SPIN Vol 14 Issue 12 by Sun Peaks Independent News

Bluebird Day Fund

Permit Approved

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MARKS TEN YEARS

WINTER Weather Forecast

FOR NEW STAFF HOUSING

NOVEMBER 25—30 Snowy periods, cold

DECEMBER 1—8 Snow storm, cold

DECEMBER 9—11 Snow showers

DECEMBER 12—15 Snow showers, cold

DECEMBER 16—22 Snowstorm, very cold

Volume 14 Issue 12 > NOVEMBER 25 — DECEMBER 22 by JEAN STRONG

aving a December birthday meant his biggest wish each year was for snow. That didn’t change as Ian McLaren grew up and made skiing his life.

McLaren started skiing as a young child at the Kamloops Ski Hill and since then has spent his life fully immersed in skiing, especially racing. His father was involved with the development of Tod Mountain which meant McLaren was there for opening day in 1961 when the Burfield chairlift first took skiers up the mountain. He has only missed one ski season since then; when he decided to travel the world. In Grade 12 he broke his leg, missing his chance at making the national ski team, but even that couldn’t keep him off the snow. McLaren spent time during university skiing and working with ski equipment between his time at school. He tuned Atomic skis for the national team in Whistler, worked as a ski instructor at Tod Mountain, and entered as many races as he could, all experiences that would come in handy later as one of Sun Peaks first entrepreneurs. During university he wrote a paper titled, “Skiing and My Life as a Skier”. It began, “I feel that skiing has fulfilled or is the closest thing to fulfilling my many

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MCLAREN PASSES THE MCSPORTIES TORCH

A LIFE LIVED dreams and desires.” His passion and industry ties continued to shape his career, and led to him to purchase the service portion of George’s Sporting Shop in Kamloops. The store evolved to Kamloops Ski Services, then Maxatune. McLaren also opened Consignor Sports before opening McSporties in Kamloops in 1994. Two years later McLaren opened a second McSporties location and became the first independent retailer in Sun Peaks. The store remains in the original location in the Sun Peaks Lodge today. Racers who knew

on skis

McLaren quickly made the shop their go-to for gear and service. Soon the store was so popular the decision was made to close the Kamloops location to focus solely on the village shop. McLaren has been there through it all, from wooden skis to the high-tech equipment of today. He remembered getting his first cell phone, about the size of a brick, and taking it skiing while a sign on the shop door instructed customers to call for service. Over his years of owning and operating McSporties, McLaren made time for his racing as well. He has attended every Silver

Star Over the Hill Downhill race for 35 years, competed in every single Top to Bottoms race until 2015 (winning eight times), took part in countless Nancy Green Corporate Challenges, competed in and won U.S. Alpine Masters Championships, International Masters Championships in Heavenly, Calif., Canadian Masters Championships in Whistler, B.C., sped downhill at the Velocity Challenge, and more. The basement of his cozy Sun Peaks home has become a gallery to showcase his many achievements. Medals hang

“I FEEL THAT SKIING HAS FULFILLED OR IS THE CLOSEST THING TO FULFILLING MY MANY DREAMS AND DESIRES.”

McLaren poses in his Sun Peaks basement where many of his awards are displayed. | PHOTO JEAN STRONG

from skis with trophies balanced on top, plaques and awards line the walls, photos and season passes from years past are displayed beside Ski Canada magazines featuring McLaren. Signs from one of his past ski stores, Maxatune, hang on the bar. Over the years he has quietly collected his accolades while watching Sun Peaks grow with new shops, homes, lifts and runs. “I’ve always loved it up here,” McLaren said. “It’s amazing continued on page 2

Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

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EDITOR & PUBLISHER Brandi Schier

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local CONTINUED FROM COVER

what has happened.” McLaren’s customer base is passing through generations, with original clientele now bringing their children and families back to the same shop. “It’s great to see a gang of them that show up every winter.” Now, after 20 years at McSporties, McLaren has passed the torch to new owner Matthias Schmid and his family. Schmid shares a passion for skiing with McLaren and worked for him as a teen, racing during the day and ski tuning in the evenings. He spent time coaching for the Sun Peaks Alpine Club and ﬁne tuning his own technique. He left the area from 2003 to 2005 but was drawn back to the community and his love of skiing. “I really love equipment,” Schmid said. “I like putting people in equipment and the joy of skiing that ﬂows through

the culture.” He is proud to take over the legendary store built by McLaren. “It’s good, it’s passing from one person who made skiing their entire life to another.” McLaren is happy with the transition to Schmid, and is looking forward to focusing on skiing and travelling with his family. “I’ve always been in the ski business and it’s been super,” McLaren said. “It’s been a great run for sure, I enjoyed it, and I still do, but I think it’s time to slow down. “He’s the perfect person. It’s good to watch Matthias and see things run smoothly.” It seems McLaren penned words he continues to live by as he makes more time to ski. In the conclusion of his university paper he wrote, “There will be many more unforgettable days of sun, snow, and excitement which make skiing the fabulous sport which it is.”

Jen Schier

jen@sunpeaksnews.com

HEALTH CLINIC CONSTRUCTION DELAYED

REPORTER Jean Strong

WRITERS Alicia Ashcroft

CONTRIBUTORS Mel Rothenburger 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.

ON THE COVER

Photo Jean Strong

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The new Sun Peaks Health Clinic has been delayed by early October snowfalls and changes in the building’s plans. Plans were redesigned and retendered while the location also caused challenges. After construction began crews discovered footings from the original Shuswap chairlift which forced more plan changes. The building will also be larger than originally thought and will include a geothermal HVAC system. Mayor Al Raine said a ﬁxed-price contract within the project’s budget has now been signed with contractors who have the choice whether or not they work throughout the winter. “There should be some construction through the winter,” Raine said. “The basement, ﬂoor, frame and roof could be completed.” It is now expected the clinic will be complete by the fall of 2017, in time to organize and move the existing health and ski patrol clinics into their new home. Raine added that the delay will provide more time to secure one or more doctors for the centre.

Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

In the meantime the current facility will operate as normal over the winter season. Currently, the clinic is open Monday to Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. Beginning Dec. 1 the clinic will be open daily at the same times. New this winter, the clinic will offer a drop in sexual health clinic on Dec. 8, offering confidential HIV and STI testing and treatment, sexual health education and free harm reduction supplies such as Naloxone kits and condoms. Women’s health clinics staffed by a nurse practitioner are scheduled for Dec. 4 and 18. Physiotherapy appointments are also available. The Sun Peaks Health Association operated their most successful flu shot clinic yet in November, vaccinating over 90 people at the Cahilty Lodge Hotel. “We’d like to thank John and Joanne Douglas for their continued support of the flu clinics,” said health association co-ordinator Barb Brodie. “And if people missed the clinic they can go to pharmacies in Kamloops to receive their annual flu shot.”

Council approves temporary use permit for new staff housing CONDITIONS PLACED ON THREE YEAR TERM by JEAN STRONG

ue process, noise, safety, community aesthetics, and property values were among the top concerns of those attending the public hearing and the following regular council meeting on Nov. 21 regarding Sun Peaks Resort LLP’s (SPR) new staff housing units. Council approved the required Temporary Use Permit after passing several resolutions outlining conditions which must be met by the resort. The public hearing was well attended by community members, especially by property owners in Burﬁeld Heights, the closest development to the staff housing area. Peter Nixon, real estate development manager for SPR, responded to concerns during the hearing by emphasizing the temporary nature of the structures, assuring there would be an onsite property manager and stating their willingness to work alongside affected homeowners to create solutions for ski access, aesthetics, landscaping and noise issues. Darcy Alexander, municipal councillor and vice president and general manager of SPR, said during the council meeting that the choice to proceed with the contract was made before the resort discovered the temporary use permit was required, as the site was already zoned for light industrial use and for staff housing. He said commencing installation before ﬁnal municipal approval was granted was needed to keep the resort operational and to free up other units around the community to house independent businesses’ staff. “I have to take the responsibility for making the decision to proceed,” Alexander said. “We made the decision to continue because we didn’t have much choice.”

He also added that the resort had agreed not to occupy the structure until the final permit had been approved. Mayor Al Raine said that he appreciated the feedback from the community and apologized for any issues caused by the last minute development. “The spirit of due process has been comprised,” said Raine. “We certainly would like to apologize to the community.” The resolutions adopted prior to approving the temporary use permit included: - The term of the permit will be three years or less, with no extensions permitted - Council will commit to the introduction of a Sun Peaks Housing Authority within 12 months - Council will adopt a Development Cost Charge Strategy to be passed on to all developers on new projects going forward - SPR must submit Official Community Plan amendments, including the identification of any parcels of land available for the new housing authority within 12 months to council - SPR must submit written approval of an onsite manager - SPR must provide council with a copy of their employee agreement, which stipulates immediate disciplinary action if employee housing regulations are not followed - SPR must commit to working with Burfield Heights owners to create and enforce a plan to ensure resort employees are not trespassing on private property - A fence with screening must be installed on the Sun Peaks Road side of the installation - SPR and Sun Peaks Fire Rescue must remove the current vehicle compound site - SPR must provide an indemnification letter stating SPMRM will not be held liable for any building code violations or safety issues on site, and SPR will be solely responsible

Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; December 22

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local NEWS Burfield nightly rentals examined ZONING MUST BE CORRECT TO RENT NIGHTLY by JEAN STRONG

hile the Burfield Drive area of Sun Peaks may be exempt from the Tourism Sun Peaks (TSP) tax on rental accommodation, homeowners must still follow municipal bylaws. That’s the message Sun Peaks’ Mayor Al Raine thinks some property owners in the area may be ignoring since changes to zoning were made

four years ago. “Four years ago public meetings explained options,” said Raine. “We reduced the zoning application cost to compliers, it was in newsletters, people have had forewarning. “We are going to enforce zoning bylaws this winter.” Raine said the municipality has already identified a number of homes where rentals are operating contrary to the building’s zoning. Owners will be subject to arbitration and face fines

“WE ARE GOING TO ENFORCE ZONING BYLAWS THIS WINTER.”

until resolved. “A property that is operating as a short-term nightly rental and is not zoned for it is subject to a $500 fine,” said Nicky Braithwaite, finance officer

for the municipality. “They are also subject to an additional $500 fine for not having a valid business licence.” Fines may be levied against the homeowner each day they are in contravention of the bylaws. Raine said he expects people will be unhappy but said they have had enough time to comply with the bylaws. Rezoning application costs are no longer reduced for those who wish to comply.

Council will also examine if entire homes, including basement suites, will be available for nightly rentals as they were in the past. Raine said the most likely change is allowing either the main home or suite to rent nightly, not both. The other area of the home would be left for owners or long-term renters who would act as an on-site property manager. Raine said allowing entire homes to be rented short-term is “not in the spirit of what we’re trying to do with short term rentals.”

Rascals back for round two WEEKLY QUIZ NIGHTS IN MASA’S by ALICIA ASHCROFT

Renwick poses outside Morrisey’s Public House at one of last year’s quiz nights. | PHOTO SUBMITTED

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Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

oring Monday nights are about to get an exciting upgrade. As of Nov. 28, the Quizzy Rascal Quiz and Trivia Night is back for its second year, setting up a permanent base at Masa’s Bar + Grill. Organizer Craig Renwick said he is looking forward to a brand-new season. A snowboard instructor at the Sun Peaks ski school, Scottish-born Renwick has quite the knack for trivia. His fondness for quiz nights began during his days at Edinburgh Napier University where he created his own “mainly as a bit of a laugh

at friends’ houses.” Last year, Renwick took things to the next level by hosting a public event that offered an “alternative evening activity for both locals and holiday makers.” The trivia nights quickly became a weekly institution with regular attendees. Renwick says of the success: “It was more than what I could have hoped for.” Not only was it popular with the locals, Renwick’s thoughtfully prepared questions also suited international guests and various age groups. Renwick wants participants to feel challenged but not discouraged. It’s meant to be a fun night out more than a serious competition.

The goal is to deliver accessible quizzes offering varying degrees of difficulty. The trivia questions cover general knowledge, music, movies, popular culture and world events. Recently, Renwick brought in a guest guitarist for a “guess the song” round. No need to take the trivia too seriously— “It’s all about having a bit of fun and creating a good atmosphere.” Come as a team of six, or join another group upon arrival. Admission is $2 per participant. As Renwick says, “all you need to do is turn up with a smile on your face.” For more information, follow the Quizzy Rascal Quiz Night Facebook page or call Masa’s Bar + Grill at 250-578-7222.

community PAGE Interior ski resorts reschedule openings by SUN PEAKS NEWS

nseasonably warm temperatures forced Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR) to move its winter opening day by one week from Nov. 19 to Nov. 26. “Personally, I don’t think it has that much of an impact,” said Aidan Kelly, chief marketing ofﬁcer for SPR. “It’s a little disappointing but in the bigger picture of the whole season it’s not a big deal. The weather is always pretty variable at this time of year.” Other Interior ski resorts also moved their opening days back. Silver Star Resort near Vernon rescheduled from Nov. 24 to Dec. 2 and Big White Ski Resort near Kelowna moved theirs from Nov. 24 to Dec. 3. SPR announced a limited opening with downloading on

the Sunburst chairlift and skiing and riding at mid-mountain elevations. They also expected a limited Nordic opening. “It will be limited but I think our opening is a testament to the design of the village, our summer grooming and the dedication of our staff,” said Kelly. Safety and quality of experience were cited as factors in the delay in a post published to their social media sites on Nov. 14. After some help from Mother Nature with cooler temperatures and natural snow, the Sun Peaks International Race Centre opened on OSV ski run on Nov. 19. “Long-term forecast, not just for us but for everyone, is for a great season from December to April,” said Kelly. Kelly said all staff and mountain crews are ready and waiting to open up more terrain as conditions allow.

Eager skiers and riders line up for first chair of the 2015 winter season on Nov. 20. | FILE PHOTO

One person’s hobby farm dream might be another’s nightmare 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.

obby farms are sometimes called “ﬁve acres of heaven.” It’s an apt description. A couple of horses, some chickens, maybe a cow or two and a goat. Maybe even farm status if you meet the revenue requirements. A great place to unwind and get back to the land after a day or a week at the ofﬁce, and relatively unfettered by the strict rules that apply to

urban properties. And hobby farms are becoming more and more popular. The result is complaints of noise, smell and ﬂies caused by too many animals on small acreages have become more frequent. As Thompson Nicola Regional District (TNRD) director of development services Regina Sadilkova puts it, “three llamas looking in your window.” The TNRD is looking at some modest restrictions on non-ALR (Agricultural Land Reserve) hobby farm living that, at ﬁrst glance, might raise alarm bells. “People are passionate about these things,” Sadilkova told a recent committee of the whole meeting.

Instead of just one definition of “livestock,” several categories are proposed; large livestock ranging from pigs to horses and cows; small livestock, like goats, sheep, and fallow deer; and poultry such as turkeys, hens, pigeons and rabbits. Yes, rabbits, simply because they’re interchangeable with poultry, size-wise. It’s a bit arbitrary, but two acres should be enough for two cows or horses, two sheep or 40 hens or other poultry. Five acres can sustain five horses, pigs or cows, five goats and 80 hens (or 40 hens and 40 rabbits). And 10 acres? Ten cows or horses, 10 sheep and a lot of turkeys or hens– 199 of them.

NUMBER OF VILLAGE SIGNS TO BE LIMITED A new bylaw that would restrict how many signs businesses in the village may display has been suggested by the municipal council. The bylaw would permit one sign per business for promotion. It will restrict the size, dimension and quality of signs displayed in

the village. The idea was sparked by complaints that the village looked crowded with signs competing for space and attention resulting in distracting and cluttered walking areas. Mayor Al Raine said he believes the bylaw is necessary to rein in

the number of boards on walkways. “We’ve gone from one board per business to many per business,” he said. “It looks cluttered.” Before the bylaw can go into place the municipality will speak with affected business owners and host a public hearing.

Or, you could forgo the cows and horses and add 30 goats. The equations and substitutions can get a bit comical but, clearly, some guidelines are needed. The new categories simply try to recognize that livestock comes in all shapes and sizes and affects land use in different ways. They attempt to answer the question, “What farm animals can I have on my property?” The other part of the issue on non-ALR small acreages is outbuildings. A small shed or two or three doesn’t create an issue but super buildings on small acreages do. Some outbuildings are bigger than the house, might not even be related to farming, and create an intrusion on neighbourhoods. New rules would limit heights and maximum areas for buildings based on parcel size. For example, lots under an acre would be limited to 25 per cent of the space being used for buildings. A staff report explains the intention of the new provisions: “The proposed amendments are not designed to penalize the horse-lovers with a few horses on their property, separate property owners

from their hobby farm or thwart one’s ability to build a barn. The amendments also do not limit livestock keeping or buildings on large parcels or ALR lands as these are governed by the ALC and subject to policy set out under the ALC Act.” The board has directed staff to bring forward suitable amendments to the TNRD zoning bylaw. Hopefully, by the end of the process, a hobby farm can still be ﬁve acres of heaven, and the neighbours next door can still enjoy their home as their castle.

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Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

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local NEWS Village projects ready for use NEW ICE RINK AND VILLAGE TRAIL NEAR COMPLETION by JEAN STRONG

s guests make their way to Sun Peaks for a new season, they will have the chance to experience two new additions to the area. A new section of the village trail leading from staff accommodation near the base of the Burfield chairlift to the previous trail head at the entrance to Parking Lot 2 will provide pedestrians and bikers with a safer and more convenient route. While lights and drainage still need to be added, Sun Peaks Mayor Al Raine was excited that work is complete on the path.

“Of everything we’ve done, I’m most thrilled to drive home and see groups of people walking on that trail,” said Raine. “Just to see people walking on that trail is absolutely wonderful.” Concerns around safety of those walking on the road, especially staff members, was voiced in the community for years before the trail was added. “It was only a matter of time before someone would get seriously injured,” Raine said. Daniel Wilden, a resident of Sun Peaks, thought the trail has made the commute to the village safer and easier and sees people choosing to walk on the trail rather than the road.

“I didn’t use the road to begin with but I imagine it’s much better this way,” Wilden said. “It’s much safer obviously, it’s good.” A new refrigerated ice rink will also be ready to greet skaters by Christmas. Construction is complete on the site beside the swimming pool. Until plans to cover and enclose the rink are started in a few years the rink will be open but have boards, refrigerated ice, lights and a Zamboni. Pricing and schedule for skaters is not yet finalized but Raine expected an annual pass option as well as plenty of time for public skating. The rink will be operated in co-operation with Sun Peaks Resort LLP who operated the original outdoor rink in the East Village. Raine said it was a relief to see the rink so close to completion and he believes it will be popular with residents

The new village trail has been well received by staff walking to the village. | PHOTO SUN PEAKS NEWS

and visitors. “I think we will have a lot

of people dusting off their skates,” Raine said.

Beavers, Cubs and Scouts galore SCOUTS MEMBERSHIP DOUBLES FROM 2015 by JEAN STRONG

fter 10 years of involvement during his own childhood, Colin Cannon is bringing the lessons of Scouts

to children at Sun Peaks. What started as a small group a few years ago has grown as more families bring their children to the community and the school. From 2015 to 2016, enrollment doubled to 29 members

Scouts members at a group campfire. | PHOTO SUBMITTED

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Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

falling into three age groups; Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. Cannon said he didn’t expect membership to grow so much but he was thrilled when it did. The program, which accepts both boys and girls, aims to teach members important skills

including leadership, teamwork, helping others and survival skills. “It is cool to watch them learning valuable skills and know they will be able to use it in a meaningful way,” Cannon said. “It’s unbelievable.” Cannon is passionate about the members guiding the group, from choosing trips to planning them and leading them. “It is very youth driven,” Cannon said. “The leadership tries to tap into what the young people want to do.” Recently the Scouts chose an overnight canoe and camping trip on a local lake. Other outings have included cleaning up the community at the annual Trash Bash or along McGillivray Creek, staying overnight in the Okanagan Science Centre, getting involved in local remembrance day ceremonies and exploring the village in wheelchairs to exercise empathy. During the upcoming months members will head out to camp in ice caves, snowshoe, cross country ski and of course, go on more canoe trips.

“We’ve got a full slate of things coming up,” said Cannon. “The Scout’s plan and it will be a good challenge for them.” The Sun Peaks Scouts meet weekly in a Sun Peaks Grand banquet room. Anyone interested in registering, volunteering or visiting the group is welcome. For more information contact Cannon at colin.m.cannon@gmail.com.

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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 Mon — Sun 11:30am to 6:30pm Located on the Ground Floor of the Residences at Sun Peaks Grand

Phone:250-578-2414

local NEWS SPHL ends as new rink begins HOCKEY LEAGUE SIDELINED DUE TO ICE TIME COSTS by JEAN STRONG

he Sun Peaks Hockey League (SPHL) would be starting their ninth season at Sun Peaks this winter but the puck won’t drop this year. SPHL organizer Mike Billheimer said delays in the new rink’s construction resulted in a lack of information to arrange funding and sponsorships for the upcoming season. “Delays have put it to a point where it is too late to make anything of value,” said Billheimer. “We need time to figure it out before it starts.” Use of the new ice rink will come with an increased cost. Three to four hours of ice time is needed weekly and the hourly rates at similar rinks in the area range from $130 to $190. Insurance costs for a league at the new rink have been quoted starting at $18 per player. Similar leagues in nearby Kamloops cost hundreds of dollars per player compared to the SPHL’s cost of $40 per player. Previously the ice time and insurance cost were provided by Sun Peaks Resort LLP as a way to support the league for their staff. The new rink will be

managed by the municipality. The cost provided each player with admittance to games at the original outdoor ice rink where games were staffed by volunteers and had a large amount of equipment available for use free of charge. The fees were put towards equipment and prizing for players. Billheimer said the cost necessary to cover the increase in ice and insurance costs is too much to pass on to players who are resort staff who have joined the league for fun and as an alternative activity to the bar scene.

“I would hope there would still be a hockey league.” -MAYOR AL RAINE

“We’ve got a group of people who have been involved with us year after year,” said Billheimer. He added many resort staff are presented with the league as a benefit of choosing to work in Sun Peaks instead of other resort communities which is now no longer the case. Sun Peaks Mayor Al Raine said it wouldn’t be fair to other groups and community mem-

Players at a game on the outdoor rink last year.

bers if SPHL was given free ice time. “We have to be fair,” Raine said. “Property owners shouldn’t have to cover any losses. We can’t keep operating cost to a minimum with free leagues.” While prices have not been released, Raine said they will be the same for tourists and locals and will be at a level everyone can afford. He added the rink was an expensive project for the mu-

| PHOTO SPHL

nicipality, topping over $1 million, and there’s a chance that fees may not cover operating costs even without providing free ice time for the league. “There is a cost involved,” Raine said. “We will work with anybody who is wanting to use the ice and willing to pay a reasonable fee for ice time.” Raine said he is hopeful the rink will still see some sort of local league for its first season. “I suspect there will be a lot of demand. I would hope

there would still be a hockey league,” said Raine. Billheimer said he hopes SPHL will be able to return by the next season and continue to grow. He would like to see it open to all community members rather than only to resort staff members and to continue to play against leagues at other resorts. The 2015-16 season saw 116 players, forming more than 10 teams, take to the ice to battle for top spot.

Sun Peaks takes first steps to become Bear Smart Certified PROGRAM INCLUDES EDUCATION AND BYLAWS by JEAN STRONG

fter a number of encounters between humans and bears this fall, a committee has been formed to help Sun Peaks become Bear Smart Certified. Catherine McGauchie, committee member, said a report of a tourist petting a bear that entered a village hotel was one of the reasons the group decided to work towards the certification. “I just think it’s really important,” said McGauchie. “We thought let’s get a committee together to address

the problem.” The committee first met on Sept. 26 with their next meeting planned to take place in about six weeks. The nine member committee will work together to complete all six steps necessary to earn the certification. To date several steps have already been completed, such as a hazard assessment, education programs and bear-proof waste disposal. Future steps include working with strata properties and property managers to educate tourists and residents, including tour bus travellers, and removal of attractant trees. More challenging or labour intensive steps include working to

change and create enforceable bylaws that address human and bear contact and making amendments to the official community plan. McGauchie said she believes the entire process will be complete in two to three years. “We have done a good job but we have to keep going,” she said, adding that responses from the community and municipality have been positive. Much of the education component will focus on guests to the resort who may be less aware of how to behave around wildlife instead of residents who have been mostly co-operative and supportive of changes. Mandy Ross, Thompson

Nicola Regional District WildSafeBC community co-ordinator, said conservation officers have also responded with support for the certification. Ross said the certification is a good way to show the municipality is working towards positive change and added that work previously done in the community has been valuable. “Sun Peaks has done great,” she said. “They have had a head start.” There are seven communities in the province currently certified through the program, including Kamloops, which has been at the forefront of the Bear Smart program since its inception. Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

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TOURISM news Magic in the mountains

IS SEEKING AN ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVE

THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES OF HORSES AND NATURE

Sun Peaks Independent News is seeking a qualified sales representative to fulfill a part time, permanent advertising sales position. The successful candidate will possess a well-developed list of business relationships in the Kamloops region in order to quickly grow new business. This person must also have the ability to think strategically and creatively in order to identify new clients who would benefit from reaching over 500,000 annual travelers, the growing number of full-time Sun Peaks residents, as well as thousands of Kamloops residents. We are looking for an individual with a proven sales record who is able to produce successful results in a short time frame. This person must actively represent our company in a positive and enthusiastic manner. An understanding of Sun Peaks and the community is preferred. Wage is based on qualifications and experience. Commission and bonuses based on successful sales may be discussed.

Interested candidates must submit their cover letter, resume and references to editor@sunpeaksnews.com.

SHOPPING SHUTTLE R O U N D T R I P F R O M S U N P E A KS

Transportation Provided by CANADA WEST COACHLINES

SPEND THE DAY SHOPPING IN KAMLOOPS!

Schneider poses with two of her rescued horses. | PHOTO JEAN STRONG

Beginning December 5 and then every weekend* Check our website for more details - sunfuntours.ca *MINIMUM NUMBER OF RIDERS REQUIRED, CHECK DATES ONLINE

TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED AT GUEST SERVICES SUN PEAKS GUEST SERVICES - 250.578.5474

skibus@canadawestcoach.com | 250.299.1121

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. Do not 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, a 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. Utility staff can 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 250-578-5490 Monday to Friday. Sun Peaks Utilities’after hours emergency 250-319-0629.

In an emergency, please call 9-1-1. 8

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Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

by JEAN STRONG

ust off of a snowy dirt road connecting Sun Peaks to Adams Lake and Barriere, there’s a ranch with red roofs tucked in the woods. If you were to turn up the driveway you would be greeted by friendly dogs, a flock of chickens and Hillary Schneider waving at you from the covered porch of a large lodge. It’s here where Schneider has lived for almost a year after moving from Ladner, B.C., bringing her family of animals with her. Now she shares the 80 acre property with a herd of 15 horses, two dogs, a coop of chickens and a number of staff members who run Epona Rise Retreat Centre. Schneider dreamed of owning a property with horses while she grew up in Ontario attending summer riding camps and working at barns to spend time around the animals. After learning about horse breeding at Olds College in Alberta, she moved home before coming west with her first horse, Indra. “I felt called to come out here,” Schneider said. “I had an intuition.” Schneider called the Lower Mainland home for a number of years working as a coach before she, Indra, and eight other horses she had gathered, made the jump to the ranch near Kamloops.

She had never spent time in the area but said the property is everything she envisioned as a young girl who wanted to live her life connected to horses. Now, Schneider said she wouldn’t have it any other way. There was a steep learning curve to managing the accommodation and business sides that Schneider had to learn quickly. She has also added seven more horses to the herd comprised of trail horses, retired horses, horses rescued from slaughter or those adopted from other bad situations. “I can give them a second purpose,” she said. “I spend time with my horses every day. I feel fortunate I can give them a nice home.” The centre brings guests from all over the world to a peaceful valley where they can spend as much time as they need connecting to nature, to the horses and to themselves. “Horses are a natural mirror for people,” said Schneider. “A certain horse might resonate with a certain person and there is a symbolism in that connection.” The herd is used in her special retreats that can serve many purposes. Sometimes it’s someone searching for their purpose in life, other times it’s a business leader looking for ways to improve. Guests spend anywhere from two hours to all day in the 55

acres where the horses roam. Schneider helps guests learn about functional herd or group dynamics, body language, self-awareness and more. These are all lessons she sees clients carry with them throughout their work, lives and relationships long after they leave the ranch. “The experience is everlasting,” she said. “They can come back to it later, it is transformational.” The ranch, which includes eight luxury cabins and the lodge with an industrial kitchen and open living area, also welcomes skiers, weddings, birthdays or retreats. Work-away students from around the world visit from anywhere between a few weeks to a few months to work but also to experience life in the area. Schneider said the community has been very welcoming since she took over the property, which was previously operated as a guest ranch. “I have totally been blown away by the community. People are just really good people out here.” She is hopeful and excited for her future at the ranch. “It is so fulfilling to help them (the clients). I have these moments where it is just surreal. It is what I love, I am never not in awe.” For more information on the ranch visit epona-rise-retreats.com.

Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; December 22

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GET out there The legend of Bryndian BLUEBIRD DAY FUND MARKS 10 YEARS

Bryn Taylor takes in a sunny Sun Peaks day. | PHOTO SUBMITTED

by ALICIA ASHCROFT

hough his life was short, his legacy is long-lasting. Kamloops born, Sun Peaks resident, and sponsored snowboarder Bryn Taylor died on Nov. 1, 2006. He was a passenger in a motor vehicle accident near Ashcroft. He was 24 years old. On Nov. 8, two days after

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his memorial—a service that brought nearly 1000 people together—the Bluebird Day Fund (BDF) was established. The Taylors lost their son, but inherited a community and a cause. What started as an “in lieu of flowers” alternative raised $10,000 by the end of January 2007, which was then matched by Eleanor Thompson, Bryn’s employer at Conners Drilling. Ten years later, the non-profit organization is a well-oiled machine. They have raised over $204,000 for the local community and assisted dozens of local athletes to achieve their goals on the snow. The BDF sells stickers and t-shirts with the now well-known emblems associated with the Bluebird brand. The image of the hand inside a fist is a reference to a classic Bryn-ism. “If you tried to pound fists, he would grab it instead of pound it,” Ben Morris, longtime friend and BDF marketing director explained. As for “Giver Balls”, it was a commonly used expression proclaimed during his many antics and adventures. “Bryn had many nicknames, but Bryndian stuck. His personality couldn’t be contained by a one syllable name,” Morris chuckled.

Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

Those symbols spark questions about who Bryn was, and what the BDF is about, which is always a welcome icebreaker. Though the loss was unbearable, there was strength in numbers. Ryan Wilkinson, Bryn’s childhood friend and BDF events chair recalled, “Bryn’s passing created this tightknit family that rallied around his memory.” Wilkinson remembered the Taylors swooping into Sun Peaks offering endless support. “Dick and Terry held everyone together. To us, they’ll always be ‘Mom and Dad.’” Quick to deflect the credit, the Taylors insisted Bryn’s friends were major contributors from the beginning and onwards. “Everyone has a job and does it very well,” Terry said. The Taylor’s have recently retired from the non-profit’s board, with Bryn’s sister Ashley Spear taking over as president. The foundation supports local individuals committed to their athletic endeavours. Support and sponsorship is exhibited through training camps, day camps, event registration for provincial or national organizations, financial reimbursement for competition expenses and the production of promotional videos. They also collaborate with Sun Peaks Resort’s Snow Sports School. Twenty kids have been trained and sponsored through the Bluebird Day Park Session program with six participants surpassing the current program, sparking a new competition level freestyle snowboard club at Sun Peaks. In 2012 the BDF partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Kamloops, and has since matched 50 pairs of ‘Bigs’ and ‘Littles’ to ski and snowboard on the slopes. Not only are the kids developing and perfecting skills, they benefit from a positive mentorship connection. The BDF covers the cost of equipment, cloth-

The 2016 BDF Board of Directors celebrate at the Annual Fall Ball in November. | PHOTO ALPINE IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHY

ing, transportation and meals. They hope to expand the mentorship program into the summer months. Alecia Stevens, BDF public relations spokesperson, said she believes that’s the future of the BDF: to further develop the relationship with BBBS and create more mentorship connections. “It’s growing beyond our core group and the Sun Peaks community.” The BDF has grown exponentially, from sending two kids a year to Whistler camps, to a variety of programming centered in Sun Peaks, available for more age ranges than ever before. “Losing Bryn was the hardest thing but from this tragedy positive things have been made possible,” said Stevens. The success of the Bluebird Day Fund is bittersweet for Bryn’s family and friends. Spear credits the BDF as being a “part of the healing process”; Terry Taylor said, “It’s not a comfort… but it is gratifying.” Bryn’s spirit is alive and well in annual events: The Fall Ball (which will celebrate a decade in November 2017), Giver Balls Open golf tournament, Bluebird

Banked Slalom and the Super Sender Season Ender Bender. “He didn’t want to waste a moment. He wanted everyone to really live,” Spear remembered. “Bryn was the life of the party,” said Wilkinson. Often the last man standing, Bryn was generally the ﬁrst one up to hit the fresh morning powder and didn’t hesitate to drag friends from their warm beds to come along. “We had a lot of fun,” Morris recalled. “Most of us couldn’t keep up but he’d never leave you behind.” Spear said she feels especially close to Bryn on the mountain, or at Bottoms Bar & Grill where Bryn is memorialized in a corner of the popular pub. She said she relishes in Sunday lunches there with her children, where they bask in the legendary status of their uncle. For others, it’s during epic snowfalls or on those perfect bluebird days—sunny, clear and bright. “In those moments, we offer our thanks to Bryn,” said Morris. For more information or to volunteer, go to www.bluebirddayfund.com or contactbdfboard@bluebirddayfund.com.

ALPINE IMAGES GALLERY ANDREW PELLER WINES ANNE & GEORGE TERWIEL A & T PROJECT DEVELOPMENTS BARB KUPFERSCHMIDT LINDER BLACK BEAVER CROSSFIT BLUEBIRD MARKET BOLACCO CAFE BOTTOMS BAR & GRILL BREAKTHRU BEVERAGE THE BREMNER FAMILY CHOPPED LEAF KAMLOOPS CHRIGEL’S TIMBER CHALET INC. COAST HILLCREST HOTEL CREATIVELY CUT CREEKSIDE CRITTERS CYCLES LAMBERT DISCOVER SUN PEAKS ADVENTURES DOUBLE TREE BY HILTON EARLS RESTAURANT ELEVATED FISHING ADVENTURES

FALL LINE TUNING & REPAIR FOUR WINDS BEACH HOUSE & SPA / FLOAT SECHELT / PEDALS+PADDLES / BLUE HERON RESTAURANT FOUR WINDS MASSAGE THERAPY AND YOGA, BRENDA WILKINSON, RMT FREEFALL SUN PEAKS HANDS ON THE MOVE MOBILE MASSAGE HITCH ‘N RAIL RESORT INNSPIRE PROPERTY SERVICES & SUN PEAKS AQUATICS INSIGHT NATURAL HEALING & THOMPSON REGIONAL CONTRACTING IZZY HAMPTON-STONE JANET LOVE MORRISON JARDINES J T WHITE TRUCKING INC KAMLOOPS FAMILY VISION CENTRE KELLY & YOLANDA DYE

KORINA LINDER LEE & BRAD PATJAS LISA VILLAMO WITH THE KIRSTEN MASON CENTURY 21 TEAM MASAS BAR & GRILL MCSPORTIES MEGHAN KOLODKA & MIKE SLEZIAZ MICHAEL & RUTH FANE MIKE WEIGELE HELICOPTER SKIING MOLSON COORS CANADA MOUNTAIN HIGH PIZZA MOUNTAIN MAN DOGSLED ADVENTURES NANCY GREENE’S CAHILTY LODGE NORTHERN TAEKWONDO ACADEMY NORTHWEST VOYAGEUR COMPANY NRG ENTERPRISES ORONGE BOARDSHOP KAMLOOPS PADDLE SURFIT PATRICIA GARNHAM PETERS PASTA POWDER VENTURES

EXCAVATING LTD. POWDER VENTURES SAND & GRAVEL PURE ROMANCE CUPID RACE FACE RED COLLAR BREWING RE/MAX ALPINE RESORT REALTY ROCKY MOUNTAIN BICYCLES ROSS AND AMY BLAKENEY RUBEN & TANNIS SORGE RUSCH ENTERPRISES LTD SARAH FORSTER SCOTT COLEMAN SILVIA & MARIO ERLER SKI ADVENTURES CANADA SMART ELECTRICAL SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY, SUN PEAKS SUNDANCE FINE WINE, BEER & LIQUOR STORE SUN PEAKS ALPINE CLUB SUN PEAKS EDUCATION SOCIETY

SUN PEAKS GRAND HOTEL & CONFERENCE CENTRE SUN PEAKS INDEPENDENT NEWS SUN PEAKS LODGE & STEAKHOUSE SUN PEAKS PLUMBING AND HEATING SUN PEAKS RECREATIONAL TRAIL SOCIETY SUN PEAKS RESORT LLP SUN PEAKS SPA SUN PEAKS STABLES TERESSA PURKIS THIS N THAT SERVICES THOMPSON VALLEY SAND & GRAVEL TOURISM SUN PEAKS TRINA MARSHMANN HOME FINANCING ADVISOR WITH SCOTIABANK VERTICAL CAFE VOYAGEUR BISTRO THE WALKERS WHITE LYON ROAD MAINTANENCE YOGA LOFT ZIMMER WHEATON ZUZY ROCKA

Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

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MOUNTAIN news Mountain Town News by BY ALLEN BEST ALLEN.BEST@COMCAST.NET MOUNTAINTOWNNEWS.NET

New summer activities but no alpine coaster? TELLURIDE, Colo. – Telluride is getting ready to expand its on-mountain summer activities. There are to be family-friendly mountain bike trails, an aerial adventure park and canopy tours. What about an alpine slide or mountain coasters? Both Vail Mountain and Heavenly, the ﬁrst out of the chute to use new federal authority for on-mountain activities during summer, now have them. The federal law adopted in 2011 speciﬁcally bans amusement parks, but is silent about wheeled rides other than mountain bikes. The Telluride Daily Planet’s list of activities planned on the mountain makes no mention of an alpine coaster. Jeff Proteau, vice president of mountain operations at Telluride Ski Resort,

told the newspaper that the company, locally called Telski, had chosen “organic activities that can blend in with the environment and are non-mechanical.” Bill Jensen, chief executive of the Telluride Ski Resort, said nothing about coasters, but did say this: “I don’t think ski resorts in the summer should turn into theme parks. I’ll leave it at that.” The ski area’s new plan seeks to boost winter visitors, which run an average of 3,900 but with a maximum of 8,800 last year. An option is a new beginner area equipped with a Magic Carpet in place of an existing Nordic area. Mixing pot and alcohol frowned on in Aspen ASPEN, Colo. – Denver voters decided to allow marijuana consumption in speciﬁc public places. Many voters thought that it would result in bars and restaurants allowing places to imbibe. But in recent months, reports The Denver Post, state licens-

ing officials adopted regulations that bans consumption of marijuana on the premises of businesses with liquor licenses. Mason Tvert, a marijuana legalization activist, called the new state liquor rule “absurd.” He said the state agency was “openly fighting a turf battle on behalf of the liquor industry. They seem to think it’s fine for patrons of bars and concert venues to get blackout drunk, but unacceptable for them to instead use a far less harmful substance like marijuana.” But was Tvert missing the point? Even before the Denver Post story, local officials in Aspen said that they didn’t like mixing alcohol and marijuana. “It’s a whole other monster we are not ready for,” Linda Manning, the city clerk in Aspen, told the Aspen Daily News. Joe DiSalvo, the Pitkin County sheriff, favored legalized use of marijuana for recreational use but also opposed the mixing of the two intoxicants. Meanwhile, a new report from

the Valley Marijuana Council found few examples of accidental ingestion of edibles causing a problem in the Aspen area. Edibles constitute only 12 to 14 percent of total sales. The same report, reports the Daily News, found no uptick in teen marijuana use since sales began in 2014. However, there’s been a reduction among both teens and adults of perception of cannabis as harmful. Park City’s ambitions to become net-zero energy PARK CITY, Utah – At last report, both Park City and Aspen were at the top of Georgetown University Energy Prize rankings, with Jackson Hole down the list among the 50 national ﬁnalists. In January the winner will be declared. At stake is $5 million in prize money—but also reduced energy and hence fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Park City had put great muscle into this effort. It now gets 15 per cent of power from renewable sources but expects

to ramp that up to 67 per cent by the end of next year because of a substantial increase in utility-scale solar provided by Rocky Mountain Power, the utility that serves Park City. “We think it is impossible with current technology to produce no carbon,” said Andy Beerman, a city council member. “So we’re looking at ways as a city that we can produce enough renewable energy that we can offset what we use” The city government has articulated a goal of having a net-zero energy use for municipal operations by 2022. At an event covered by the Park Record, Beerman also reported that Park City will soon be getting six electric buses, the ﬁrst of what will be about 50 electric buses in the next decade. Meanwhile, Park City and Summit county energy strategies are using elementary school students to communicate the idea of switching to CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

BUY ONLINE IN ADVANCE FOR HUGE SAVINGS! THE BEST WAY TO BUY LIFT TICKETS Visit our store at SunPeaksResort.com/STORE

NEW EVENT! Sunny Side Up Slopestyle A partnership with BC Freestyle Ski Association. January 28-29, 2017 in the Rockstar Energy Terrain Park!

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Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

MOUNTAIN news continued from previous page

low-energy LED bulbs. “The students have pestered their parents into switching over 10,000 light bulbs we’ve documented so far,” said Mary Christa Smith, project manager for Summit Community Power Works. In addition to switching to LED bulbs, 95 families installed solar panels through the Mountain Town Community Solar Program. Many more are making the move to weatherize their home, Smith told ABC 4 in Salt Lake City. “Already our community has saved $5 million on their utility bills in the first 18 months,” said Smith.

Learning sustainability while still in high school WHITEFISH, Mont. – Twothirds of the $1.7 million needed to build the Center for Applied Sustainability at Whitefish High School has been secured from private sources. Construction is expected to begin next spring. The Whitefish Pilot explains that the center is to include a greenhouse, laboratories, gardens, and an experimental forest. Energy for the three acre campus is to come from passive solar, solar photovoltaic, and geothermal/geoexchange. While unable to provide enough energy to meet demand mid-winter, over the course of a year it is to be net-zero in its demands for external energy. Mark Van Everen, of Bridge-

water Builders, told the Pilot that achieving that net-zero goal won’t be easy. “It’s difficult to do in Montana,” he said. “We live in a harsh climate.” Scott Elden, of Montana Creative Architecture + Design, said investing too much in current technology is to be avoided, given the rapid rate of change in solar technology. “If tech goes the way we hope it does, then it’s reasonable that the amount of space required to be covered by solar panels would go down,” he said. The Green Schools Alliance, an international organization, hopes that the Whitefish school takes a lead among several Montana schools in helping other schools get sustainability projects started.

STEAKHOUSE AT SUN PEAKS LODGE E

“Enjoy your evening with great steaks and daily specials in a casual family atmosphere.”

Ph: 250 578 7878

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

Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

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arts ENTERTAINMENT Snowbombing tickets selling fast FESTIVAL WRISTBAND AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS by JEAN STRONG

s of the third week of November, accommodation and tickets packages for Snowbombing festival in April were 80 per cent sold. Lift tickets, ski rentals and lessons were also available as additions. Wristband only sales began on Monday, Nov. 20 with tier one pricing selling out in around an hour. “It’s been great to see such a huge demand,” said Aidan Kelly, chief marketing ofﬁcer for Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR). “We’re excited; there’s a good lineup and the market is responding really well. There’s actually more demand than supply.” Kelly said the resort is work-

ing to balance the needs of different groups who want to be involved in the festival, such as residents, people with part-time accommodation in the resort, people in Kamloops and the thousands of guests who will be travelling to the festival. Sun Peaks residents who don’t require accommodation will have the option to purchase wristbands separately near Christmastime but the resort has warned there will be a very restricted amount. Proof of address will be required and there will be a limit per household. The lineup was released in October and received a mostly positive response online. The list of acts is headlined by well-known performers like Ludacris and Kaskade. Other acts included Thomas Jack, Pete Tong and Mat the Alien.

Now Featuring 16 Drafts On Tap! The Largest Draft Selection in Sun Peaks!

EXCLUSIVE FOR MASA’S:

Red Collar Brewing Craft Amber Ale Coming in December Red Collar Brewing is a craft brewery located in downtown Kamloops.

New Late Night Menu. Now Open Until 10:00pm Open daily from 11:00am to 9:00pm | Call 250.578.5434 Come in for a Christmas Blend coffee or specialty drink, like a Peppermint Mocha or Chestnut Praline Latte. LOCATED IN THE SUN PEAKS VILLAGE DAY LODGE Must show 2 pieces of ID and be 19 years of age or older for Masa’s drink specials. © 2016 Starbucks and the Starbucks logo are registered trademarks of Starbucks Corporation.

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Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

Daisy Toomer, Snowbombing event assistant, said the artist selection is meant to appeal to as many people as possible. “We wanted to create a lineup that was diverse and appealing to all genres and ages, hence why we chose a heritage headline act such as Ludacris combined with a current headline dance act, Kaskade,” Toomer said. Day tickets will be available to purchase closer to the event. As of press time, no information had been released on prices or release dates for day tickets. Toomer said locals will have various opportunities to be involved in the festival including the chance to earn wristbands by helping with the event. In January staff will be recruited for a number of roles.

Wine and art a perfect pairing “Everyone’s painting is their own.”

Participants at Dersken’s first painting and wine night pose with their creations. | PHOTO LIZ DERKSEN

by JEAN STRONG

here is a new addition to the Sun Peaks art community offerings. On Nov. 10 local artist Liz Derksen brought a painting and wine night to her studio for the ﬁrst time. The event, which was the ﬁrst of its kind on the moun-

tain, brought nine amateur artists together for the evening led by Derksen. Derksen said she enjoyed guiding the group to create their own paintings because it was fun and more relaxing than her usual classes. She also appreciated how the night let her students create a unique piece by adding characters or changing colours to reﬂect their own personality. “Everyone’s painting is their own,” said Derksen. “They can explore their own creativity.” Derksen said feedback from participants was positive and they especially appreciated the small class size as it allowed them to ask as many questions as needed. The group worked on a seasonal painting of three snowmen under the watchful eye of Derksen and brought their own wine to relax and pair with the painting. She expects future events will see a high demand. “There were a lot of people that wanted to get in that couldn’t get in,” said Derksen. Similar events across the country had become increasingly popular when Derksen received a request to bring the idea to Sun Peaks. In the future Derksen would like to host the event in partnership with local businesses and expand the class size. Derksen will host two more events before the end of the year on Dec. 6 and 8, with a maximum of 10 participants. Similar private evenings are also available dependent on availability. The class is $30 per person and includes all art supplies. For more information contact Derksen at 250-303-0595 or liz61d@shaw.ca.

arts ENTERTAINMENT The great escape

EVENT > listings SATURDAY

NOVEMBER 26

SUNDAY

Sun Peaks’ lifts will turn for the first day of shredding for the season. Hit the slopes then head to one of the events celebrating the start of another great season.

APRÈS AND ALES

OPENING DAY

250 578 5474

THURSDAY

DECEMBER 1 + 22 TNRD BOOKMOBILE

Visit the Bookmobile at the Bento’s Day Lodge parking lot. Loan periods for books, large print books, audiobooks, magazines, video games, DVDs and CDs is six weeks. The Bookmobile is also wheelchair accessible. Library cards are free to all TNRD residents and cards are welcome at any TNRD branch or Bookmobile stop.

thereal, sensual, surreal and hypnotic, with an element of mythological otherworldliness— Sun Peaks artist Zuzy Rocka seeks to create “a world within a world” through her creative endeavors. The photographer and illustrator describes her own artistic style as “spontaneous and all-consuming.” When her attention is seized by the juxtaposition of light, color, textures and landscape, the world slows down. “I’m compelled to stop everything and capture the moment.” This winter, her time will be split between the slopes and Alpine Images Photography. Rocka is working closely with shop owner Gemma Harris on

designs for hoodies, shirts and pillowcases as part of the Outland Collective brand. She has also assisted with creating a new line of handmade candles, Sunburst Candle Co. Rocka has always been enamoured by the natural world, astronomy and science ﬁction—and the way it ignites her imagination. She also cites people as her greatest inspiration. “The human psyche is endlessly fascinating.” She uses layering of images which refers to our internal lives in proximity to our physical beings with spiritual sources that surround us. Her style of multi-exposure conceptual photography creates a narrative— stories within a single snapshot. The tale being told can be translated however the viewer sees ﬁt.

Join Glenn Bond for a weekend of improving your classic or skate-skiing. Video analysis and lunch are provided. $169.

MONDAY

WEDNESDAY

HIGH FIVE DAY

Previously known as toonie day, ski all day for $5 and a non-perishable food donation. All donations and proceeds go to the Kamloops Food Bank. 250 578 5474

FRIDAY TO SUNDAY

CHRISTMAS CRAFT MARKET

DECEMBER 10

CSIA Level Four Instructors take 70 particiapants out on the slopes for a weekend of coaching, fitness, and ski improvment.

GLENN BOND NORDIC SKI CAMP

glenn_bond@me.com

DECEMBER 5

Christmas Craft Market 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Heffley Creek Hall. Over 30 vendors of small business, artisans and crafters. Something for everyone. Admission by donation. Concession available.2 250 320 3303

250 578 5474

DECEMBER 15

DECEMBER 10-11

250 578 5474

SATURDAY

WINTER KICK-OFF WEEKEND SKI IMPROVEMENT CAMP

by ALICIA ASHCROFT

After your first day of ripping up the hill make your way to Masa’s Bar + Grill for a Granville Island Brewing Winter Ale. All opening day lift tickets and seasons passes inlude a free beer and drink deals will be available. 2 to 6 p.m.

www.tnrd.ca

DECEMBER 2-4

A self-portrait accompanies a work of art by Rocka. | PHOTOS ZUZY ROCKA

DECEMBER 4

THURSDAY

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

FRIDAY RACE SERIES

Registration and bib pick-up is in the Village Day Lodge Breezeway from 8:30am to 11:00am each day. All Ages, $15 per person. Course inspection starts at 10:15am and racing starts at 11:15am. 250 578 5442

FRIDAY TO SUNDAY

DECEMBER 16-18

DECEMBER 14

SUN PEAKS ELEMENTARY & ACADEMY WINTER CONCERT

Sun Peaks Elementary and Sun Peaks Academy winter concert at the Sun Peaks Grand Hotel and Conference Centre Ballroom. Grade K-4 present a musical celebration of Snow & Slush “Flakes”. Grade 5-12 present the classic tale of “The Grinch”. 6-8 p.m.

HOLIDAY KICK OFF WEEKEND AND SANTA’S ALPINE VISIT

Enjoy festive music, find that perfect Christmas at the Holiday Artisan Market, taste some authentic Maple Taffy made right on the snow, decorate a gingerbread cookie, make a holiday decoration and so much more! 250 578 5542

250 578 5474

THURSDAY

SKATE WITH SANTA

DECEMBER 22

DECEMBER 15

ART ZONE OPEN STUDIO NIGHT

Join other local artists for a relaxing and social night. Bring any arts and crafts projects you are working on from painting to crochet and connect with other creative locals.6:30-8 p.m.at #35 the Cottages.

Santa will be making a special appearance at Family Fun Night at the Skating Rink where all children 12 and under are free (must be accompanied by an adult). There will be tons of games, music, and a bonfire with hot chocolate will be on location to keep everyone warm. 250 578 7222

250 3030595

HOSTING A COMMUNITY EVENT?

Add it to our online calendar sunpeaksnews.com/ events

sunpeaksnews.com/events Rocka, a former snowboarder for Burton’s B.C. team, is also an Ambassador for Burton Girls, an organization that introduces women to the sport. The program’s goal is to foster “female progression—personal and professional—through snowboarding.” Her enthusiasm for the sport is infectious; it’s not just the thrill of physical exertion, the exhilarating adrenaline rush, the crisp

mountain air—it’s the clarity that’s brought to her mind. “It’s like a mindful meditation… that’s all you think of in that moment—just snowboarding.” Rocka described the creation and production of her artwork in a similar fashion, losing herself in the light—mesmerized by the subject, and in the moment, nothing else matters. She hopes those who lay

eyes on her work ﬁnd themselves in a similar state of zen; escaping their chaotic and cluttered headspace, dreaming of a visual world draped in vivacious layers. For the artist, the future couldn’t be brighter. “Everything is beautiful; it’s how you look at it.” For more information on Rocka’s photographs and artwork, refer to www.zuzyrocka.net/.

Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

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Sun Peaks leaders in action! Sun Peaks guides and cubs took part in the Kamloops Remembrance Day ceremonies. - Photo Christopher Nicolson

Sun Peaks teen Madison Adams receiving one of her gold medals at the 2016 ITF Taekwondo Provincial Championships in Kamloops. Sun Peaks’ Northern Taekwondo Academy had 17 competitors and came home with 28 medals. - Photo Sumitted

The Super Moon hovers over Mt. Tod on a chilly November morning. - Photo Maria Davis

The Annual Get Stoked Film Premiere at TRU featured “Frames” produced by local filmmakers Kieran Nikula and Eddie Foster.

- Photo submitted

The annual Ullr party in Whitecroft raised $2,000 for the Sun Peaks Skate Park Foundation. - Photo Denni Bonetti

The Annual Fall Ball rocked a Blue Ball theme this year at Bottoms Bar & Grill. - Photo Alpine Images Photography Fire Chief Colin Cannon congratulates Luke Harrison on five years of service with Sun Peaks Fire Rescue at the Annual Fire Fighters Gala. - Photo SPIN

Sun Peaks Ski Patrollers pose for their annual preseason photo before keeping us all safe on the mountan. - Photo Submitted

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Volunteer members of Sun Peaks Fire Rescue celebrate at the Annual Firefighters Soceity Chartity Gala. Over $24,000 was raised for the Sun Peaks Education Society and the Sun Peaks Recreational Trail Society. - Photo SPIN

Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

YOUTHFUL connections New biathlon gear available at Nordic Centre JACKRABBITS PREPARE FOR BUSY WINTER by JEAN STRONG

he Sun Peaks Nordic Club’s JackRabbits are getting ready for another busy season on the trails. Since their start in 2013, the group made of skiers aged five to 13 and their coaches, has continued to expand, adding both members and events. The club now has more than 40 members, up from nine in its first year, whose goal is to have fun on the snow. “They have fun,” said head coach Christopher Nicholson. “We start with fun.” Team members meet at weekly sessions to learn and refine their technique with coaches. Some members also travel to provincial events to meet other cross country skiers and compete, but mostly to have as much fun as possible.

Adding to the array of options for members this year is a set of new laser biathlon gear purchased with a grant received from the Kamloops Blazers Sports Society. The equipment will allow the club to set up two different sites to practise biathlon, an Olympic sport. Nicholson said the skiers were excited to try the new sport and it fits in with the objective to have fun and be active. “These are critical years to develop physical literacy,” said Nicholson. “It’s the development of youth in balance and co-ordination.” Nicholson said he expects adult groups and Adaptive Sports Sun Peaks to use the gear to complement the already strong cross country offerings at the mountain. The group will also have the chance to attend events at the new Nordic Festival to be hosted

JackRabbits on one of the tracks around Sun Peaks. | PHOTO SUBMITTED

at Sun Peaks in March. Coaches are also getting ready for the first session on Dec. 3 by participating in training courses to keep their certifications updated and improve their coaching. “They dedicate their time to teach and to learn,” said Nicholson. “Each year they are

getting better.” Coaches, members and parents are preparing for their first ever Scrape Ski and Swap on Nov. 26 at the Nordic Centre. The day, starting at 9 a.m., will bring community members together to scrape off summer storage wax, get out on cross

country trails and swap gear between families whose children may have outgrown old uniforms or skis. For more information on the JackRabbits email spjackrabbits@gmail.com or visit sunpeaksnordicclub.com.

New snowboard club ready for winter by JEAN STRONG

new youth freestyle snowboarding club will be on the slopes this year with help from the Bluebird Day Fund (BDF) and Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR). The team, initiated by Sun Peaks resident and coach Danny Webb, will give boarders who have mastered the current BDF Park Sessions program a place

to improve their technique and to compete. Webb is also entering his third season coaching the Sun Peaks First Nations Snowboard Team and is a level three instructor through the New Zealand Snowsports Instructor Alliance. “It’s about letting the kids represent Sun Peaks,” said Webb. “Show off what we can do.” Webb wanted to form the club after a similar freestyle ski club started last year. He’s excited to coach kids on a team he

wishes he could have joined at their age. “I’m super excited to take the kids out and put them through their paces,” said Webb. “It’s something I never got to do when I was younger, but I really enjoy coaching and it has been a lot of fun.” The partnership with BDF will provide support by supplying uniforms, lunches, competition fees and some travel costs. SPR is providing wages for the program to operate.

Dylan Stevens, BDF Park Sessions co-ordinator, was thrilled BDF had the opportunity to support a new club at the mountain. “It is unique because Bluebird helps out with paying costs,” Stevens said. “Bluebird can give back and make it more affordable.” He added that members can’t wait to get started. “They are all pretty stoked on the opportunity.” For the first year space is

limited to eight participants and currently six spots are full. Webb and Stevens hope to see the club expand and bring on more coaches and boarders. “It is a fun thing for kids to join,” said Webb. “We hope it gets bigger every year.” Club members will meet each Sunday for 11 weeks and will attend two competitions to represent Sun Peaks. For more information contact Stevens at dylan.stevens@hotmail.com.

Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

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>> sports Bond returns for Nordic camps NORDIC TRAIL UPDATES COMPLETED by SUN PEAKS NEWS

lenn Bond plans to bring the latest and greatest in Nordic skiing to Sun Peaks Resort this winter. The cross-country connoisseur is offering a pair of weekend camps to classic and skating-style skiers of all skill levels — the first on Dec. 10 and 11, the second on Jan. 7 and 8. “We’ll be using the latest techniques that are on the World Cup circuit currently,” said Bond, a former Western Canadian champion who’s been cross-country skiing for 31 years. “We want to make sure everyone’s having fun and has a

comfort level with the coaches. We want to challenge them, for sure, but we don’t want to take them out of their comfort zone.” Groups that wish to learn together during the camps will be accommodated, with Bond expecting about 30 to 40 people to attend each camp. Bond aims to have one instructor per six students, a ratio that allows for plenty of one-onone coaching. “We’re not using a ton of trails and we’re not just going out for a ski,” he said. “We want to give them as much information as possible, so they can build on that.” The camps, which include morning sessions from 9 to 11:30 a.m. each day, cost $169. Extra afternoon ses-

sions, which run from 2:30 to 4 p.m., cost $80. Bond, who spent 10 years managing the Nordic program at Silver Star Mountain Resort in Vernon, is a fan of the trail network at Sun Peaks, where he has been conducting camps for the past five years. “It’s great and the village is phenomenal and there are more than 30 kilometres of trails,” Bond said. In his experience coaching clinics across North America, Bond has found the most popular trails are often the easiest and simplest to navigate. “Once they build a trail around McGillivray Lake, then they’re going to see things really take off,” Bond said. Phil Youwe, Sun Peaks Re-

sort’s Nordic co-ordinator, is waiting for snow like everyone else, anxious to see how off-season work will improve the trail network. “In the summertime, we were able to go up and brush all of Holy Cow. It’s a real big improvement,” Youwe said. “We’ve groomed and widened that trail from top to bottom. “And, on Whiskey Jack, our well-used dog trail, last year the second corner was very sharp and difficult to navigate. We’ve widened that out considerably.” Youwe said Nordic skiing at Sun Peaks is beginning to take off, with increased sales in five-day passes, more people signing up for lessons and a growing JackRabbit program for young skiers. “You can ride the Morrisey lift and get up onto the trail system, which provides for some really nice downhill and cross-country terrain that takes you out to the

McGillivray cabin,” Youwe said. “It’s well-balanced between green, blue and more difficult black trails, and we’ve got a dog circuit, a portion of that on-leash and a portion that (is) off-leash.” The resort is offering Starlight Nordic Ski Adventure to McGillivray Lake tours on Dec. 28 and Dec. 30. The peaceful, guided trips to the McGillivray Lake log cabin finish with a nightcap at Masa’s restaurant. Sign up for the Bond camps and starlight skis online at sunpeaksresort.com. “It’s great to see people coming here now for Nordic holidays,” Youwe said. “We have two cats that work on the system every night and we have some of the nicest groomed trails around. “We’re hoping to eventually expand the network a little more and incorporate a few additional trails.”

New Nordic festival this March by SUN PEAKS NEWS

estivals garner attention and cross-country skiing organizers at Sun Peaks Resort are aiming to attract a crowd later this winter. The inaugural Sun Peaks Resort Nordic Festival will be a two-day event, with the Sun Peaks Loppet slated for Mar. 4 and the Sun Peaks Nordic Sprint Challenge set for Mar. 5. “It’s really good timing,” said Glenn Bond, the event’s chief of competition. “Now that Sun Peaks has proven itself, that it has hosted a number of events successfully, that’s one of the reasons why the provin-

Competitors push their limits at the 2013 Holy Cow Nordic Loppet. | FILE PHOTO

cial sport body opened up that weekend for us.” In recent years, Sun Peaks would play host to two Nordic Loppets, one in early January and one in late February. Each would see about 100 participants take to the trails.

“Rather than have two events, we’re going to have two days of events on one weekend,” said Phil Youwe, Sun Peaks Resort’s Nordic co-ordinator. “We always have snow at that time, even though the ski season is winding down a little bit.

I’m super excited to see a lot of skiers come out.” Youwe would like to see more than 200 participants. The Loppet will offer two-kilometre, five-kilometre and 15-kilometre free-technique events, meaning timing will be combined for skate and classic-style skiers. The 30-kilometre distance (two laps of the 15-kilometre course) will be open to both skate and classic-technique skiers, but timing will be separate for each discipline. Bond described the sprint challenge event on Mar. 5 as, “ski-cross for cross-country skiers.” The individual and team sprints will pit heats of skiers

against each other on 400m to 800 meter courses that will include accents, descents, slalom gates, bumps, jumps, hills and rolls. “This should be a really fun, technical event,” Bond said, noting clubs from across B.C. have been invited to compete. Register for the festival events online at zone4.ca and read more about them at sunpeaksresort.com. “The date doesn’t conflict with other events in the region,” Bond said. “We’re expecting the numbers will be really, really good.” “Bond described the sprint challenge event on Mar. 5 as, “ski-cross for cross-country skiers.”

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SALES

>> sports PATROL AND ASSP WORK TOGETHER Safe lift evacuation for all abilities Sun Peaks ski patrollers partnered with Adaptive Sports at Sun Peaks (ASSP) on Nov. 15 to practise chairlift evacuation procedures with skiers who have different disabilities and sports equipment. It was the first time the two have joined to ensure lift evacuation operations are safe for both groups in the event of an emergency. Pat McKimmon, president

of ASSP, said she was excited to work together with patrol and other groups on the mountain. “The more that the different groups who operate on the mountain can present a collaborative front the better the service will be for the guests,” McKimmon said. Marc White, risk management and safety programs director at Sun Peaks Resort LLP, said

he was happy to see the relationship between the groups strengthen. “It is an excellent program,” White said. “Everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy the mountains safely.” Both groups plan to work together on future training projects to ensure both patrollers and ASSP participants and volunteers can be well educated and safe on the mountain.

ON LEFT: Patrollers work with sit skier and ASSP instructor Troy Morrison to prepare webbing that will attach to his sit ski and help lower him off the chairlift. | PHOTO JEAN STRONG

Patrollers work to lower a sit skier to the ground safely. | PHOTO JEAN STRONG

ON RIGHT:

Starting the season on the right foot by JEAN STRONG

“Everyone in my group improved,” Strong said. “We met at the camp and skied together later in the season and would pick up tips from each other.” Strong loved the social aspect of the camp that helped him meet other community members who are also passionate about skiing. He also appreciated the variety and quality of instructors. “The fun part was having different instructors each day who have different teaching styles and pointers,” Strong said. “You get to meet instructors who you click with and you can work more with them.” For skiers interested in attending the kick-off camp Lafontaine said he will look at expanding the camp to have over 100 spaces next year and may add additional camps at different times or locations throughout the year. “Something is going on and people really enjoy it,” Lafontaine said. “It’s a success story.”

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ski improvement camp which started in 2014 has grown to become one of the most popular offerings at the ski school. The Winter Kick-Off Weekend Ski Improvement Camp started with 15 certified instructors hitting the slopes to fine tune their skiing at the start of the season. Now in its third year, the course is fully booked with 70 students, a mix of instructors and advanced skiers interested in improving their turns. Held annually on the first weekend in December, it brings Canadian Ski Instructor Alliance level four instructors together to help participants improve their skiing. Vincent Lafontaine, sports director for Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR), said the camp has been a huge success for the ski school.

“I knew there was something there,” said Lafontaine. “I am really pleased.” The three days include video analysis, discounted lift tickets and fitness sessions to help students get the most out of their time with instructors. This year the camp will also welcome local guest speakers Bodie Shandro and Isabelle (Izzy) Hamptonstone at the Saturday night group meal. Alpine Images Photography will also be photographing participants for the first time. Lafontaine said it’s those extras combined with the quality of instructors for a good value that have made the weekend so popular. “I think it is the quality of instruction, we have high quality trainers, to get the season started on the right foot,” said Lafontaine. Doug Strong attended the course for the first time in 2015 and said he saw improvements in his skiing throughout the entire season.

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Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

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FEATURE story In Canada, mountain caribou recovery falters A decade of conservation efforts has done little to stop the decline of the endangered ungulates or their rainforest home

by DAVID MOSKOWITZ, FROM HIGH COUNTRY NEWS

he western hemlock towered nearly 200 feet into the cloudy British Columbia sky. The tree, about four feet in diameter and several centuries old, had sprouted in a forest that formed around 10,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age. It took David Walker, a nimble man with 30 years’ experience logging here in the Selkirk Mountains, about two minutes to drop the huge conifer. The ground shook. After Walker turned off his saw, I asked what would become of the old giant. It’s going to a pulp mill, he said matter-of-factly. This is one of the planet’s rarest forest ecosystems: interior temperate rainforest. The largest of its type left on earth, this rainforest stretches hundreds of miles from the Idaho Panhandle into central British Columbia, spanning

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multiple mountain ranges and the headwaters of two of the West Coast’s largest rivers, the Columbia and Fraser. It’s also home to endangered mountain caribou, which evolved to use these vast forests to evade predators. To survive here, mountain caribou adopted a diet of arboreal lichens that only grow in abundance in forests close to a century old or older. Decades of industrial logging operations have destroyed and fragmented mountain caribou habitat, and their numbers have dwindled to perilous levels, with about 1,000 remaining. In some ways, the mountain caribou is like a Canadian version of the spotted owl. Much as the owl’s threatened status was exploited to help save swaths of old-growth forest in the Northwestern United States, over the logging industry’s strong objections, attempts have been made to use mountain caribou to help preserve the inland rainforest in British Columbia. Despite a decade of protec-

Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

tive measures, however, mountain caribou numbers keep declining as logging continues across their range. Even as British Columbia pours money into caribou conservation, it continues to exacerbate the situation through logging activities. This behavior highlights a larger societal collision: a progressive shift towards a broad view of the value of nature versus the entrenched power of a resource-extraction economy. Meanwhile, mountain caribou conservation is becoming a case study in the failure of single-species focused efforts to address ecosystem-wide challenges. When the dust settles, neither the animal nor the rainforest may survive. Log trucks stacked high with ancient cedar regularly rumble down Victoria Road, passing European-style coffee shops and inns, headed for Downie Timber’s sprawling mill on the edge of Revelstoke. This national park gateway community is “a resource extraction town with an outdoor recreation ve-

A mountain caribou traverses an alpine ridge in winter. Behind, a large clearcut fragments the subalpine forest just below tree line in the Hart Mountains of British Columbia. | PHOTO DAVID MOSKOWITZ

neer,” says Michael Copperthwaite of the Revelstoke Community Forest Corporation. Despite burgeoning tourism and a huge amount of previously logged lands fallowed for decades until they regenerate, the province has managed to keep cut rates steady. For millennia, mountain caribou depended on the forests now rolling through the province by the truckload. Eating arboreal lichens allowed them to prosper in a place that both their competitors and predators avoided. But once caribou habitat is logged, deer, elk and moose move in. Wolves and mountain lions, which depend on these other ungulates

in this part of the world, soon follow. These predators can then make quick work of mountain caribou, whose defense strategy of avoidance has been shattered. In 2007, pushed by a coalition of conservation groups, British Columbia adopted the Mountain Caribou Recovery Implementation Plan (MCRIP), which calls for the use of various “management levers” such as habitat protection and winter recreation restrictions. (About a dozen mountain caribou remain south of the border, in Idaho and Washington, and snowmobiling has been minimally curtailed to protect the endangered species.) Predator

FEATURE story management — specifically the wolf cull, which has seen the demise of hundreds of wolves and fractured the coalition of conservation groups that pushed for caribou protections to begin with — has garnered the lion’s share of media interest. While the MCRIP set aside thousands of square miles of forest as caribou habitat, it did not reduce the amount of logging occurring in the region. Kerry Rouck, corporate forestry manager for the Gorman Group of Companies, which owns Downie Timber and several other operations in the region, confirms that caribou protections have not reduced their logging on public lands. According to Rouck, all of the timber being harvested by Downie still comes from previously uncut forest, about half of which is classified as old growth. The rest is composed of mature stands of trees that burned about a century ago. With almost no second growth ready to be harvested yet, that means that everyone logging in the heart of mountain caribou country is cutting old growth. A recent audit of logging in mountain caribou habitat by the Forest Practices Board (FPB), British Columbia’s independent forestry investigation agency, found that none of the cut blocks it reviewed had ever been logged before. According to estimates from two timber companies and the FPB, the province will be cutting virgin timber for the next 30 to 40 years before a significant number of stands here are ready for a second cut. Ironically, cutting old growth can be a mixed bag for the timber industry. Hemlock trees are often worthless economically and are typically pulped to make paper products. It often costs more to cut and ship the hemlock logs to the mill than companies are paid for them. The logs are hauled away in part because it’s “socially unpopular” to leave them on the ground, says Rouck. Since many accessible stands are now officially pro-

Female caribou from the North Columbia herd north of Revelstoke, British Columbia in the Selkirk Mountains. This herd has been the focus of a number of conservation measures to try to stop their population decline including removal of most of the moose from their home range, targeted predator control efforts, and a maternal penning project. The province set aside some forests for this heard, while in other parts of their home range, logging continues. | PHOTO DAVID MOSKOWITZ

tected caribou habitat, timber companies have to go deeper into the mountains to fulfill their quotas, further fragmenting the landscape. “It’s pushing us into tougher ground, the back ends of drainages and steeper, more difficult access,” says Rouck. But the losses from cutting hemlock and the expense of accessing hard-to-reach trees are largely offset by a de facto government subsidy. Companies pay “stumpage fees” to the province for trees they cut on public land. These fees are reduced for operations that require building new roads, are expensive to harvest because of steep terrain, or contain lots of low-value wood, like hemlock. This incentivizes otherwise uneconomical operations. The province does its best to accommodate the industry. According to a 2013 FPB report, timber representatives in the Revelstoke area were invited to comment on and influence amendments to biodiversity management plans, which affected caribou habitat and oldgrowth forest reserves, a full year and a half before conservation groups were informed

of the process. A government project reviewing old-growth timber swaps in another part of the interior rainforest lists a representative of the forestry trade group, the Interior Lumber Manufacturers Association, as the contact person for the project. (The association would not comment on anything involving caribou, however.) British Columbia’s so-called “professional reliance” system essentially allows logging companies to police themselves while operating on public lands. Corporate profits are not the only driver, however. To keep stumpage revenue — more than $1 billion annually — flowing, the province actually encourages companies to log in mountain caribou habitat. If a company doesn’t fulfill its quota, the province will give logging rights to that particular swath of forest to another firm. Chris Ritchie is responsible for overseeing mountain caribou recovery efforts for British Columbia’s Ministry of Forest, Lands, and Natural Resources. Over the phone from his office in Victoria, Ritchie admits that the province is failing to meet

its own goals for caribou recovery. Since the recovery plan was initiated in 2007, numerous herds have continued to decline, at least two are gone altogether, and four others are down to fewer than 10 animals each, making their recovery highly unlikely. Not a single herd’s population is increasing, according to recent census numbers. With no plans to curtail logging and habitat fragmentation, Ritchie says the province will focus instead on “really heavy, expensive long-term management,” such as killing wolves and reducing moose and deer populations through hunting and other methods, in order to maintain a predator-prey dynamic that caribou can survive. As various herds disappear, the forest protections that currently exist for their home range will, in at least some instances, be removed or applied elsewhere. This was done when the George Mountain caribou herd died out in the 2000s and the province decided that it was impossible to re-establish it. There may still be hope for the caribou, however. In 2011, British Columbia ruled that resource extraction in the West Moberly First Nation violated Canadian treaty obligations, which allow that nation to hunt

caribou on these lands. British Columbia altered local plans to settle the lawsuit. Meanwhile, Canada’s federal government is revising its mountain caribou conservation strategy, which is likely to end up stronger than British Columbia’s. If that happens, the Canadian government could force British Columbia to comply with federal guidelines through a “protection order” under the Species at Risk Act. There is no precedent for this being done in Canada, though. After David Walker felled that hemlock tree in the Northern Selkirks, it was trucked to a reservoir on the Columbia River. It was then floated to the Celgar pulp mill in Castlegar B.C., about 200 miles from where it was cut. Curious about what would become of it, I perused Celgar’s promotional materials. I learned that Mercer International, a U.S. company, owns Celgar and boasts of using only wood from internationally certified “sustainable” forestry operations. As for the pulp it produces? It is sold in North America and Asia to make, among other things, “hygiene products,” another name for toilet paper. David Moskowitz is a biologist and photographer in Winthrop, Washington. Follow @ moskowitz_david

SPORTS LEGACY FUND APPLICATION DEADLINE The Kamloops Blazers Sports Society is once again seeking applicants for its Sports Legacy Fund from the local region. The society is encouraging potential applicants to go to www. kamloopsblazerssportssociety.com to see if they are eligible. The deadline for 2017 grant applications is

Nov. 30. The fund is intended to boost amateur sports and was in set up in 2007 with the sale of the Blazer Hockey Club. The first grants were given in 2009 and since then $2.475 million has been allocated to community sports organizations. Thirty one organizations

received funds in 2016 including the Sun Peaks Nordic Club, the Sun Peaks Alpine Club, The First Nations Snowboard Team and Adaptive Sports at Sun Peaks, which went towards completion of capital projects, purchasing equipment and coaching support. Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22

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Like new, level entry 2 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom townhouse in the very popular McGillivray Creek development. Conveniently located adjacent to the village with easy ski-in access and bordering the Sun Peaks Golf Course. The layout is bright and open & tastefully ﬁnished. Features include heated tile areas, warm ﬁr accents, patio, crawl space for extra storage and private garage. This Creekside setting backs onto greenspace and the valley trail connects you to all resort amenities. GST paid.

Immaculate 2 bedroom, 2.5 baths plus den/office located in the prestigious townhouse development of Woodhaven backing on to the Sun Peaks Golf Course. Convenient ski-in, ski- out access with beautiful mountain views, spacious open kitchen with luxurious quartz countertops & gas range, new flooring & lighting, cozy corner fireplace & private hot tub. This mountain home has never been rented and quick possession is available. GST paid.

4206 BELLA VISTA DRIVE | $1,529,000 High quality custom built home in ski-in, ski-out location with spectacular window package and exceptional views of the mountains and valley. Open & expansive design and features a stunning floor to ceiling natural ledge stone fireplace. The cabinetry & finishing is impressive with high end appliances & fixtures throughout. All 3 bedrooms have private baths & comfortable hot water radiant heat on basement & main floor levels, plus a legal suite. The details in this home are outstanding with all natural stone, slate & soaring timbers.

COAST SUNDANCE LODGE |STUDIOS STARTING AT $15,000

6071 LAKE BAY ROAD | $1,125,000

Enjoy one of the best ski-in, ski-out locations on the mountain with absolutely everything at your doorstep. Features large outdoor hot tub, workout room, restaurants & coffee shops, secure underground parking and an inviting lobby area. Owners have the ﬂexibility of 180 days per year personal use with a professional in house management team in place so you donʼt need to worry about a thing. Suites are being sold fully furnished and are ready for your next mountain get away at Sun Peaks Resort.

Find solitude in this beautiful 4 bedroom, 4 bath custom lakefront home with spacious family room & games room. The open kitchen, dining room & living room features a beautiful wood burning rock ﬁreplace & opens up to your sundeck overlooking the lake. This year round home is situated on .74 acres with 103ʼ of low-bank waterfront & your own private docks. There is a large 2 car garage with extra storage and a detached 2 bedroom vintage guest cabin in the back yard.

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Vol 14 Issue 12 November 25 — December 22