, such as writing notes, typing on their computers and playing charades. “Writing notes was really hard because you don’t get the same message across. So when they were reading the notes they were like ‘I don’t understand’ and you’re trying to get them to understand but you can’t talk,” said Korina Linder, a grade 10 student and organizer of the We Day activities in Sun Peaks. It was the second year stu-
GRANT TO HELP COVER COSTS FOR STUDENTS dents at Sun Peaks participated in the silent fundraiser, after doing 24 hours of silence in 2014. “It was hard for me at some times but I just had to remind myself that it was for a really good cause and I needed to do it because there are so many kids in the world that don’t have voices and they can’t speak up,” said grade eight student Jaida McKenzie-White. Over 58 million children in the world are out of school, according to the We Day campaign. The 30 hours of silence was one of many We Day initiatives the students at Sun Peaks will partake this academic year. By taking part in these events, the students earn a ticket to the We Day event in Vancouver in October. “I’ve been five times and I just love We Day. This year I’m the (Sun Peaks) organizer of We Day so I organize all the events and I just love all of them they’re so much fun to do,” Linder said.
PHOTO: JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
FOR AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE: A $15,560 community grant will benefit approximately 70 students in Sun Peaks.
Students from kindergarten to grade 12 will benefit from a community grant worth $15,560 presented by TELUS to the Sun Peaks Education Society. TELUS presented the cheque on Nov. 26, which will help cover the cost of outdoor activities for physical education such as Nordic skiing, backcountry skiing or tennis and canoeing programs. “We don’t have a gymnasium specific up here, but our gymnasium is the outdoors,” said Barb Kupferschmidt Linder, president of the Sun Peaks Education Society. “So this grant is going to help us to be able to promote the active
lifestyle that we have here in Sun Peaks and be able to tie it in with classroom activities.” Up to approximately 70 students at Sun Peaks Elementary and Sun Peaks Secondary Academy will partake in the activities funded by the grant. Instead of traditional P.E. classes, students in Sun Peaks go alpine and Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and take part in other outdoor activities during class. “It’s just coming up with some unique ways of teaching them that are outside of a regular gymnasium that other schools might have,” Kupferschmidt Linder said.
BUY ONLINE IN ADVANCE FOR BIG SAVINGS ON LIFT TICKETS! VISIT OUR STORE AT SUNPEAKSRESORT.COM
Sun Peaks’ Famous New Year’s Eve Celebrations Don’t miss the biggest party of the year, kicking off at 6:30pm on December 31!
12
sunpeaksnews.com
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
SEND US YOUR PHOTOS TO BE FEATURED IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF SUN PEAKS INDEPENDENT NEWS EDITOR@SUNPEAKSNEWS.COM
inPHOTOS
OR POST YOUR PHOTOS USING #SUNPEAKSNEWS @SUNPEAKSNEWS
James Cannon and Halle Smith, returning athletes in the Sun Peaks Nordic Club’s Jackrabbit program, sport the new club uniform.
Jamie Veillette, Leanna Boyd and Ash Capper at the Club’s Tight and Bright Night.
M
Live music at Santa’s Alpine Visit by Anita Eccleston Quartet.
Adaptive Sports clubs from many regioanl mountains met up for the annual Adaptive Sports Summit at Sun Peaks.
The annual Santa’s Alpine Visit saw amost 1,000 vistiors taking in several street performances including this epic polar bear.
Dasha Novak, Green Art Festival’s creative director with filmmaker, photographer & writer Dianne Whelan.
Mexican Cuisine made from the finest, freshest ingredients. All prepared by our Chef to be healthy, tasty and fresh. Early Bird Special + $12 Pitchers from 4 to 6 pm daily Located at the Heffley Boutique Inn
ut -o e ke bl Ta aila av
G ar rea ga t rit as
A big thank you to the elves for decorating the stunning Morrisey tree once again!
Bryan Lupul and Danielle Richard at the Slient Disco.
Participants in the annual Kick-off Weekend Ski Impovement clinic gained an edge for the upcoming season in early December.
250-578-8343
Sun Peaks’ smallest Hotel with the greatest Rooms.
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
sunpeaksnews.com
13
opinion PAGE Media missing in action at TNRD meetings MEL ROTHENBURGER TNRD REPORT director.mrothenburger@tnrd.ca
Mel Rothenburger is the TNRD Director for Electoral Area P, including Whitecroft and Heffley Creek. He was the mayor of Kamloops from 1999-2005 and a former newspaper editor.
T
he Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) board has held its annual inaugural meeting, chosen its chair and vice chair for the coming year, and begins work on what will undoubtedly be a busy agenda in the coming months. Very little of what goes on in regular board meetings will be reported in mainstream media, and I see this as a problem. A look at typical minutes will include the notation “Press:
None” under the section that records who attended the board meeting. That’s because reporters seldom show up. Occasionally, one will come for a few minutes before the meeting starts to get some quotes from directors on certain items from the agenda, then go back to the newsroom to write them up. Otherwise, there’s usually nobody at the press table. It wasn’t always this way. Years ago, reporters from several local media would attend all the meetings. The fact that they always managed to find three or four items each to write about suggests there’s enough news material in an average TNRD meeting to make it worth their while. Yet, ask a reporter why no-
body from the media shows up anymore and he or she will likely begin by labeling TNRD meetings “boring.” Well, okay, but that’s the case with 80 or 90 per cent of any public-body meeting. You have to be there for the whole thing to get the stuff that’s newsworthy. At a time when the broad news menu is ever-increasing, mainstream media don’t have as many reporters as they used to, so they assign them to cover easier, quicker news from sources that reliably deliver a headline every time — such as police, the courts, the Ajax project, provincial politics and City council. Regional community media would be hard-pressed to send reporters to the TNRD anyway because of travel time and gas
With open arms JAMIE SHINKEWSKI TNRD REPORT jamie@sunpeaksnews.com
Born and raised in Kamloops, Jamie grew up skiing Sun Peaks before heading east to earn his Bacherlor’s of Journalism from Carleton University. Before joining the SPIN team, he was a reporter for the Ottawa Sportspage and KamloopsBCNow.
“Nice to meet you!” That has been by and far my most used phrase in my short time as the newest member of the SPIN team. I have witnessed first-hand truly how quickly word travels in a small community and I have been absolutely floored by the reception I have received as a new member of it. People have gone out of their way to say hello and to make me feel welcome. From people stopping by the office to introduce themselves to receiving a hand shake nearly everywhere I go before I can introduce myself. Working in
the media tends to get the opposite effect. These interactions with the local personalities have opened my eyes opened to a side of the Sun Peaks community I never knew existed. Community. That word has constantly surfaced in conversations around the village. There is a common selfless effort made simultaneously by the residents of this small mountain town that has allowed Sun Peaks to transform to the second largest ski area in Canada. In a recent conversation with Mayor Al Raine, he pointed out that his job is made easy because it’s a community with “so many people pulling in the same direction.” If you take a look at all the growth the resort has seen in the recent past a large portion of it is thanks to volunteer efforts. The events that have be-
Finally in Canada Made in Britain
14
sunpeaksnews.com
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
come household in Sun Peaks wouldn’t be possible if not for the volunteers. From the firefighters providing first aid at summer concerts to people setting up the netting at various races on the mountain, the generosity of the local community is a large part of what has made events a success. Take the Velocity Challenge as an example. The event has been a part of Sun Peaks (and Tod Mountain) since the 1980s and was slated to not run this year if it were not for a trio of volunteers. “Last year was supposed to be the last year of this race because nobody was here to organize it so we’re volunteering vto organize it, keep it going,” new organizer Scott Coleman explained. It's this sense of community that has already made me feel right at home on the mountain. Now I’d better step up and volunteer.
costs, so I point no fingers at them, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to write this column for each edition of the Sun Peaks Independent News. I try to write about issues of interest to SPIN readers but, admittedly, I’m not an unbiased source. The fact that Kamloops-based media have largely forsaken the TNRD for all but the most tantalizing stories — biosolids, directors’ pay raises, major economic announcements and so on — leaves the public in the dark about what this particular level of local government is doing most of the time. The TNRD itself certainly does its best to be transparent, and the new communications/ engagement strategy helps ensure that. Issues, expenditures
and policy decisions are open to public scrutiny. Let’s face it though, not many people delve into the TNRD website for leisure reading. Without the media sitting there at public board meetings, two things happen. One is that the people served by the TNRD simply don’t have a clear view of what this body — which spends their tax dollars — is doing. (Those folks, by the way, are major consumers of news and represent a significant audience for those same urban-centric news outlets.) The other is that we directors are left to debate and make decisions in the comfort of an empty boardroom, and letting politicians at any level become too comfortable isn’t a good thing for democracy.
NEWS GAS SAFETY FIRST As colder weather has already nestled into the village, homeowners are being urged to take a moment to ensure their gas fireplaces and furnaces are safe to use through the cold winter. Homeowners should follow the recommendations in the owner’s manual and have maintenance performed on their appliances to ensure they’re running safety. Annual service can prevent fires and reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. The BC Safety Authority recommends having heating appliances, including gas furnaces, boilers and water heaters, serviced annually. Carbon monoxide meters are recommended to be installed on every floor of a home, near sleeping areas. “By far and away I think the biggest issues are people not doing what they should be doing to avert major risks. The major risks are the lack of professional service to major appliances and the awareness, they don’t know,” said Kevin McGuire, licenced gas contractor for Sun Peaks Plumbing & Heating.
Another good prevention effort is to make sure the areas around gas appliances and vent pipes are clear of combustible materials such as laundry, paper and paints. “A lot of people have a fireplace in an area where people typically sleep. You’ve got a pull down couch in the living room,” McGuire said. “Nearly all of them (are gas). There’s hardly any electric ones that I’ve seen.”
Ultralight foldable walking stick/seat $74.00 + tax Sun Peaks Special while quantities last: $64 + tax For this special offer please call 1.844.427.3547 For more info on Flipstick visit flipstick.ca
BOOK YOUR CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE AT
SUNPEAKSNEWS.COM/classified
FOR RENT
ACCOM WANTED
Older 2 bedroom house private 2km south of Whitecroft. Electric and wood heat. $650/mo no pets (because of coyotes). Contact s435@yahoo.com. Fairways Drive - Very nice & spacious 3 BR & 3 Bath home, completely furnished. Two Car Garage & Hot tub. Short walk to village. Covered Patio overlooks golf course & mountain. Seattle owner seeks mature tenants - established reliable middle aged couple or two couples or family. Nov through April or longer lease. Rent $2,000 plus Utilities or $2,750 including utilities. Subject to Interview & References. Email GKM9611@AOL.com or text 206-617-5711.
Family of 4 with a cat, relocating from Kelowna, is looking for a long term rental (all year round) with 3 Bedrooms. Great references. Max. $1800/ Month. Please contact Dorothy @ 250863-9290 or d.o.kaiser@hotmail.com
SUDOKU ANSWERS V13 I12
ONLINE CLASSIFIEDS ADS ARE PLACED DAILY
EMPLOYMENT Full and part time housekeeping & hot tub maintenance positions available. Email CV to info@3klicksaway. com.
SERVICES Sun Peaks Hair Studio “Style For Everyone” located on Burfield Dr. Cuts, Colours, Formals. Professional Service at Low Cost. www.styleforeveryone.ca.
CROSSWORD ANSWERS V13 I12
PROTECT YOUR GAS METER Sun Peaks is preparing for snow. While this is great for snow sports, it’s not so good for your gas meter. Remember to keep your gas meter set clear of snow and ice. Don’t use the area around your gas meter for storage of items such as skis, shovels, snow-blowers, wood, etc. such that access by Utility staff or emergency personnel is obstructed. In an emergency, first responder may need to shut your gas service off at the meter set. Don’t forget overhead ice can fall off your roof and break the meter set causing uncontrolled release of gas. There is no charge for the Utility staff to assist you in clearing the heavy snow and ice covering your gas meter set; please do not try and remove any ice coating the gas meter yourself. Remember, that if Utility’s staff must clear the gas meter during monthly meter reading or for safety reasons, you will be charged a fee of $50 for the 1st incident & $100 for each additional time. If you have any questions regarding this notice please contact the Utility’s office at info@sunpeaksutilities.com or call the office at 250-578-5490. Remember SPUCL’s after hours emergency # 250-319-0629. Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
sunpeaksnews.com
15
BUSINESS LISTINGS BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION
SERVICES
painting services & repairs Excavating Ltd. •
Excavating & Snow Clearing
•
Landscape Rock/Granite
•
1”—4”, 4”—12”, 5”—18”, Sand, Pitrun
•
1” Crush
Greg: 250 371 7800 • gzieb@telus.net
Pacific Paintsmith • • •
BLIK HOME DEVELOPMENTS
Maintenance painting Interior | Exterior General wall repairs
PAUL ROBERTS CUSTOM BUILDER | PROJECT MANAGER NEW HOMES | ADDITIONS
Richard VanCamp cel. 250.319.0577
E-MAIL: blik_developments@yahoo.ca PHONE: 250 371 4880
pacificpaintsmith@hotmail.ca
Grether Contracting Serving Sun Peaks Since 1992 Kitchen & Bath Renovations Damage Restoration Drywall & Painting Concrete Repairs Building Maintenance & Consulting
CALL ANDRÉ "FIRST" 250-371-1753 • grether@telus.net
Michael Ferber 250 318 1177 250 578 8970
5025 Cammeray Dr., Kamloops BC V2H 1L8 D
SUN PEAKS ONLY DEDICATED PROFESSIONAL HOT TUB COMPANY
E
V
E
L
O
P
M
E
N
T
S
Builders of Luxury Homes
timelessdevelopments@telus.net www.timelessdevelopments.ca
LOCATED IN THE LITTLE SHUSWAP LODGE 250 578 8669 24HR EMERGENCY CALL OUT 250 214 0464
h sc u R
ENTERPRISES LTD.
Tim Call 20-9375 3 250-
n Home Improvements n No job too small n Repairs n 25 years experience n Property Checks & n Renovations Maintenance
RUSCHENTERPRISESLTD@GMAIL.COM
SERVICES Stay connected with your online audience. Our Social Media Strategies help you grow your social networks and increase your SEO.
BRENDAN SHAW REAL ESTATE 109 Victoria Street | Kamloops, BC
KAMLOOPS AND AREA REAL ESTATE AGENTS
Custom Responsive Web Designs built exclusively on the WordPress Platform
Specializing in residential and commercial real estate
Cathy Earle Your Social Media Marketing Specialist
778.471.1498 BRENDANSHAW.COM
peaksmedia.com • 250 434 2239
SUN PEAKS PLUMBING & HEATING
*Pre-winter specials* Get your annual safety service now Save up to 20% on fireplace, water heater & furnace maintenance Licensed, insured & bonded
CALL 250-879-1737
sunpeaksplumbingandheating.com
Physiotherapy Services SUN PEAKS HEALTH CENTRE Serving Sun Peaks and Area
Kim Grunling BScPT, CMAP Registered Physiotherapist grunling@gmail.com Cell: 250 299 5911
BOLACCO CAFÉ & BAKERY serving Sun Peaks since 1996
SONYA TREVISI,
Delicious berry scones, croissants, muffins, and more, baked fresh every day. • Fresh homemade sandwiches
Registered Massage Therapist
250.578.2420
downtheroadwellness.com 16
sunpeaksnews.com
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
• Serving Café Lavazza OPEN DAILY LOCATED IN THE SUNDANCE LODGE ~ 250-578-7588
Advertise in Sun Peaks Independent News for as little as $20 per month. Call today to place your advertisement.
250-578-0276 or visit
sunpeaksnews.com/classifieds
Ready for competition SEVEN SKIERS JOIN NEW FREESTYLE CLUB PHOTO: DANIEL DALLAIRE
READY TO COMPETE: Luc Dallaire is one of seven members of the upstart Sun Peaks Freestyle Club.
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
Y
oung competitive freestyle skiers now officially have a training program in Sun Peaks. The Sun Peaks Freestyle Club will begin training on Dec. 19, giving skiers who have participated in the local freestyle lesson program an opportunity to prepare for competition. The club includes seven skiers between the ages of nine and 11 who will train every Saturday for 11 weeks under the
tutelage of their coach Daniel Hoertz. The skiers began with a freestyle lesson program through Sun Peaks’ ski school, which launched in 2011, and are now ready to take their talents to the next level. “I think it’s important because there’s a group of kids that are at that level,” said Vincent Lafontaine, sports director for Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR). “They’ve been in the freestyle regular program for three or
four years and they’re ready to go a little further and be a little bit more focused in their training and be a little bit more competitive.” The Freestyle Club is only open to skiers as Lafontaine said there has not been a high demand from snowboarders. In addition to the training program, the freestylers will also enter three competitions held at Apex from Jan. 6 to 8, at Sun Peaks on March 13 and at Sil-
ver Star from March 30 to April 3. The club’s training will focus primarily on the slopestyle discipline of freestyle skiing. “I think some of those kids are really, really good and could do quite well. I’m really curious to see how the results go,” Lafontaine said. The demand to create the competitive freestyle program was largely driven by the parents of the young skiers and will start with a small number of members because of the lack of available coaches. “It’s new. That’s why I didn’t want to put it out there and I didn’t want 15 kids to register because I don’t have enough coaches that I feel can deliver,” Lafontaine said. “I wouldn’t put more kids with one coach than seven, especially with the freestyle. We’re at capacity right now.” Attracting new, qualified freestyle coaches has been a challenge for Lafontaine who said certified coaches are busy working in their respective clubs. Lafontaine is working to
“THE GOAL IS TO GROW, BUT I NEED THE EXPERTISE. I NEED THE COACHING.” hold a certification course at Sun Peaks, and he said if they can get an instructor he guarantees at least five coaches will go through the training. He said his hope is to have the course take place early in 2016. “The goal is to grow, but I need the expertise. I need the coaching. I try to recruit all year and I’m trying to put a course together,” he said. The goal is to eventually expand the club to stand on its own, similar to the Sun Peaks Alpine Club. “My goal is to eventually branch out and make it on its own and have some fundraising a little bit like what the Alpine Club does, but it’s in its infancy right now so we’re going to see where we are in five years,” Lafontaine said.
Training the next generation PHOTO: JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
C
THE NEXT GENERATION: Canada’s top ski cross prospects made Sun Peaks the first training stop of the season on home snow.
anada Ski Cross brought their youngest racers to Sun Peaks for the first training camp of the season on home snow. The NextGen team, featuring the best up-and-coming ski cross racers in Canada, arrived in Sun Peaks for the program’s first official training camp on Dec. 14. Twenty-two athletes took to the mountain, ranging from skiers with World Cup experience to those trying ski cross for the first time. Tristan Tafel, of Canmore, Alta., has four years of World Cup racing experience, but attended the camp looking to regain his confidence after suffering a concussion leading up to the 2014 Olympic Games. “It’s a really positive group. It’s fun training with these guys and we push each other a lot which
is nice. There’s just a lot of energy on this team, so it’s a good team to train with,” Tafel said. “It’s good to have these young guys nipping on the older guys’ heels. It pushes them as well, so it’s definitely helping Canada elevate their game.” “There’s competition, but it’s very friendly. It’s good that everyone’s pushing each other to the next step,” added Zoe Chore, 17, of Cranbrook, B.C. Canada Ski Cross has previously hosted camps in Sun Peaks and hopes to help develop a permanent ski cross track to facilitate future events as well as attract more racers to the sport. “I’d love to figure out how to get a permanent track in here, a public track,” said Willy Raine, athletic director of Canada Ski Cross. “That’s our goal as a sport body is to get more tracks across the country.”
“I’D LOVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET A PERMANENT TRACK IN HERE, A PUBLIC TRACK” “Our philosophy and brain set is to get where a six-yearold to a 60-year-old could ski the track.” The creation of a permanent facility would make it easier to have the NextGen or World Cup teams train in Sun Peaks. It’s a much easier process to modify an existing course for the high level athletes, rather than building one from scratch, according to Raine. “When you’re going to have an event you shut it down for three days and you build it up. At that point it doesn’t take 15 hours in a (groomer). It’s two or three hours to change the course.”
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
sunpeaksnews.com
17
Testing your velocity
Hockey Day in Sun Peaks
NEW EVENT SEEKS TO ATTRACT NEW SPEED SKIERS FILE PHOTO
PHOTO: TSP
RETURN OF THE CUP: Theresa St. Louis and her daughter Ella pose with the Stanley Cup on Aug. 23, 2014.
SET YOUR SPEED: Sun Peaks will host the only speed skiing World Cup races in North America in March.
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
N
ew racers will have an opportunity to try speed skiing with the creation of a new event ahead of the FIS World Cup Speed Skiing races that will be held at Sun Peaks in March. So You Think You’re Fast, Eh? will open a week of skiers flying down Headwalls ski run trying to hit their maximum velocity from March 1 to 5. The new event will give skiers who have never tried speed skiing a low pressure opportunity to try out the sport. The first day will only allow skiers from the low and mid starting points. In the past, new skiers would have had to join the World Cup circuit where skiers try to get as many runs from the top of Headwalls as possible. The new event will try and take away some of the pressure a new speed skier can face. “Going to the top is really challenging and in the past if you were to sign up for the world cup as a new racer, there’s a
18
sunpeaksnews.com
huge amount of pressure for the world cuppers to get to the top as quick as possible. For a new racer that’s pretty intimidating,” said organizer Scott Coleman. Skiers participating in So You Think You’re Fast Eh? will also have fewer requirements than the World Cup race. Racers will need a ski between 210 and 225 centimetres, a helmet, back protection and a racing suit is recommended but not required. The ultimate goal is to help grow the discipline of speed skiing in North America. Sun Peaks hosts the only World Cup races on the continent and there are only 197 registered racers in the world. “We don’t push anybody to do this. You’ve got to enjoy what you’re doing. We want to make it just easier to try with that first day, no pressure,” Coleman said. “Our interest as the (Sun Peaks Speed Skiing Club) is to introduce more people to it.” Amateurs are also eligible to sign up for the two FIS World Cup races and the Velocity
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
Challenge that will take place in the following days. Racers will need to register a FIS number in advance of the event. Over 60 World Cup racers from 11 different national teams are expected to fly down the famous Headwalls track at their top speed for the two world cup races, in addition to all the amateurs who will race as well. The event’s new organizers also want to attract more spectators and bring the excitement across the ski hill the races used to bring. “We want to build the event back to Speed Week like it used to be 10 years ago where the village was abuzz with all these national team coats running around here. There’s a speed event going on here. The fastest people in the world, men and women, are here racing on Headwalls. That’s where we want to get it back to,” Coleman said. “It’s exciting to see. A racer coming down the hill at 100 m.p.h. sounds like a jet fighter cutting through the air.”
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
S
un Peaks will officially kick off the 2016 Hockey Day in Canada festivities with the opening ceremony taking place in the village on Feb. 3. CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada star Ron MacLean will host the event that will feature the Stanley Cup, various NHL alumni players and live music on an outdoor stage at the base of the mountain. The festivities will start with a torchlight parade, a tradition usually seen only on New Year’s Eve, which will hopefully include the Stanley Cup sliding down from the mountain. The Stanley Cup was in Sun Peaks in August 2014 after Kamloops native Davis Payne won the NHL championship as the assistant coach of the Los Angeles Kings. “We don’t have anything confirmed right now, but we’re working with the Hockey Hall of Fame on incorporating the Stanley Cup into the torchlight parade if possible. If we can get that confirmed it would be really cool,” said Aidan Kelly, director of sales and marketing for Sun Peaks
Resort LLP (SPR). The event will start around 6 p.m. near the Sundance chairlift and will be free to the public. “The most iconic sports trophy that we have will be here in the resort and add a bit of a vibe midweek. It will really liven it up for our guests and locals here at the resort,” Kelly said. It is yet to be confirmed who the players are that will be attending the opening ceremony, but former Kamloops Blazers Mark Recchi, Darcy Tucker and Corey Hirsch, as well as former NHL stars Lanny McDonald, Wendel Clark, Bryan Trottier and Trevor Linden are expected to attending events throughout the four-day celebration. “I think from a hockey related specific event this will be one of the bigger ones we’ve ever had here at Sun Peaks just due to some of the personalities,” Kelly said. The event will have a community focus around the entertainment in the village, but some hockey related events at the Sun Peaks Centre may also be part of the event. ....Continued on next page
Ready to race
....Continued from previous page
“We still might do some stuff, get some fun shinny games going on and build some fun things around that, but it won’t be a focal point,” Kelly said. “We want to make a good community event at the base of the mountain.” The majority of the festivities will take place in Kamloops throughout the first weekend in February. Road hockey tournaments, a pro-am alumni game, the music of hockey, as well as live broadcasts throughout Saturday’s Hockey Day in Canada will take place in Canada’s Tournament Capital. The highlight of the weekend will be a
WHL game as the Kamloops Blazers host the Edmonton Oil Kings. A bus will be available for locals and guests for the Blazers game on Feb. 6 and bus service may be expanded throughout the event if there is enough demand. “It will be an exciting week in Kamloops with all the concerts, all the different games and everything going on. I’m sure there will be a number of guests and locals up here at Sun Peaks that are going to want to venture down to Kamloops and take in some of the events,” Kelly said.
ALPINE CLUB SET TO BEGIN COMPETITION PHOTO SUBMITTED
GET IN THE GATES: Sun Peaks Alpine Club will host two races to open the 2016 schedule.
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
T
he Sun Peaks Alpine Club will kick off the New Year by hosting a pair of races. Competition will open for the 2016 season with the Teck Open Series race from Jan. 8 to 10. The race will feature the top racers in the U16 age group and up from across the province. “It’s a good chance to showcase what we have to the province in terms of a training facility and race environment,” said Montana Molyneux, head coach of the Sun Peaks Alpine Club. Sun Peaks will have nine racers represented in the first competition of the season. “We have a really good group of eight or nine kids that have moved up together and they were provincially ranked last year in U14, and to have them come up and be exposed to the provincial series I think they’re really excited for it and probably a little bit nervous,”
said Molyneux. The U12 and U14 age groups will take to the race course the following weekend as the Teck Okanagan Zone Race comes to Sun Peaks. Around 25 local racers will take part in the competition on Jan. 16 and 17. “We have some fast little guys, and hopefully we can keep progressing and keep them loving ski racing,” Molyneux said. “Everyone is starting to get a little anxious to get in gates and I think everyone is looking forward to the competitions.” That race will also serve as a qualifier for the BC Winter Games that will be held from Feb. 25 to 28 at Red Mountain. The Alpine Club’s U14 racers will look to punch their ticket racing on their home mountain. “That will be a really good event, I think they’re all excited to go over there,” Molyneux said. The racers from Sun Peaks will have an advantage over the competition thanks to strong early season train-
ing. The training began on Nov. 9 and has been going strong since. “We’re lucky here because not only do we have a good training space and have a great facility, but our athletes get to be exposed to other teams and see how other kids their age are training,” Molyneux said. The club will be holding a training camp over the Holidays, which will be the first chance for racers of all ages to be on the mountain at the same time. The camp will run for three or four days depending on the age group, and will serve as the first chance for the younger racers to ski with the club while the older skiers fine tune their skills ahead of the races. “Everyone will have a different training environment based on their age,” Molyneux said. “The younger kids get to know their coaches and get back on snow and get into the program and get a little bit of a head start before their season actually starts in January.”
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
sunpeaksnews.com
19
ALPINE RESORT REALTY
EACH OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED & OPERATED
Serving Sun Peaks and area since 1995
Celebrating our 20th Christmas at Sun Peaks 6
4
3
4½
3
3
This stunning slopeside home offers the ultimate ski-in, ski-out as one of the best locations in the Resort featuring superior design & finishing with extensive use of stone, granite, hardwood & tile. This home radiates warmth & intimacy with the most incredible setting & presents an exceptional opportunity to own one of the very best in resort living. Outstanding views, radiant in floor heat, HRV, games room, hot tub, oversized garage & large sundeck off the kitchen which fronts right onto the ski run.
1340 Burfield Drive - $289,900
#41 Crystal Forest - $349,000
Spectacular mountain views from every room of this beautiful 4 bedroom, 3 bath townhouse located in magical Crystal Forest. This corner location has it all... beneath the bell tower, close to lifts & village with great ski-in access, designed to capture the ambiance of a Tyrolean ski village. Extensive use of knotty pine for added warmth, newer flooring & paint, cozy rock fireplace, offered fully furnished with private hot tub & two underground parking spaces. GST paid.
3
3
2
2
4
Exceptional value in this ski-in half duplex with easy walk out access to the Burfield Chairlift. Features 3 bedrooms & 2 baths with open living design, vaulted ceiling & covered sundeck overlooking the mountains. The living room offers a cozy gas fireplace & large windows providing plenty of natural light, full walk-out basement to the lower sundeck & backyard to a forested green space on McGillivray Creek. Radiant in-floor heat, ample level parking, separate storage shed. GST is paid.
1
#6 Alpine Greens - $284,900
1
This charming 1 bdrm condo is located only minutes from all village services which makes this an attractive home to visit anytime of the year, or live year round. Cozy wood burning fireplace, natural finishes & open floor plan w/ vaulted ceiling add to the warm feeling this condo offers. This property backs onto the golf course & valley trail w/ great mountain views & if offered furnished with GST paid.
6 4
4106 Sundance Drive - $1,379,000
6
This expansive custom built resort home sits among some of the most prestigious sought after properties in Sundance Estates. This remarkable home features high end finishing & deluxe appliances that compliment the gourmet kitchen with solid maple cabinetry, granite countertops & stunning floor to ceiling windows. The home also features a 2 car garage with additional parking available plus a bright self contained 2 bedroom legal suite offered furnished with private hot tub and sauna. GST paid
2
Pristine 3 bdrm, 2 bath condo features an authentic river rock wood burning fireplace w/ timber mantle, heated tile floors, newer paint & window coverings and comes fully furnished. Enjoy the sundeck overlooking the 2nd fairway & valley trail close to lifts & all resort amenities. Top floor master bdrm is spacious & comes complete w/ ensuite & private balcony w/ views of Mt. Morrisey. This “move in ready” home is south facing & is a pleasure to show. GST paid.
1
#4 Alpine Greens - $189,900
2
1410 Burfield Drive - $399,900
Kookaburra Lodge starting at: $169,000 Hearthstone Lodge starting at: $29,900
Enjoy this beautifully appointed 3 bedroom plus bonus room, 3 bath townhome in a great ski-in, ski-out location that is popular with owner’s & visitors. This fully furnished home is an end unit & features a spacious open livingroom with rock fireplace, soaring windows, vaulted ceiling with large sundeck off dining room & private patio area with hot tub off the bright open kitchen. The spacious master bedroom features an ensuite and additional sundeck overlooking the valley & mountains.
sunpeaksnews.com
Vol 13 Issue 13 December 18 — January 21
2 1½
#3 Sun Mountain Villas - $247,900
2
One of the best buys at Sun Peaks! Bright and spacious 2 bedroom townhouse. Enjoy the large covered deck with vaulted roof line, open kitchen, dining and living room with cozy gas fireplace with slate & rich timber mantel. Ski-in access, steps to the golf course & easy walk to lifts & village. Updated tile, slate, paint & trim, with large bedrooms, private tandem garage & workshop/storage area. This property has been owner occupied since brand new and is in excellent condition. GST paid.
4
4
4
3
#6 Bridge Gate - $889,000
4
This prestigious townhome features 4 bedrooms plus spacious family room, separate ski room, impressive dining & living area with post & beam features, picture windows, beautiful reclaimed fir flooring & stunning rock fireplace. Exquisite attention to finishing and detail with custom designed gourmet kitchen with granite & superior commercial appliances, 2 car garage & large sundeck to enjoy the amazing sunsets & commanding views. Hot tub and furnishings included. GST is paid.
2 2
#22 Forest Trails - $272,000
1
Upper floor 2 bdrm, 2 bath retreat nestled next to forested area and creek with mountain & valley views. Forest Trails has a peaceful setting and offers convenient ski-in, ski-out access & is a short stroll to village & all amenities. Condo features open kitchen and living area w/ nook, southwest facing sundeck, heated tile floors, gas fireplace, in suite laundry, and ensuite off master bedroom. Additional storage space in private garage and GST is applicable.
www.sunpeaksrealty.com 20
2
5
Great 3 bedroom home plus loft and separate 2 bedroom in-law suite located on majestic McGillivray Creek. This home has great ski-in access and is located just across the road from the Burfield Chairlift. Spacious modern kitchen with open dining room & access to large sundeck overlooking forest, mountains and creek. Enjoy the cozy gas fireplace in the comfortable living room with high ceilings & soaring windows, beautiful pine trim, B/I vacuum, high efficiency furnace, private garage and additional parking. Offered fully furnished & GST paid.
Fireside Lodge starting at: $103,900 Nancy Greene’s Cahilty Lodge starting at: $69,900 Sundance Lodge starting at: $19,900 The Residences at Sun Peaks Grand starting at: $49,000
#15 Trails Edge - $439,000
LI NE ST W IN G
6
LI NE ST W IN G
4119 Sundance Drive - $2,900,000
OPEN DAILY - LOCATED IN THE KOOKABURRA LODGE T: 250 578 8222 TF: 1 800 663 2838 E: info@sunpeaksrealty.com